Furry Face (Makes My Heart Race Book 1) Read online

  Furry Face

  Makes My Heart Race

  Frankie Love

  Contents

  About

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Epilogue

  Makes My Heart Race

  About the Author

  Copyright © 2020 by Frankie Love

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  About

  FURRY FACE

  Makes My Heart Race Book 1

  By Frankie Love

  Penny’s used to douchebags in three-piece suits with trust funds.

  But the moment I see her at the bar, sipping her dirty martini, I know she’s thirsty for something else. A real man like me.

  She says I’m not her type… but that’s because she’s never been with a furry-faced man. It’s time I rock this curvy sweetheart’s world.

  But I’m more than a pretty (bearded) face… I have dreams — big ones that take place on the open sea. I plan on boarding my boat and never looking back.

  And I need Penny by my side. She’s the one I want to drop anchor with.

  Trouble is, she’s scared of leaving her life behind.

  Can I convince her it’s high time we sail off into the sunset?

  Dear Reader,

  Paxton is ready to melt Penny’s panties away!

  Say goodbye to smooth-jawed men, it’s time to screw the bearded bad boy!

  xo, frankie

  Chapter 1

  Paxton

  Some days are hard, but this isn’t one of them. I’ve just dropped anchor at the Elliot Bay Marina in Seattle and am ready for a few days in the city before heading back to the open sea.

  The sun is out, summer is here, and I’m planning on enjoying it. Especially after being alone for the last few weeks on the sailboat. When I planned my trip around the world, I knew I’d get lonely, but I think I underestimated just how isolated I would be.

  Which is why I am going to enjoy this weekend in the city. Get some food that’s fancier than what I can stow in my cabin, and get a beer on tap instead of in a can.

  I leave the marina with a goddamn grin on my face, that is until I hear my phone buzzing in my jeans pocket. I pull it out and see it’s my sister. I answer, even though I’m sure she’s ready to give me an earful. God knows I love her, but she is wound up real tight.

  “What’s up, Claire?” I ask, slowing my pace and taking in the view. There’s a hotel with an outdoor bar close by and I head in that direction.

  “Just making sure you are still going to be here in time. The wedding party will be here on Wednesday and—”

  “I know,” I say, chuckling. “I plan on arriving at Friday Harbor by Tuesday. You’ll be happy to know I’m in Seattle right now. Only a handful of hours away.”

  “You are?” I can imagine her shoulders relaxing at this. She’s been planning her wedding for the last year and has every detail sorted. Me arriving on time is critical. “Oh thank goodness, Paxton. I know you rerouted your course for me, and it means so much. I couldn’t imagine getting married without you walking me down the aisle.”

  “Don’t worry about me.”

  “I wish you were coming with a date,” she says.

  I run a hand over my beard. “Yeah? Well that’s not going to happen.”

  “Maybe if you shaved your beard and put on a pair of slacks you could find someone to settle down with.”

  “How could I settle down when I live on a boat?” I ask, shaking my head. “Besides, this is the Pacific Northwest — every other guy here has one. I don’t think my beard is the issue.”

  Claire laughs. “You’re probably right. But I would like to see my big brother happy.”

  I look out at the sound, the gentle rolling water, the seagulls flying overhead, the sun just beginning to set over the mountains.

  “I promise, I am happier than I’ve ever been,” I tell her. “And nothing’s changing that anytime soon.”

  Penny

  “I just don’t know why you won’t download a dating app and get on with it,” Lucy moans, lifting her cocktail and taking a sip.

  “She’s right,” Tori says with a smirk. “The last three guys you went out with screwed you over.”

  Lucy laughs. “Except not literally, of course.”

  I roll my eyes. “Can we not talk about my lack of a sex life tonight, please?” The waiter stops at the table, delivering another round. I take my extra-dirty martini and offer him a smile. “Thank you, this is perfect.”

  “Anything for the boss’s daughter,” he says before walking away.

  I take a drink of my martini, wondering if I will ever get away from my family name. Probably not in this city. I’m an Aurora and my father basically owns the entire Seattle waterfront, along with the NFL team, and is so heavily invested in the tech start-ups that I can’t go anywhere without meeting a programmer with a great idea trying to chat me up in hopes of me putting in a good word.

  Problem is, I want nothing to do with the family business. My father has held such tight reins on me since my mother passed and I’m tired of it. I love him, but controlling me won’t make losing his wife any easier.

  I want to be my own person. Make choices for me and me alone. But it’s the being alone part that I’m tired of. I’m ready for a relationship.

  Hence, happy hour with my two best friends, who are trying to help me mix things up. Everyone my dad sets me up with is an asshole in a tailored suit, and those men don’t care about me as a person. They look at me and see a fortune. I want someone to look at me think that I’m the real treasure.

  Sappy? Sure. But what’s wrong with that? With wanting a love story that was written in the stars, not in a prenup?

  “You need a totally different kind of man than you’re used to,” Tori says. “Like, you’ve only dated rich guys your father approves of. You need a wild man who can take you for a wild ride.”

  Lucy claps. “Yes! Totally. I approve of this message! Give me your phone. Let’s download Bumble.”

  “You’re both drunk. Bumble is a terrible idea. Can you imagine me, a virgin, having sex with a complete stranger?” I ask, laughing as I tuck my phone in my purse. “But I like the idea of a guy who is totally outside the box.”

  “Really? Like a mountain man?” Lucy giggles and I shrug.

  “Sure,” I say. “I mean, it’s time I have a little fun, right?”

  My friends are jaw-dropped at my willingness to play along, but I’m done with being sweet little Penelope who plays by her father’s rules. I want more for my life. And I want that now.

  “If you’re game,” Lucy says, “let’s pick someone out here.”

  I laugh, not thinking they will find a rugged man at this swanky hotel bar.

  Tori scans the bar. “Ohhh, a man like him.” She unabashedly points to a man with a thick beard, in a black tee shirt that’s tight around his ripped biceps. He’s in dark denim jeans that hug his ass perfectly, and has on leather Birkenstocks. His attire is the literal the opposite of what my father would deem appropriate for a Friday night out on the town.

  Therefore, he is perfect.

  Chapter 2

  Paxton

  When I see the trio of women pointing and staring at me, I momentari
ly wonder if I left the boat without putting on my pants, but I know my phone is in my back pocket, therefore I’m fully clothed. But damn, they are looking me up and down like a prized piece of meat.

  I grin, walking over with my pint of IPA. “Did you need something?” I ask. Out of the three ladies sitting here with cocktails, there is only one that has my pulse quickening. She’s a dark-haired beauty with freckles across the bridge of her slightly upturned nose and pouty pink lips that I can’t help but imagine kissing.

  “We did, actually,” a woman with a blunt blonde bob says. “I’m Lucy, this is Tori,” she points to a tall, slender woman in a pant suit. “And this is Penny,” she says, pulling out a stool for me beside the raven-haired woman with what I now see are sparkling green eyes. “And you are?”

  I chuckle at her forwardness, not that I mind it. “I’m Paxton Hughes.”

  “And what do you do, Paxton?” Tori asks. “Besides forgetting to shave.”

  I run a hand over my beard, chuckling. “Should I be offended?”

  Penny shakes her head, turning toward me. “Don’t mind them. They’ve made it their mission to set me up tonight, and they have their eyes on you to do the dirty work.”

  My eyebrows lift. “And what do you think about their plan, Penny?”

  She licks her full lips, her gaze lowered. “I think they’re onto something.”

  “Really?” I admit to being surprised. I just walked into a bar and suddenly I have the most delicately beautiful woman I’ve ever seen suggesting we hook up.

  Her cheeks flush red and her friends laugh. Lucy speaks up. “What kind of work do you do?”

  “I work for myself.”

  The women exchange a look I don’t get. “Perfect,” Lucy says. “And where do you live?”

  “I’m a drifter.” I drink my beer as they hold a silent conversation about me.

  “And let me guess, you aren’t looking for a relationship?”

  I laugh. “Didn’t realizing I was gonna get drilled, but no, I don’t suppose I have been looking for one. My life isn’t exactly grounded.”

  Penny bites back a smile. “You pass the test.”

  “Yeah, you’re looking for a one night, no strings situation, and your friends are encouraging this?”

  “You don’t believe me?” Penny asks.

  “You just don’t seem like the sort of woman—”

  She cuts me off. “You don’t know me.” She tosses back the rest of her dirty martini. And my cock twitches. Damn, she is sexy. Pointedly she adds, “You didn’t ask me a single question.”

  Her friends laugh and so do I. Penny’s passion is turning me the fuck on. “Fair enough,” I say. “So what kind of work do you do, Penny?”

  She beams. “I’m a poet.”

  “Yeah? That’s really cool. My sister’s a travel writer.” I look her over in a different light now. To be a poet I’d guess she’s an introvert, patient, and thoughtful. Looking at the world in a way most people don’t. “And where do you live?”

  She twists her lips and answers with a twinge of dismay. “I live here.”

  “In Seattle, or in this bar?”

  Tori laughs. “In this hotel,” she says, speaking for Penny.

  “Okay,” I say slowly. By the way Penny is looking away, I take the cue she doesn’t want to talk about that. “And are you sure you’re not looking for a long-term relationship?”

  She lifts her chin at that, her eyes leveling with mine. “No,” she says adamantly. “I’m looking to lose my virginity.”

  Penny

  He’s a ridiculously attractive man, drifting through town, with nothing keeping him here. If I’m looking for a night of fun, I’ve found my guy. He looks healthy, clean, and up for a good time. I debate googling him to check him out further, but even as I think it, I see Tori pull out her phone. I smile to myself, knowing she’s doing just that.

  I get a text myself, and pull out my phone. And since I’ve just told Paxton I want to sleep with him, I want an excuse to momentarily look somewhere else.

  Tori: He checks out.

  Me: How can you tell so fast?

  Tori: TRUST ME

  I bite my lip, looking up at the table.

  “Are you texting about me?” Paxton asks with a chuckle.

  “We just wanted to make sure you weren’t a wanted criminal,” Tori says.

  “And what did you discover?” Lucy asks.

  Tori looks over at Paxton. Now it’s the two of them having a silent conversation. And maybe other times I would demand all the facts, ask for them to be laid out on the table, but not tonight. Tonight I want mystery. I want the unknown. Maybe it’s the poet in me, looking for magic. Maybe it’s romantic in me, desperate for a fairy tale. Either way, I trust Tori. She’d never put me in harm’s way — we’ve been friends for years. And so that means choosing to trust Paxton Hughes, the complete stranger who I’m going to take to bed.

  “Do you want another drink?” Paxton asks.

  I shake my head. “No. I want to be totally in control.”

  That gets a laugh out of him. “Yeah? You like to take charge?”

  Tori and Lucy cover their mouths, cracking up. They’ve been wanting me to take control of my love life forever… now I’m doing it, and they’re finding it hilarious.

  “Something like that,” I say, shoving my phone in my purse and getting up from the table. I grab a hundred-dollar bill from my wallet and set it down. Looking at Tori and Lucy, I narrow my eyes. “Don’t you dare tell anyone about this. Understood?”

  They faux-zip their lips and Paxton raises his eyebrows. “Are you already embarrassed of me?” he asks, setting a hand on my back. Like we’ve done this before. I swallow, realizing what I’m doing.

  Then I smile. There is no reason to be nervous. I’m doing exactly what I want, how I want, when I want.

  This is a good thing, and since I’m twenty-three years old, it’s about damn time.

  “I’m not embarrassed, I’m just a realist.”

  “What’s that have to do with me?”

  I wave goodbye to my friends and leave the bar with Paxton. “It means I know this can’t go anywhere, and the fewer people who know, the easier that will be. If my father knows about this rendezvous… I’ll be paying for it for a long time.”

  He frowns as I grab his hand and lead him to the discreet side elevator that leads directly to my penthouse.

  “Who are you, Penny?”

  I exhale. Knowing that question was inevitable, and hoping like hell this sexy bearded man has no idea what it means to be me.

  Chapter 3

  Paxton

  In the bar she was all laughs, sultry eyes while licking her lips. Now she seems flustered. Frustrated. Brought back to reality sooner than she’d like. Hell, I have no problem keeping her high as a kite, I just need to know where this girl wants to fly.

  We are in an elevator that only goes to one place — the penthouse. She presses the button and leans against the wall. “I’m Penelope Aurora. My dad is kind of…”

  “A billionaire?” My eyes widen. Shit, I thought this girl was classy. She has large diamond studs in her ears and bejeweled rings on her fingers. Her clothing is simple, a cute black dress with heels, but it looks expensive, and I know that a handbag with the word ‘Gucci’ stamped on the front means money.

  “Pretty much,” she says, looking to the floor. “Look, if this changes things, I get it. Guys always see me in one of two ways — a way to get close to my father, or a way to get close to my money. I don’t really want to know which you might be.”

  The elevator stops at the penthouse. I take Penny’s hand and pull her to me. “What if I don’t want either? What if I just want to get close to your heart?”

  She smirks. “And by heart you mean my bed?”

  I smile, cupping her face with my palm and drawing her closer. I want her so damn bad it hurts. “How about both?”

  I kiss her, hard, taking her breath away. And damn, when he
r lips meet mine, I’m a goner. She sinks against me in an unexpected way. She says she’s a virgin, but she isn’t timid or shy. She knows what she wants.

  My cock hardens knowing it’s me she’s after.

  There are things I could tell her that would have her pulling away, and I don’t want to leave so I don’t speak — instead, I simply kiss her the way she deserves.

  I run a hand over her ass as we walk backwards into her suite. She drops her purse, kicks off her heels, and when her feet find the floor, we pull back. She’s so petite without the extra inches and I tower over her.

  “God, you’re a curvy little thing, aren’t you?”

  She presses her hands to my chest. “And you’re a furry-faced man.”

  I laugh. “You like my beard? My sister says I should shave it.”

  She shakes her head. “I’m glad you didn’t. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here right now.”

  “Is that so?” I ask, running my hand to the zipper on the back of her dress, pulling it down slowly. “So I’m your type?”

  She laughs, a big laugh, her dark hair swishing as she smiles. “No. The exact opposite of anyone I’ve ever been out with. That was kind of the point.”

  I nod, understanding now. “I see, so your friends thought if you tried something different you might have more fun?”

  “Exactly.”

  Her dress falls to the floor, and she stands before me like a goddamn goddess. Gorgeous.

  “Well lucky me,” I say, growling in this innocent woman’s ear. “Because I can deliver on fun. And more than that, I can give you the happy ending you’re after.”