I'd been planning to scoot out early tomorrow from work and fly down with Josh. I'd been busting my butt so we could have three days of uninterrupted couple time at the house. Now it looked like I'd be flying down to get the place set up. Not what I'd wanted at all.
"I'll get it organized." I sighed, immediately reprioritizing the rest of the week in my head, trying not to give into the sour taste of disappointment.
"Great! Now," Bess turned back to the others. "Let's talk dates. Who are you bringing? Who do I need to keep an eye on?"
"We all know Molly isn't bringing anyone." Ginger muttered.
I flinched. "Actually, Ginger, I have a plus one."
The table went silent. Bess' head whipped towards me. "What? Since when!"
I hid a smile, looking down at my lunch. "Since the date night you insisted I attend."
"Oh my god! You met someone!"
I laughed, feeling suddenly lighter. "That's one way to put it."
"Who?" Bess demanded. "Tell me all the deets."
I knew I'd gotten a lightly gooey expression on my face and I just didn't care. "Josh."
"Josh who?" Rose demanded. The table seemed fixated on my love life.
"Josh Greenfeld."
The entire table went silent, exchanging knowing looks.
I frowned. "What?"
"You're dating Pete's brother?" Ginger asked, sounding skeptical.
"Yeah. We caught up again since he's in town and things just…" I shrugged, smiling. "We're seeing how it goes."
"Well it won't last very long." Katherine Burrows muttered from across the table.
"Excuse me?"
Ginger shrugged, lifting her wine glass to answer. "You're not exactly known for your staying power. Josh is a red-blooded man with access to the A-list. He's not going to settle for…" she trailed off, looking pointedly at my stomach.
I flushed, dropping my head.
"Oh, shut your pie hole, Ginger. You're just jealous because he rejected you in college." Bess interjected. "That goes for you too, Katherine. They've been dancing around each other for years. Everyone saw it. It's not our fault that you're too stupid to notice when a man is hung up on a woman."
Ginger blushed, opening her mouth to protest.
"Shut it," Bess ordered. "The only reason you're a bridesmaid is because your daddy asked. Your daddy's business means a lot to Peter but I have no qualms about removing you if you keep this bitchiness up." Bess turned to me, her sunny smile back in place. "Babe, I'm so happy for you! He's perfect. And you're just totally his type. And just think, if you marry him, we'll be sisters-in-law!"
I laughed, feeling my spirits lighten again. "Don't get your hopes up for a double wedding. We're still working this out. It's still new."
"But you're together." She sighed, propping her chin on her hand and staring off dreamily into the distance. "You're maid of honor, he's the best man. It's like a romance novel."
She gave me a saucy grin. "Have you ridden his anaconda yet?"
"Bess! Jesus!"
"That's a no."
"Okay, let's redirect this conversation." I flushed, looking down at the booklet in my hands. "Wedding. Let's talk this wedding. What still needs doing."
"Ugh," Bess moaned, draping a hand dramatically over her head. "Cake, band, flowers, celebrant…" the list went on and on.
We agreed to divide and conquer. I was assigned cake, rehearsal dinner and wedding favors. All that required was coming up with a short list of four ideas for Bess to then make the final decision.
Easy. Also, delicious.
"Okay," I stood, dusting off my lap. "I have to head back to the office. Ginger, if you could book the flights for Friday, I'll organize the rest."
I left the restaurant, texting Josh the bad news.
Josh: I don't want to say your friend is the worst but…
Josh: [gif of t-rex in wedding dress screaming Bridezilla]
Molly: Oh hush. We'll still have Thursday night and most of Friday. I checked flights, unless they take a private jet, they're unlikely to get in before late afternoon.
Josh: That's still too soon. You promised me a full weekend.
Molly: And I'll deliver… After this wedding.
Josh: I'm going to hold you to that.
Molly: And if I don't deliver?
Josh: How do you feel about handcuffs and beds?
I sent him a screenshot of me asking my assistant to book the remotest cabin with a hot tub she could find for the week following the wedding.
Josh: Have I told you today that you're perfect?
Molly: ��
Chapter Twelve
Josh
I'm not gonna fuck her. I'm not gonna fuck her. I'm not gonna-
I dropped our bags in the entrance of the house. My parents had decent taste. The place felt like a homey beach house, only… larger. Ma had hung pictures of the family throughout the rooms, little knickknacks were placed here and there giving the house a lived-in feel. This was no prize home.
Beside me, Molly placed her hands on her lower back, groaning as she stretched out the kinks. She threw me a grin.
"I've missed this place." She threw her arms out, letting out a deep sigh of satisfaction. "God, it's so warm. Why don't I live here year-round? I just want to sit by the pool and soak in this heat forever."
"You know it's meant to rain later today."
"Shhh, don't rain on my parade." She hummed happily. "Now, where am I staying?"
The million-dollar question. I swallowed, stepping closer to her.
I'm not gonna fuck her. I'm not gonna fuck her. I'm not gonna-
Unless she asks me to.
"Well, that depends on you, Pecas." I growled, unable to clear the huskiness from my voice. "I can set you up in one of the spare rooms."
"Or…?" She whispered, her chest brushing mine as she swayed a little closer.
My hands settled on her hips, holding her a fraction away from me. This had to be her decision.
"Or," I whispered, dipping my head to press my forehead to hers. "You can share with me."
She slid her nose along mine, her lips a tantalizingly short distance away. "Are you a blanket hog?"
"Horribly so," I admitted. "You'll have to cuddle close the whole night."
Her lips found mine. I could taste the sweetness of her desire, the richness of her need. I'd spent a week pursuing her, wooing her. We had a head start on most new relationships. We could skip the formalities – we knew each other’s family, we knew each other’s history. Our relationship had a comforting newness to it. Everything felt familiar, but there was an edge of deliciously new tension. The only things that remained hidden were our desires, secrets, and memories we hadn't shared because I'd been too fucking stupid to try.
I wouldn't make that mistake again.
Her tongue tangled with mine as I backed her up against a wall in the entry. Her hands clutched at my sides, bunching the shirt. Mine slid in opposite directions, one hand moving to grip the cheek of her ass, the other sliding up to bury in her hair. I feasted on her mouth, loving her taste, her feel, her little moans and whimpers. Her body rocked against me, needing me to satisfy her ache.
I couldn't help the primal surge of satisfaction that hummed through my veins when she whispered breathily, "please, Josh."
I'd give it to her. I'd give her everything she wanted. I'd waited far too long to fuck this up.
I pushed a thigh between her legs, boosting her up. She rocked on me, hands now pulling at my shirt, desperate to remove it.
"Uh, uh," I tutted, pulling back. "Not yet."
She whimpered a protest, eyes closed tight as she rode my thigh.
"Pecas, you need to-"
"Wh-what does that mean?" She stuttered out, her eyes slowly opening. They had a dazed, glazed look, desire rampant in their depths. "Pecas, you call me that all the –"
"Freckles." I dropped suddenly to my knees, a hand moving to her belly to hold her steady. "They’ve been all I c
an think about since the coffee shop."
"My… freckles?" She asked, her voice both aroused and confused. Her hands fell to my head, tangling in my hair.
"These," I dropped both hands to her left ankle. Slowly, I lifted her foot, undoing the straps and discarding the wedge. I placed her foot on my shoulder, pressing slow lingering kisses up her calve. "Right here." I whispered, ducking my head to lick the two freckles that had mercilessly teased me for weeks. Her skin puckered with goosebumps as I laved the two distracting spots.
"These," I pressed a kiss to one. "Are," I pressed a kiss to the other. "All," I continued to alternate kisses. "I can think about. They've driven me wild, hermosa." I pulled back, looking up at her, watching while my hands slowly grazed up the inside of her thighs.
"He querido besar estos mientras pongo mis dedos dentro de ti. Me he imaginado haciéndote venir, preciosa. He fantaseado con esto cientos de veces. Estas Pecas, tus piernas, tu bello cuerpo. Cada parte de ti mía."
"I don't know what you said." She whispered, her voice heavy with desire.
"I'm going to lick you until you come on my tongue." I replied. I hooked a finger, pulling aside her underwear. Pink and wet, her curls damp with need, she panted, her fingers clenching in my hair as I leaned in, breathing her deep.
"Ah, mi corazón." I murmured, shifting forward. "You destroy me."
She gasped as my tongue flicked against the seam of her thigh. I traced her, teased her, building her need.
She tasted better than I'd ever imagined. I rolled my tongue, testing her, listening to the tell-tale signs of what she liked. This spot and this pressure, that lick with a small curl. I drove her mindlessly, pushing her to the brink and bringing her back time and again, unwilling to let this end, unwilling to let her come until I'd had my fill and she remembered nothing but me and my mouth.
Finally, unable to stand her begging any longer, I curled a finger inside her, searching. She gasped, clutching my hair, her body seizing.
Ah, there you are.
My tongue danced across her clit while my finger stroked her, bringing forward a crashing orgasm. She shuddered around me, her body bowing off the wall, her pussy clenching, spasming around my finger.
"Josh, Josh, Josh," she panted as she came. I lifted my head, watching the utter pleasure ripple across her face.
Possessive need burned in my belly. This woman was mine.
She sagged and I caught her, wrapping her in a tight hug, smoothing my hand over her hair.
"Shhh," I whispered as she let out tiny satisfied whimpers. "I have you, Pecas. You're safe."
Slowly she returned to herself, her body still shaking. "I haven't done that since-"
I grunted, letting her know she didn't need to say his name. "Hopefully this wiped him away."
She burst out laughing, pulling back just enough to smile into my face. "Oh, yes. That was…" she trailed off, her expression so satisfied I had to stop myself from dropping to the floor and starting all over again.
"You're still hard." She whispered after a long moment.
"He'll settle down in a minute."
Maybe after I jerk off to the taste of you under a cold shower.
"Do you want-"
"No." I kept hold of her, enjoying the feel of her in my arms. "I'm fine."
"Really?" She withdrew, looking down at the pole currently tenting my pants. "He doesn't look fine."
"Later." I promised. "We have all of today. And if I get you in bed now, we won't spend time by the pool."
"Promises, promises." She winked, grinning.
We stayed together for another few minutes.
"Pool." I prompted, feeling the tension beginning to grow between us again.
"Pool," she agreed, but making no attempt to move.
I sighed, knowing I needed to be the bigger person. "Come on." I spanked her ass, grinning when she let out a surprised squeak. "Let's get you changed."
Chapter Thirteen
Molly
I won't look, I won't look, I won't-
God damn.
Josh stroked through the water, solid and steady. He'd wanted to do laps, get some exercise in before the weekend of debauchery the wedding party had cooked up. In less than 24 hours they'd managed to rope in everyone and their stripper. Someone knew someone who knew someone and now every house in the street would be packed out for this crazy bachelorette/bachelor party.
Oh, yeah. They'd decided to combine them.
Despite my overwhelming sense of impending doom, I couldn't help but be impressed. The strippers were hired, the caterers would arrive tomorrow morning, a cleaning service had been booked for after, and there would be a DJ along with massage therapists, a full bar and a driver to take you wherever you wanted to go.
Money talked and power delivered.
Josh finished his laps, leaning against the far end of the swimming pool. The late afternoon light cast long shadows over the pool area.
I stood, stretching up on my tip-toes. We'd arrived just after lunch and I had no regrets. We'd swam for an hour then I'd camped out on a sunbed, enjoying the sun while finalizing work and wedding tasks.
Josh had alternated between scribbling in a notebook and dipping in the pool.
He swam over, pulling himself from the pool. Water flowed in rivets down his chest and legs. He shook his head, sending droplets flying.
This is pure pool porn. Colin Firth's Mr. Darcy, Jason Momoa's Aquaman or any of the Hemsworth brothers couldn't have turned me on any more than this man in this moment. His beautiful tanned skin, his gloriously full mouth, coupled with his toned torso drove me crazy.
I won't fuck Josh, I won't fuck Josh, I won't-
"You better stop looking at me like that." He picked up a towel, running it over his chest. Our eyes met, held. I knew he could see the desire blazing in mine. My cheeks warmed, my breasts feeling heavy and sensitive. My thighs clenched, heat pooling deep in my core.
"Or what?" I asked.
He threw the towel aside, stalking over. Josh dropped down, hands bracing him three inches above me on the bed. Water dropped onto my skin; goosebumps rose.
"Or I'll fuck you out here where anyone could see." His lips quirked up. "And I wouldn't stop if someone interrupted. They'd quickly learn that you're mine."
That shouldn't have turned me on. I shouldn't have gotten hotter, my pussy throbbing at his possessive words.
"Fuck," he pressed his crotch to mine, grinding. "That turned you on, didn’t it?"
I nodded, unable to speak.
He sells she orgasms by the pool… floor? Not my best rhyme but entirely appropriate given the circumstance.
Josh groaned, pulling himself back. "Jesucristo, you're dangerous."
Laughter bubbled up, bursting free, "How?"
He withdrew, pushing back to stand. "Far too tempting." He held out a hand, helping me up.
"Come querida, let's order pizza and find those tapes."
◆◆◆
We'd spent two hours trawling through bedrooms, closets and the attic to find three boxes, large boxes, of old VHS tapes.
"God bless, Ma. She never throws anything away." Josh opened one of the boxes, blowing dust off the top tape.
"Do you even have a VHS machine?" I queried, trailing him through the house.
"Oh, ye of little faith." He dropped the box in front of an elaborate entertainment unit in the den. He flung the doors open revealing an old VHS machine, calling with a dramatic flourish of his hands, "ta-dah!"
"God, this is going to be an experience." I placed the pizza and six pack on the coffee table, sinking cross-legged on the floor.
"This," Josh tapped the box, "is some of my best work."
"I highly doubt that." I grinned, reaching for the first box. "But it is your origin story."
"And Sam's."
"And Sam's." I agreed, pulling open the first box. "Quick, grab the other boxes. I'm hungry and the pizza's getting cold."
We ate, trading jabs as we sorted th
rough the tapes.
"Do you remember when you first started filming?" I asked, taking a long pull of the cold beer.
Josh tilted his head back, looking up at the ceiling. "Maybe third grade. I got a camcorder for Christmas. I think they wanted me to record the family but then Sam and I started directing movies and…" he shrugged.
I dug through the box, lifting a tape out at random. "Oh god." I started cackling. "It’s Dragon Slayers," I held up the tape triumphantly. "We have got to watch this."
Josh groaned, reaching for me. "No! Let my failures die."
I shook my head, holding the tape away from his grasping hands. "Hell no. We're doing this."
I pushed up from the floor, crawling on my knees to slide the tape into the VHS. I rocked back, butt resting on my heels as I picked up the remote hitting rewind on the old tape.
"You know it’s probably corroded or-"
I hit play and laughed delightedly as the video interrupted Josh’s last-minute denials. The image was old, flickering but steadied as the tape rolled.
I was about twelve, no thirteen, dressed in a sheet-toga, holding a sword and shield as Sam, covered in green gunk and wearing fairy wings, stalked towards me.
"I’m here to rescue the Prince!" My younger self yelled, sword thrusting into the air. Sam reared back on his legs, front arms wind milling wildly as he attempted to bark threateningly. Behind him, George and Thomas – dressed as sheep - ran about smacking into each other and generally acting stupidly scared.
I fell back, Josh's arms coming around me as we both roared with laughter.
"Oh god." I wiped a tear from my eye. "I am one wicked actress."
We watched, lying on the floor as the story progressed, diverged and reformed. The plot was nothing but a tangled mess of loose ends and confused loopholes. The end result was pure childhood brilliance.
Interwoven with the actual storyline was footage of Sam and Josh calling cut, repositioning us, coaching our lines, discussing what the motivation of the character was and generally doing what they do now – writing and directing.
Just Joshing: A BBW Romantic Comedy (Short and Sweet Series Book 1) Page 10
