“Actually, Nana, I’m getting married.”
Nana cupped her mouth. “This is wonderful news. Both my boys getting married before I’m gone.”
I raised my glass to my lips and took a sip before I ruined my grandmother’s good mood. “Where’s the bride, Kevin?” I looked at Nana. “Have you even met her yet?”
“Now, Trevor, you sprang your marriage on me after the fact. I don’t think you are in a place to judge.” She turned to my brother. “But Trevor does have a point, Kevin. Where is this fiancée of yours?”
“She wanted to be here tonight—she really did—but she had to work.”
“Bullshit,” Alexis whispered for my ears only, and I agreed with her.
My brother didn’t want Nana to see her very pregnant belly. I doubted Candace could even work in the United States yet.
“And the best part,” my brother said, “is that you will get to come to the wedding.”
Nana beamed at this news. “I can’t wait,” she said, but then her shoulders sagged. “When will the wedding be?”
My heart broke for her. She was worried she was going to miss it.
“Two weeks.”
I sighed with relief. Even though my brother was a cheating bastard, I was grateful he was getting married soon enough for my grandmother to attend.
“I can’t wait,” Nana said.
“But that’s not all.” Kevin smiled, and I didn’t like the cunning look in his eye. “Not only will you get to come to the wedding, but it will also take place in Florida.”
“I love Florida,” Nana said.
This was going better than I’d thought it would. Alexis and I wouldn’t have to attend the wedding, and Nana was getting a trip.
“I know you do, and that’s why I chose the destination. I wanted you to get one more vacation before…” Kevin looked down and sniffled.
My heart went out to my brother. Maybe he was more torn up about our grandmother being sick than I had thought he was. But then he looked up, his eyes clear and free of tears.
“As I was saying, I want you to get one more vacation, and that’s why we’re going to make it a family vacation. I rented a big place with three bedrooms, so we can spend the whole time together.” He looked right at Alexis and me. “We won’t be out of each other’s sights.”
Chapter Fifteen
ALEXIS
Panic coursed through my body. Vacation was not the word I would use to describe spending time with my ex-husband and his pregnant fiancée; my grandmother-in-law, who didn’t approve of me; and my fake husband, who I’d have to share a bed with, while we pretended to be a real couple twenty-four/seven. I didn’t know if I could do it.
Then, there was the café.
“I can’t just take off for however many days,” I said. “I have a business to run.”
Kevin smirked. “That’s right. You opened a café and bakery. Who knew all that tinkering in the kitchen would lead to something?”
I clenched my jaw, and Trevor put his hand on my leg to try and calm me.
“Well, it did,” I snapped back.
“How many days are you thinking?” Trevor’s grandma asked.
“A week.”
I shook my head. “Nope.”
“Alexis,” Trevor said, trying to get my attention.
I met his eyes. “I can’t do that to Tessa.”
He tilted his head toward the doorway. “Let’s go talk in the other room.”
I nodded in agreement.
We pushed back our chairs.
“We’ll be right back,” Trevor said and took my hand.
When we were clear of the dining room, he pulled me into a corner and put his hands on my hips. I could smell his cologne and see the flecks of gold in his dark brown eyes. My immediate thought was that I should pull away because we were too close. And because he felt too good.
I wondered what it would be like if I could touch him whenever I wanted. If I could put my arms around his shoulders. If I could run my nose along his neck. If I could kiss him there too.
Ugh. I needed to stop thinking sexual thoughts about my husband.
And that was a sentence one didn’t hear every day.
“I know this is easier said than done, but please don’t let Kevin get under your skin. That’s what he wants,” Trevor said.
“I know. He just knows exactly what buttons to push. You know I quit my job for him, so I could stay home and be a mom. But when I didn’t get pregnant, I started baking.” At the time, it’d also made me feel like a failure. “He used to let me know that he liked what I made but that it was never quite good enough.”
Trevor pulled me into his arms. “He’s such a dick. I’m sorry he did that to you.”
I closed my eyes and let myself enjoy his comfort for a few minutes.
“And listen”—his chest rumbled under my ear—“you absolutely do not have to go to Florida. We both know why Kevin is doing this, and we don’t have to play into his hands.”
I lifted my head. “What about you?”
“I will go. It might be Nana’s last vacation, and I can’t miss that.”
“I can’t let you go by yourself.”
“I’ll be fine. What’s he going to do to me?”
“Piss you off until you snap his neck and go to prison?”
Trevor laughed. “Nah. He’s not worth prison time.”
I chewed on my lip. “What if he uses my absence at this family vacation as a reason to fight the will?”
“He can try, but it’s last minute, and you really do have your business to take care of. No one can deny that.”
I really wanted to let Trevor go by himself, but I also didn’t want to do that to him. And I didn’t want my ex to think he was right about our marriage situation.
“What if you and I didn’t go for the whole week? Or I didn’t go for the whole week? I can talk to Tessa. I’m sure I can manage a few days.”
A smile spread across Trevor’s face. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah. It’s a few days. I’ll survive.”
He shook his head in wonder. “You are amazing. I could kiss you for this.”
I knew he meant in a platonic way, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kevin headed our way.
“Kiss me then,” I said in a normal tone. I dropped my voice. “Quick. Kevin’s coming.”
Trevor didn’t need to be told twice.
He cupped the back of my neck and drew my mouth to his. His lips were soft, but I had expected that because I felt them every time he dropped a peck on my mouth. What I hadn’t expected was for him to lick the seam of my lips and slide his way inside.
I moaned softly and clutched at his sides, trying to bring our bodies closer. It wasn’t a surprise that Trevor was a great kisser, and all thoughts that this was all for show flew from my head.
Until Kevin cleared his throat.
Startled, I flinched and instinctively tried to jump back from Trevor like I was a teenager getting caught making out under the bleachers. But he yanked me closer and spun us around so that my back was to his chest and his arms were around me.
“What do you want, Kevin?” Trevor asked.
“Nana wants to know if you’re coming on the trip or not.” His eyes shifted down to me. “She’s worried you’re going to decline because of your new wife.”
As if I had ever kept him from spending time with his family. I knew he was saying it just to piss me off, but it was working, and I wanted to punch the look right off his face.
Trevor squeezed me tighter. “That’s ridiculous. Of course I’m going to go and spend time with my grandmother.”
“What about Alexis?”
“Alexis is right here and can speak for herself,” I said. “I can’t come for the whole week, but I will come for a few days. I just need to clear it with Tessa.”
Kevin curled his lip. “She never liked me.”
I shrugged. “She has good taste.”
Kevin’s mouth pursed, and he looked like he was re
ady to shout profanities at me, but Trevor didn’t let him get that far.
“Did you need anything else?”
My ex’s chin went up. “Yeah. Why are there no chocolate cupcakes?”
“You brought out my cupcakes?”
“You brought them to eat, didn’t you?”
I sighed. “Yes. And I brought more unique flavors tonight.”
“I’d rather have chocolate,” he muttered and walked away.
After he was gone, Trevor faced me again. “You didn’t bring any chocolate? But it’s your favorite?”
“It is, but it’s also his. And I was feeling petty.”
He threw his head back and laughed. Wrapping his arm around my neck, he led us back to the dining room. “Just bring some chocolate cupcakes home for the two of us next time,” he whispered in my ear, and a shiver went down my spine as I remembered our kiss.
It was probably a good thing Kevin had interrupted us, but I sure wouldn’t mind doing it again.
My life sucked. I had a sexy husband, and I couldn’t even fuck him.
This whole thing had better work exactly as planned.
Chapter Sixteen
ALEXIS
I rushed into the restaurant to meet my friends the following Wednesday. I was running late and didn’t want to miss out on any of the recent happenings in their lives. Although I was sure I was a big part of the latest gossip.
“Hey, ladies,” I said, sliding into the one empty chair. “What did I miss?”
“Isabelle is single and officially a part of the United She-Woman Single Ladies with Our Vibrators So We Never Have Another Bad Date or Experience Romance Again Because Men Suck Club again,” Tessa said.
I stuck out my lower lip. “I’m sorry, Isabelle.”
“It’s fine. I’m not that sad about it, which tells me it wasn’t meant to be.”
Elizabeth put her arm around Isabelle. “I’m glad I’m not the only single one anymore.”
Pru cleared her throat. “Excuse me. I’m still very single.”
“I’m glad Pru and I are not the only single ones anymore,” Elizabeth corrected herself.
Pru nodded her thanks.
I raised my hand. “Uh…even though I’m technically married, I’m single too.”
All eyes turned to me.
“How is that going, by the way?” Pru asked. “Is your new husband living up to his promises?”
“Actually, I met with a lawyer on Monday. He is going to file a motion for contempt of court.”
Pru looked surprised, as did a few other friends.
“What happens then?” Bree asked.
“Kevin’s going to be pissed,” Paisley said.
“When does he find out you filed this?” Tessa asked, her eyes wide. She was the only one who knew about the trip to Florida.
“I’m waiting until after the trip,” I told her. Then, I explained the vacation and wedding Kevin had planned. “I thought about not asking the attorney to wait because I’d love to see my ex pissed, but I don’t want to ruin Trevor’s grandma’s last trip with her grandsons.”
Bree nodded. “That’s fair. Disappointing but fair.”
“How’s everything else going?” Pru asked.
“Have you boned yet?” Paisley spit out.
I snorted. “No. And we’re not going to.”
“Is that a trace of disappointment in your voice?” Paisley asked.
I straightened my spine. “No.” A second later, I slumped in my seat. “Maybe. Even though it would complicate everything.”
“He is your husband. Why not have sex?” Isabelle asked.
“I literally just said, it would complicate everything.”
She shrugged. “It’s already complicated. He’s your ex-husband’s brother.”
I looked down at my hands. “He doesn’t think of me like that.”
“You don’t know that,” Tessa said in a soft voice.
“I’ve never said anything about this, but when I met Trevor and Kevin, Trevor was the one I liked right away.”
Tessa gasped. “You never told us that.”
“That’s because it’s embarrassing when you like someone and they don’t like you back. Plus, by the time that trip was over, I had already gotten Kevin’s number and was coming around to him.”
I had met the brothers on a summer trip with my family, where my parents had rented a cabin. I had almost not gone because I was in college and too cool for stuff like that. At the time, I was glad I had gone because I’d met Trevor and Kevin, but now, I wondered what would have happened had I not gone.
“Wait,” Pru said. “You always told us that you met Kevin when he was skinny-dipping. Was Trevor there too?”
I smiled and nodded. “It was the first and last time I saw my husband naked.” I laughed because there was no other way to react. “And that’s how it’s going to stay.” I sighed. “But pretending to be in love and touching each other at Kevin’s wedding? It’s going to be torture. He kissed me last weekend when Kevin was walking into the room. I had to go home and break out my vibrator.”
Paisley leaned in. “I think you should just ask him to have sex. Get the first time over with. Then, you can have sex on the trip, loud enough for Kevin to hear.”
I pictured the steam coming out of my ex’s ears. “Tempting, but it’s one thing to kiss and do PDA. It’s another to have sex for a fake relationship.” I didn’t think my ego could handle Trevor having sex with me just to prove we were a real couple. It wouldn’t sit well with me.
“I’m sure Trevor would love to have sex with you for more than just this situation you two have going on. He did ask you to be his wife. I bet there’s a reason he asked you and no one else,” Paisley continued.
Hmm. I hadn’t thought about it like that.
“Do you really think he’s interested in me? Even if it’s just a little bit?”
“Definitely,” Paisley said.
“I’m not sure if I can trust your opinion. You’re newly in love with Colin.” She gasped, but I looked at Pru. “You were at our marriage ceremony. What do you think?”
I also know Pru would give it to me straight.
“I think Paisley might be onto something.” She lifted her shoulders. “You never know unless you try.”
“Yeah,” Bree said. “Also, we need to meet this husband of yours.”
I wrinkled my nose. “You all have before. He was in my wedding to Kevin. I think a few of you danced with him at the reception.”
“We need to meet him again as your husband,” Elizabeth said.
“I’ll see what I can do.”
That night, when I got home, I went to find Trevor.
He was in his office on his laptop.
“Hey,” I said.
He glanced up at me before looking back at his computer. “Hey. How was dinner?”
“Good.”
“Was the investigator there?” he asked, not looking up.
Picking up a pen on his desk, I said, “Yeah. I hope he was bored.”
“What did your friends say about him?”
“I didn’t tell them.”
He looked up at me with raised eyebrows.
“I didn’t want to freak them out. I’ll tell them when this whole thing is over and Kevin is out of my life.”
“Hmm.” He turned back to his screen, leaving me to wonder what his response meant.
Could he not want our marriage to end? Could Paisley be right?
I sat on the corner of the desk. I’d worn a casual dress to dinner, and I made sure the hem of the skirt shifted up my leg to show a little skin.
“Do you think I made the wrong decision?” I asked.
Trevor scanned my face, down my leg, back up to my face, and shrugged. “They’re your friends. You know them best.” He pointed to his laptop. “I don’t want to be rude, but I need to finish what I’m working on.”
Heat filled my cheeks, and I scrambled off his desk.
Paisley was oh-so wrong.<
br />
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bother you,” I said, heading for the door.
“You’re not bothering—”
“Have a good night.”
As I got ready for bed and shut myself in my bedroom, I had to wonder if revenge was worth my self-respect.
Chapter Seventeen
TREVOR
“Are you sure you’ll be okay, going to Florida on your own?” I asked Alexis.
We were just getting to the airport, where I was meeting my grandmother, my brother, and his fiancée. Alexis was coming four days later to spend three days in Florida, and then we were coming back to Minnesota at the end of the week together.
“I’m a big girl, Trevor. I can even travel all by myself.”
“I appreciate the sarcasm, but I’m serious. You don’t have to come if it’s too much for you.”
She pulled up to the curb and put her car in park. She turned in her seat. “Are you going to meet me at the airport when I get there?”
“Of course.”
“Then, I’ll be there.”
“Just know, if you change your mind or if something comes up, I won’t hold it against you. This trip wasn’t part of our arrangement.”
She put her hand on my arm. “I appreciate it, but I’ll be fine. It’ll be a good way to prove to Kevin that we’re in this together.”
I smiled. Our marriage might be fake and for reasons that didn’t involve love, but we were in it together. That was one hundred percent true.
And it made me want to kiss her again.
I’d been wanting to since the day my brother had announced his destination wedding. I couldn’t stop thinking about how good she had felt and the way she’d responded to me.
I’d had to relieve myself every day since then—and twice on the day she’d come home from her dinner with her friends.
When she’d sat on my desk, I had wanted to pull her over my lap and onto my cock. I was so hard, and all I could think about was her riding me until both of us came. But I was sure she didn’t realize what she was doing, and when I’d asked her to leave, I’d felt so guilty. Even if it was the right decision.
Not Another Fake Marriage (Not Another Romance) Page 7
