by Lily Light
Jordan stared at me in shock. “You have?”
“That’s right,” Noah said, sounding too damn pleased with himself. “We’ll take that bet. Now if you will excuse us, we need to have some morning sex before breakfast. We’ll see you downstairs.”
With that, Noah slammed the door in front of Jordan’s face. I wiggled from his arms.
“What have we done?” I asked him in a faint voice.
I didn’t know how everything escalated so fast. How the lies easily fell from my lips. Except I did tell Jordan one true thing. That I once had a crush on Noah ten years ago. Maybe I still had feelings for him even now.
“It looks like as of last night, I’m your pretend husband,” he said, grinning.
“Why would you want to be pretend married to me?” I asked, exasperated.
“Well, why not? Not like I have anything better to do. Besides, we’re both sore losers,” he said. “Plus, I was seeing the way you and Dave were having this strange little staring contest. I knew you hated that bastard’s guts.”
“Like Jordan, I think Dave suspects we’re faking it,” I said.
“Well, I did have the best time of my life last night.”
“I don’t remember anything after the pawnshop,” I admitted.
“Same goes for me.”
“Then how did you know you had a good time?”
“Because I was with you?”
“You’re corny at hell. I’m taking a shower first. Wait outside.”
“Aw, babe. Don’t you want to save water?” Noah winked at me.
“Rule number one? No more sex between us even if we agree to this ridiculous fake relationship.” I felt Noah following me to the bathroom.
“Why the hell not? If I remember correctly, you had nothing to complain about last night.”
I stripped out of my boxers and entered the shower.
“Noah,” I said. “Give me some privacy?”
“Not like I haven’t seen all of you, which is hot and sexy by the way. Fine.” Noah left the bathroom, leaving me to my thoughts.
4
Noah
“Here’s our seats. 24A and 24B. Let me help you with that, babe,” I told Ryan.
Not waiting for his reply, I grabbed the handle of his wheeled luggage. I proceeded to place it in the overhang bin right above our seats while he glared at me.
I leaned in close and he stilled. Ryan looked unsure whether he wanted to touch me or push me away. The latter option wasn’t easy to do, because the plane was getting crowded. But not crowded enough that I couldn’t spot two unfriendly faces in the back rows.
“Try to pretend you’re happily married to me,” I whispered in Ryan’s ear. “Your brother’s sitting at row 35 and he looks like he wants to murder me. Parker and Dave are also sitting nearby.”
That prompted Ryan to look over my shoulder and he sucked in a breath.
“Thanks, honey,” he said loudly enough that those closest to us could hear.
Ryan then curved his lips to a tempting little smile. Before I realized what was happening, Ryan placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a quick kiss on the mouth.
My pants tented. It was tempting, so easy to fist his shirt and kiss him back. Have our cocks rub against each other. With what little self-control I had, I didn’t do anything else when he pulled away.
“You want the window seat?” I asked him, knowing he doesn’t love planes when they take off.
“Thanks,” he answered gratefully, sliding in first.
I waved at Jordan as if pretending I only noticed him. Jordan crossed his arms over his broad chest and continued to eye me suspiciously.
I sat back down, pretending I didn’t notice either Parker or Dave. If I was newly married, I would’ve splurged a little and bought me and my husband first-class seats.
Then again, Dave had always been a cheapskate. I thought they were supposed to vacation elsewhere after the wedding.
I overheard a couple at a wedding mentioning they were supposed to go to the Maldives. I wondered if they cut their honeymoon short because they were also taking the same plane back to New York.
What did it matter? As I settled in my seat, I noticed Ryan gripping the armrests so tightly, his knuckles turned white.
“You still haven’t put on your seatbelt,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Thanks for the reminder.”
After I buckled myself in, I took out the motion sickness pills I bought last minute at the airport store. I handed them to him and asked a passing flight attendant for a cup of water.
“I’ll get back right you, sir,” she said with a friendly smile.
Ryan stared at my outstretched hand. “You remembered I hated flying?”
I scoffed. “Of course. I remember plenty of things about you.”
The fact Ryan would endure a 4 hour and 45-minute flight just to be at his ex’s wedding made me a little jealous. I have no right to be envious of course. Ryan and I weren’t anything. This was all make-believe, and yet I was taking our fake marriage way too seriously.
The flight attendant returned with Ryan’s cup. He took two pills and gulped the cup down.
“Thanks, this was really a sweet gesture, Noah,” he said. “I still can’t believe you managed to convince the guy checking us in to sit us next to each other.”
“What can I say? I’m irresistible.”
“It looked like he had a crush on you,” he said with a frown.
“Why, babe, you sound jealous.” I wiggled my eyebrows at him and he jabbed me in the shoulder.
An announcement came on. We were about to take off. Ryan sealed his eyes shut. His entire face turned pale and he started taking deep breaths.
Wanting to comfort him, I placed my hand over his and squeezed his fingers. Ryan didn’t bat me away. As the plane took off, he held onto my fingers like a vice, like he never wanted to let me go.
Warm and fuzzy feelings settled in my chest. Now, this was pleasant. It was nice to be needed, especially by Ryan.
“Talk to me,” he murmured.
It looked like the pill wasn’t doing its job yet. The girl at the store told me Ryan was supposed to get drowsy a few minutes after he took the pills.
“Well, Vegas was fun, but I’m not looking forward to what awaits me back home. Technically, I don’t have an apartment anymore,” I said.
Asking Jordan if I could crash at his place was no longer an option. No doubt my best friend was still mad at me for marrying his little brother out of the blue.
Plus, I wanted to find out if Ryan remembered what he told me at the wedding reception.
“You don’t need to worry. My offer still stands. You can crash on my couch. I have plenty of space in my apartment,” he said.
“You really mean it?” I asked.
“Well, we’re supposed to be married. It’s only logical we’re living together.”
“You don’t think that’s a bad idea?”
“The worst,” he agreed. “We frequently bicker and don’t have anything in common.”
“A match made in heaven.” I joked.
Ryan opened his eyes a little to peer at me. For a second there, his face almost softened. Or maybe that was an illusion.
“Offer’s on the table. Take it or leave it. I’m crazy for doing this but just seeing Dave’s smug look and my brother’s skeptical expression drives me up the wall.”
Oh right. Of course, Ryan was doing this to prove a point, even if that meant letting the guy whose guts he hated stay at his place.
“I appreciate it,” I told him. I let Ryan hear the appreciation in my voice. “I’ll owe you one. Don’t worry, I’ll get my life back on track. No one likes being stuck in a bad place.”
“No one does.”
Ryan squeezed my hand again. It was his turn to comfort me. I decided I liked seeing this sweet and vulnerable side of him.
I bet it was a rare moment. Ryan seldom let his walls down around anyone and yet at this moment, he
was doing it for me.
I cleared my throat. “So you’re trapped with a man you hate for a couple of weeks, months at most. Are you confident you can survive this ordeal?” I joked.
“I don’t hate you,” Ryan murmured. “I never really did.”
Ryan sounded sleepy to my ears. Just like that, he was out like a light, much to my frustration. Ryan didn’t look like he was going to wake for the rest of the flight either.
Noticing stray strands of dark gold hair had fallen across his face, I tucked them behind one ear. Someone cleared his throat. I glanced at Jordan, standing on the aisle. I couldn’t read the expression on his face.
“I need to talk to you,” he said.
I was reluctant to leave Ryan. It wasn’t like I was terrified of my best friend. Ryan and I were both the same built and height.
Some folks even mistook us for brothers at times. I stood up, gave Ryan one last glance, then followed Jordan to the back of the plane.
I doubted Jordan would start a fistfight in the middle of a crowded plane. Sure, he looked like a raging bull when he saw us together in Ryan’s room.
Now he looked calmer, but there was still suspicion in his eyes.
“This has gone on long enough, don’t you think?” He asked.
The toilet flushed nearby and Dave emerged, looking curiously at the both of us.
“Hey, guys, what’s up?” Dave asked.
“Nothing, just chatting, stretching our legs,” Jordan said.
Jordan disliked Dave as much as I did. He was that guy from our circle of friends we had to invite to events and get-togethers out of obligation but no one really liked him.
What was up with this guy? How could he be everywhere at once? I silently willed him to go away instead of joining us. By some miracle, he shrugged and left us to our own devices.
“I hate that prick,” I muttered.
Hate seemed like a strong word but there it was. Ryan still had some unresolved feelings for Parker, that much was clear.
Ryan said it was a mutual break-up but I knew there was something else he wasn’t telling me. I wouldn’t be surprised if Parker and Dave were screwing around even while Parker was dating Ryan.
The thought made me livid. Both Parker and Dave were assholes. Ryan deserved better. Am I that person? I could barely keep my shit together. I knew I wasn’t good enough for Ryan.
What did I know about real relationships? Next to nothing. While Ryan was with Parker, he’d been the doting and devoted boyfriend, according to Jordan.
“Yeah, me too but I don’t want to talk about Dave.” Jordan crossed his arms. “The cat’s out of the bag, Noah. You and Jordan could stop acting.”
“Acting. You think that’s what we’re doing?” I demanded.
“If this is real, then I assume Ryan will introduce you officially as his husband our next family barbecue.” Challenge blazed in Jordan’s eyes.
Oh, God. The great Murphy barbecue. I’ve been to a few of those, but always as Jordan’s best friend.
Ryan and Jordan came from a huge family and they always had a gathering twice a month at their aunt’s Brownstone on Long Island.
I let my mouth run on me because one, I didn’t like being cornered. Secondly, I reacted impulsively during moments of desperation. Ryan was going to kill me.
“Of course that’s the plan,” I confidently answered.
“Come on, Noah. You guys don’t have to take it that far,” he said.
“Why do you find it so hard to believe we’re together?” I demanded, heat in my voice.
Jordan blinked and he looked slightly taken aback. He quickly recovered his momentum.
“Who are you trying to fool, Noah?”
“I’ve cared about him for a long time.”
Jordan raised his eyebrows. He knew Ryan and I didn’t get along but he didn’t know the exact details.
“What happened ten years ago?”
I awkwardly patted his shoulder. “That’s a story for another time.”
“This bet,” he began.
“Yeah, how much?” I asked.
Like hell, I was backing off. If Jordan thought he could intimidate me by mentioning his family, he had another thing coming.
“Not money,” he said. “If you lose, you got to promise me that you’ll never go near Ryan again.”
Wait. What kind of condition was that?
The pilot announced we were landing soon. Thank God for small favors, because I sure as hell didn’t know how to continue this conversation. Before I could make a move, Jordan touched my shoulder, his grip bruising.
“Promise me, Noah. I don’t want to see my brother hurt again.”
“I’m not like Parker. I’ll never cheat on him or betray him.”
“Big words from a guy whose longest relationship lasted barely a month.”
I flung his hand away, mad now. I walked past him but I could still feel Jordan’s glare from a mile away. What the hell? Jordan should just mind his own damn business.
Ryan was 28, for crying out loud, a grown adult who knew what he was getting into. A month my ass. Ryan and I were going to last longer than that. Just wait and see, Jordan.
I returned to my seat. Ryan was stirring. He yawned, rubbing at his eyes.
“Oh, are we there yet? Where did you go?”
I was about to ask if he missed my short absence but thought better of it.
Ryan looked cute like this, with his hair all mussed up and his eyelids still heavy. He was hardly awake. I guess that pill packed more of a punch than I thought.
“We’re about to land,” I informed him.
“Yikes. I thought I’d be able to miss that part.”
“Close your eyes again. I’ll wake you once we’ve landed safely on the ground.”
“Noah?”
“Yeah, babe?”
“I hate to ask, but can you hold my hand again. When you did it earlier, I felt steady.”
“Sure.”
I placed my hand over his smaller one. Ryan gripped the armrests again. He really didn’t like flying, I thought as we began to descend. I remembered I had to tell him about Jordan and my earlier conversation. Oh well. It could wait.
5
Ryan
I brewed a pot of coffee and booted up my laptop. I glanced at the closed door that led to the guest bedroom. Well, it was Noah’s room now.
He was officially moved in. Everything took a week. Noah let go of his old place and we spent the last three days hauling his stuff here.
Jordan volunteered to help him move. Maybe volunteer was too polite a word. My brother gave us the stink eye the entire time. When I finally reached my limits and told him in no polite terms to fuck off, he left without an argument.
I perched at the kitchen counter. I loved working here in the mornings. Plus, my spot gave me an unobstructed view of Noah’s room.
I answered a few emails and was having my second cup of Joe when Noah’s door opened. I confessed I took a few seconds admiring him.
Noah wore a pair of tight black boxers. The first morning we had together as a pretend couple, he walked out of his room, devilishly disheveled and wearing completely nothing.
I had a mini freak out after that. Since then, he remembered to put on some bottoms before leaving the room.
“Hey, morning, babe. Is that coffee?” He asked.
Noah wandered to where I was. He took a sip out of my cup while I glared at him.
“There’s like four other clean mugs over there.” I pointed out.
“But morning coffee flavored with a little bit of Ryan tastes the best.”
“Seriously? You’re flirting with me this early?”
Despite my protest, I did like it when Noah was like this.
“Why not? We’re newlyweds. I got to keep the fire alive between us or else you’ll lose interest and divorce me. I’d be out on the streets, homeless.”
Noah flashed me his puppy dog eyes that were too hard to resist.
�
��You’re being a tad dramatic.”
“Thanks for the coffee. I know you don’t like being disturbed during working hours.”
“What do you have planned for the day?” I asked.
“Jogging, then a cold shower. Send out job applications.” Noah grimaced. “Basically not much. After that, I’ll probably head to Central Park, take a walk around.”
“Sounds good. Maybe I’ll join you. Do you mind the extra company?” My boldness surprised both of us.
It had been a busy week and we haven’t exactly had a proper conversation since our flight back from Vegas.
“Of course not,” he beamed like he just won the lottery.
Noah refilled my mug, but before I could move away, he kissed me on the cheek. I froze, hands on my keyboard. Part of me wished he planted one on my mouth but that wouldn't do. I could still remember how addictive his kisses were.
He thankfully didn’t linger, which was a good thing because having Noah around the apartment 24/7 was a distraction. The best or worse kind, depending on the situation. The man was walking eye candy. How could I not look at him?
I watched his tight ass in those boxers and groaned. To be fair, Noah usually got out of the way when I was working.
When I went freelance, my family and friends assumed I was free all the time. They couldn’t understand why I maintained a normal 8-5 schedule. If I didn’t keep normal working hours, I’d never be productive.
After answering the last of my emails, I listened intently. By then, Noah returned from his run and he took a shower.
We worked silently for a while, with Noah occupying the sofa, his laptop propped on the coffee table. I noticed that at least he finally had a shirt on.
I focused my work, losing myself in the ad I was supposed to do for one of my long-time clients, a small car repair shop in Queens.
By the time lunch rolled around, I closed the lid of my laptop. I worked the kink out of my shoulders. Noah was scrolling through his phone but he looked up when I approached him.
“You want to get some lunch?” I asked.
“Ooh. You’re asking me out on a date?”
“I’m not. We’re just getting lunch but if you don’t want to, fine.”
