I pull my face off her pussy for a moment, but keep my hand curled inside her, massaging her.
“Just scream, Dagny,” I grin. I want to hear her succumb to the pleasure I’m giving her.
“I can’t!” She says. “They’ll know we’re here...oh God.” I twist a finger into her, playing her body like an instrument. I love how well I already know her soft spot sexually.
“If they find us, if they judge us, ain’t gonna be based on the volume of your scream.” I grin. “So you might as well have some fun with this.”
We lock eyes for a moment, and I dive back between her legs with a renewed vigor. She grabs hold of my hair and presses me into her body as she fucks my face. I eagerly lap up all of her juices like I’ve reached the Holy Grail, and it’s actually her.
Her soft moans get louder, and I can sense she’s finally letting herself relax. This turns my rapidly expanding cock into a steel rod.
I stand up and tilt my head a little to the side, watching Haley as she breathes hard, her chest heaving.
“Liam...this is so wrong,” she mewls. “Right? We shouldn’t be doing this. Not here.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I say as I whip off my suit coat. I unbuckle my pants, pull them down, along with my boxers, and flop my cock out right onto her pussy. “We should be doing this.”
I slide my cock inside her pussy, starting with the tip, moving to the shaft until I’m almost all the way in. She coos as I plunge deeper.
Fuck me, this feels so good. This is the Holy Grail. This is what I want to do every day for the rest of my life. Fuck wedding vows. This is how couples should declare their love: at the altar of pleasure.
I position Haley’s legs in the air, propped against my shoulders, and plow the fuck into her.
I yank her dress down from her shoulders, revealing her breasts as the cloth bunches in the middle of her waist. If she was humming before, now she’s singing as I lay into her.
This might be the most inappropriate place I’ve ever done it. And that’s saying a lot.
I pull her hips into me, laying into her hard with every stroke, the smell of sex strengthening as the minutes go by.
She sings a holy song as she reaches the top of her orgasm. Through my pleasure I catch a glimpse of her tits bouncing back and forth and that pushes me over the edge too.
I convert into an animal, and jump up onto the altar, wheelbarrowing her legs into her chest.
She reaches behind and digs her nails into my back, spurring me on.
I come deep inside her pussy, grabbing her windpipe as I do.
“Jesus Christ! That was crazy.” She gasps, and I kiss her, my cock still inside her.
“No.” I say. “That wasn’t crazy. That was fucking amazing.”
Chapter Fourteen
Haley
Well, that happened.
I smile and nod at our table in the banquet hall. This time, we’re seated by my parents and some cousins in a circular table near the front. The bride and groom are seated at a small table away from everyone right next to the dance floor.
We’re already on dessert, and I’ve barely paid attention to the speeches that people have been giving, to be honest.
Liam wraps his arm around me, I smile up at him, and a feeling of warmth overcomes me. Even though it’s just an act, I love the way he takes care of me.
And in the church--wow did he take care of me.
I snuggle into him a little, and think about how if we were married, our sex life would be a non-issue.
“Haley, you’re glowing.” My mom exclaims, examining me closely.
Uh-oh. Does she detect my post-sex haze? Do I have some kind of tell?
“That’ll happen when you get out of the big city and spend some time in the country,” Liam interjects. ”I mean hey, Lake Okoboji is no Blackwell, but this lake is beautiful. I’ve gotten some sun, too. I’m really coloring in nicely.”
I smile, because Liam is apparently an immediate expert at sensing when I’m nervous around my mom, and then providing the perfect buffer with seemingly innocuous small talk. A girl could get used to this.
My mom nods. “I know what you mean.”
“You do?” I say, scrunching up my face. Liam takes his arm off from around me as the waiter comes through with our red velvet cake. I drool a little.
She nods as she picks up her fork. “Of course. That’s where I met your father. In the back hills of Appalachia when I was on a hiking trip. You know that.”
I almost choke on my red velvet cake, which tastes as delicious as it looks. I swallow it down. “You’ve never mentioned that at all. I thought you met on a business trip?”
My mom and dad glance at each other. “Well, that’s not exactly true. We were both hiking separately, and we just turned it into a trip.”
My dad pops his head into the frame. “Yeah. Although we did take care of a lot of business on that trip. If you know what I mean.”
I roll my eyes. “Eww, Dad. Gross. Why are we talking about this?”
“Honey, you asked us. It’s probably on your mind because of the speech Jack just gave about how Zack and Jade met.”
I nod. The two of them met online. Zack was basically everything Jade wanted on paper: well-to-do, from a good family, investment banker. He’s a bit of a nerd, and he’s not bad in person either.
Just my luck Zack would happen to be best friends with Jack, who is over at the ‘college friends’ table, mercifully not seated in our vicinity. And after last night, thank God that’s the case.
My mom looks over at my dad and I notice something. Yeah, they are divorced now, and that whole process left me probably irreparably damaged. But the way my mom glances at my dad, if only for a moment, makes me wonder what it was like that first week of hiking in the Appalachian mountains.
Is there a chance they were even as crazy as, say, Liam and I?
I drop my hand to Liam’s thigh and let it rest.
The man fucks, every time, like it’s his last time. At least that’s how it feels to me.
“I guess I just never knew that about you and Dad,” I shrug, wishing I could change the subject.
A few minutes later, the waiters come by to pick up our plates. The DJ taps his microphone and starts the dance party, beginning with the Daddy-daughter dance, followed by the mother-son dance, and then beginning with a solid Justin Timberlake number.
Liam pushes his chair out and stands. “Care to dance, Dagny?”
My blood runs cold, and of course my mom notices the nickname. “Who is Dagny?”
“Dagny is...a nickname,” I smile guiltily.
“What’s it from?” My dad chimes in.
“It’s a character from a great book.” Liam responds. “The main female character from Atlas Shrugged.”
“Well that’s...interesting.” My mom isn’t convinced, but before she can say any more, Liam whisks me off to the dance floor.
We spend an hour or so sweating. Getting down to the beat. We even work a little grinding into the mix. It feels great to move my body all over the dance floor, and even better to have Liam’s arms wrapped around me, and his body pressed against me. For a big guy, Liam moves pretty well. He even takes a few turns out to dance with my little cousins, and yes, my mom. She doesn’t say no to Liam giving her a couple of spins.
I step off to the side of the dance floor for a moment and see him smiling, laughing, and dancing. He’s the life of the party. In his full suit and tie, he’s devastatingly handsome, muscles bulging out of the navy blue vest. He’s part bad boy and part Hollywood.
Liam looks over at me with his trademark smirk and winks from his cheek at me.
A chill runs through me just at seeing his amber eyes, which look a little darker in the light. Why does this man do what he does to me? I glance over at Jade and notice she is staring at him, too.
Zack seems to be out of the picture for the moment.
Her eyes focus deeply, almost longingly on him.
A strange look for a woman who just married the love of her life.
I approach her from behind. “Hey stranger.” I say with a warm smile.
“What?” She snaps back, eyes bulging, almost jumping as I graze her arm.
“Oh. I just wanted to come over and say hi. We haven’t talked much tonight. How does it feel?”
She purses her lips. “Good. I feel great. So happy.” She smiles, but for some reason I’m not convinced.
“You sure nothing is up with you?”
“Yeah,” she says, “I’m totally fine. What an amazing night. Fun party.”
I squint and cock my head a little bit. What’s she hiding?
“Well if there is anything you need, just let me know okay? I know how you get when it’s time for big parties like this.”
“Yeah.” She agrees with a sigh. “I should have been a small town girl.”
“Well you can always move to somewhere like here. Or, what about Blackwell?” I joke.
Her face goes stark white. “Uh, excuse me? Why would I want to move there?” Jade’s tone is nearly accusatory.
“I don’t know,” I shrug. “Just joking around a little. It’s Liam’s town, this little tiny place in the middle of nowhere.”
“You’ve been there?”
“Yeah…” I start to say, and then remember we need to keep our story straight that we’ve only known each other in New York. “I feel like I have.” I backtrack, keeping the lie intact.
She fluffs her hair a little and eyes me suspiciously. “Oh, okay. Well, he seems like a great guy, anyway. I’m happy for you.”
“Are you?” The words shoot out of me a little harshly. I shouldn’t passive aggressively accuse my sister of not being happy for me. But it’s simply how I feel. And now it’s too late, the words are out.
“Yes,” she seethes. “I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know,” I swallow. “Just kidding around.”
The last song ends abruptly and a new slow song starts up. I sway a little to the slow rhythm. Liam eyes me from across the room, points to me, and curls his fingers up in a ‘come hither’ motion.
I stop and think about what else that finger curl has the ability to do. It definitely has the ability to make me come.
I giggle at my own dirty little joke, and in an instant the thought crosses my mind, I can’t help it. What if Liam and I stayed together for longer than this week? Or, is the only reason our romance is so hot because we’ve put an expiration date on it? If we made it into something more serious, would we end up like my parents after a few years?
Calm down, woman. I can’t be thinking about something more serious. Sure, I know what Liam can do to my body, but I barely know the real him, more than the fact that he’s some sexy, blue collar mechanic who looks amazing in a suit.
On the other hand, what more do I need to know, really?
“Um, earth to Haley?” Jade repeats, and I realize she’s been talking to me for a moment while I space out.
“Oh. Sorry. What?”
“Do you mind if I steal your fiancé for one dance?” She asks. “Mine is MIA.”
Goosebumps run over my skin, and my temples burn. Suddenly, I feel the most territorial I’ve felt in years. And I’m jealous over a man I’ve known for less than a week.
But the truth is, I do not want to share him.
“Sure.” I choke. “Have at it.”
I smile, doing my damndest not to come off fake.
“Thanks Haley, you’re the best. Have I ever told you what a nice sister you are?” Her smile is genuine. More genuine than when she was on the altar today with Zack.
She crosses the dance floor, whispers something in Liam’s ear, and they start a slow dance to “All my Life” by K-Ci and JoJo.
My blood boils a little, but I push it down as I stare at them. I try to stop a scowl from overtaking my face.
Am I taking crazy pills, or are they dancing way too close?
I cross my arms and can’t help but glare at them, suddenly feeling miserable.
Chapter Fifteen
Liam
“May I have this dance?” Jade bats her eyes, looking all flirty.
“I don’t know.” I say, cocking my head to the side. “Shouldn’t you be dancing with your husband?”
She rolls her eyes. “He’s in the bathroom...or by the bar...I don’t know. Come on, Liam. Just one dance.”
“One dance.” I relent. I can practically feel my blood pressure rising as I head to the dance floor with my ex. Something about this just feels wrong. I don’t know why. It’s not like I owe anything to Jade, or even to Haley. Even though I’m just Haley’s fun, fake date for the week of festivities, it’s starting to feel like we might have a real, honest-to-God, deep connection.
Something Jade and I never had.
The slow song plays and I take one of Jade’s hands in mine, and put the other on her back. It’s a little awkward, but I don’t want to give her any ideas.
“You know,” she leans in. “You can take hold of my waist if you want.”
I roll my eyes. “I’m pretty sure that’s Zack’s territory from now on. What do you want, Jade? I’m happy to dance with you for a song, but it’s never ‘just a dance’ with you. So tell me what you want.”
She sighs and bats her eyes at me. The music courses through me, soothing me a little, but I’m still quite skeptical of what Jade wants from me.
“Geez, are you ever going to get over what happened? It was more than seven years ago. Just let it go.”
I clench my jaw, tensing up. “So I’ve got a memory like an elephant for that time when I walked in on the girl I loved doing it doggie style with my former best military friend. So fucking sue me.”
“Fine.” She says, and I do her the courtesy of giving her one twirl. I reluctantly admit to myself that she does indeed look stunning in her dress. Not as stunning as her sister, but still, it’s evident good genes run in their family. “I just want to know something. Do you ever--did you ever think about me? After it was over?”
Her voice is like a little puppy dog’s. Jade is much too skilled at manipulating men and getting her way. Don’t I know it, more than most.
“Yeah, I thought about you sometimes.” I whisper into her ear, because no one else on the dance floor can hear this. “I thought about what you did to me. I wondered how a person could do that to another person they loved. And then I finally realized. What you felt for me wasn’t love at all. And I found comfort in knowing that what I thought I’d lost wasn’t lost. Because it never was love in the first place.”
After I say my part, I stop and let it sink in. I don’t want to hurt the girl’s feelings, least of all on her wedding night. But if she wants the cold hard truth, I can be the guy to give it to her. Thanks to her, I’m a cold hard man now. I’m like an old fashioned knight with armor. No one gets through to me any more. Why even let them? True love isn’t real, anyways. It’s a bunch of bullshit we tell ourselves to justify living and staying with someone, like Jade, who has wronged you. It’s all a bunch of bull.
Or maybe I’ve just become more and more bitter over the years, who knows.
Jade’s body shakes against me, and I wonder if maybe there is a bit of feeling in the ice queen’s veins. “Liam. I was twenty two. I was young and stupid. I didn’t know what I was doing, or think about how much I would hurt you. You say you were in love with me, but did you even know what love was back then? I would see you once every couple of weeks. I mean, we only dated for what, a few months?”
Shots fired. I feel my head swell with pressure. My mouth dries and my muscles tense. I swallow, not knowing what to say.
The fact that she’s maybe even a little right about that--that I’ve matured into a man so bitter and distant based on something that wasn’t even real--hits me like a freight train.
“It doesn’t excuse what I did.” Jade continues. She catches me off guard, laying her little head on my chest. “I do feel bad about
it. And what it did to you.”
“You mean how it sent me into an alcoholic tailspin, got me kicked out of the military, and ruined my life?” I fume through gritted teeth. The words come out more bitter than I intended. My hand wraps around naturally, to her waist.
“Yes.” She simply says. “I’m sorry about that.”
My heart thumps like crazy. I notice Haley stands with her arms crossed on the side of the dance floor, glaring at us as if we just ate the last chocolate donut, knowing it was her favorite. It’s not a look I’ve seen a lot from her, given that she’s usually so soft and happy with me.
At least, she’s been that way after I destroyed her bitch shield she had during our first night together.
I smirk toward her, and mouth a kiss, and Haley’s gaze softens into a smile.
I fucking love that smile. And I love the power I have to shift her mood.
The song ends and the couples separate. I let go of Jade.
“Have a great night then.” I say.
“You too.” She blinks, starts to walk away, then turns back to me. “Oh and hey Liam.”
“What?” I turn, a little distracted by Haley.
“It’s just so crazy how you met Haley just this week in Blackwell, and now you’re engaged isn’t it? I just can’t get over how cute you two are together.”
I grin. “It’s a little crazy, I admit. I didn’t think when her car broke down three days ago in Blackwell we’d have ended up here. Like this.”
She scrunches up her face, combining smile and surprise. “Thanks for confirming my suspicions.” She whispers, leaning back into my ear. “And thanks for the dance, hot stuff. I really wouldn’t mind one more time with you. It would be a shame for my family to find out the truth about how you met, wouldn’t it? And about how this engagement is a sham.”
My face goes white. She giggles and hops away as her husband steps back onto the dance floor.
Haley taps me on the shoulder and I spin around.
“Well I’m glad you and my sister are…hey are you okay? You look really pale.”
Mechanic with Benefits Page 11
