Keeping the Pieces

by Brenda Lowder

  He stood up gamely and trailed behind her to their bedroom just as Cam had followed Honey.

  When they got to their room, Derek closed the door behind him and sank against it, folding his arms. “Just what are you going to do with me, Ms. Hayworth?” he taunted her with a smirk.

  “Sex the hell out of you.”

  Derek’s eyes bugged open, and Emma laughed.

  “I’m just kidding,” she whispered.

  Derek visibly relaxed.

  “Okay, I’m only half kidding.” She pulled on his arm and led him to the bed.

  His brows knitted together. “Top half or bottom half?”

  Emma giggled again and covered her mouth until she could get a handle on herself.

  “Neither.” She flopped onto her side of the bed and pulled Derek’s arm toward her.

  He tilted his head questioningly, but climbed onto the bed beside her. “Just what am I getting into here?”

  Honey’s unflattering words hinting that Emma and Derek couldn’t be a real couple took another trip through Emma’s mind. But Emma wouldn’t take them lying down. Well, literally she would, but figuratively she was going to fight Honey with everything she had.

  “Oh, Derek!” she screamed in ecstatic tones.

  On the bed next to her, fully clothed, Derek jumped. “What the hell?”

  “Shh…” she told him. Then she screamed her best sorority-girl-getting-it-good giggly scream. “Oh, Derek! Oh! Oh! You’re just so HUGE!” She smacked the headboard hard with her hand.

  “What was that supposed to be?” he asked, sounding faintly alarmed.

  “Uncontrollable passion,” she stage whispered. “You could help me out a little bit here, you know?”

  Derek rolled his eyes, but he bucked his legs which made the bed rise up an inch or so from the floor and slam back down again with a loud thud.

  “Nice.” Emma smiled appreciatively.

  “Thank you. I’ve had practice.” His grin was wry.

  “At this?”

  “Faking sex?” He put his arm behind his head and laid back on it.

  “Yeah.”

  Derek nodded, but then he said, “Never. You’re my first time.”

  Emma giggled. “Well, watch out because it’s going to be the best fake sex of your whole life.”

  She turned over—away from Derek—so her voice would carry toward the wall and door and not Derek’s eardrum. “Oh! Oh! Oh! Derek. Oh YES! You’re, OH!” She screamed again for good measure.

  Derek groaned.

  “Louder,” she whispered and got up on her knees to face him, making a coaxing motion with her hand.

  He groaned again, putting more volume behind it this time.

  She still wasn’t happy. “Try to put more pizzazz into it.” She shook jazz hands at him.

  He crinkled his brow. “Pizzazz? Really?”

  “Yeah. Spice it up!” She shimmied her shoulders, dipping down into what she imagined was a stripper move and bounced back up. “Don’t you make noise when you have sex?”

  “I can’t say I’ve ever noticed.” He caught her hand in his. “Would you like to have sex with me so you can observe and report?”

  The image of him on top of her making lots of noise teased her brain, but she made herself focus and took her hand back. “No. Thank you, though. Just try for a little more volume.” She sat back on her heels. “Maybe we should make it a little more physical.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her and a slow grin started to turn up the corners of his mouth. “How physical?”

  “Don’t be silly.” She swatted him on his leg, but really she was pleased that he kept offering to have sex with her. Well, they were simulating the act with each other. Imagining it for real was to be expected. Encouraged, even. For the sake of realism.

  She got to her feet and started jumping on the bed as if it were a trampoline. Derek rolled his eyes again but got to his feet as well.

  “What a tease you are,” he hissed.

  “Ha!” She bounced higher. “You don’t want me to deliver. You want Honey to. Start making more noise so she will.”

  Derek obliged by jumping with her. The headboard knocked against the wall and the mattress thumped loudly on the box springs with every jump. Once Emma established a humping rhythm in tandem with Derek’s jumps, she yelled, “Oooh! Damn, Derek!”

  His eyes went wide, but she nodded her encouragement. He grunted. She waved her arms up, attempting to pump up the volume. He rolled his eyes and groaned low in his throat. She yelled, “Ahh! Derek! That’s the stuff. Right THERE!”

  He smiled and threw his head back with a silent laugh, obviously enjoying her performance. He finally caught the spirit of the project and issued a series of growls that he varied to sound like different animal noises, then mutely appealed to Emma with a shrug and upraised hands for her to guess which animal it was.

  Sometimes she’d add it to her screams of passion.

  “Oh! Oh! OH! Derek! What a TIGER you are!” and “Derek, you’re a MOUNTAIN LION!”

  He gave her a thumbs-up every time she guessed one right, and somewhere after the grizzly bear, she started to realize she was having a really good time. Not just pretending to. Not a fake good time with her pretend fiancé, but an honest-to-goodness spectacularly fun time with a very sexy man.

  She started getting that stirring in her belly again. That low-down happy feeling that seemed to get riled up every time Derek got a little too close. She studied him, trying to gauge his feelings in between the jumping and the grunting. He smiled a wide, open grin and winked. A warm feeling spread through her chest. He was having just as much fun as she was.

  He stretched his neck and made a high-pitched, gurgling groan. “Giraffe?” she guessed.

  He nodded and laughed silently. She giggled softly, the giraffe striking her as a ridiculous choice to conjure for a sexual tryst spirit animal. Her giggle turned into a full-on laugh when he stretched his neck even farther and made crazy eyes at her. Then he was laughing too. At first they tried to keep it down, but then he kind of collapsed on the bed, and his weight brought Emma bouncing too close. She stopped short and caught her foot in the covers. She toppled half on top of him.

  They stopped laughing.

  With the top half of her spread across Derek’s wide chest and her legs jutting sideways off the bed, Emma lifted her head and found Derek’s steely blue eyes already on hers.

  He inclined his head, inching toward her. She didn’t move. She didn’t even want to breathe.

  He moved his hand, which had been flung out to the side, and put it on Emma’s back, urging her closer.

  She leaned up and met his lips with hers. He made a sound low in his throat that sounded nothing like his previous animal sounds. This was pure Derek. It sounded like surrender and need, which Emma matched with her own.

  He grabbed her with both arms and pulled her fully on top of him without breaking the kiss. She felt the hard length of him against her shorter frame. His very hard bulge pushed against her hip. She scooted a few inches to the right so she could better enjoy it. She put her arms around his neck and slid a little higher.

  He moved his hands down to her bottom, stroking in slow circles as he pressed her to him. She rubbed against his giant asset and couldn’t help a groan of her own as she suddenly realized how much she wanted to be naked with him right now.

  The part of her brain that did all her plotting and scheming and thinking had managed to turn itself off. All she could think about was this attractive man under her. Derek. And how very good it felt to be lying on top of him, making out.

  His tongue teased hers, and he tugged on the hem of her skirt. He pulled back and raised his eyebrows. She gave him a small smile and leaned forward, helping him to pull her dress gently up over her head. When it was off, he quickly balled the fabric with one hand and threw it off the side of the bed. She was glad she was wearing her matching lacy bra and panties. Derek’s eyes went wide at the sight. He put his face in h
er ample cleavage, kissing her breasts along the bra line and cupping them underneath with his large hands. Her blood ran riot through her body as he started nipping her breasts lightly with his teeth through the thin fabric.

  Her breath quickened. She moved her hands from his neck up into his hair, wanting to feel closer to him, wanting to push him into her until they were one. His lips moved to her mouth again, and she massaged his head, loving the feel of his silky dark hair feathering through her fingers.

  Before she knew it—and how do they do that?—he’d unclasped her bra. He whipped it off like an expert and threw it the way of the dress. Then his hands were fully on her breasts, caressing, stroking, squeezing, while he returned to kissing her everywhere his hands weren’t covering.

  It felt so good her eyes practically rolled back in her head. Teasing him, she pushed him away. He stopped immediately and brought his hands to his side, his head resting against the headboard, a question in his eyes.

  She loved him for that pause, that look of passion and restraint. She smiled and leaned forward and ripped his shirt open. Buttons popped and skittered across the hardwood floor. She yanked the shirt down over his muscled arms. She could feel his relief and his desire, followed by his impatience as his shirtsleeve, inside out, got hung up around his wrist. He helped her pull his arm out of it then looped his arms around her and flipped her over onto her back. He landed on top of her, supporting himself with his arms so his full weight wasn’t on her.

  She could hear him breathing as hard as she was. She thrilled with the thought that she was having such an effect on him. Her pulse galloping, she looked up at him with a mischievous smile and stroked her finger down the muscled ridges of his firm, warm chest. When her hand hit the waistband of his pants she paused. Staying perfectly still with an arm planted on either side of her, he cocked an eyebrow at her. How far were they taking this silent dare? She moved her hand under his pants until she felt the elastic of the top of his underwear and slid inside.

  He gasped as she rounded her hand around his base. Wanting to feel the length of him, she ran her hand down to the tip and back to the base again, encumbered by the two layers of clothing covering him. He moaned. It was a low, sexy sound in his throat that Emma desperately wanted to make him do again. She did it again, and he granted her wish with another deep, tantalizing sound. Her hand lingered and his groan switched to a growl of frustration. He turned her over and slid her panties off, dragging the silk with agonizing slowness down her legs. He leaned down and kissed her neck, whispering into her ear, “Is this okay?”

  “Absolutely,” she said in between the panting breaths she was pulling in. She’d never been with anyone ever who had made her feel so hot. She prided herself on her calm and control. She didn’t know she could feel so wild. Every rational thought fled her mind, and she was left with only the feeling of her carnal urges—and all they wanted was Derek.

  She fumbled at the button and zipper on his pants. Apparently all the blood had left her brain because she was having a really hard time releasing them. Derek laughed at her and undid his pants himself.

  “Take them off,” she whined when he was being slow about it.

  He laughed again and quickly shucked off his pants and boxer briefs. Completely naked, he poised above her like a question.

  “Yes,” she answered. She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “You are so beautiful,” she moaned. She nipped his shoulder with her teeth.

  He laughed and blinked down at her. He stopped laughing. “So are you.” He kissed her hard, and she felt a warm glow spread through her center to what felt like every cell of her overheated body.

  “You sure about this?” he asked.

  “Yes!” she said, panting, for what felt like the tenth time.

  He leaned down and put his arms around her. He positioned his hardness at her entry. It took everything in her to wait for him and not to yank him toward her so she could feel that initial thrust she hungered for.

  He caressed her face and started to push forward.

  There was a thud at the foot of the bed and cold beer splashed onto Emma’s exposed toes.

  “Oh my God.” Cam stared, unblinking, his hand cupping a beer he was no longer holding.

  Honey swayed and grabbed the footboard for support. “Oh my God, Cam—they’re really doing it.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Derek’s brain was having trouble catching up with current events. One minute his only thought was for Emma and the all-consuming heat between them, and the next minute Honey was in the room, swaying on her feet like she was going to faint.

  Emma sprang upright and grappled with Derek for the sheet. He was kneeling on it so she only succeeded in getting a twisted corner that covered nothing.

  Honey was mumbling, and Emma looked at him with a dazed expression that showed Emma’s brain hadn’t caught up either. After a minute, he finally started to understand what Honey was saying.

  Honey was shocked to find Emma and Derek in bed together.

  Cam stared at Emma’s naked breasts. Emma blushed scarlet, and Derek scrambled to untangle the sheet and throw some more of it in her direction.

  “What the hell, you guys?” Derek demanded.

  Open-mouthed, Honey stared at Derek. “You’re having sex…with her.” She nodded in Emma’s direction.

  Derek ran a hand through his hair and exhaled heavily. He didn’t have time to sort through the jumble of emotions he had for the two women in the room. “Yeah, so? She’s my fiancée, remember?” He angled toward her.

  Honey teetered, and Cam stepped closer, letting her lean on him. Moisture gathered in Honey’s eyes and overflowed onto her cheeks. “We thought you were faking.” She wiped her eyes. “Cam and I. Ever since we heard you two. Going at it. We didn’t believe it. We’ve never believed it. And here you are.” She turned away from the bed but gestured at it with her hand, waving it away. A half-choked sob disturbed the sudden stillness of the room.

  A twinge of guilt poked him. This game hadn’t been real until ten seconds ago. “Honey,” Derek said softly.

  A hurt expression crossed Emma’s doll-like face. Did she really feel something for him, or was she pretending for Cameron? She must be. This is what she wanted. This was their plan all along. And it had just worked.

  Derek rose and, not thinking about it, took the sheet with him, wrapping it around his waist. Emma squealed and scurried for a pillow. He’d left her completely naked on the bed. His heart tugged. Seconds ago, it had only been Emma in his mind, on his bed, filling his senses. Which of these women should he comfort?

  Cam goggled at Emma, and Derek had a fleeting desire to hit him for looking at her like that. But Cam was exactly who she wanted. Not him. The whole plan they’d worked on for months existed so they could get to this point—for Emma to get Cam. The confusing almost-sex they’d just had with each other didn’t change that.

  Derek crossed to Honey’s side and put his arms around her. She stepped away from Cam and leaned in to him instead. It was Derek’s moment of victory. The goal to which he’d been working. He felt Honey’s longing. The hunger for him and him alone.

  “Let’s get out of here,” she whispered, eyes locked on his. Derek helped her to the door.

  “You can’t just come in here and steal my fiancé in the middle of our lovemaking,” Emma called from the bed, her voice packed with such convincing emotion that Derek hesitated a moment, wondering if maybe she meant it. But she couldn’t. He wasn’t her fiancé. He wasn’t her anything.

  Honey hugged Derek’s arm and the warmth of her touch traveled all the way to his head. “I’m sorry, Emma,” he said over his shoulder.

  “Sorry, Cam,” Honey whispered past Derek’s arm.

  They left the room together.

  ∞∞∞

  Emma had managed to cover herself with two pillows. She watched Cam watch Honey and Derek exit the room, leaving them behind, a haunted look in his light-blue eyes. He turned t
o her. “Emma?” The pain was thick in his voice. She thought she’d never heard a grown man sound so lost before. Was Honey really so much to lose? Honey hadn’t looked back when she left with Derek.

  Derek. Emma resolved to stop thinking about him immediately. She wouldn’t dwell on that moment before he left with Honey where it seemed if she’d called the whole plan off, he’d have been hers to keep.

  She was just brain-fogged with the hormones Derek had overexcited. She shouldn’t be so scattered and confused just because their scheme had worked. She’d always intended for it to work. And now it had. It didn’t matter that thoughts of sex with Derek were crowding her brain and making her body ache with need. Now Cam was hers by default, and she should be ecstatically happy. She should focus on Cam. And not think about how she still felt warm from being in Derek’s arms only seconds ago.

  She leaned up and patted the bed beside her. “Have a seat, Cam.”

  He lumbered over and sat where she’d indicated. When he got closer, Emma could see the tears in his eyes. Her heart melted for him. He’d been blindsided twice tonight. Although it wasn’t flattering that it had been easy for Honey to let Cam go and difficult for Cam to let Honey go, Emma had still won. Hadn’t she? Honey was out of the picture. And Cam was sitting on her bed. He was hurting, sure, and would need to get past his feelings for Honey and her betrayal before he could move forward with Emma, but Emma would be there for him. Just like she’d planned.

  Cam made a choking sound and wiped away the tears sliding down his face. “She left me. Just like that. For that trainer.” Cam shook his head and stared at the sheet.

  A tiny sliver of guilt pricked her heart, knowing she was complicit in his pain. Not just complicit. The engineer of it.

  “Oh, Cam.” She got up and put her arms around him, pushing his head down on her shoulder so he could have a good cry.

  Which he did, for half a second, until, “Emma?”

  She pulled back and peered into his red, swollen eyes. “Yes?”

  “You’re naked.”

  He stared fixedly at her chest and waved his hand in the general area as if she didn’t know already where her nakedness was located.