He turned and spotted an old colleague, Connie Lipman, making her way over to them. Flipping the switch to increase the speed of the vibrator, he heard Alexa whimper right before Connie greeted them.
Carter navigated the conversation with ease, having turned off the vibrator as soon as Connie began congratulating them about the engagement. She asked Alexa a question, but before she could respond he put the vibrator on full blast so she ended up just being able to smile and nod while he picked up the slack.
He wasn’t an animal, he just thought it would be fun to play with her, take the control out of her hands for once. It wasn’t very often he was a step ahead of her and he intended to enjoy this moment for all it was worth. He was most intrigued by the fact that she could leave, could excuse herself from the conversation, go to the restroom and take it out, but she remained by his side. He wouldn’t have stopped her. But she was still here, which meant one thing—she liked it. Liked the anticipation, being just a little out of control, and the public aspect of it. Just like he’d known she would.
Discreetly, he tapped at the cell phone in his pocket, letting it go for just a second before turning it off again.
He felt her stiffen beside him and smiled. The conversation with Connie finally ended and Alexa whispered to him, “I can’t believe you did that.”
He shrugged. “Maybe you don’t know me as well as you thought.” If nothing else, after this month was over, they weren’t going to be the same kind of friends they’d been before. For once, Carter wasn’t going to hold back the man, even though Alexa only ever wanted the boy who’d trailed after her like a service dog, always there to support her when she needed it.
Her glare continued through their next conversation, which was satisfying on a lot of levels. He made a show of putting his hand in his pocket without actually turning on the vibe, making her twitch in anticipation. Ten minutes later, just when she’d loosened up and started engaging more in the conversation, he turned it on again.
She stepped on his foot.
He put his arm around her and drew her close, turning off the vibrator.
“Had enough? Ready to call me the winner?”
There’d been no bet, nothing to lose, but Alexa would never admit he’d gotten the best of her.
So he tortured her for the rest of the night. And in the end, perhaps he’d been wrong—he could get used to galas.
CHAPTER TEN
FOR THE WEEK after the gala, Alexa flat out avoided Carter. He’d finally let her go to the restroom to remove that damned vibrator, but only after a good hour had passed. He had tortured her with it as they spoke to every person they remotely knew. People whom, otherwise, he’d have paid money never to interact with. He hadn’t kept the device running the entire time, and in truth hardly at all, but the anticipation had driven her to the point of madness. And that had been exactly his plan.
Unfortunately, the workweek was over and they were attending a wedding they’d agreed to go to as friends months ago, only now they were engaged friends, which meant they had to put on another show.
He was waiting for her in the foyer again, looking dapper and relaxed in a charcoal suit complete with a vest, a burgundy tie and a matching burgundy-and-aqua plaid pocket square.
“Long time, no see,” he drawled, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked her over.
She’d gone a little more conservative this time, choosing an A-line, tea-length baby-blue Monique Lhuillier with a dreamy tulle skirt adorned with glitter. It was delicate and ethereal, the exact opposite of what she’d worn to the gala...and tonight would also be the opposite. She would not be touching Carter. At all.
Because touching got her secret vibrators and she wasn’t going to be caught off guard again. She’d had all week to examine the implications of what he’d done, namely she acknowledged that he was purposely ignoring the rules. One time, they could dismiss, but it would be a problem if it happened again.
She’d been attracted to him before, but he’d opened a door and now everything he did turned her on. Even walking in on him last weekend while he brushed his teeth had revved her girlie parts.
Luckily, he was engrossed in something on his phone for the majority of the ride and she found herself drifting to the other disaster in her life, worrying about what she would do if the casinos actually sold. Her uncle wanted to retire in France, and if Carter was leaving Vegas, maybe she would open a casino there. She loved wine, cheese and crepes so it could be perfect. Except she couldn’t imagine living in a place Carter wasn’t, but then maybe she just needed to accept that that would be her new normal.
By not having sex, she was keeping their friendship the way it always was, which meant he was leaving in a few short weeks. She needed to get used to it and figure out her own life instead of making sure she wasn’t screwing up Carter’s.
They sat companionably through the wedding ceremony and navigated the first two hours of the reception without touching or discussion of what had happened last weekend. Alexa couldn’t have been happier. More or less.
Except she couldn’t help but feel the loss of companionship. The careless touches they used to give each other were too fraught now that they knew they were attracted to each other. Their old friendship seemed to already be over, and the realization ached.
She was just about to suggest they leave when the groom came to greet them.
“Carter Hayes and Alexa Lawson,” Matt boomed, his voice loud enough to draw attention from the wedding guests in the vicinity. He was clearly already shit-faced. “Congratulations. I heard you crazy kids went and got engaged!”
He pointed at one of his groomsmen at his side. “Didn’t we have a bet on that, Sam?”
Sam shook his head. “Probably!”
Matt grabbed Carter up into an exaggerated bear hug before moving on to Alexa. His dark brown hair was mussed from his previous run on the dance floor—tux jacket, vest and tie had disappeared hours ago. With his light blue eyes twinkling with good humor, he was still the same guy from college. Always up for a laugh and looking to get into trouble.
“Congratulations, Matt,” she told him, giving him a peck on the cheek. “Sophie’s a lucky lady. And you’re an even luckier man.”
“That I am,” Matt said, his big grin stretching even wider. “She’s my best friend and love of my life.”
At the words best friend she struggled not to meet Carter’s eyes, and wondered absently if anyone would ever speak about her with such naked love and devotion. Mostly the best guys did was offer her eggs for breakfast on her way out the door.
“So when are you two lovebirds doing the deed?” Matt laughed.
“We just got engaged last week,” Carter said, his voice dry. “Give us a minute. You and Sophie were engaged for three years.”
Matt gave Alexa a wink and pulled two champagne glasses from the passing tray, handing them to her and Carter. “Yeah, well, she needed a lot of time to plan this shindig. Y’all have a good time, now, okay?”
Then he left them with another wink and a pointed look at the drinks he’d just put in their hands.
Carter gave him a mock salute.
Alexa nodded and threw back her third glass. There were lots of drapes here, and God help her, she couldn’t stop thinking of Carter sliding that vibrator inside her again. Not that she had the thing. She’d immediately hidden it when they’d gotten home that night, but she had to admit it was probably the hottest thing that had ever happened to her, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t partake in a little kink every now and then. All her senses were on high alert waiting for what he might do. Kiss her on the dance floor? Go down on her under the table? Make her come in the photo booth? The possibilities were endlessly fascinating and terrifying in equal measure.
And yet he showed no inclination to do any of it. Content to shoot the shit with old college dudes who she’d only ever know
n through him. He was largely ignoring her, which from their infamous Elysium stairwell incident, he knew she hated. Once upon a time, he’d drop everything to hang out with her.
She stepped away from the group, but he caught her hand, leaning down to give her a quick kiss on the forehead.
“Could you grab me another whiskey from the bar?”
She wanted to scream at the no-contact contact. “Of course,” she said with a tight smile.
Waiting in line at the bar, she gave herself a pep talk. She would not lust after her best friend, she would not imagine taking all his clothes off and climbing on top of him in the middle of a wedding. She would not.
“Alexa Lawson?” a female voice asked, soft and tentative.
Alexa turned to see a fellow Entrepreneurs Club member from college, Kaylee Shepherd.
“Kaylee!” she greeted, enveloping the girl in a hug. They hadn’t been close, but it had been so many years and it was nice to see a familiar face unconnected to Carter. “It’s wonderful to see you!”
Kaylee’s smile widened as well. “You, too,” she said as she stepped back from the hug. “And congratulations on your engagement. I always thought you and Carter should get together.”
Alexa nodded mechanically, something about the statement catching her off guard. So many people had been saying that to her that she wondered if they’d ever really been normal friends. Had they always been a little too close to be considered normal?
“Yeah, we finally did it.” She smiled.
“And you’ll get to do the marriage thing, too,” Kaylee said, gesturing to the wedding at large.
“Yeah, I guess so,” she allowed, but then realized someone in her position should be excited about getting married. Which made her vaguely uneasy because she and Carter would never be together, and yet talking about their wedding made it seem extremely real. “I mean, yes, I’m excited to start planning.”
“Well, this one was beautiful. Vegas beautiful, but still beautiful.”
Alexa laughed. “It was a great wedding. Though I could have hooked them up at one of my casinos.”
Kaylee nodded, a crease in her brow. “That’s right, you own casinos. I knew that.”
“I guess they met here,” Alexa explained. She looked around at the plaster walls and arches. The Aurora was pretty enough in that it tried to look like a Venice church, but it wasn’t her kind of place.
“Ah,” Kaylee said.
Alexa saw an impressive ring on Kaylee’s finger. “Are you engaged, too?”
A pretty pink blush bloomed on Kaylee’s alabaster face. “Yeah.”
“Congratulations,” Alexa said, grinning.
The bartender handed over their drinks, two whiskeys for Alexa and a ginger ale for Kaylee.
They left the bar together. “Is your fiancé here tonight?” Alexa asked.
Kaylee pointed at a man who was making his way over to where they’d stopped near a fountain boasting what appeared to be an upside-down pineapple on top.
Alexa briefly glanced over to Carter, who was talking to a girl she recognized as his college girlfriend. They’d dated for two or so years, which in college time was virtually a lifetime. She hadn’t been Alexa’s biggest fan, though Alexa had liked her well enough. She’d been good to Carter and that was all the info Alexa had needed back then.
But now that Alexa thought more about it, she was really the only serious girlfriend Carter had ever had. Since he’d graduated from college, gotten super ripped and become a millionaire he’d been playing the field. Maybe his perfect-for-him ex-girlfriend would be the one to nail him down again. The thought made her a little murderous. Faceless girls could be ignored, but if he slept with someone he actually had a connection with, that was something else entirely that she didn’t particularly care for.
Her mind drifted back over that time he’d told her he had more-than-friend feelings for her, but it seemed so long ago. Like a vague fragment of a dream forgotten and remembered. Seeing all their college friends was dredging up old memories, but she couldn’t remember what she told him after he’d admitted his feelings. She knew they’d never spoken of it again, though, because the very thought of it was making her sweat. All she remembered was the fear of losing him even then. That she’d end up with nothing more than a memory of Carter instead of him. And the thought of a lifetime without him even then had been unthinkable.
She’d never allowed herself to consider whether or not she felt the same about him. She’d just known that they were too young and their friendship too important to waste on a relationship neither of them was ready for.
Alexa knocked the entire whiskey back in one swift pull. The burn felt good. She might already be a little drunk, but that slow whiskey warmth hit the spot.
“Have you two set a date?” Alexa asked after Kaylee had made the introductions. Her fiancé, Bruce, had been in the military but now owned his own security company.
Bruce shrugged at her question, glancing at Kaylee with an indulgent grin. His close-cropped dark hair worked well with his strong facial features. “Kaylee wants the big wedding, so it might be a long time.”
“You know, I own three casinos, so let me know if you need a venue. I can give you a great deal,” Alexa offered. “All three of my casinos are gorgeous, if I do say so myself, but Halcyon was practically made for weddings.”
A furrow appeared in Kaylee’s brow. “Oh, we’d love to get married here, but I live in Seattle now so the wedding will probably be there.”
“Unless,” Bruce started, taking Kaylee’s hands in one of his while placing the other one over her stomach, “you want to do it right now.”
Kaylee blinked rapidly. “What?”
“Who knows when we’ll ever be in Vegas again?” Bruce urged, getting into the idea now and squeezing her hands. “We can have a big reception later, anywhere you like. A ceremony, too, even.” He pulled her into a hug. “I just want to start our forever right now, K.”
Alexa blinked back an unexpected tear. Frankly, she fell a little in love with Bruce at the moment.
Kaylee drew back, her hand going down to cover the one he was still resting on her stomach. Alexa’s eyes widened. Holy crap, Kaylee was pregnant.
“Okay,” Kaylee said softly. “Let’s do it.”
“Well, I’ll let you go get married,” Alexa laughed, moving away. “Double congratulations on the engagement and the wedding!”
Kaylee laughed, as if she couldn’t believe she was going to do it either, but then waved Alexa back. “No, you have to come! We’ll need witnesses.”
Alexa opened her mouth to protest, but Kaylee grabbed her arm. “Please, I don’t want to chicken out.”
Nodding, she squeezed Kaylee’s hand. They hadn’t been close, but Alexa was one drink away from either needing a nap or taking her shirt off on top of a bar, so why not go to two weddings in one night? Her emotions were already streaming out in all directions, like her heart was a wet kitchen sponge being squeezed. Why now of all days was she remembering Carter telling her that stuff, now when he was refusing to make out with her and talking to his ex-girlfriend? To hell with him, then, she thought, going ahead and drinking his whiskey, too.
She caught his eye and waved him over, not bothering to interrupt his conversation in person. She didn’t need to prove to some ex-girlfriend that she’d always be Carter’s number one. When he finally joined their little group, she explained the situation about Kaylee.
However, he still didn’t seem to have a complete handle on what was happening, even after they left the reception and got a ride to the Blue Angel Chapel.
“Are you drunk?” she asked, confused.
He looked at her blankly. “Just a little.”
She shook her head. “We’re here to see Kaylee and Bruce get married.”
“I don’t know who Kaylee and Bruce are,” he stage-w
hispered.
“Well, you would if you hadn’t been ignoring me the whole evening,” she told him with a raised eyebrow. “How was your conversation with Amber, anyway?”
“Good,” he said, not responding to the first part of her statement. “She’s still single, living in Phoenix. She actually heads up a small tech company there, so we were sharing stories. It was good to see her.”
“That’s nice. Maybe you two can strike things up again after the month is over.” She nearly rolled her eyes at her own completely transparent bullshit. Keep pretending that they were friends and that they’d both just return to normal after this was over. It was the only thing Alexa was holding on to, that things would go back to normal.
Alexa felt Carter’s eyes on her, but she kept her gaze out the car window. Why in all these years had Carter never been in a real relationship and why hadn’t she been waiting for it? He dated lots of women and she’d never been jealous before, and yet now the thought of him dating someone he’d had an actual connection with felt like someone was poking at her insides. Like when he’d asked about dating Monroe, someone she respected and he had a lot in common with.
“Maybe,” Carter finally said.
The car stopped at the front of the Blue Angel Chapel and they followed the group inside. Kaylee pulled Alexa up with her and Bruce to the registration office to fill out the necessary forms. Carter followed and she squeezed his hand as a thank-you for being a good sport.
A tall young man worked the reception desk and his eyes got huge when he saw Carter approach.
“Oh my God,” he whispered. “You’re Carter Hayes.”
Carter nodded, somewhat used to nerdy guys recognizing him.
“I can’t believe this!” He grinned. “My first day on the job and Carter Hayes is here! That’s, like, so meta because I’m writing this app that turns people into superhero cartoons. So like you can send emojis of yourself as a superhero or put yourself into a comic.”
Alexa held back a snort.
“That’s cool,” Carter told him, even though she knew Carter hated comic books. “Keep it up. And if you want to intern for us, you can apply on my site. We’re always looking for new people.”
Friends with Benefits Page 8
