“You’ve never done this, baby?” He grips my ass harder. “Relax. It’s okay. I love the way you taste.”
I expect to laugh, to find it ticklish when he kisses me again, but to my surprise, when his tongue finds my skin it sends a frisson of pure pleasure through my body. I let out a moan as his tongue slips into the crevice, making contact with the sensitive area there.
Oh my god. Warm and wet, his tongue trails its way over me, making my whole body feel electrified. I can only cant against his mouth as he starts to nibble there, planting is full, open mouth between my ass cheeks.
I’m losing my mind. Absolutely, fucking, crazy as hell, losing my mind. Never in my deepest, dirtiest fantasies had I imagined myself, naked, spread out on my hands and knees, being pleasured in this way . . . but here I am, shameless, letting Justin Avignon do his bidding . . and fucking loving it. My fingernails claw at the pavers and my breasts sway as I lean into him, and all the while he’s making hungry, animal noises, like he can’t get enough of me.
Suddenly I can’t feel my toes, and I know it’s because there’s something hot and explosive building deep in my core. It’s like all the blood is rushing there. And I just want it to continue. I’m moaning for him to keep going, and he does, plunging his tongue deep inside me, licking and biting. I find myself forgetting to breathe.
And then it happens. He brushes a knuckle, just lightly, over my clit.
I fall apart. Easily. So simply, it’s as if my body’s saying, Stupid Beverly, we were waiting for you to figure that out. My whole body tightens and then releases, and what a fucking release. The waves grip me and even though I try to bite my tongue, just like Justin promised, I scream out, so loud it echoes in my eardrums.
My body turns to jelly and sags, as he plants a kiss on my ass cheek. He crawls beside me and just watches me, his face wet and glistening, and suddenly the first threads of shame start to settle in.
I try to bury my face in my hands but he takes my hand, and lifts me to standing. “I’m not done with you, yet.”
I suck in a breath. I feel spent, but also . . . hungry for more. “I want your cock,” I say, shamelessly.
He chuckles. “Get used to disappointment.”
I pout at him as he sets me down on a lounge. I’m confused. “You don’t want to fuck me?”
He sets a finger on my lips, quieting me. “I’ve been wanting this since I met you, Lee. And I am not letting you off the hook so easily, baby.”
Standing over me, between my legs, his eyes bleary and dark with desire, I should be embarrassed, as exposed as I am, but all I can do is stare up at him, completely motionless.
Without warning, he scoops both arms under my thighs and drags my lower body toward his waiting mouth.
I struggle onto my elbows as he bends in front of me, his eyes trained on my clit. The thought of his tongue on me again makes every nerve in my body sizzle with electricity.
“That was amazing, sweetheart, trust me, it was delicious. But like I said, I haven’t had my fill of you yet,” he murmurs. “Ready to have your world rocked again?”
I nod eagerly.
He bends his head and licks his way up my thigh. He pauses, his breath on me enough to send me soaring into oblivion. When his tongue gently touches the sensitive nub, I arch up and let out a cry.
“Oh, my God,” I groan as his tongue circled my clit, making my writhe on the lounge. I buck in time to his lapping, spreading my legs apart. Wider and wider, shamelessly. My dignity had long since stopped mattering. All that matters is the feeling of his tongue on my core. His tongue works a perfect line to my heart, igniting fireworks in every part of my body.
And then, just when I don’t think it can get any better, he goes and ups the ante. He inserts a curled finger into my pussy, pumping it slowly in and out, once, twice . . .
And I lose it. Again.
I thrash on the lounge, biting my fist so hard I nearly draw blood.
I scream for mercy, my voice choked by my hand.
“God,” I moan, as I shatter into a million pieces, coming and coming and coming like it’ll never have an end. I grind myself against his mouth, wanting more of his tongue, deeper inside me.
But he still doesn’t give up. Even when I become sensitive, even when I cry for no more, he grins his mouth into me, wrapping his lips tight around the nub and suckling on my clit. The suction is gentle but fierce and sets me off at once. And suddenly, I’m coming, again. Again and again. This time, the wave just keeps coming. Holy fuck, is this natural? Maybe I’ll never stop.
But I do, and by the time I do, it’s just like he said. My world has been rocked, completely and to the absolute core. Breathing hard, I look up at him, wondering if he’s a man or a god. What did he just do to me? I think as long as I live, I will never be able to forget this.
“Yum,” he says. The stubble around his mouth was wet with my juices. I’m blushing, but he seems so very unaffected, like he brings women to their knees all the time. “Good, baby?”
I sit up and smack him. He knows it was good. No wonder he loves sex. He’s a fucking master at it.
I’m still breathless. My body is just one big bundle of nerves. I don’t know if I’ll ever feel normal again.
But when I reach for him, he just kisses my forehead and stands up, grabs my bikini, and hands it to me. “You were delicious. But Good Morning L.A. is going to be here bright and early, Mrs. Avignon. We can’t stay up all night, playing.”
I stare at him.
He drains his glass. “You said I had no sense of responsibility, didn’t you? That I just chased the next thrill.” He shrugs. “Well, you’re wrong about me.”
I find my shirt, throw it on, and open my mouth to tell them it isn’t fair. But I suppose it isn’t fair to him. He’s making it that way, on purpose.
For the sole purpose of teaching me a lesson, the bastard.
Before I can get a word out, he takes me in his arms, his hands roving under my shirt, cupping my ass. “Can we continue this tomorrow? I’ll sleep, thinking of you.”
And then he leaves, leaving me absolutely speechless. And of course, I can’t stop thinking of him.
Chapter 14
We’re sitting on the couch in the living room, with massive fireplace as our backdrop. Justin has his arm possessively and protectively around me, and we’re so close I might as well be sitting on his lap. I have my hand with the giant diamond ring on his knee, and every time he runs his hand down my back, I feel a frisson of pure desire.
I didn’t sleep at all last night. And I can’t wait for tonight. With any luck, maybe I won’t be sleeping then, either.
And now, here I am, on Live Television, in front of millions of viewers, looking cozy and in love with Hollywood’s Biggest Asshole. Otto and the crew arrived at dawn to make me up, so I look the part, even though my tongue is all sorts of tied up, and I feel like sweat will break out on my brow at any moment.
But one look at Justin, and all that fear fades away. Replaced by need. The need to speed today up and make it night time.
“You really look happy,” the reporter says to us. “So I’d say all those nominations agree with you?”
He gives me a look like the cat who ate the canary and pats my knee. “That. And everything. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy to have my work recognized. But other areas of my life are pretty satisfying, as well.”
She smiles knowingly. “It’s all over town you’re newly married. You’ve been known for the past decade as quite the playboy. So this is a definite surprise to our viewers. Married life is good?”
He nods. “It’s the best. I don’t know why I waited so long. This is truly the happiest I’ve ever been.”
I can’t be this good an actress. The flirtatious looks he keeps giving me, and I keep giving him, are genuine. I have to wonder if Justin planned it that way, planned that night of passion, so that we’d look crazy for each other on camera.
“So tell us, where were you when you go
t the call?”
He looks at me. “You even have to ask that? Look at this beautiful woman. It was early in the morning. Where do you think I was?”
I blush.
The reporter smiles from ear to ear. “The call interrupted something?”
He shrugs. “You could say that. But it’s all good. I forgive them.”
Then the reporter looks at me. My stomach threatens to drop, but Justin tightens his grip around me, making me feel safe. Invincible. “Well, Mrs. Avignon, the press has been saying that your husband is a genius. How do you feel about your husband?”
I smile. “I agree. He’s just amazing.”
He laughs softly. “She says that, but really, she’s the amazing one. The one who turned my life around.”
“That’s the rumor all over Hollywood!” the reporter says. “The buzz from the premiere of The Last Door on the Right was as much about the brilliance of the movie as it was about your surprising marriage. You two look so in love. So how did you two lovebirds meet?”
“Oh, in Vail!” I say suddenly, getting my courage, much to Justin’s surprise. “We’re both avid skiers. I met him and fell head-over-heels for him. But I lived in Massachusetts. When he asked me to come to L.A., I told him I would, but on the one condition he went to rehab. He did, and he’s been clean ever since. Almost nine months. I’m so proud of him.”
I look at him, and he squeezes my hand tighter. He nods. “She was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. I couldn’t let her go. It was an easy decision to make.”
My heart squeezes in my chest. I don’t know what’s an act anymore. But that feels real enough to leave a lasting mark inside me.
I’m practically glowing when she asks us to kiss for the camera, and we do. He kisses me hard, and long, and slow, so I feel it right down to my toes.
The camera crew wraps up. The second that they leave, and I close the door, he traps me against it, caging me between his arms. He moves in to kiss me, licking his lips. “Thought they’d never leave,” he growls, his hand on my cheek, tilting my mouth to his. “Tonight, how about after you tuck Brandon in, I tuck you in?”
I give him my sexiest smile and shrug noncommittally, even though every pore in my body is screaming out a yes.
“No one will be home tonight, again. Come to my bedroom. Okay?”
Oh, hell yes, I can’t wait. I give in for only a second, just as I hear the screen door opening near the back of the house. I push him away just as Brandon comes barreling in. “Hi, Mommy!”
“Um, hi,” I say, giving Minnie a questioning look as he runs into the powder room off the hallway and closes the door.
She sighs. “Sorry. I know you wanted him out of the house for the morning but he had to use the potty, and there are men working on the one in the cabana.”
“It’s okay,” I say, clenching my teeth, reminded just how dangerous what Justin and I are doing is. I slip the wedding ring into my palm, wondering what he’d have seen if he’d come in fifteen minutes earlier. Justin and me, making out for the camera?
I give Justin a warning look, then escape upstairs to take off the outfit and make-up that Otto’s team had caked on my face.
As I’m changing, my phone rings. It’s Ava. I haven’t spoken to her in a week, after she’d had me spill all the details for the premiere. I answer and before I say a word, her voice assaults me. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know. Making out with Justin Avignon on morning television?”
I groan.
“Oh, and skiing? Vail? You hate winter sports, dork.”
Well, she has me there.
“And like, what’s it with the googly eyes? That was an act, right? Because you’re a great actress and all . . . but that looked kind of real.”
“Um, well—“
“Bev, please tell me you’re not falling for him.”
I grind my teeth. “Ah, well . . .”
“Oh, my god. Are you insane?”
“He’s not as bad as you think. That image that he has is just a lie. He’s actually a really nice—“
“Bev. The big bad wolf was nice, too. Until he got Little Red Riding Hood right where he wanted her. He’s as big into Hollywood as Steven Long. Trust me, Thomas works with the lot of them. He knows. They’re all creeps. How could you even think this was a good idea? Please tell me you haven’t slept with him yet.”
“No,” I say honestly, my chest hurting. “Like I said, he’s a good guy. He wanted to wait.”
“Oh my god.” There’s a pause. “Oh, my GOD. I can’t believe that you’re actually considering this with him. After everything that happened with Brandon. Are you serious?”
I sigh. “Don’t you think I’ve learned something since Steven Long? Justin is not him. He won’t do that to me. Why can’t you trust that maybe I know what I’m doing here?”
“So what? Do you think that once this is all over, he’ll want to date you for real? Really?” She laughs bitterly. “Men like Justin Avignon have worked their way through the whole female population of this town. He doesn’t do real relationships. And what kind of message is this sending Brandon?”
I slump down onto the bed. My head is hurting. She’s telling me everything I worried about only a day ago, everything I’d come to grips with before deciding to proceed. I don’t need her to be my conscience right now; my mind is made up.
Kind of. Sort of.
“First of all, we’re keeping it away from Brandon. Secondly, I don’t care if it’s a relationship. I don’t care what it is. He makes me feel things no one has ever made me feel. Happy. He makes me happy! Isn’t that worth something?”
She’s quiet for a long time. “Well, sweetie, you deserve happiness. But I’d hate to see you hurt again. And this has all the makings of something that can not only do a really ugly number on you . . . it could also wind up being really public. Just imagine, the whole Steven Long situation . . . but where the entire nation knows about it? How would you ever recover from that?”
I shake my head. “That won’t happen.”
“It won’t? News flash, Bev. You might have had a makeover, but you still look like Beverly Wilson. Not Molly whoever-you’re-trying-to-be.”
I gnaw on the inside of my cheek. “You think people will recognize me?”
“Beverly. I just got off the phone with mom. You know how she loves her Hollywood star gossip. She said she was watching TMZ and there was a little clip of Justin Avignon with his wife discussing his recent Globes nomination, and wow, doesn’t his wife look almost exactly like Beverly? The resemblance is uncanny!”
My eyes bulge. “What? What did you say?”
“I said the only thing I could. Yes, but you’re prettier. And . . . skinnier.”
Oh, god. This is not good. My mother saw the clip of me, making out with Justin. Oh, god. “Did I really look chubby on television?”
“Well. The camera adds fifteen pounds.”
I cringe. I take that as a yes. Leave it to my little sis to be blunt.
“Please, whatever you do, don’t tell mom or dad. Just trust me. I know what I’m doing. And I won’t let my heart get caught in the slamming door this time. I promise. I’ve got everything in check.”
“All right, sweetie,” she says gently. “I trust you. He is beautiful. And you guys . . . you looked good together. I think I’d have a hard time kicking him out of bed, too.”
I hang up, thinking about what she said. I have to be careful, and not just to keep Brandon away from what I’m doing with Justin. I have to guard my heart, as well, because my sister is right. I want the romance novel, the relationship. And there is no way this could ever become a relationship. Justin doesn’t do that.
No matter how in love with me he acts.
Just sex. Just mind-blowing, incredible, amazing sex, that makes me feel full and complete for the first time ever.
I’ll have to be content with that.
Chapter 15
“The clip of you two is all over the news,” June says at dinner.
I look over my plate at Justin, who gives me a mischievous smile. He’s been doing that all day long, squeezing me, looking at me, whispering in my ear when no one is around. I know it’s dangerous, but I can’t bring myself to tell him to stop. “Well, that’s fine,” he says, looking at Brandon. “Hey, Santa’s coming soon, huh?”
Brandon nods excitedly.
I swallow. I’d managed to go out with Logan a few times while Minnie was watching Brandon and get some toys for Christmas. But I hadn’t really thought about how Christmas, here, would go. I’d told Justin I didn’t have family to go home to, and that I was fine staying here, but Christmas is a time for family. And we are not one.
“We’re gonna get a tree, right?” Justin says.
“Yeah!” Brandon looks at me for confirmation. I smile.
June’s surprised. “We have your parents’ old decorations,” she says. “Somewhere. But you never wanted them out before.”
“Hell, yeah. Well, we never had Santa coming, because I was always a bad boy,” he grins at me. “But now we have to do it up.”
Something tight coils in my stomach. Because this is what I’d want. If this was a real relationship. But it’s not. Soon things will come to an end, and I no longer know what’s an act, and what’s real. The lines are getting crossed and what if I can’t entangle myself? Worst of all, what if I can’t entangle Brandon?
Justin’s going on, looking at June. “We’ll have to get stockings with all our names on them. And hang them on the mantle. And just . . . make this place look like the North Pole.”
“I guess,” I say, twirling my fork through my spaghetti. “But we don’t have to make too much fuss. This isn’t our forever home, after all. You know I told you that, right Brandon? We’re just here for the next few months.”
Just Fake It Page 14
