Faking A Groom (Marital Bliss Book 3)

by DJ Jamison

  “How could you even think that?” Avery said. “You know that I’m…”

  Hot for you. Desperate for you.

  “I didn’t know what to think. Thanks for clearing that up.”

  Julien was watching them interact with a knowing smile. “See, this is much better,” he said. “You almost look like a real couple.”

  “Almost?”

  “Well, better than this afternoon,” Julien allowed. “But I’m just thinking about those news interviews you guys have talked about doing. Journalists are trained to sniff out lies. They might notice if you don’t give the right vibe. You’re going to need to sit close, to touch, to whisper to each other, maybe even speak for one another from time to time.”

  “Well, how did you guys do it?” Rory asked. “I know your father didn’t believe it, Julien, and neither did Avery’s. But how did you persuade everyone else?”

  Julien smirked at Caleb, who was turning red. “Well, it helped that we made out at our engagement party.”

  “Not my classiest moment,” Caleb admitted.

  “My fault,” Julien said, not sounding the least bit remorseful. “You didn’t propose to a classy guy. As I recall, I was wearing a see-through shirt.”

  Avery’s lips parted. “Were you really?”

  “He was hot as hell,” Rory said with a grin. “It was so awesome seeing them there, throwing all those rich, stuffy views in their snobby guests’ faces. They were all there to see what kind of man could have possibly swooped in and stolen Caleb Taylor, charmed island owner, from their daughters’ grasps. And Julien sure showed them.”

  Caleb shook his head, but he was smiling. “He was stunning,” he said. “I could barely take my eyes off him.”

  “Or your hands,” Rory quipped. “Don’t think I didn’t see that display against the wall.”

  “Oh geez,” Caleb muttered.

  “Wow, okay,” Avery said with a chuckle. “That wasn’t what I was expecting. Should we make out for the journalists, Ror?” he joked, waggling his brows.

  “You should make out for us,” Julien said. He waved his hand. “You know, for practice.”

  Rory snorted. “See? Your husband is a perv.”

  Caleb grinned. “Well, I already knew that.”

  The conversation moved on, but Avery couldn’t shake the image of Caleb and Julien making out at their engagement party. He and Rory didn’t need a party like that, and they didn’t really need to prove their attraction. They’d had that since high school. They already possessed enough sexual chemistry to convince anyone.

  But intimacy? That was another matter. Sitting close, touching, trusting one another fully. Avery didn’t know if they could ever pull that off.

  Beneath the table, he took hold of Rory’s hand, and Rory jumped. Avery raised his eyebrows at him as he squeezed his fingers. Leaning in, he said, “Maybe we should practice?”

  “Practice?” Julien said, perking up. “Are you finally going to kiss for me—er, practice.”

  Caleb smacked Julien’s arm, making him laugh. Then, with a playful look around the table, Julien said, “How about if we go first?”

  “What do you—” Caleb started.

  Julien turned, smacking a kiss to his lips. Just a playful one, but enough to muffle Caleb’s words and make Rory snicker.

  He turned back, looking at them. “Your move.”

  “Clearly, Julien’s had enough to drink tonight,” Caleb said, before jumping a little in his chair. Julien’s arm was under the table, and Avery suspected he’d just fondled his husband. Damn, he was bold. Caleb cast him a chastising look but didn’t say anything else.

  “Julien, I know you’re trying to help,” Rory said patiently. “I think you’re trying to, anyway. That, or you’ve turned into a voyeur.”

  “More like an exhibitionist,” Caleb said under his breath, but Julien only laughed.

  “But we hooked up in high school,” Rory continued. “We’ve kissed before. We’ve fucked around. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to sell this relationship thing.”

  “You weren’t all that convincing to me,” Julien pointed out.

  “Well, we weren’t trying,” Rory said in exasperation. “Do you really want to see us try?” At Julien’s nod, Rory flung up an arm. “Fine!”

  Before Avery could really prepare for what that meant, Rory turned, grabbed Avery’s chin, and kissed him. Some of Rory’s frustration came through, making the kiss forceful.

  Avery made a pained sound.

  “Kiss him, Rory, don’t assault him,” Julien said. “That didn’t look loving.”

  Julien turned, catching Caleb’s lips and gently kissing him, but lingering this time. The kiss was entirely chaste, but there was an undercurrent of desire present. Caleb didn’t resist; in fact, he leaned forward, clearly wanting more as Julien pulled away.

  Without waiting for Julien to taunt them again, Avery turned to Rory. “We can do better,” he murmured.

  He cupped the side of Rory’s face and kissed him the way he’d wanted to for ten years. The quick kiss he’d brushed to Rory’s lips at his father’s house hardly counted. Avery had been so upset he’d barely felt it. But this time, he felt it all. The fullness of Rory’s lips, the way he softened and molded against Avery’s mouth, the jolt of desire that made him want more.

  He resisted the urge to press his tongue against those lips, to see if Rory would open and let him in.

  He pulled back a fraction, pleased to see Rory’s eyes closed and his cheeks flushed. Rory felt it too.

  Then Avery remembered: He was dressed in lace, wearing makeup, and this was all about faking it. Surely, Rory wasn’t really attracted to him like this.

  But when Rory’s eyes slowly opened, they certainly looked heated. Rory licked his bottom lip, chancing a glance toward Caleb and Julien. “There, you see,” he said unsteadily. “We’re very believable.”

  “Much better,” Julien said.

  Caleb cleared his throat. “And on that note, I think we’ll call it a night.” He shifted in his chair, and Avery was almost certain he was going to take Julien back to their room and fuck him senseless.

  Rory smirked. “Enjoy your evening.”

  “Oh, we will,” Julien said with a wink, taking hold of Caleb’s hand and hurrying out of the room. Avery hadn’t been able to resist looking, and yeah, they were both obviously turned on.

  “Do you think they really are voyeurs?” Avery mused. “Or exhibitionists?”

  “Nah,” Rory said. “Julien just takes every opportunity to get Caleb worked up. If they were really into that, they would have stayed, tried to do more than kiss for us.”

  A shiver worked its way down Avery’s spine. He’d never been into kinky stuff or group sex, but the sexual tension in the room was so palpable that he might have been tempted.

  “So, now what?” he asked.

  Rory eyed him. “I don’t know about you, but I could use another drink after all that.”

  Avery chuckled. “That sounds good.”

  They were quiet on the way to their rooms. Rory was pleasantly buzzing after three more drinks. He and Avery had stayed in the bar, drinking and talking, after Caleb and Julien made their hasty exist. Not about the fake engagement for once, or Avery’s father or Rory’s job, but about life: bullshit like their favorite movies and TV—some of which was no surprise after spending evenings vegging out together—their favorite music, hobbies. Their favorite sexual acts…

  Rory was still thinking about that last one, about the way Avery’s eyes had dilated when Rory told him how much he loved to play with another man’s ass. He’d expected it would make Avery squirm—and it had, just not in the way he’d anticipated. Avery had squirmed like a bottom, like someone who wanted Rory’s fingers and mouth on their ass and inside it, not the toppy guy Rory had known when they were hooking up a decade ago.

  It was intriguing.

  When they reached their rooms, they both stopped in the hallway, lingering. There
was a loud silence between them filled with tension.

  Avery licked his lips, which had long ago lost the shimmer of gloss as he ate and drank…and kissed. Rory’s own lips tingled at the memory.

  “Tonight was fun,” Rory said.

  “Yeah, it was.”

  Avery smiled, and he was so fucking handsome when he smiled. Dimples popped up and his eyes brightened a shade. His whole face came alive.

  Rory bit his bottom lip, unable to tear his eyes away. He could feel himself teetering on the edge of a precipice. He should back away before he tipped over. But he couldn’t quite break the hypnotic hold of Avery’s smile.

  “I wonder, though…” Avery trailed off.

  Rory took a step closer. Wrong direction. “What is it?”

  Avery blinked, his blue eyes so very beautiful and bright when contrasted with the eyeliner he wore. Rory had never once imagined Avery would ever want to wear makeup, but it absolutely worked for him.

  “Do you think they’re right? About us not being…I don’t know. Touchy-feely enough? Our relationship was a long time ago. We’ve changed, right? I have, anyway.”

  “I think they were horny,” Rory said.

  And they aren’t the only ones.

  Avery laughed, just a light, quiet sound, and Rory found himself taking another step forward. When Avery glanced up, they were standing close, just inches apart, outside his bedroom door.

  “You have changed, though,” Rory murmured, reaching out to smooth a hand over the lacy fabric covering his chest. “You have hidden depths, Avery Kinkaid.”

  Avery’s breath hitched. “Thank you for being cool with all this.”

  Rory could hear the undercurrent of insecurity in his tone, and it was that precise note that broke through his last shreds of resistance. He leaned forward, letting himself fall right across the line he’d mentally drawn in the sand.

  “I’m not cool, Avery,” he said quietly. “I’m hot.”

  “Oh, um…”

  Rory leaned, and kept on leaning, until his lips met Avery’s and they both fell against the wall. Avery gasped. Rory grabbed handfuls of his broad shoulders and kissed him harder, giving in to all the attraction and desire he’d tried to suppress. He’d wanted Avery since he’d drunkenly proposed. He’d wanted him since they’d bantered at the gala.

  I’ve wanted him ever since I walked away.

  Avery pulled back a fraction. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes.” Rory tugged him back into another kiss, pressing in with his tongue, reveling in the heated slide as Avery kissed him back. Avery had always been an eager kisser, but he was less clumsy than he used to be. He teased Rory’s tongue, withdrew, came back for more. When he bit down gently on Rory’s bottom lip, tugging, Rory thought he was going to come in his pants.

  “Fuck,” he gasped, breaking the kiss and moving his lips to Avery’s ear. “I want you naked.”

  Avery groaned low. “Yes. Yeah. Let’s do that.”

  Rory dragged himself back, panting. “Key. Room.”

  Avery patted himself down as if he couldn’t remember where he’d stashed the key. Rory slapped his ass. “Hurry.”

  “I don’t… Fuck, did I…” He suddenly reached out, turning the doorknob. “I left it unlocked!”

  Rory shoved him inside, kicking the door shut as Avery breathlessly added, “No good place to stash a key in this outfit.”

  “Mm-hmm. This fabulous outfit I’m going to peel off your body.”

  Rory’s hands were already on Avery’s belt, jerking it open. Avery’s hard cock pressed against the denim, creating an impressive bulge. Rory had a sudden sensory memory of exactly how Avery’s cock felt in his hand, in his mouth. It was nonsense. He couldn’t remember one cock out of the dozens he’d handled, and yet…he did remember.

  Avery’s hands were in his hair, combing through it as Rory tugged on his pants. He’d yanked it out of the hair tie sometime before their last drink, letting it spill to his shoulders.

  “Love your hair like this.”

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re so gorgeous.”

  Rory barely registered the compliment. He’d gotten Avery’s pants open and watched his bare dick spring out. “No underwear.”

  “My usual boxers weren’t going to work under these tight pants.” Avery sounded a little embarrassed, but Rory thought it was hot as hell.

  “Sexy,” Rory murmured, taking hold of Avery’s cock and feeling that flash of familiar sensation as he felt out its shape, stroking once. Avery’s hands clenched in his hair.

  “Careful. I might shoot off at the slightest touch.”

  Rory laughed. “You and me both. Been wanting this for so long.”

  Avery groaned. “So fucking long.”

  Rory stroked him again, despite his warning, and raised up to kiss his neck. The skin was hot, and beneath, Avery’s pulse fluttered against Rory’s tongue. “Only thing better would be this cock”—he squeezed it for emphasis—“covered in lace.”

  “Y-you think?” Avery asked.

  “Oh, yeah. Lingerie would be very hot on you.”

  Rory kissed him again, and that was the end of their conversation. The kisses grew more aggressive, hotter and wetter as they began fumbling with clothing. Rory pushed his hands down the back of Avery’s jeans, pushing them down and grasping his bare ass while Avery shoved his hands under Rory’s T-shirt, skating hot palms over his ribs and around his back.

  Rory squeezed and kneaded Avery’s ass, parting his cheeks to expose his hole, knowing he’d feel the air drift over it. Avery gasped and went still in his arms. Rory daringly brushed the pad of his index finger over it. “You ever…”

  “No,” Avery said, surprising and disappointing him in equal measure. He rarely fucked other people—usually opting for easier, less intimate ways to get off—but Avery made him want more.

  “We can do other things,” Rory said, unwilling to let his own desires ruin a good thing. Avery was gorgeous, and in his arms, and already the best hookup Rory had had in years.

  “But I want…it,” Avery said haltingly.

  Rory slid his hands up to Avery’s waist, feeling this was a conversation to be had without the distraction of roaming hands. “You want what?” he asked to be certain he understood.

  “I want…” Avery’s voice dropped to a whisper. “I want to try it, having you. Inside me. Fucking me. I’ve just never…”

  Rory raised his eyebrows. “After all this time? Why not?”

  Avery ran a hand through his hair, looking uncomfortable. “Lots of reasons.”

  It was an evasive answer, but now wasn’t the time to drag details out of him. There’d be plenty of time later. Rory still wanted him in the worst way.

  “Okay, fair enough,” Rory said.

  He grabbed the hem of Avery’s shirt and dragged it up. Avery lifted his arms, helping draw it off, then rid Rory of his shirt. Article by article, they shed their clothing, until they were in each other’s arms, kissing and grinding, completely naked. The feeling of Avery’s heavy, bare cock bumping and grinding against his was erotic, but Rory wanted more.

  He gave Avery a push. “The bed.”

  Avery climbed on the bed, lowering himself on his back, and Rory climbed over him, letting his hair fall like a curtain around their faces as he kissed Avery into a malleable mess. Avery asked, sounding almost as drunk on the kisses as Rory felt, “Will you fuck me?”

  So tempting. So, so tempting. But it was obvious that Avery had some baggage about bottoming. Internalized toxic masculinity BS, no doubt. Rory could write a dissertation about toxic masculinity’s unhealthy affect on men and society as a whole, but he was here to orgasm, not lecture. It could wait.

  “There’s no need to rush into anything,” Rory said. “Let’s just make each other feel good.”

  Avery knew he shouldn’t feel disappointed—and with Rory’s hands and mouth on him, he didn’t have much time to dwell on the reality that he’d finally gotten the courage to ask s
omeone to fuck him, only to be turned down.

  He was nervous about it, which Rory could probably sense, and he’d given a shit answer about why he’d never explored. He really couldn’t blame Rory for avoiding that barrel of monkeys. Still…tonight was a night of firsts, and it had felt right. Rory felt right, in a way that no one else ever had. Avery finally felt as if he could let down his walls, really show himself to someone.

  He closed his eyes, pushing away the sting of rejection, but Rory was too intuitive. He paused his sensual assault on Avery’s body. “Avery? Open your eyes.”

  He dropped a gentle, soft kiss on Avery’s lips, and Avery sighed. He blinked his eyes open. “Keep going.” When Rory hesitated, he said, “Please?”

  “I want you, Ave. In every way. If you think I don’t…” He laughed, a rueful sound. “Jesus, I’d love to fuck you. But I don’t have any restraint tonight, and this is our first time together in…a long fucking time.”

  “Okay.” At least Rory was using words like tonight and first time together. It gave Avery hope they might hook up again. If Rory doesn’t regret it all in the morning…

  Rory trailed kisses along his jaw. He traced his tongue over the shell of Avery’s ear, making him shiver, and whispered, “I promise, Avery, that I’ll fuck you one day. I’ll take you deeply, as hard as you want, in any position you want.”

  Avery’s body thrummed at the idea of it, and his heart clenched with excitement that Rory would make such a promise. He was always a man of his word. That meant it’d actually happen.

  “Okay,” Avery said, voice breathy. “Another day.”

  “Another day,” Rory agreed, before lowering to nibble at Avery’s nipple. While he used his mouth to toy with Avery, sending shocks of pleasure zinging from his nipples to his balls and back again, he slid his other hand lower, stroking Avery back to full hardness.

  Avery threaded his hands in that glorious hair, arching into Rory’s touch. Their serious talk had taken the edge off, but Avery felt urgency building under his skin. He tugged on the strands, first gently, then a little harder, until Rory raised his face.