Let’s Pretend

by Laurent, River

  It could be as simple as the fact that he doesn’t want to have to worry about calling his driver for me every time I want to go to the shops, but even so, this is above and beyond anything I expected. Maybe he’s a little more thoughtful than I initially believed. Or maybe, I’m getting special gifts because I made out with him a little last night.

  We stop next to a car with a dust cover on it.

  When Arnold whisks it off, I swear my jaw nearly hits the floor. "This is the car?” I exclaim happily. "This one? Right here!”

  It is bright red and seems to glow with barely-contained energy as it sits there in front of me. I run my hand over the glossy bonnet as I move around it. Inside, the seats are soft, supple cream leather, and I feel a shiver of excitement run down my spine at the way my life has suddenly changed in the space of a few days.

  "Yes, this one, right here," Arnold replies with a slight chuckle. He seems amused by my excitement.

  "Thank you, Arnold," I tell him after he shows me all the controls of car that will be mine for the duration of my time here.

  "I’ll leave you two to get to know each other," he tells me, and backs off to give me some time with the car.

  I barely notice him going; my eyes are fixed on this thing that I’m already half-obsessed with. Maybe I’m more of a car person than I gave myself credit for. Or perhaps this is just the prettiest car I’ve ever seen in my entire life.

  I feel all fuzzy and warm inside, and I know it has to do with more than just the car. It’s the thought of seeing Zach this evening, when he gets back from work, and finding some way to thank him for his generosity.

  I climb inside and wrap my fingers around the wheel. God, this is going to be so much fun to drive. I’d only been planning on heading into town for something to eat, but suddenly I feel the urge to go further. I would love to take her out for a real spin. Here I am, already giving her a gender. She is for sure a, her. She feels feminine and I kinda love her already. I know exactly where I am going to take her to.

  Molly.

  Chapter 13

  Scarlett

  Molly still doesn’t know about anything that has gone on between Zach and I. And there’s a darn good reason for that. I know she would tell me I’m being crazy and that I am just asking for trouble getting involved with a man like Zach, even if it is just for business. She would have tried to talk me out of it, but at the time… I knew what I must do. I made promises to Mom and no matter what… I plan to keep my promise.

  I pull out my phone and dial her number.

  The phone rings a couple of times before Molly answers with a yawn, "Hey," she says sleepily. Molly likes to hit the town and party whenever she gets the chance, and there is a fifty-fifty likelihood that she is speaking to me from the bed of a random hook-up from last night. Molly works at a coffee shop, as a barista and she constantly has these guys who come in over and over again because they develop crushes on her that they can’t shake off.

  It doesn’t surprise me; she always has such effervescent energy, like she is about to overflow and pop at any second. People always seem fascinated by her. Out of the two of us, I am more shy and retiring. That said though, she could probably make a pop star seem shy and retiring while standing next to her.

  "Hey," I say cautiously. "You got a minute to speak?”

  "Of course, I do," she assures me. "In fact, if you hadn’t called, I would have been late for my shift at work, so thanks."

  "Oh, you’re going to work on Saturday?” I ask, a little deflated.

  "Yeah, not all of us can just laze around in our mansions all day," she teases. Then she laughs and explains that she is taking someone’s lunch shift today.

  "Right, because I have something to tell you," I reply, and I take a deep breath.

  "Scarlett? What’s going on?" she demands dramatically.

  I consider if I should I just come right out and tell her? She’s going to think I’m crazy anyway, but she’s my best friend, and if anyone can help me navigate the mess I have gotten myself into in the quest to saving my family home, then it’s going to be her.

  I launch into the whole story. From the reading of the will, to getting slapped by Victoria, to meeting Zachary, to coming here, and moving in. I decide to leave out what happened the night before, when he kissed me. I think I didn’t completely trust her not to come swooping in and try to save me from the black-hearted businessman.

  "Oh, my God," she says breathlessly as soon as I am done. "Your—your dad really left the house to that bitch?”

  "Yeah." I sigh. "I still can’t believe it myself. Can’t believe he would have done something like that. He knew how important the house was to Mom. How much she wanted it to stay with her girls."

  "That is very weird," she mutters in agreement. "He knew that the two of you...anyway, that doesn’t matter. What matters is—"

  "That I’m going to fake-marry this guy to get my home back?" I finish up for her. "Yeah, trust me, I know it."

  "I’ve heard some pretty crazy shit in my time, but this is too much even for me," she replies. "Are you okay? Are you out there now?”

  "Yeah, I’m okay," I assure her. "And yes, I’m out here right now. I, uh...actually, I’m sitting in the car he gave me."

  "He gave you a car?”

  She screams this so loudly I have to pull the phone away from my ear to avoid blowing out an eardrum. “Yup,” I confirm, my fingers stroking the luxurious leather seat.

  "Seriously? That’s crazy!”

  "And it’s a Porsche," I continue, knowing that I am boasting a little and struggling to care. She’s always been more into vehicles than I have, and knowing that I am sitting in this thing must be driving her a little crazy. "And yes, before you ask, you can drive it," I promise.

  "Good, because I was just going to steal it from you if you didn’t let me," she shoots back playfully. She then falls silent for a moment.

  Yes, I can tell that she is still concerned. She has a right to be, everything I’ve told her would be setting off any sane person’s alarm bells.

  "Are you sure about this, Scarlett?" she asks gently. "I mean, I’ve been around this town enough to know that Zach has a serious reputation..."

  "Yeah, I’m sure. I’m going to be fine, Molly. This is what I want to do.” I shift in my seat and hope she can’t feel the doubt in my heart. "We already agreed. The marriage is just in name only. I get the house and he gets the shares."

  "And you believe him?”

  I pause for a moment, remembering the way his mouth felt on mine, how it made me feel when he touched my cheek back in his office. As though bolts of lightning were running between us, a fiery energy barely contained.

  "Scarlett?”

  "Oh? Uh, yeah. Ernest took a look at the contract and he said it was all above board," I reply, evading the real question.

  “I’m not talking about the pre-nup,” she says patiently.

  "Don’t worry, Molly. I can take care of myself. He’s just a guy, right?”

  For a couple of seconds she goes completely silent and I know she’s biting her tongue. "That’s the spirit," she says finally, her voice extra bright. "So when are you going to come down and show me that car in person?”

  "I’ll come pick you up from work in it if you want?" I laugh.

  "Great. I get off at three, I’ll see you then?”

  "See you then.” I hang up and place both my hands on the wheel. A rush of energy moves through me, and I know at once, what I want to do with the rest of the day. I know it might be the stupidest idea I’ve ever had. In fact, it might even be tempting fate, but I’m not going to be able to get it out of my head until I give it a try, one way or the other. I push the keys into the slot and pull out of the garage, a smile on my face. There’s someone I want to see and I’m not going to wait a minute longer to be with him again.

  Chapter 14

  Scarlett

  I fluff my hair in the mirror of the Porsche, and hope I can pass for the kind of sophis
ticated woman who Zach Black might actually look at twice. I dig through my purse pockets, find some lip-gloss and slick it on lips. My mouth becomes shiny and wet, hopefully, just what he’s looking for. I don’t know what it is, the kiss, the car, or something else entirely, but I can feel confidence oozing from me and I like it.

  He sure knew what he was doing to me in that bedroom, leaving me so desperate for more that I’m willing to turn up at his work in the middle of the day to get it. Maybe he will be taken aback by my boldness, but then again every modern woman takes control of her sexuality. I mean, look at Molly. She goes out and takes what she wants and why not? We only live once, might as well enjoy it.

  There’s no way for him to know that I’m a virgin and I don’t even know what I’m planning to do to him when I go in there, but I’ll play it by ear. I’ll be like one of those experienced women who turn up at their lover’s offices and have sex on the desk.

  The receptionist I met the last time is not at her desk. Instead, there is a homely looking woman. I give her the same spiel I gave the first receptionist. She ushers me towards the elevators. To my surprise, Dahlia is sitting at her desk. My first thought is why is she working on a Saturday? She must either love her work or Zack.

  "Do you have an appointment?" she asks, eyeing me up and down, her eyes cold and hard.

  I give her a haughty look. "I don’t need one.”

  She shakes her head. "Mr. Black is busy right now.” There is a barbed edge to her voice, as though she resents even having to take time out of her day to tell me this.

  I cross my arms over my chest and narrow my eyes at her. I need to get into that office and see him, and I’m not going to let this woman get in the way of that. I reach into my pocket, pull out my phone, and dial his number. He answers a moment later.

  “Scarlett?”

  "Zach, could you please tell your secretary that your fiancée is here to see you?”

  Dahlia's jaw drops. This definitely wasn’t what she was expecting. She waves me through, giving me a bitter look, and that confirms my suspicion that she might have more than a little crush on Zach.

  I push open his door, and there he is, sitting behind his desk.

  He looks at me steadily, clearly pleased by my sudden arrival, but then his eyes trail up and down my body and a slow smile appears on his face.

  I close the door behind me, turn around, and lock it. I feel a little giddy. I just want to make out with him again, the way we did yesterday, and I know I’m not going to be able to shake that from my head until we do. I need to get it out of my system. The sound of the lock is loud in the silence. Slowly, I turn around and lean against the door.

  He says nothing, just watches me with those amazingly light eyes of his.

  "You know, I think your secretary might have a crush on you," I tell him, as I push myself away from the door.

  His eyes widen slightly. He is clearly trying to figure out what I am doing here dressed like this and acting like this.

  His confusion gives me confidence.

  I start making my way towards the desk, my gait slow and sure. I don’t know where this version of me has come from, but I like her. She is confident, in-control, and cool in a way Scarlett isn’t. His gaze is fixed on my legs. I’m wearing a short skirt, and I suppose I picked it out this morning for a reason, even if I wasn’t aware of it then.

  "You ever hook up with any of your staff?” I wonder aloud.

  He shakes his head, his eyes never leaving me. "Not a chance. I don’t need the trouble."

  I come to a stop in front of his desk.

  "Why? You jealous?” he asks, a smile flicking up his face.

  I shrug. "No, but if we’re going to sell this marriage thing to people, it’ll be a lot easier to do if you’re not hooked up with the people who work for you.”

  "We don’t need to sell anything to anyone," he reminds me. "Just need to sign that certificate and its official."

  "I suppose so," I agree.

  He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small velvet box. "Though if you need to sell it to anyone else..." He holds the box out to me.

  With arched eyebrows, I take it from him, and pop it open. Inside, a ring with an enormous diamond sparkles up at me. "What’s this?" I gasp.

  "I thought it might make things a little more realistic," he explains, eyeing me.

  I stare at it with fascination. Our family has great old pieces of jewelry at the bank, but I’ve never been allowed to wear jewelry like this. Dad was always paranoid about us being robbed. His theory was, he preferred his daughters with all their fingers intact. "Is it real?”

  "Of course, it is."

  "I can’t take this.” There’s something about seeing the ring right on this royal blue velvet bed that makes me feel...I don’t know, but certainly not right. Slipping this ring over my finger, would be giving myself to him in a deep way that I don’t want to do. Not yet. Or do I?

  "Why not?" he asks. "Sounds like you liked the car well enough."

  "How did you know?"

  "I’d recognize that car anywhere," he cuts me off as he motions over to the window.

  The way he speaks to me, there’s just so much confidence there. He doesn’t care to play to my emotions, or say the PC thing. He says what he thinks and doesn’t hold back. And so far, I like it.

  Still, I’m not going to take the ring. It’s far too expensive, not to mention the fact that my clumsy ass will probably lose it in five seconds flat. I hold it out to him, waiting for him to take it from me, but he doesn’t move a muscle.

  “It’s insured.”

  “Even so,” I mumble.

  "Put it on," he orders softly, his eyes glittering like two precious stones.

  I shake my head.

  He comes around the desk. "Just to see what it looks like," he says persuasively, as he takes the box from me and pulls the ring out. Taking my hand, he slides it over my finger.

  I watch, almost hypnotized by the strangeness of the act. I've imagined this moment before, of course I have, how it would feel when the man I would marry slips the ring onto my finger and makes it official. But never in these circumstances. Even so, there’s something special in the moment, whether or not I want to admit it to myself. His nearness, the heat from his body, the scent of his aftershave…

  "We need to hurry up and make this marriage official," I blurt out to kill the moment. I pull my gaze away from the ring and focus back on him.

  He looks triumphant, as though he has got one over on me and he knows it.

  I can feel the heat of a flush running up my neck, and I hate myself a little for being taken in so easily by just his touch.

  "If it’s about the wedding night, we don’t actually have to wait," he replies, a twist to his sensual lips. The way he is looking at me is as if he wants to lean down and take a bite out of me.

  I feel the heat between my legs starting to build and I try to ignore it. "It’s not about that—it has nothing to do with…” I shrug. “It’s so I can get started on the—on the land. I’m worried Victoria will sell it before we can stop her."

  "The land, huh?" He lets his hand trail around my waist. "And that’s why you came down here in the middle of the day? Because you wanted to make sure that the deal with the land was going to go through?”

  Distracted by his hand, I am unable to form a reply.

  He moves his mouth down to my neck and brushes his lips across my skin.

  I practically swoon.

  He knows just what I’m here for and he has no problem giving it to me. He slides his lips up along my neck, all the way up to my ear. "It’s Saturday, Scarlet. You know, you could have just waited until I got home," he continues, tracing his tongue over the whorls of my ear. "But you wanted this, didn’t you? You want me to do this..." He slides his hand down and between my legs.

  I just forget entirely that we are in his office with people filling up the floors below us. Then there’s Dahlia who probably has her ear to the doo
r. Maybe I even want her to hear us, to prove to myself that this is actually happening. Zachary Winston Black is touching me. I’m not just imagining it.

  Chapter 15

  Scarlett

  His fingers travel up the inside of my thighs and trace over my panties.

  I can’t help the moan that escapes my mouth.

  It seems like it was what he was waiting for. He grins as if satisfied with my reaction. "You’re such a good girl, Scarlett," he purrs into my ear. "But you don’t have to always be that good, you know. Sometimes it’s nice to be a little bad..." He pushes his fingers beneath the fabric and caresses my pussy.

  I gasp at just how good it feels. He loops an arm around my waist to keep me upright and I cling on to him for support, my knees already threatening to give out from underneath me.

  "Look how wet and juicy you are," he says, his voice thick with lust.

  I have long-since lost the power of words, but I hope the way I am moving my body back against his tells him everything he needs to know.

  He catches my chin in his other hand and pulls my face around to look at him. "Do you want me to make you mine, Scarlett?”

  I can’t reply, my brain is too overheated to come up with anything but wordless desire for him, him, and more of him. I nod.

  "Say it," he orders me.

  "Yes—yes, I want you," I gasp.

  That is all he needs to hear. He pushes my skirt up, exposing me completely. He then picks me up and places me on the desk. Just as he is about to kneel down between my legs, there is a knock at the door.

  I freeze.

  "Mr. Black?" Dahlia calls through the door. "There’s someone on the—"