Billionaire's Crush

The Perfect Recipe

"That bad, huh?" Dean, my roommate, rushed to my side the moment I stepped through our apartment’s door. He knew. He always knew and that only made the lump in my throat grow thicker.

"Don't." I lifted a hand in a protective stance when he attempted to wrap me in one of those warm fuzzy hugs of his that always broke through my defences. I was not going to shed any tears. But even I knew that it would just be a matter of time before that happened even without his intervention. It seemed it always was.

"You are home now, you don't have to keep it up." Concern flashed in his eyes when I all but walked past and slumped down on our couch. "Awww, you poor baby." Dean sat down next to me and against my protests pulled me in and that did it. That matter of time became a matter of seconds before my eyes poured. "Hush now…" He rubbed soothing circles on my back, but they did nothing for my aching heart.

"I should have kept my phone off." I knew that was not an option. But maybe Cameron's wrath would have been better than his smile that had shone ever so brightly in front of his penthouse door as he said his very passionate goodbyes.

On the large part, I was always strong, but there was always something about seeing him move on to the next girl that gutted me. Even when I knew it would only be a matter of hours and he would be rid of his latest flavour, it did not hurt any less. Or maybe it was the way he had looked at her as she walked away. Almost as if he wanted to see her again…soon.

“I would ask you to leave that scumbag, but I already know the answer to that.”

"And I love you for not judging." I really did. I could be anyone out there, wear my mask perfectly, but in the comfort of our tiny home, I was just Violet and putting up a mask wasn’t necessary. Even with my being hopelessly in love with my boss. Dean made sure of that.

"I know just the thing to chase all those blues away." Dean suddenly tugged me to my feet. His efforts to distract me from the heartache were always welcome, but I wasn’t up for anything tonight. For once I only wanted to wallow in my misery and maybe get a steaming shower while at it and forget the amazing night I intended to have before the visit to Cameron's screwed everything up.

"Can’t it wait?" I dragged my feet while Dean excitedly led me away from our sitting area.

"Nope. You need some cheering up A.S.A.P." I groaned, but knowing Dean, not even that would sway him from his mission. He pulled up a chair at the small table that served both as an office and dining table and forced me into it. "Guess who won 'the' bid!" He beamed, ignoring all of my protests.

"You did." I mumbled with light sarcasm.

"I did."

"Wait, what?” I sat up straighter.

"Told you I would."

“Get out of here! Really?!" Not believing him, I wiped at my tears and faced him. His smirk said it all. This was no joke. Even when placing a bid on a race car I’d wanted earlier in the week, had been something of a joke.

"Had to part away with a little more than intended, but getting this baby was worth every coin." He tapped on his laptop and the dark screen came alive revealing a second hand model of the VXP, my dream race car. “She’s ready to be picked up too. So you, my dear, can race tonight!"

"Shut up!" I threw myself at my roommate with glee, all my heartache momentarily forgotten. Something had just gone right with the other love of my life. Talk about the perfect recipe for being comforted.

I traced the screen and felt pretty much like I was caressing the real thing. "She.is.beautiful."

"Just like her owner." Dean scrolled onto the next screen and a drawing popped up.

"Is that supposed to be me?" Scrunching up my nose, I drew even closer to look at the screen.

"I call her Vixen."

"V what?" I blinked at what looked like a sexy version of myself while my brain failed to process the whole thing. "Definitely not me."

"Girl, have you looked at you?" Dean smirked.

"Yeah and that is definitely not me."

"Oh my bad, let me fix that." Dean pulled me into my bedroom. "Here you go, try it on."

“Are you being serious right now?” I gaped at a sexy black leather costume, complete with a mask lying on my bed. "I'm not wearing that. I want to race not getting every eye staring at my butt." Not that there was anything to see there even if they did.

"Neither am I introducing my racer while she's putting on granny panties and an old maid's costume. Besides, this is perfect for the underground. No one will know its you. Unless you want to–"

"You know I can't have anyone knowing it's me, but this?" I cringed at the four piece costume that I knew would have me showing too much skin too. "This will leave me practically naked! What happened to my ripped jeans?" I waved the tiny leather skirt at Dean. "And what am I supposed to do with those?" I pointed to a pair of knee high leather boots with heels that were inches too high for my poor legs.

"Those are supposed to go with your costume, duh." Dean rolled his eyes.

"Aren't they like for hookers or something? How am I even supposed to drive while wearing them?"

"I can't believe how outdated you are." Dean huffed. "Just…go get changed, will you?" He shoved me into the bathroom.

"I'm so not outdated."

"Whatever makes you sleep at night."

"I am not outdated." I stared at my reflection. My outfit wasn't glamorous or sexy, but it was not old maid fashion or anything close to my work uniform either. Or was it? I took in the outfit Dean had chosen and compared it with my regular jeans and Tee. "Well, functional is just as important." I mumbled. It took me a minute to stop that debate and actually start getting changed.

"And how does a guy know such things anyway?" I called out while I changed.

“Because I am an artist baby.” I let out a chuckle, knowing Dean would be full on smirking right now. And–

"Woah…!"

"What? Something wrong?"

"N--No, I'm fine. It's just…" Was that supposed to be my butt? I had just slipped on the tiny leather skirt and apart from sticking to me like glue, it did things for my figure. Beautiful things that made me agree with my roommate. I struck a pose that left my behind sticking out and I couldn't help notice how much of butt there actually was.

"Talk to me V." Dean shouted through the door.

"I have a butt!" I shouted back.

"Hardly news of the century–"

"No, I mean, I actually do have a butt." I opened the bathroom door and turned to show him my surprise find.

"Violet Taylor!"

"What?!"

"I may be your roommate, but I also happen to be a dude. You can't just be walking out like…that."

Oh crap! I quickly closed the door, but not before noticing Dean's scandalized expression after seeing me half dressed. "Sorry, dude. I was just too excited."

"Well, next time finish your exciting…thingy before coming out."

"Well, you are the artist and it's not like you haven't seen it all." I rolled my eyes.

"Not on someone like you. You are practically my sister!" That I was. From the moment he'd spotted me at one of those race car joints, looking all lonely and out of place, on one of those days I was running from my demons, Dean had introduced himself and appointed himself as my guardian angel. And when I'd discovered that he had no permanent place to stay, I had asked him to move in. Of course he'd insisted on paying his share of the rent and when I'd mentioned that it was rent free, he'd offered free racing lessons and introductions to more race car joints around the city. Anything that would not make him a burden and anything to put a smile on my face. And so far, it'd been pretty good. More than good actually because he'd become the family I never had. Or the one I'd had and lost.

"You sound like you actually want to wash your eyes out." I let out a chuckle, hoping it would get rid of the lump in my throat that had formed at the memory of my sad past.

"Argh! I'm gonna go get a drink."

"Such a girl." I laughed at the loud stomping of his feet as he left my bedroom.

"Heard that!"

"Whatever. Just remember your way back here once you are all better."

I decided to shower first. Taking longer than usual under the hot water and getting my stiff muscles to relax. Today was D-day after all. Thanks to Dean for still making it happen and for being the someone I'd need by my side while I stepped into the most coveted world of street racing.

The speed ring was like every street racer's heaven. And as with the actual heaven, getting a gig or a mere introduction needed one to know someone. Thankfully for me, I had a guardian angel. Someone who knew somebody who knew somebody who became interested after hearing of my reputation. It had taken months but we were finally in. And if I proved myself tonight, this gig could easily turn into a contract and a forever place at the underground. The underground being like the inner sanctum of the speed world. I didn't care about the contract bit. That was more of Dean's department. Something about it being worth a lot of cash. I was only interested in the place that would satiate my secret desire for speed and living on the edge. A passion I had accidentally discovered in pitiful circumstances which I didn't want to think about even now.

Dean was about to bring his beer bottle to his mouth when I walked back into my bedroom. Surprisingly the inches on the heels for the boots where not that bad. With a little practice, I was sure I would be walking like a pro by the time I stepped into the arena.

"Alright, brother. Is this better?" I had barely taken two steps back into the room before Dean let out a long loud whistle.

"Well?" I asked nervously. This look was perfect for the underground, but it still remained not me. I had just decided that if I could put up with so much for Cameron, I figured a sexy outfit wouldn't be too much for the other love of my life.

"I say it's time to meet the other baby and show everyone at the speed ring what you both can do."