Brother's Best Friend (Contemporary Romance Box Set)

by Katy Kaylee

  “Now you, Sofia.”

  Since it was a small ceremony without attendants or a ring bearer, I carried my own ring. I pulled it from my other pocket and gave it to her.

  She smirked as she took the ring and placed on my finger. “Jake, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity.” Her expression actually said, “If we’re getting married, Jake Dunn, you’re wearing a ring.” It had been one of many things we’d argued about. Many married men didn’t wear wedding rings, so I didn’t think I needed to. Sofia disagreed. I might have held my ground, but then she added that it would be a constant reminder to the partners about my stability.

  The minister finished with a blessing, and then said, “You may kiss your bride.”

  I’d learned from Sofia that day two weeks ago in my office that I had to sell our love and devotion. I’d also learned that it wasn’t a hardship to kiss her.

  I wrapped one arm around her and pressed my other palm to her cheek. Her eyes flashed with fire as I leaned in toward her. I gently rubbed my lips over hers, and then dove in, covering her mouth in a lover’s kiss. It had been for show until about three seconds in when my body went hot, and her taste muddled my brain. When her lips parted, there was no way I wasn’t going to accept the invitation. I slipped my tongue inside her hot, sweet mouth. This wedding might have been fake, but this kiss felt very, very real.

  When I pulled away, her eyes were a little glassy. Good. I didn’t want to be the only one reeling.

  “May I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Dunne.”

  “You okay?” I leaned over and whispered to Sofia, as our guests stood and clapped.

  “I think so.”

  “Just think bakery.” I turned us to greet our guests, and then as Val had instructed me to do, I led Sofia back toward the house where we’d have a small reception.

  It took a half hour or so, but eventually, I settled down enough to mingle with the guests. Sofia had wandered off, and as I looked for her, she was talking to Gina. I wondered if she’d told Gina the truth. I hoped not. I liked Gina, but I wasn’t sure I could trust her to keep our secret.

  “Time for cake,” Val announced, motioning me over. “Come on, Sofia. I know it’s not one of yours, but hopefully it will be tasty enough.”

  I joined Sofia by the cake. She had a glass of champagne in her hand.

  “How many of those have you had?” I asked her.

  Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at me. “You’re my husband, but you’re not the boss of me.”

  I grinned. At least she still had her attitude. We cut the cake and I took a piece to offer to her. I put the cake to her mouth and then used my thumb to push it inside. Her lips wrapped around my thumb, and I had an image flash in my head of those beauties wrapped around my cock. Down boy, I willed my dick to behave.

  She repeated the move, but her thumb stayed out of my mouth. Instead, she ran it along my lower lip. I stuck my tongue out, licking her thumb, enjoying the flash of heat that flared in her eyes.

  “You two need to get a room,” someone yelled.

  “Dance first,” Val called out.

  “How many more hoops do we have to jump through?” Sofia asked as I led her to the area Val had set up for dancing.

  “Ready to start the honeymoon?”

  She frowned at me. “There won’t be a honeymoon.”

  I pulled her into my arms. “Yes, dear.”

  If opposites attract, then Sofia and I shouldn’t have been together. She and I were alike in most ways. Driven. Outspoken. Intolerant of bullshit. The only difference between us was that she was petite while I was tall. Even so, as I held her close to me as an Ed Sheeran song played, that difference didn’t seem to matter. Like a puzzle piece, she clicked right into place. Of course, it had been like that five years ago when I’d sunk into her lush tight body and had the orgasm of a lifetime.

  “I said no honeymoon,” she said through a fake loving smile.

  As first, I wondered why she was telling me that. Then I realized my dick was hard and pressing against her. “Sorry. I don’t always have control over him.”

  She shook her head, but there was a slight twitch of her lips that had me thinking she liked the idea that my dick was uncontrollable around her.

  “This is why women should rule the world,” she said.

  “Oh, come on. Are you saying you can control when your nipples poke out or your pussy gets wet?”

  She snorted, and I was glad she wasn’t annoyed. “No. But it takes more to make them react and they’re easier to hide than your dick.”

  She was right about that. Although her bra must have been thin like her dress because I could see she had a reaction.

  “Tell your nipples that,” I said.

  “It’s the cool ocean breeze, Dunne.”

  “Let me warm you up, honey.” I pulled her closer to me, pressing my chest against her tits. My dick was still hard as it nestled between our bodies. Her breath hitched and I knew for sure it wasn’t the cool breeze that had her reacting.

  “Did you know that it only takes two pounds of pressure to pop a testicle?” she cooed in my ear.

  I laughed even as I winced at the idea. I realized that this fake marriage might not be so bad. She was right that I’d end up with blue balls if this banter went on too often, but she was fun and brash and brave. This would be a fun adventure that would get us both something we wanted.

  9

  Sofia

  The only problem with Jake was that he was sinfully handsome. And he had a naughty sense of humor. And he kissed like nobody’s business. And he was going to make my dream come true by helping me start a bakery. Let’s face it, Jake was everything a woman like me would want.

  Despite the fact that I was now legally wed to him, I couldn’t have him. Not totally completely, which was okay. While I wasn’t as down on marriage and kids as he was, I had goals to achieve before I settled down. So this fake marriage would work out great. All I had to do was keep my hands to myself. Did I mention that Jake was sex on a stick?

  As we danced, his dick pressed against my belly and my body betrayed my rational mind by responding to him. All my girlie parts came alive. It probably didn’t help that I’d had a couple of glasses of champagne. I wasn’t drunk but I was definitely loose. The alcohol helped offset the unsettled feeling I felt when I thought about what I’d just done. I married a man I didn’t love so I could get a bakery. My mother would have a fit. My father would shoot Jake and he didn’t even have a gun.

  When I didn’t think about the married part, I was having a good time. The Hamptons was an awesome place and Val’s home was the epitome of luxury. But the most fun was bantering with Jake. Before I seduced him five years ago, I would hang out with Tony and Jake and their friends, and he and I often joked with each other. Jake was a fun guy. And sexy, which made him dangerous.

  Jake brought his lips to my ear as we danced. “Listen, cupcake—”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “Macaron? Cookie? Cannoli? What confection would you prefer as your pet name?”

  “How about Goddess Divine?”

  He laughed. “I love your humility. Listen, Goddess, we need to take off for our honeymoon. I’ve reserved a place for us, but no worries, there won’t be hanky panky, no matter how badly you want me.”

  “Talk about humility.” Since we’d spent the week living together, I figured it wouldn’t be a big deal to go on a honeymoon. Of course, it was just overnight since we had to get back to work. There was no rest for the weary, or lawyers looking to make partner or their fake wives wanting to start a bakery.

  “I’m expected to take the garter and toss it at the bachelors. Val says she gave you one.”

  I shook my head. Men always fussed that women had strange customs, but come on! The groom taking a garter from his bride and throwing it to a bunch of single horny men? Throwing a bouquet paled in comparison.

  “Just mind your hands,” I warned him.

  His face showed
intrigue as he took my hand and led me to a chair. “Hey Val, me and Sof want to take off. We’re going to do the garter and flowers.”

  Val took charge of gathering the single people. I sat and Jake knelt in front of me. He pushed the opening of my flowy dress aside to find the white garter sitting midway between my knee and hip.

  His fingers trailed along my inner thigh to the garter and then higher.

  “Jake,” I said in warning.

  He grinned up at me. “Sorry.” He hooked his fingers under the garter and made a show of drawing it down my leg while the men whistled and shouted.

  Finally he stood, twirling the garter on his finger before sling-shooting it into the crowd of single men. A pimple-faced teenage boy caught it.

  Then it was my turn. I stood and waited until the single ladies were gathered. I turned and tossed the bouquet of flowers over my head behind me. I turned and saw that Val had caught it, but she quickly tossed it again, and another woman I didn’t know grabbed it.

  “Let’s get out of here.” Jake put his arm around me and with a wave to the crowd, he led me into Val’s house and out the front door where a car waited for us. Jake gave the driver the address and we were off.

  “That wasn’t so bad,” he said as we sat in the back seat.

  “It was sort of fun. The party anyway.” I looked at my hand with the ring and got that unsettled feeling that said, “Girl, what did you just do?”

  “I think this is going to turn out great, Goddess.”

  I laughed. “What pet name should I give you?”

  “Adonis.”

  “Isn’t that your name already?”

  He flashed a wide grin. “Yep, this is going to work out perfect.”

  A few minutes later, the driver pulled up to a nineteenth-century mansion converted into a hotel. Taking my hand, Jake and I walked into the main area where he checked in. We were then led out back to a one-bedroom cottage.

  I knew Jake did well financially, but to see the expensive sophistication and comfort he could afford made me feel a little out of my element. Jake had been a boy from my neighborhood, but now he was a wealthy man who was out of my league.

  “You okay?” he asked after he tipped our bellboy. “I know we were flirting before, but I promise I won’t touch you.”

  “It’s hard for me to reconcile the knucklehead I grew up with and the rich powerful man you are now.”

  He pressed his index finger over his lips and made a “Shh” sound. “Don’t tell anyone. I’m still a knucklehead.” He walked over to the table. “Want champagne? Looks like Val arranged a little gift basket for us.” Along with champagne, there was chocolate, fruit and several condoms in a variety of colors.

  “She thought of everything,” I mused.

  “That’s Val.” He popped the cork on the champagne. “We might as well celebrate. Leg one toward our goals is done.” He poured the golden bubbly and handed me a glass.

  I took it and sat on the couch. “What is the deal with you and her, anyway?”

  “What do you mean?” He poured his own glass and then sat on the couch next to me.

  “Does she know you’re an Adonis?”

  He smirked. “Jealous?”

  “No. But as your wife, I need to know if you’re working late on Val or on a brief.”

  He laughed. “It was never like that between us. She’s like a big sister.”

  “She was the one at your apartment when I visited you.”

  He nodded. “She was helping me study for the bar.” He cocked his head to the side. “You thought she was doing more than that with me?”

  I shrugged.

  He reached out and tugged on a lock of my hair. “I’m sorry about that too.”

  I pushed his hand away. “I don’t want your apology.” I sipped my champagne.

  He studied me over the rim of his glass as he drank. “I feel bad if I hurt you, that’s all.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  “Because it embarrasses you?”

  “Jake, can’t we just let this go?” I pulled my legs under me, feeling more vulnerable than I wanted.

  “I just want to understand why you’re so bent out of shape about what happened?”

  Good grief. “What if I said, ‘Gee Jake, I’m sorry I fucked you. I should have never done that.’ And then ignored you because it didn’t mean anything.”

  He sucked in a deep breath. “I wouldn’t like it. But if that’s what you think happened, you’re wrong.”

  I held my hand up. “Maybe we could just move on.”

  He took my hand and held it to his chest. He’d removed his coat and tie so my hand was over his shirt, which was thin enough that I could feel the heat of him, the beat of his heart.

  “I do feel bad for betraying Tony. I also feel bad that your first time—”

  “You don’t know that.”

  He quirked a brow at me. “—that your first time was so fast and forceful. I did avoid you but not because I didn’t want you, Sof. I ignored you because I did want you.”

  My gaze jerked up to his face.

  “If you weren’t Tony’s sister, I’d have had you again. And I’d have taken more care with you.”

  “I don’t believe you.” But boy did I want to.

  “It’s the truth. I was scared shitless that I’d be hanging out with Tony and he’d figure out what I did.”

  “What about when I came to New York? Tony wasn’t there.”

  Jake’s thumb rubbed the back of my hand. “I still felt guilty. And I was surprised to see you.”

  “I was a dumb girl. What an idiot.” I drank the rest of my champagne.

  “No, honey.” He lifted my hand and kissed my palm. Like usual, my hormones liked it. “If Val wasn’t there, chances are I’d have had you again, Sofia. That is, if you wanted it. The problem isn’t that I’m not attracted to you. You know that I am. The problem is I don’t want to betray my friend. And I can’t offer you all the family stuff that is so important to your parents.”

  “What about now? You don’t think a fake secret marriage betrays Tony?”

  He shrugged. “Just like that night on the lake, sometimes what I want takes precedence over my friend. I want this partnership, Sofia. And you want a bakery.”

  “I guess I’m betraying them too.”

  “It’s going to be fine. You and I get along and we’re driven.” He yanked on my hair again. “It’s important to me that you don’t think there was something wrong with you. I’d fuck you right now if you were okay with it.”

  My core clenched like it was saying “yes please.” “You say the most romantic things.”

  “It has nothing to do with romance, Sofia. It’s lust. Carnal, naughty lust.”

  I poured more champagne in both our glasses. “What about Tony?”

  “He’s not here.”

  I turned away, deciding he was just messing with me. This was all part of that flirty, naughty joshing we did.

  “I’m too tired to play games,” I said, drinking my champagne.

  “Who’s playing games?” He shook his head. “Sorry. I said I wouldn’t touch you and I won’t.”

  “You have such restraint now.”

  “I wouldn’t if you stripped down to your underwear again. Hell, you’d just have to give me a sign. The point is, Sofia, don’t be embarrassed about before. I liked it. A lot. I wanted to do it again. I still want to do it.”

  I looked down to his groin and saw the truth of his words as his dick strained against his slacks.

  He inhaled a breath and stood up. He downed the rest of his champagne. “I’m going to get cleaned up. You can have the bedroom. This couch pulls out into a bed. I’ll stay here.”

  He headed to the bathroom, leaving me to sit with a half a glass of champagne and a needy pussy. What I needed took precedence too.

  I stood and unhooked the halter strap on my dress. The top dropped down, exposing my breasts. I unzipped the back of the dress and pushed it
down over my hips and until it pooled at my ankles. All I was left in were my panties and heels.

  “Listen Sof, I’m sorry I—” He exited the bathroom and stopped short when he saw me. His eyes went to my breasts and slowly traveled up to my face. “Fuck.”

  “How’s your restraint now?”

  He closed his eyes. “Be sure, Sofia. Be very fucking sure.”

  I hooked my fingers in my panties and pushed them down. “I’m sure.”

  Jake strode toward me, grabbing a condom from the basket as he passed it. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

  The next minute, his lips were on mine and he was pushing me back onto the couch. His tongue dove into my mouth and I moaned at the invasion. In an instant, sensation after sensation were coursing through my body.

  His fingers pinched my nipples, distracting me from getting his shirt off.

  “I want to touch you,” I told him.

  He groaned, and with his lips still on mine, he yanked his shirt off, sending buttons everywhere. My hands pressed against his strong chest and squeezed. His pecs seemed bigger, harder than I remembered.

  His lips trailed down my jaw until finally, he sucked on my nipple. It sent a sizzling shock straight to my center. My hips shot up, needing friction. I fumbled with his pants button.

  “Jake, get naked. I need you naked.”

  “I’m fucking burning up,” he levered back and undid his pants. He stood and shoved them and his boxer briefs down. His cock sprang out hard and long and so delicious looking.

  I sat up and immediately pulled it into my mouth.

  “Oh fuck, Sofia.” His fingers threaded through my hair. He let out a long feral growl as I worked his cock. The skin was soft, like velvet, but underneath he was like steel. I craved to have it inside me.

  “I need this,” I said pulling my mouth away from his dick and stroking it with my hand.

  He pushed me back, grabbing the condom, tearing the wrapper and jerking it on his dick.