Billionaire's Best Friend

XV. True Wealth

Nina’s POV:

“Matt, what are you doing?” I narrowed my eyes at him as I took a step closer.

He sat on the couch, snuggling under the cozy-looking blanket as he slowly put a spoon full of ice cream into his mouth. “Eating ice cream,” he mumbled.

One hand on my hips, I stood in front of him and snatched the container from his hands. Reading the words, I bit my lips and slammed the container onto the table. “Matt! This is my ice cream!”

“What? No! It was in my fridge!” He stood up, causing the blanket to fall onto the ground as he frantically threw his arms up in the air.

“Yeah! However, I told you it was my ice cream yesterday!” I screamed, holding back the urge to knee him.

He crossed his arms, “It doesn’t have your name!” I took a glance at his flexing biceps and retracted my eyes back to his. Inhaling a deep breath, I picked up the almost empty container and pointed towards it.

Nina Lun ice cream - Do not touch (And I mean you, Matt.)

He rolled his eyes mockingly as he licked his wet lips. “The writing was on the container, not in the ice cream. You own the container, not what’s inside,” he attempts to logic his way out.

I licked across the top of my teeth, pinching the bridge of my nose. “What?” I shriek. I slammed the empty container down, causing the melted ice cream to splatter everywhere. Someone has to clean that up later and that someone is not me.

“You heard me, sweetheart. You own the container, not the ice cream.” He closes the distance between us. His chest merely inches away from my face as he stares down at me. I can hear my heart beating faster, hearing one of the many nicknames he often calls me.

Placing my hands on my hip, I took a step closer to him. My chest pressed against his as I stared daggers at him. “I brought the ice cream with my money,” I said, clenching my teeth.

“The ice cream was kept cold in my fridge that I paid for with my money. You knew there might be a chance I would eat it, yet you kept it in my fridge anyway,” he responds as he narrows his eyes.

Tracing the inside of my cheek, I took a step back and pressed my finger against his chest. “You dick.”

He scoffed, running a hand through his already messy but ridiculously perfect hair. Note to self, ask him what type of shampoo he uses. Looking back at me, I can see a mischievous glint in his eye, placing both hands inside his sweatpants’ pockets. He leans down towards my ear. “Darling, you can’t handle my d**k,” he whispers slowly as blood rushes towards my ear.

I took a step back, pressing my hand on my hot ear, quite baffled with his absurd response. “Don’t you change the subject!” I shouted frantically, attempting to lower the number of butterflies fluttering around my stomach.

He rolled his eyes, “You’re the one who brought up my d**k,” he smirks.

“Short Stack, wake up.” A hand started moving me rigorously.

“No! Matt, I told you it is my ice cream!” I shouted and stood right up.

He patted my head, “Having that dream again?”

I nodded, laying back down on his laps. “I wouldn’t continuously have that nightmare if you stopped stealing my ice cream.” A vast frown crossed my lips.

Matt bit his lips as he scratched his back.” I told you I was sorry. I didn’t know it was your ice cream.”

I turned my head towards him, looking up at his face. “You knew it was my ice cream! It had my name on it!”

He places a finger in his ear as he leans back slightly. “Geez Nina, for a five feet girl, you can sure scream. Where do you store all this vocal energy.”

I pinch his arm. “Shut up,” I mutter.

He rubs his arm, releasing a low: “Ow.” But with the look on his face, I know he is unfazed by my actions. “You shouldn’t have kept it in my fridge that time,” he mumbles as he started petting my head gently.

“Excuse me?”

“You’re excused.” He shot me one of his usual breathtaking smiles.

“I taught you that line. Don’t use it against me, young grasshopper.” I poked him.

“Yes, whatever you say, Sensei.” He bows down mockingly, positioning his grinning face on top of mine.

I release a deep breath; I mentally smack myself for having another dream about Matt. Even when I was with my ex-fiance, I would dream about Matt. I used to feel guilty about doing it, but not anymore, considering he slept with someone else. Perhaps, that’s why he did it. Did he happen to catch me dreaming about Matt before and thought I was cheating on him? No, he would’ve confronted me about the matter. He isn’t the type who would go around sleeping with other women, is he? Maybe it’s my fault? Oh gosh, did I ruin our relationship?

“Come on, let’s go. We are here,” Matt said, snapping me out of my inner monolog.

“Already?” I sat up, rubbing my eyes. I focus on my watch and realize it took us only five hours to get to New York, amazing.

He stood up and stretched, shaking his legs lightly. I can hear his neck and back cracking. I looked at him and slightly saw his abs. For sure, Matt has a lovely body. I worked out with him several times before.

The hardest part of working out with him? Attempting to not stare at his six-pack. He wears a nice tight t-shirt and perfectly fitted sweats. Our first workout together was fierce, mainly since I wasn’t in the best shape.

While we walked into the gym, I continued stared at Matt. My lips scrunched together as I wrinkle my nose. I looked down and realized I look like a sack of potatoes compared to him. Scanning my surroundings, all the girls were staring at him.

“What’s going on in that pretty little mind of yours?” He asked, placing an arm around my shoulder, pulling me in.

“It’s a mistake going to the gym with you,” I mutter, dragging my legs.

Matt’s brows scrunched together, legs halted and turned towards me. “Why?”

“Because-” I looked down and played with my flab then I looked at him and attempted to find some fat on his stomach, but there wasn’t any.

I can feel his chest trembling, amused by my action. “Darling, you’re perfect.” He cupped my face with his overly warm hand.

“Nobody is perfect, Matt.”

“You’re perfect in my eyes.” He gave me a small smile as he pinches my cheeks.

I smile tightly, “Thanks, Matt.”

He pulled me into a hug. “Remember if any girl comes-”

“I am your girlfriend, I know,” I said, putting quotation marks in the air.

“Thanks, girlfriend.” He kissed the top of my head and unwrapped his arms.

I tapped his nose lightly, “Anything for you, boyfriend.”

“Ready for cardio?”

I nodded lightly and started walking. He grabs my wrist. “Nina, that’s the exit. We are heading the other way,” he said as he drags me towards the brutal equipment.

As we started cardio, fifteen minutes into it, and I couldn’t handle being next to Matt. His tone chest was rising and falling as sweat slipped down his neck. A smirk invited itself to his stupid good looking face every time I peeked at him.

Fifteen, but it felt like an hour, minutes later, I had half a foot in my grave. “Ready for some push-up?” He started stretching his muscular arms and legs.

I placed my hands on my knees and started panting. “Break?” I huffed out, attempting not to fall on the floor, perhaps landing myself in the ER.

“No break,” he firmly stated as he dragged me to the mat. He got down on the push-up position, and I copied his actions. My eyes peeked up to see his biceps flex every time he went down. I tried to stare at the mat instead of him, but his breathing was too loud and distracting. My eyes would often trail towards him, not once failing, his eyes met mine.

Matt finally gave mercy on my fat soul and let me take a break after an hour of workout.

Matt took a sip of his water bottle and handed it to me. “You don’t work out much, do you?”

I let the liquid calm my desert throat. “Yes, I do,” I breathe out, leaning back on the cold wall.

He slides down beside me. “Really? When was the last time you worked out?”

“Last night,” I said proudly, handing back his water bottle.

He took another sip, hydrating himself. “Tell me about it,” he asked, putting a hot, sweaty arm around me, pulling me inward.

Matt always has this odd habit of touching me all the time.

So often to the point that I’m used to it, and I don’t care.

“When I was watching tv last night in my room, I wanted some nachos. I was able to make it before the commercial was over,” I responded, giving myself a high five.

Go, me!

“What an accomplishment,” he said sarcastically.

“And I didn’t drink soda; I drank water.” I gave him a victory smile.

“Wow. You deserve a medal,” he smiles while nodding.

“Plus, I have the highest record,” I shot him a grin.

He turned his head towards me. “What record?”

“My family always times ourselves to see who can grab food from the fridge the fastest. You are looking at the three years in a row champion.” I straighten my back.

Grabbing his wrist, I pulled it up in front of me, smacking his palm. “Good job, Short Stack,” I said in a deep voice, imitating Matt.

He looked at me, chuckling slightly as he bit his lips. Suddenly, he wrapped his massive arms around me, pinning me down to the ground.

“Matt get off of me! You smell like dirty gym socks!” I yelled, smacking him, but he refused to release me.

We continued working out for two more hours. Well, Matt did, I took a five minutes break every ten minutes until he dragged me back.

While we walked out of the gym, Matt carried both of our bags. He swings his arm over my shoulder, showing off his perfect teeth. “We should do this more often, short stack.”

Oh, f**k.

After our first workout, I wouldn’t wear my contacts or glasses to see a blurred figure of him. My eyes are that f**k up, and I blame it on technology.

He smirks, “You can check me out all you want at our home. We need to go.”

“What is there to check out if there is nothing.” I lied straight through my teeth

He raised a brow at me, “Uh-huh.”

I stood up and grabbed my bag or attempted to grab my bag. I mentally curse those who decided not to put a footstool in an airplane for people like me who are physically challenged. As I went on my tippy-toe in a futile attempt to grab it, I felt a heated body behind me. A large hand went over mine and grabbed my bag. I turn around, hitting Matt’s firm chest.

He grins, “I got this short stack.” He threw my bag over his shoulder and took my hand. Walking out the plane, a man came up and took our luggage.

Matt nodded and gestured at me to follow him. “He took our bags, shouldn’t we be concerned?” I am not big on trusting others. My friendship circle is tiny, and if I can, I would want a small family circle, too. Having four brothers and two sisters can get complicated sometimes.

“No. He will take our bags to our place,” Matt answered nonchalantly.

While we walked out of the airport, I heard a scream. Matt wrapped his arms around me, pulling me back as luggage passed by us. “Sorry!” a young girl apologized to us. She looked at Matt, and immediately her jaw dropped.

“It’s okay,” Matt said as he wrapped his arms around my waist, taking me towards a car. I turned my head, and she was still staring at him.

“Well, aren’t you popular,” I said teasingly.

“Yeah, you better claim me before another girl does,” he replied, sending me a wink.

Matt knows he is attractive. He may not be every female type, but he can capture any heart he strives and perhaps even males if he swings the other direction.

“Oh yeah?” My lips tilted upward. I wrapped my arms around his waist.

He nods, “I am not going to be available forever, short stacks. I got needs, and I need a woman to fulfill it.”

I laughed lightly, “I will keep that in mind.”

We reached a car, and he pulled out his keys. “Your car?” I said with utter disbelief. My lips pressed together as I looked at the black car. I may not know about cars, but even a fool can tell it cost quite the fortune.

I can hear the car door unlocking. “Get in,” he firmly stated.

I slide in, and my eyes awe in amazement. I never rode in such an extravagant car before. From what I observe, Matt came from a nice wealthy family. I did not expect this nice, though.

Dang, Matt is really wealthy. Maybe, I can trick him into marrying me, and I never have to work again. Wait, what am I thinking?

I played with the radio as Matt continued driving us. While we drive or stuck in traffic, I stare outside the windows, examining everything, from the lady of liberty to the small shops in the corner.

The buildings are tall and extremely eye-catching. The architecture was quite beautiful; unfortunately, everything was crammed with other buildings, which were quite distasteful in my perspective. I had always been used to Sacramento scenery, where the term space exists.

While we slowly drove past everyone, I felt quite overwhelmed by the number of people. It felt like everyone was rushing to get to their destination. There were people hailing taxis, waiting on buses, or rushing underground towards the subway.

There were loud and constant sounds of cars honking, which were quickly deafening my already damaged ear. I can hear screams in many different types of languages. Without being on the street, I already felt quite claustrophobic.

Matt smiles, “Welcome to New York.”