He plunged up into me one more time, a guttural growl leaving him, before collapsing on the couch.
I collapsed on top of him, my heart slamming against his chest.
His breath was coming fast, moving me up and down as I lay there, the sweat of our bodies mingling. “What the hell?” he whispered.
His words slowly sunk through the haze we’d created. What the hell? Was he already having regrets? My passion cooled abruptly as I wondered what the heck I’d been thinking. Yes, I’d wanted him. More than anything, but not like this! Not while he hated me! Still, I didn’t regret what we’d done.
I backed off of him, refusing to even look him in the face. Without a word, I hurried to the bathroom. Staring at my swollen lips in the mirror, I pressed a hand to the side of my face. What must he think of me now? With trembling fingers, I went to my bedroom closet and pulled on a t-shirt and leggings before glaring at myself in the full-length mirror on the door.
Cole’s words from the restaurant echoed in my head. You’re going to owe me.
Had this been what he’d wanted? I’d thought he was joking when he said it. But then he’d kissed me…
Horror hit me so hard, I reeled. My hand flew over my mouth.
He was going to think this had been payment for his favor.
6
Cole
So much for not having sex with Laney.
I’d fucked up. I’d broken my own rules and was now paying the price.
Wednesday morning, as I stared at graphs and charts on my computer screen, I couldn’t focus. All the colored lines blurred together and the patterns didn’t show themselves the way they usually did. This was what I was good at. This was how I’d become a self-made man. To be honest, a lot of my self-worth was tied to my ability to predict the growth—or crashes—of companies. So to be locked out of my own brain and unable to work was more than concerning.
Bringing both hands down on my desk so hard the multiple monitors shook, I bit off a curse. No woman was worth this. Thank god I hadn’t actually told her I was in. Because I was out.
“Well damn, you showed that desk.”
I glanced up as Scott came through my office door. The bastard looked skinnier than I remembered, likely a result of his cross-country backpacking trip. His blue-green eyes contrasted sharply with the deep tan he’d achieved, and it camouflaged his slightly crooked nose.
Pushing back from my chair, I stood up and offered him my hand. “Hey man, it’s good to see you again.”
He’d been my only real friend growing up, a free-spirited sonofabitch who had never been afraid of me. Unlike the majority of people who’d stepped into and out of my life over the years. People were intimidated by me because of my sheer size and the fact that I rarely smiled. Even Scott had warned me to never be too near a crime or it would be pinned on me. I’d tried to soften my exterior a little, but had been told often enough that I looked like a “bad guy.” In truth, I was more of the gentle giant type.
“Likewise.” He shook my hand, then pulled me in for an around-the-shoulder hug. He clapped my back as we parted. “So what’s got you all worked up?”
He wandered toward the windows that overlooked the ocean and I glanced at my desk, thinking about Laney again. Tell him the truth or not? The two options battled it out in my head.
“It’s a woman, isn’t it?” He glanced at me, his eyes narrowed.
“You just got back. Tell me about your trip.” I didn’t want to talk about her. Or me, or my life, or how spectacularly bad my decision to let her back into my life had been.
His eyebrows rose and turned back toward me, interest in his gaze. “It is a woman. The trip was long, hot, and exhausting. Didn’t meet anyone I wanted to keep contact with. Glad to be home. Did you sleep with her?”
I frowned, trying to remind myself why I needed friends.
His expression twisted into amusement. “You did. And judging by your little display there,” he nodded at the desk, “it’s more serious than hit it or quit it.” He crossed his arms, his eyes narrowed like he was trying to put it all together in his head without my help. “So who is she? Do I know her?” Scott was nothing if not curious. It was one of the things I liked about him.
But I wasn’t going to tell him a damn thing. I shook my head.
His eyebrows leaped up. “Wow, more serious than I would have guessed.”
Fuck. I couldn’t hold it in. I felt like if I didn’t tell someone, my chest would explode. “You know her,” I growled.
A smile flashed on Scott’s face, making him look more than ever like a popular actor. He was a good-looking guy—at least the ladies seemed to think so. His high school girlfriend’s mom had said he was a dead ringer for Matthew McConaughey with his strong chin and light brown hair. At the comment, he’d smiled and said, “All right, all right, all right!” I’d agreed with the resemblance then. His nose was a bit crooked thanks to a break in junior high wrestling, but his looks still seemed to please the ladies. He always had offers, anywhere he went.
“I know her…” He trailed off, scrubbing his chin with his hand, probably thinking back over the girls in high school and trying to imagine which one would dare.
“Laney Harver.” His triumphant tone cut my thoughts off.
I stared at him. I didn’t want to affirm, but I knew that staying silent was just as damning.
“Finally, man!” Thrilled, he clapped me on the shoulder.
I backed off and moved toward the window. The stormy morning sky had cleared and sun shone through the white, fluffy clouds. “You gonna surf?”
It was a tradition. Scott would show up unannounced and uninvited, but always welcome, and we’d catch up, then go surfing. We’d caught up.
“So you’re not going to talk about it?” He didn’t sound surprised, or disappointed.
I shook my head. “There’s nothing to say. We slept together and it was a mistake.”
“Oh, damn. You didn’t tell her that, did you?”
“No, why?”
“Don’t.” He let out a breath in a slow release, like he was decompressing. “Just…don’t.”
“So, are we hitting the waves or what?” I wanted to steer the conversation another direction.
He shook his head, his attention on the waters far below. The swells were perfect for catching waves.
“Not today. If I don’t go see my mother she’s going to report me missing.”
I chuckled. His mother was a wonderful woman, but he was right—she’d likely report him missing if he didn’t check in often. Especially as soon as he got home.
“Rain check.” He clapped me on the back and I nodded. “And I’m looking forward to it.”
“Any time.” The offer stood. I looked forward to the little time we spent together. The ritual, the tradition kept me grounded and reminded me that not everyone sucked.
“She asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend for her sister’s wedding.” Damn, had that really come out?
Scott froze in place and stared at me. A dozen expressions filtered across his features, before settling on an uneven smile.
“You’re going to do it, right?” His grin grew and I swore I could see every tooth in his head.
“I wasn’t going to, no.”
He chuckled. “You should do it. But first, you should go surfing. You know, catch a wave for me.”
I could do that—the catching a wave for him part. That sounded good. Maybe if I cleared my mind a bit I could actually accomplish something. Because as it stood, I had gotten nothing done and that didn’t please me one bit.
I was curious, though, and couldn’t help but ask as he walked toward my front door to let himself out. “Why do you think I should do it?”
He stopped, tilting his head back a little as if he were saying a silent prayer to someone above, then he rotated on one heel of a dusty, beat-up hiking boot.
“Because you’ve always been in love with her. Give her a chance to fall in love with you.” With those words thrown betw
een us, he stepped out into the sunshine with a bright whistle and headed for his truck.
* * *
I parked my truck on the sand in the usual spot after the short drive down my mountain. I couldn’t get Scott’s words out of my head. They circled like vultures, and I wanted to get some tweezers and pull them out through my ear.
Because you’ve always been in love with her. Give her a chance to fall in love with you.
No. I was going to avoid her.
The effect she had on me, that way she always managed to cloud my judgment…I wasn’t having it.
It had always been like that. Even as a teenager, my gut had warned me to stay the fuck away from Laney. Instead, I’d trusted her. I’d gone out with her. We’d had breakfast for dinner after school. She’d laughed a lot. I’d touched her soft hair, curled it around my finger and tugged her closer. I remembered her smile, her eyes meeting mine and the rush that simple acknowledgement gave me.
The lull of waves on the beach reached my ears as I rolled down the truck window, the air so thick with salt that I could taste it on my tongue. I scanned the line where the sea met sky.
That day, I’d been excited that our date had gone so well. When I parked in front of her house, and her hand had slipped into mine when she begged me to come in and meet her parents, what else could I have done? Earlier, she’d bared her soul about them. She’d told me how they loved her sister more and how she was never enough. She’d seemed so sad, I’d wanted to kiss her, if only to take her mind off of the sadness. Of course, I’d wanted to taste her too, but that hadn’t been as important.
We’d walked up the steps to her home. I was so nervous that I barely registered how grand it was. She welcomed me in, so excited for her parents to meet me.
All it took was an introduction. Her father recognized me and recoiled, a reaction that had happened before. With potential friends, with girls who liked me, when they realized who I was.
I knew most people attributed my size and demeanor as dangerous. With deep-set, hooded eyes, an expressionless face, and full lips often pressed into a tight line, I wasn’t the picture-perfect date. Plus, throw in my over six-foot-two frame as a teenager, my more than two hundred pounds of power, and her dad wasn’t the only one who’d ever reacted this way. Being in foster homes didn’t help my reputation—I looked like and lived like a bad guy, therefore I was a bad guy.
Her father shouted at me to get the fuck out. Her mother grabbed on to his arm when he shook his fist at me and told me to stay away from his daughter.
A fight began between Laney and her parents, a screaming match. One that had nothing to do with me I realized, the more I heard. Still, I knew it would be best to step out of the picture. So I had. Quietly, I’d left. Avoided her after until she eventually gave up trying to talk to me.
Sleeping with Laney had been an amazing experience, but I had a feeling I’d regret it eventually, just like that night.
The wind kicked up and pelted my truck with sand before dying as quickly as it started. A car engine cut off in the background. At first, I thought Scott had changed his mine. But then I caught a glimpse of Laney’s silver Camry and I braced myself.
“You shouldn’t be here.” I glanced at her in the side mirror as she approached, gripping the steering wheel and pretending to be looking out over the churned up ocean.
Her expression shifted from anxious to offended. “You can’t tell me where I should be.”
“We shouldn’t have had sex.”
Her mouth dropped open. A second later, her arms crossed her chest and her posture took on a harsher stance. “You could have said something before we…you know.”
Oh, I knew. I’d have a hard time forgetting. I made the decision before I could talk myself out of it. “I’m going to do this favor for you.”
“Because we slept together?” The accusation in her tone stung.
“No, because I guess I led you to believe I would.”
“Well don’t do me any favors!”
“Isn’t that what this is, a favor?” I leaned my head out the window, my gaze getting caught on her pursed lips. “I’m going to do this for you, and I’m a man of my word. But I have a few rules. No touching except for when we have to. No sex. No relationship. And you can’t fall in love with me.”
“Trust me, that won’t be a problem.” She practically spit the words at me.
“Good. So we’ll do this and then fuck off and out of each other’s lives.” There would be no falling in love, no relationship, nothing. I didn’t give a damn what Scott thought should happen. He was wrong.
“Perfect. That’s what I wanted anyway.” She turned and stomped toward her car, and I admired her ass. The extra sway she added when she was pissed looked damn fine. And her anger was downright delicious.
“Don’t you need my number?”
She stopped in place and her shoulders lifted, then dropped. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face as she stood there, likely cursing me under her breath. I liked pushing her buttons. I didn’t care to explore why.
“You’re such a jerk.” She spun around and stormed back to the truck—as well as anyone could storm across sand. “You could have told me you didn’t want this to be a thing before we…did it.” She went bright red. She looked sexy and adorable as she huffed at me and pulled her phone from her pocket.
“So give me your number, and I agree. No touching, no sex, no anything.”
I nodded and she punched my number into her phone with angry jabbing motions.
“Which is fine, since I can’t stand you anyway.”
If I knew anything about women, it was that when they said something was fine, it was absolutely, positively, wholly not fine.
“Oh no?” I arched an eyebrow at her.
“No, I can’t stand you.” I swore she would have stomped her foot if she wasn’t standing in sand. “In fact, you make me sick to my stomach when you get too close.”
“That could be a real issue.” I got out of my truck as she glared at me. “How close? Can we dance at the wedding?” I grabbed her hip and pulled her body flush to mine. Her eyes went wide and she gasped. “I have to play the loving boyfriend, after all. And it has to be convincing.”
Her mouth popped open with a squeak of shock as I lowered my lips to hers. My whole body responded to her sweet, fruity scent, my cock growing so hard it ached as I pressed against her soft belly.
“I’ll have to touch you, dance with you, kiss you,” I taunted.
Suddenly, this was real. I was really doing this. I was going to trick her parents into thinking we were a loving couple. Boyfriend-girlfriend.
Her hands found my shoulders and she shoved at me.
It was my own doing that I stepped back—her push hadn’t been nearly enough to budge me, but her nonverbal demand was.
She dragged the back of her hand over her lips, glaring at me, then turned and speed walked to her car.
I stared after her, my eyes on her ass and a smile on my face.
7
Laney
“Why can’t you find a nice man and settle down?” My mother crossed her arms and leaned back against the kitchen counter. “Stop watching other people’s kids and have some of your own like a normal woman your age.”
I sighed. “Nice to see you too, Mom.” With a trembling laugh, I opened my arms to offer her a hug, but she put a hand out, refusing to let me get any closer. I hopped up to sit on the counter while my father stepped through the sliding glass door onto the back porch with a platter of meat to grill.
They’d demanded I come home for this BBQ so we could eat like a family and talk about the details of the wedding. It was Saturday and the nuptials were set to happen in a little over a week from now.
“Get off the counter.” My mother’s sharp tone made me wince.
I slid off the counter like the dutiful child I’d always tried to be. Not being so ever made any difference. If she didn’t have one thing to gripe about, she’d find twenty mo
re.
“I love my job.” I shouldn’t have had to defend myself. And I also knew becoming defensive would make things worse—it always did. But I needed to, for myself. “And I’m not ready to have kids.”
“No one would want kids with you anyway.” My sister, Cadence, shot me a cruel smile that somehow didn’t take away from her beauty. She looked a lot like Mom, with her blonde hair and big green eyes. She’d gotten the good family genes and turned into a stunning woman who stood taller than me by a good three inches. Her slim, curvy form was exactly the body type guys drooled over, and her face was one that would fit right on the cover of Cosmo or Vogue.
She was the baby of the family, and my parents had babied her. As a child, I’d assumed that once she grew up, they’d stop. But now, at twenty, she was still the baby. Part of me was sure that was why she’d become such a mean person.
I glanced at Mom out of the corner of my eye. I knew she wasn’t going to stand up for me, but I could hope. Maybe she never did was because I wasn’t as pretty as my sister. But I was nicer, got better grades in school, and had worked my butt off for everything I had. I’d earned my way through life. My sister, on the other hand, still lived at home and had never worked a day in her life.
I didn’t fit in with them. My family didn’t understand or like my sense of humor or my life choices. Over the years, the little wedges between us had become bigger and bigger, until now, our differences were so extreme I couldn’t breathe the moment I walked in this house.
“Speaking of kids, are you and Dev going to start a family soon?” I wouldn’t stoop to her level. I would take the high road, as always. Her fiancé wasn’t as mean and lazy as she was, but my parents loved him as much as they loved her.
The way my sister was glaring at me, you’d think I’d just told her what I really thought of her out loud. It took me a moment of running back over my thoughts to make sure that I hadn’t, in fact, said any of the things on my mind.
Faking for Her Page 4
