More Than Friends: Brad
More Than Friends:
Brad
A novel of erotic romance by
Marie Rochelle
Published by Phaze Books
Also by Marie Rochelle
A Taste of Love: Richard
Closer to You: Lee
My Deepest Love: Zack
All the Fixin’
Caught
Caught 2: Anja’s Return
Closer to You: Lee
More Than Friends: Brad
My Deepest Love: Zack
Crossing the Railroad
Desire
The Men of CCD: Loving True
The Men of CCD: Tempting Turner
The Men of CCD: Slow Seduction
The Men of CCD: Help Wanted
Lucky Charms
So Much Better
Taken by Storm
Roped Into You
This is an explicit and erotic novel
intended for the enjoyment
of adult readers. Please keep
out of the hands of children.
www.Phaze.com
More Than Friends: Brad
Copyright © 2010 by Marie Rochelle
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Edited by Judy Bagshaw
Cover Art © 2010 by Valerie Tibbs
First Edition December 2010
ISBN-13: 978-1-60659-579-4
Published by:
Phaze Books
An imprint of Mundania Press LLC
6470A Glenway Ave., #109
Cincinnati, OH 45211
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher, Mundania Press LLC, 6470A Glenway Avenue, #109, Cincinnati, Ohio 45211, books@mundania.com.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
No part of this book may be scanned, uploaded or distributed via the Internet or any other means, electronic or print, without permission from Mundania Press LLC. Warning: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. (http://www.fbi.gov/ipr/). Please purchase only authorized electronic or print editions and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted material. Your support of the author’s rights and livelihood is appreciated.
Dedication:
This final book is for all of my fans who fell in love with
the Drace brothers ... especially Brad and Alicia.
Enjoy,
Marie
Prologue
I can’t believe the words coming out of my boss’s mouth. Alicia Hart listened in utter shock to the next assignment that her boss Tiffany Henry was handing down to her. It took all of her willpower to sit up straight and not fall out of the expensive chair. There was no way in hell that she could do it. Why did Tiffany think that she could or would? Ever since her old boss left for a better job and Tiffany found out she knew the family she had been pushing her to become a part of this story. Well, she would just turn it down and that was that.
Another reporter could volunteer to take it and do a better job than her. Yes, she wanted to move up through the ranks of the news station, but this wasn’t the next story she wanted to be a part of in any way, shape or form.
“Tiffany, are you sure about this?” Alicia asked as she laid her pen back down on the notepad on her lap.
“Alicia, you will be the perfect reporter for this assignment. They have turned the news station down countless times, but since you’re friends with one of the brothers I know you could get them to agree this interview without a problem.” Tiffany grinned at her like she had it all planned out in her head and nothing would go wrong.
Tiffany wasn’t aware of her true relationship with the aloof Drace Brothers. She hadn’t even spoken to Brad in a while and if Lee had anything to do with it she wouldn’t for the rest of her life. The oldest and most outspoken of the elite Drace Brothers hated, and she meant, hated her!
“Didn’t you tell me that you want to start doing something like the Barbara Walters’ specials? Well, this is your first big step there,” Tiffany encouraged. “If you do a good job with this, I see bigger and better things in your future.”
“Brad Drace and his brothers are very private men. Most of them are already married and don’t want eyes prying into their personal lives,” Alicia pointed out, trying to get off this topic as quickly as possible. Tiffany didn’t understand that she really didn’t have any pull with the family.
She could already see Lee giving her that unblinking stare of his. He wouldn’t need to give her an answer after that because his look spoke volumes. No...she wasn’t going to allow herself to be put into that position by Tiffany or anyone else.
“I really don’t think any of them will agree to this behind the scenes type of thing anyway. I’ll be thrilled to do another spot on television and report something else going on in the news. Wasn’t there a recent drug raid that I can cover instead?” Alicia wasn’t that fond of doing drug dealers pieces, but it would get her away from the Drace Brothers story.
Tiffany glared at her as she tapped her French manicured nails on her desk. Great...she knew her boss only did that when she thinking of a way to get what she wanted and didn’t care who she had to bully to get it done.
Alicia was trying her best not to agree to this. For the past four and a half years, she had worked very hard making Brad understand that they couldn’t be more than friends. Yet, if she accepted this new project it would put her around him all of the time and she wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Brad really thought that she didn’t care about him, but that wasn’t the real reason that she pushed him away all of the time. So, it was for the best if he kept thinking that she wasn’t interested in him. It would work out better for the both of them in the end.
“Alicia, I’m not going to let you back out of this. You don’t seem to understand that my boss wants this interview done and I’m not about to lose my job because of you. Now, you can be the one that does it or I can give it to one of the new girls working here. It’s up to you, but it will be done.”
“I’m still not sure about this,” Alicia said, worried. She knew Tiffany wouldn’t hire a good person to take over the project. As much as she didn’t want to be involved with this, she did know the Drace brothers and their wives better than anyone else at the station.
“I was trying to do a good thing here. Everyone here knows that you’re close to Brad because he used to give you tennis lessons. He might be more open to granting you an interview and then you could get something from him other people couldn’t.
“Do you know that most people here in Houston don’t know much about Lee, Richard, Zack or Brad? All of them are very influential men and the public wants to know what makes them tick and how their wives were lucky enough to get them to the altar.”
Pushing up her glasses with her index finger, Alicia thought over what Tiffany was telling her. She hated it, but she had to agree that her boss did have a point.
The Drace brothers had moved to Texas years ago. It seemed like all of
the brothers had made their fortunes overnight, except Brad who worked for Lee part-time about twenty hours a week and then gave tennis lessons for the rest of the time.
Were the handsome brothers hiding a rag to riches story that the community would love to hear about? This could really be the big break she had been dreaming about and it would give her a chance to be around Brad. She did truly love the moments she had spent with him during her tennis lessons. With this assignment, she would be doing her job and spending quality time with the attractive Brad.
Alicia wasn’t going to allow someone else to be around Brad when she could do it herself while working on a kick ass job assignment. “We haven’t spoken to each other for a couple of weeks, but I’ll call Brad and try to run the idea past him. However, I can’t promise that he’ll agree to do anything. I know that he’ll talk it over with his brothers first before he gives me any kind of answer.”
“Excellent,” Tiffany said as she stood up from behind her desk. “I’m late for my lunch date, but I’ll talk to you later on in the week to see where things are with this. I know that you aren’t going to disappoint me
Alicia stood up from her seat and pressed the notepad against her chest. She wasn’t going to hold out for a lot of hope that Brad would agree to this. He was probably still mad at her because she didn’t attend Lee’s engagement party with him several weeks back, but she truly had been working late on an assignment. Brad most likely thought it was another excuse she had used to get out of going on a first date with him...which wasn’t the case at all.
Lee’s engagement party was going to be her initial step at trying to see if she could become get involved in a relationship with Brad. Yes...she had been trying for God knows how long to find ways to avoid Brad. Or keep him out of her life because she was apprehensive about getting drawn in by him. Because he came from a pretty well-known family and she wasn’t positive she could handle all of the notoriety that came along with dating a Drace Brother.
“Okay, how about we go out to lunch and we can discuss everything then?” Alicia suggested. “I’m free next Friday if you want to do it then since you’re going out of town for a couple of days next week.”
“I like that. I’ll mark it on my calendar and then leave myself a reminder on my Blackberry.” Tiffany headed for her office door. “Please...don’t take no for an answer. This will be an outstanding piece, if can get all of them to agree to do it.” Tiffany waved good-bye to her before opening her office door and walking out.
Standing alone inside of her boss’s office, Alicia wondered how she was going to pull off interviewing Brad about his successful family plus continued to pretend like she was uninterested in him when that was the furthest thing from the truth.
Chapter One
Sitting silently at the dining room table, Brad Drace wasn’t really playing attention to the conversations going on around him. He had tried to think of several excuses to not attend the weekly Wednesday night dinner, but Lee wasn’t about to let him bail out of it. His oldest brother told him that his ass better be sitting at the dinner table or else.
However, he wasn’t in the mood to be here at all. Nevertheless, here he was with a plate full of food in front of him and a lonesome heart because of Alicia and her damn stubborn streak. She knew they belonged together, but she kept forcing things in between them.
Without a doubt, he loved his brothers and his sister-in laws more than anything in the world, but seeing how extremely happy all of them were constantly made him realize how lonely and empty his life truly was.
All of his brothers had found the women they love more anything in the world over the past couple of years while he still couldn’t get Alicia to even go out on a real date with him.
Lee had advised him over and over to move on, but he couldn’t think about not having Alicia in his life. He loved her. Hell, he was in love with her. She was the woman that he was meant to be with. As much as he valued his brother’s opinion about other things in his life, this was one time that he wasn’t going to listen to Lee.
He was going to prove to Alicia that he was the man for her and not to get sidetracked by other men who weren’t worthy of her. If he didn’t feel Alicia was in love with him too, he wouldn’t be giving it his all to win over her heart. She loved him, but she was just too scared to admit it.
He had tried to be patient and understanding and do it her way, but that wasn’t working so he was going to do it his way from now on. Alicia was done running the other way each and every time he tried to get closer to her.
Brad was tired of being the one on the outside looking into the lives of his brothers. This was his time to get Alicia and put a ring on her finger. If he didn’t get her to admit that she was in love with him by Christmas Eve then he was going to move on. He would find someone else he could build a life with. It might not be a woman that he loved with his heart and soul, but it would be somebody he could settle down with and start a family.
The sound of two familiar voices arguing drew his focus back to the conversation going on around him at the table. Brad couldn’t keep the smile off his face as he glanced at the guilty pair. He loved how Cherise and Lee were so in love with each other, but neither one of them wanted to ever give up control about anything. Their fighting was what made them such an entertaining pair to be around and he wondered which one of them would give in first.
“I don’t want to take a leave of absence from work just because I’m pregnant. The babies won’t be here for another two months. I’m more than capable of going to work and doing my catering job on the side,” Cherise complained, placing her fork back down on her plate as she glared at Lee.
“No, I don’t think it’s a good idea at all. My wife shouldn’t be working right now. It’s not like you need the money. I’ve more than enough to take care of you and our children. Stay at home and relax,” Lee tossed back. “It’s where you should be anyways.”
Brad watched as his sister-in-law leaned back in her seat and folded her hands on her round stomach. Oh, he knew that he was in for a good show now. Cherise only did that when she was digging her heels in for a good fight. Lee should have just kept his mouth shut and let Cherise have her way.
“First, I’m not going to even talk about the last part of your statement. Secondly, what you want isn’t going to happen. I’m more than capable of doing my job and not sitting at home waiting for you barefoot and pregnant,” Cherise said. “Don’t you remember that I did have a life before you came into it Lee.”
“You need to listen to me sweetheart,” Lee said, lowering his voice like he was talking to a pouting child instead of his wife. “I’m only trying to do what is best for you and the babies. You’re too upset right now to see what I’m telling you is right and what you want to do is wrong. I know that your hormones are driving you crazy and after you think about it you’ll see that I know what is best for you.”
Brad couldn’t keep the grin off his face when the rest of his family stopped eating to start watching the action playing out around them. He wondered how long it would be before one of the other family members got involved.
“I agree with my sister,” Traci chimed in. “I think she can work at least until the middle of next month before she goes on bed rest. Look at how well she has been doing so far.”
“Zack, tell your wife to stay out of my conversation with my wife,” Lee said, dipping his spoon into his banana pudding. “Traci has enough to deal with herself so she doesn’t need to meddle in my affairs.”
“Hey, I don’t need Zack to tell me anything,” Traci said before Zack could get a word in.
Brad pushed his half-eaten plate of food away because he would rather watch the entertainment going on around him instead of finishing up his dinner. He always hated driving way out to Lee’s house for these weekly dinners, but in the end something exciting always happen to make the long trip worth it.
“Traci, I think that Lee has Cherise’s best interests at heart. He’s concerned
about her like any good husband would be. She’s having twins and he doesn’t want her to overdo it,” Zack said and then leaned over placing a kiss on his wife’s cheek.
“What do you think Dawn?” Cherise asked as she looked at her sister-in-law across the table. “Do you think I need to stay at home with nothing to do, but to watch the next saga in Erica Kane’s life?”
Great...Brad couldn’t wait to hear what Dawn would tell Cherise. Dawn sometimes had a different way at looking at things which made her so much fun to be around.
Dawn wiped her mouth with a napkin and then placed it on her plate. “I can’t really give you my opinion,” she answered. “As soon as Richard found out I was pregnant, he banned me from D4 until I had the baby.”
“I sure did,” Richard admitted looking at Dawn, and Brad saw the love shining in his brother’s eyes. “I would do it again too. You were already gorgeous before you got pregnant and you got even better looking the further you got along. I couldn’t have the male customers drooling over you. You should be glad that I let you do that side job for Hamilton.”
“Sweetheart, Hamilton doesn’t want a married woman with a new baby,” Dawn laughed patting Richard on the hand. “He’s totally over the crush he had on me. God, it was such a long time ago.”
“It wasn’t that long ago,” Richard corrected. “I had to control myself not to rip him apart when you left me to go and work for him. He only did it to get a rise out of me.”
Jealousy ripped at Brad’s heart as he watched the loving way his brothers interacted with their wives. He wanted Alicia sitting here next to him talking about babies and the love they shared for each other. He was the only one with an empty seat next to him.
“Brad, you’re awful quiet tonight,” Lee said. “What’s going on with you? Please don’t tell me you’re thinking about that Hart woman. I told you that you need to let her go. I’ve a couple of single women at work that would love to date you. How about I throw a party and invite them over here. You’re bound to find one of them attractive enough to forget all about that snobby news reporter.”