by Liz Crowe
“Yes, yes, of course. Go on now, get dressed. We need to get to the country club.”
He nodded, mortified at his mostly naked condition, knowing his preoccupation with Paige was making him careless. He slipped into his room and put on khakis, a no-wrinkle blue button-down shirt, and a pair of loafers.
He opened the door of his bedroom at the exact moment Paige opened hers. He sucked in a breath at the sight of her, dressed in a fresh sundress, her damp curls bouncing around her shoulders, her skin flushed from a shower and, he hoped, his efforts the night before. He grinned and held out his elbow. He’d break the bad news to her later, he figured. She needed him to help her through the rest of this day first.
The summer morning heat baked down on their heads as they made their way to the country club. Paige stayed silent, chewing her lower lip and threading her fingers together in her lap. At one point, he put his palm on her clenched fist.
“Chill, DiFerrari. It’s just a brunch. What’s the worst that can happen? Burnt omelets?”
She exhaled and kept her gaze trained out her open window. “Something else is going on, I can tell.”
“What do you mean?” He turned left where she told him and pointed the convertible down an empty stretch of road that begged for a lead foot. So he used one, hoping to distract her. She gripped the armrest and grinned at him as the motor roared and the car sailed up and down the rolling hills.
When she tapped his leg, he slowed and turned into the already crowded parking lot of the Lucasville Golf and Swim Club. As she attempted to tame her hair, Joey got out and started to put the top up.
“Just leave it,” she said. “It’s not supposed to rain.”
“Again, is your name on the rental agreement for this beast?”
She shook her head, biting her lip again.
“Then let me make the decisions about it.” He finished securing the top and then held out a hand. “Let’s go, doll. Time to tick one more event off the wedding weekend to-do list.”
She stared at his hand but didn’t move. When he crouched down next to her, unable to resist the urge to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear, he saw the tears standing in her eyes. “What is it, Paige?”
She shook her head. Her face was flushed, and her hands shook. He put a hand on her leg, letting himself recall the intense, too fast encounter the night before. She grabbed his hand.
“Something is up with my parents. I mean, they’ve always been a little, I don’t know, disconnected, but it’s gotten worse. I didn’t want to ask Les and worry her.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing. You said yourself this has been a stressful month or two of planning, right?”
“Yeah,” she said, still sitting. Joey put his fingers on her lips.
“Stop gnawing on those. They’re mine.”
She slumped against him. “I don’t deserve you, fake boy—”
“I’m your fake fiancé now, remember? Give me the respect I deserve.” But his chest was tight as a strange sort of anger lurked under his surface.
“Why did you even say we were engaged?” She turned her face up to his. Joey pressed his lips to hers, parting them with his tongue briefly, relishing the delicious, remembered taste of her before breaking away and tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Because, despite your sloppy, messy, disorganized, overly-emotional ways, I think I may love you. Sue me. Now let’s go eat. I’m starving.”
She let him help her out of the car and hold her hand all the way to the massive double doors. Before he opened them, she turned and put her hands on his shoulders, going up on her tiptoes to kiss him with an intensity that took his breath away. In that split second, Joey’s entire universe narrowed to one woman—a woman who went against every single thing in his personality that he liked.
But her lips and her hands and her body . . . he groaned and broke the kiss, holding her at arm’s length. “Don’t,” he said. “Not unless you want me to pull you into a broom closet.”
She smiled and slid into his arms again. “I thought that wasn’t your scene. The whole quickie in semi-public kind of thing.” He closed his eyes when she bit down on his earlobe.
“I’m finding myself more flexible these days, for some reason. But seriously, you’re just stalling. Let’s go in and eat our brunch, then get ready to do whatever it is you have to do for the wedding. No sweat.”
She sighed and leaned into his chest. Joey held onto her, feeling strong and protective, and utterly undone.
“Okay, but only if you promise to sit next to me the whole time and keep your hand on my leg.”
“Deal. Let’s go.” He opened the door and guided her inside the cool interior.
By the time the brunch was over, Joey suspected Paige might be right about the “something” going on between her parents. But he resolved not to get involved. Besides, he’d be long gone by this time tomorrow. Speaking of “something else,” he still had to break it to Paige. As if reading his mind, she glanced over at him and put her hand over the one he’d kept on her leg, per his promise.
Caroline DiFerrari stood, swaying more than a little, and held up her champagne glass. “So, here’s to getting on with this day,” she said, before knocking back what remained of it. “And moving on to the next drama.” She shot her husband a look that could only be interpreted as a death glare, then threw her napkin down and started weaving her way out of the half-empty room.
Paige, Leslie and Angelique Love all rose at the same time and followed her. Al DiFerrari stared into his empty rocks glass, his expression blank. Joey sipped his coffee and looked at Robbie, who shrugged and turned to talk to his brother on his other side.
“Don’t have daughters,” Al finally said with a huge sigh. “That’s my advice to you men.”
“Sir,” Joey said, trying to resist the compulsion to follow Paige, but sensing he was supposed to stay here with the guys and do something else. What it was, he had no idea.
“All right, let’s get out of here.” Al DiFerrari tossed his napkin down and rose. Joey, Robbie and the rest of their table did the same. Al draped an arm around Joey’s shoulders as they walked out. “Not sure what you’re getting yourself into with my eldest, son, but all I can say is good luck to you.”
“Yes, sir,” Joey said. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking, is there anything else going on, I mean, with you and, uh, your wife? Paige was really worried about you this morning and, well, when she’s upset, it sort of upsets everything. If you know what I mean.”
Al laughed so loud the wait staff clearing the tables turned to look at him. He smacked Joey hard enough between the shoulder blades to make him stumble forward. Impressed, he smiled at the apparently miserable man. “Oh, boy, you do speak the truth.”
“Yes, so,” Joey persisted. “Is there? Some other problem, I mean?”
Al stopped on their way down the hall toward the front doors of the private club. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. “Caroline wants a divorce,” he admitted. “Jesus Christ, I need another drink.”
“Better hold off,” Jody advised. “How about some coffee? It’s gonna be a long day.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Al agreed, waving his meaty hand.
“I’ll grab us some to-go cups,” Robbie said, shooting Joey a sympathetic look. “Be right back.”
Joey stood, the awkward silence spooling out between him and the man who would ostensibly someday be his father-in-law, were he not perpetrating a giant whopper of a lie this weekend. Once Robbie returned with three lidded cups of caffeine, Al took his and stared down at the floor. “She’s convinced I’m screwing the new sales girl at the dealership,” the man said, sotto voce. “And while it’s not like it didn’t cross my mind because I’m not blind or dead below the waist, I haven’t, nor do I intend to. But shit, she won’t listen to me, no matter how many times I try to tell her.”
Joey and Robbie exchanged looks but stayed silent.
“My own wife is a stranger to me now. I swear it. I used
to think we’d enjoy these years, me not having to work every damn hour of the day, the girls out and on their own. But no, Caroline gets it into her fool head that I’m some kinda cheating asshole. She’s kicked me out of my own damn bedroom. Woman nearly concussed me with a crystal decanter two nights ago. She’s like some kind of a possessed demon.” He glanced up at Joey. “Quite the introduction to your new family, eh, son?” He patted Joey’s shoulder. “I’m sorry. Let’s go. The way I understand it, we are free to do whatever we wish for the next few hours, as long as I get this one to the church by three-forty-five, sober and dressed in his tuxedo.”
Robbie nodded. “I took the liberty of getting us a tee time for eight holes, Al.”
Al’s face split into a huge grin. “I knew I liked you. Come on, Joey. You can borrow my clubs.”
Joey held up a hand. “Ah, no, I don’t play golf.”
The men gaped at him as if he’d just said he didn’t eat meat. He shrugged. “I’m gonna head back to the house, I think. Maybe catch a nap.” He patted his over-full stomach.
“Suit yourself,” Al said. “But do me a favor and don’t say anything to Paige about . . . you know. Her mother and I plan to break that to the girls later. No need to spoil this weekend.”
His thoughts whirled, dipped and spun as he made his way back to the DiFerrari house from memory. Guilt over having to leave Paige here with this mess towered over almost everything else by the time he parked and headed up to the huge front door. He knocked, then eased the door open slowly, listening for voices. Not hearing anything, he made his way upstairs, ready to make good on that nap.
He lay on top of the neatly made covers, stared up at the slowly circling overhead fan and sorted through his options. But all he could see, or hear, or remember was her, the wild, crazy chick who’d dragged him here. But thoughts of Paige made his damn dick hard, so he rolled onto his side and closed his eyes, pondering the real danger he’d find himself in within the next twenty-four hours.
His dream shifted immediately in an erotic direction. Paige’s lips, hands, and body filled his consciousness as he rolled onto his back, trying to wake up from it before he did something embarrassing, only to find her actually on the bed with him, unzipping his fly.
“Shh,” she insisted as she released his rock hard dick, then started teasing with her lips and tongue.
“Shit,” he sighed as he threaded his fingers through her hair and pumped his hips, groaning when she took him all the way down her throat. “Wait, don’t, I’m gonna . . .” But she kept going, her sweet mouth moving up and down his shaft, swallowing him then releasing in equal, rhythmic movements. “Baby,” he sighed as he let himself release.
“Time to go to a wedding, Joey,” she said, primly wiping the corners of her lips with thumb and forefinger.
He lay there, gasping like a fish, watching as she rose and snuck out of his room without another word. After he had his breathing under control, he got up, brushed his teeth and washed his face, then changed into a fresh dress shirt. A knock at his bedroom door made him smile. He opened it a crack, grabbed Paige’s hand and dragged her into the room, slamming the door and pinning her up against it, pressing her hands up over her head and kissing her until he saw stars.
“God, I love kissing you,” he growled, trailing his lips down her neck and shoulders, letting go of her hands so he could cup her breasts and slide his thumbs over the glorious, stiff peaks of her nipples under the silk bridesmaids dress.
“Me too,” she gasped, grappling with his zipper until she had his newly revived cock sprung free.
He slid one hand under the flimsy skirt and yanked her panties down as he panted, about to blow wide open with lust. This sort of animalistic, do-it-wherever compulsion was so unlike him, it scared him a little.
When she spread her legs so he could slide fingers inside her, he forgot all that shit and shoved his tongue into her mouth as he stroked her clit and finger-fucked her sweet pussy until she came with a low groan.
They were still pressed up against the door when he shifted them so her legs were on either side of his hips, giving him clear, unimpeded, perfect access to the part of her he needed. He exhaled slowly at the exquisite velvet grip of her pussy around his dick. He withdrew, then thrust forward, withdrawing again for the delight of thrusting into her again, and again, and again.
“Gonna come,” he grunted into her neck, loving this and hating it at the same time. He was normally the sort of a guy who went for fireplaces, champagne, fresh strawberries, soft music and the slow, foreplay-intensive buildup of sex. He prided himself on how long he could hold back before he came, drawing multiple orgasms from his partners before he allowed himself a release. Not this random, wild, non-romantic fucking he’d been doing. Not to mention how goddamned hair trigger he’d been last night and now. “Paige,” he gasped. “I can’t . . .” His vision was going dim with the extreme need to come inside her again.
“Don’t,” she said, taking his face between her hands. “Don’t hold back with me, Joey. Come. Come inside me now.”
That tore it. He held her close and let himself do exactly that, and relished the way her pussy pulsed in response. He didn’t even care that they were both sweaty and would undoubtedly reek of sex. He slid out of her and helped her down to her feet. He propped his hands against the door and stared down at her.
“I don’t know what sort of weird magic you’re working on me, woman, but I think I like it.”
She smiled and pecked his nose, ducked out from between his arms, then grabbed some tissues and did a quick clean up. “Where’re my panties?”
He grabbed them and handed them over then zipped himself up with trembling hands. “Listen, Paige, I have to tell you something.” He dropped onto a chair, still trying to catch his breath.
“What is it?” she asked, sliding the underwear up her legs and moving so she was standing in front of him, tempting him all over again. He grabbed her ass and pressed his face to her belly, loving it when she ran her fingers through his hair. He looked up and met her gaze.
“I’m not in private security. I work for Omega Team. It’s a secret task force that works between the cracks when the military, government and local cops can’t get the job done.”
She stepped back, her eyes wide. He grabbed her hands and stood, praying she’d understand. “I love my job, Paige. But I just finished an awful assignment—I had to uncover a nest of child pornographers and ended up discovering a whole human trafficking network instead. It was fucking awful.” He shook his head. “I was on my way to Hawaii for a few weeks of R and R, company mandated. But I found you instead, and I’ve never been more grateful for your clumsiness.”
She bit her lip and shook her head. “I . . . can’t—”
“I know it’s a lot to take in, and I’m sorry, but I got a new assignment and have to leave tomorrow, and I want to know I can come back to you when I’m done. I don’t care if it’s here, or Detroit, or Timbuck-fucking-tu. I want to come back.” He pulled her closer to him and enfolded her in his arms. “To you, Paige.” He kissed her hair, closing his eyes and taking in deep breaths of her. “I need to know I can come home to you.”
She disentangled and stepped away, rubbing one bare arm with her hand. He took in the full view of her at that moment, smiling at the sight of the shiny cowboys boots she had on with her silver-colored dress. “But you’re . . . a Republican,” she said, her voice low, her face serious.
He frowned. Then, when her face split into a grin, he joined her. He took her hand and guided her down to the bed. “There’s something else.”
She sighed. “I’m not sure I can take any more news flashes, but go ahead.”
“It’s your parents.”
“Oh, I know. Mama told us. Or better yet, she broke down and drunk-sobbed, saying she thought Daddy was cheating on her and all kinds of craziness. Lord, I have never heard a more ridiculous set of nonsense.”
Joey put his fingers along her jaw, letting them trai
l down her neck and to her shoulder. “I’m sorry, honey.”
“Oh, please, they’re just going through some kind of a weird, empty nest, mid-life crisis thing. My daddy would never—in a million years—cheat on her. Leslie and I set her straight then put her to bed to sleep off the champagne. I made Daddy wake her up after I made her promise she’d listen to him. They’ve been in their room for about two hours now. Ick.” She shuddered.
Joey smiled and pulled her close. She gripped the back of his shirt in a way that pleased him—weird since his usual first thought would have been that she was wrinkling the damn thing.
“I’m sorry we’re such a dang mess. I’m sorry I dragged you here. I’m sorry . . .”
“I’m not,” he said, tilting her chin up so he could kiss her full, cupid’s bow lips. “I’ll never be sorry I met you or your whacked out family,” he said after breaking the kiss. “You okay with my job change announcement?”
She sighed and looked away from him. “I guess. Sounds dangerous and mysterious.”
“It is, kinda.” He tensed, waiting for the inevitable “I-don’t-think-I-can-take-that” speech.
“I think it’s sexy as fuck,” she said with a wicked grin before shoving him onto his back and climbing on top of him. “I think it turns me on. What am I gonna do about that, hmm?”
He smiled up at her, his heart filling, not to mention the blood vessels in his dick. He felt her sex, warm against his, the fabric barriers between them getting damp.
“One thing we are gonna do before I go,” he cautioned, before yanking her close so he could slide her dress strap down and get at her tits. “We have to tell your family the truth. I want to be with you, Paige, but I’m not living this silly lie. Besides, our real story is way more romantic, don’t you think?”
“You’re a freak,” she said, sighing and shivering when he sucked her nipple into his mouth. “But I love you for it.”
He stopped and looked up at her. She stared down at him, her huge green eyes watery. “Stop saying that,” he said, deadly serious. “Unless you really mean it.”
