Chapter 16
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
brOOKS
This lake is absolutely freezing. I don’t know why I was expecting it to be warm. Maybe because the outside temperature feels like I’m nestling into the armpit of hell.
It’s not like I’m unused to freezing lakes. I grew up learning to swim in the biggest lake at my dad’s estate, after all. One of my earliest memories is of Linc pushing me in because I was the only one of us brothers who couldn’t stay above water and I was ‘embarrassing him’.
Holden had been the one to fish me out. And for the rest of the summer he’d patiently taught me how to doggy paddle, then crawl. Weird how a memory can cause a visceral reaction. For a minute I wish I could spend more time with them all.
And the stupid thing is I could. The whole family is spending most weekends at the lake in Virginia.
But I have… reasons not to want to be there. So I take a deep breath to center myself and that’s when I see Emma launching herself at me.
“You’re gonna pay for that,” she shouts as her damp body collides with mine. She tries to clamber up me, her palms pushing down on my head to dunk me.
I’m at a crossroads here. I could let her win and bend my knees to go under. Or I could stand here and annoy her more.
But instead of those two – very rational – options, I slide my hands around her waist, her skin slippery against my palms, and pull her down until our faces are at the same height, and our chests are touching.
Big fucking mistake.
Her underwear has turned completely transparent. I can see the pale of her skin and the rosiness of her nipples through her bra.
Her perfectly hard nipples.
My dick immediately springs to life.
Her eyes catch mine and I know she can feel my reaction to her. A breath stutters out of her parted lips. Before I can think through my next move, which should be about a hundred feet away from her, she’s wrapping her legs around my hips to steady herself.
I slide my hands down to her behind and she rocks herself against me.
“Stop,” I mutter.
“But you’re my boyfriend,” she says, a smile playing at her lips. “Sorry, my fiancé . I’m allowed to hug you, aren’t I?”
She’s playing a game with me. I’m pretty sure it’s not one I can win. But being the youngest of six has ramped up my competitive gene to the max.
Plus, she’s not looking anxious anymore. And I like that too much.
“Sure you are,” I say. “But you have to be ready to deal with the consequences.”
She blinks, looking intrigued. Then her lips feather against my cheek. “What consequences would those be?” she murmurs and the warmth of her breath sends a shiver down my spine.
“Ones you don’t want to pay.”
“Are you into BDSM?” she asks.
I roll my eyes at her. “No. But you know what they say about playing with fire…”
“You are into BDSM.” She rocks her hips against me again, and it’s such sweet torture that I let out a groan. After earlier – when she so nearly wrapped her lips around me – I’m a breath away from taking her back to our yurt and showing her exactly what the consequences are.
“You know something else?” she whispers. Christ, she has an attractive voice. All sultry and low.
“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”
“I’m half naked. You’re half naked. We’re covered in water up to our waists…” she trails off, a smirk pulling at her lips.
I swallow hard, all rational thought zeroed between my thighs.
“Which means,” she says, kissing my jaw softly, “there’s no damn way anybody is listening to us right now.”
Christ. She’s right. Why hadn’t I thought of that?
“So what is this?” I ask, trying to work out why she’s clinging to me when we’re not being listened to.
“They’re still watching us,” she points out. “Or at least some of them are.”
I turn and follow her gaze. Sure enough, there are a group of our friends sitting on the sandy beach next to the jetty. One of them is her ex.
I want to punch his face out.
“We can talk all we want,” she says. “We just need to make it look romantic.” She moves her hands up to cup my jaw.
“Then tell me,” I say, my voice thick. “What did Will say to you?” I’m still kicking myself for not being with her.
“Kiss me,” she says.
I frown. “He wanted you to kiss him?” Okay, I really am going to knock that motherfucker down. First of all, because he should apologize to her, not be demanding her mouth. And second, because that mouth is mine. Okay, it’s hers, but in a pretend world it’s mine. And he doesn’t know it isn’t.
“No, kiss me when you’re talking to me. Right now it’s looking like I’m all over you and you’re standing here like a lemon. Can you at least look attracted to me?”
She doesn’t think I’m attracted to her? Can’t she feel how damn hard I am right now?
As if she can read my mind she lifts a brow. “They can’t see that part of you,” she says. “Come on, I thought we were both on the same page here.”
Our eyes connect but there’s no emotion behind them. Just a blankness I don’t like at all. “You want me to kiss you,” I say.
“Yes!” She rolls her eyes.
Before she can say anything else, my mouth collides with hers. My palms splay across her soft ass, steadying her, as I plunder her lips, my kisses hot and demanding. She lets out a little mew against me, sounding like a fucking cat, then presses her breasts against my chest as she tangles her fingers in my damp hair.
I feel her nails scraping against my scalp as our tongues twist and tangle. She’s rocking in my arms now, the neediest part of her moving against the hardest part of me. Water laps against our bodies as we slide our hands all over each other, her breaths sharp and rapid against my lips.
When we finally pull apart her eyes are so heated it takes what little breath I had away. And I come to a realization.
This is all pretend. That’s fine. We both want what we want.
But hell, pretending is much easier when we’re being physical. Maybe it’s because neither of us can speak when we’re too busy kissing.
“What did you want to say to me?” she asks.
“Huh?” I frown, looking at her pink, swollen lips.
“You were going to say something before we kissed,” she says, looking amused.
“Was I?” I frown. Yeah, I think I was. But I can’t for the life of me remember what it was.
“You want me to help you?” she asks.
I swallow hard, because she’s still pressing her body against mine and it’s completely distracting. She should join the CIA. Her mind control abilities are second to none.
“Okay…”
“You wanted to know what Will said to me,” she says slowly, as though I’m five years old.
“Yeah,” I say, my voice rough. “That’s right.”
“He says you’re using me. That you’re going to hurt me.” She cups my jaw again, then presses her lips against mine. “That you’re an asshole.” She kisses me again. Just softly.
I let out a breath. “We’re using each other, aren’t we?” I ask.
“That’s right.”
“And he’s probably right. I am an asshole.”
But the thought of hurting her? That makes me want to punch something. No not something. Someone. Will.
“I would never hurt you,” I tell her. And now I’m thinking about that second damn lease and wishing it had never been found. “Not like him.”
Our eyes connect again. For the longest time neither of us says a word. I’m so aware of the way her body feels against mine. Soft and slight. Cool and damp. I feel protective and needy and I don’t want to let her go.
“Hey guys,” Mia calls out. “We’re heading back to the camp to get some drinks and get this party started! You coming?”
Emma gives me the smallest, sweetest smile. “Yeah,” she shouts out. “We’ll be right there.”
EMMA
Later that night we’re sitting by the lake while a line of grills are being tended to by Cassie’s dad’s chefs. Cassie isn’t here but I’m sitting with some of her friends and Brooks is over with the guys. He and Mia’s husband know each other – from college I think – and they’re talking about the old days. I watch as they laugh and drink beer, looking like nothing in the world could touch them.
That’s what money can do for you I guess. I had that feeling once, but I was too young to appreciate it. Truth be told, I’d have given it all up to save my parents.
My stomach tightens, and Brooks chooses that moment to turn and look at me, where I’m sitting in a camp chair, an undrunk glass of wine in my hand.
“You okay?” he mouths.
I nod and he turns away, saying something that makes Mia’s husband, Grant, laugh, before he walks away. But instead of walking to me, he walks over to the table where all the barbecued food has been laid out, and helps himself to a plate.
Nice, real nice.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not expecting him to wait on me. I can get my own food. I just… I feel weird. Sad, almost. Maybe I was getting too used to being taken care of.
Mia takes a seat next to me, letting out a long breath. “Man, it’s warm tonight. I’ve covered myself head to toe with bug spray but I swear I’m getting eaten alive.”
“Won’t it be the same in the yurt?” I ask.
“Nope. Cassie’s dad paid for some experts to come in. They sprayed the whole glade. Apparently they’re the same company that keeps Disneyland bug free.” She shrugs. “All I know is that I was a beautiful untouched canvas until now.” She scratches at her arm.
“I got you some food. You haven’t eaten all day,” Brooks says to me. I look up to see him holding out a plate. “No pork, because I know you hate it.”
I run a tongue along my lips. “You didn’t need to do that.” Now I feel like an ass and it’s all my fault.
He gives me a smile. “You think I’m gonna let my girl go hungry?”
“That’s so sweet,” Mia says. Then she shouts out to her husband. “Hey Grant, Brooks made Emma up a plate. You gonna let him out romance you?”
Grant shakes his head, smiling. “They’re still in the honeymoon phase,” he shouts back.
“Baby, we’re literally in the honeymoon phase,” she shouts back, scowling. “It’s been less than a year since you pledged your troth to me.”
“That’s the post honeymoon phase,” Grant tells her. “I got you food when we were actually on our honeymoon.”
“Only because you wanted sex.”
Brooks sniggers and our eyes meet, the action sending my heart into a little loop the loop.
“Thank you,” I tell him, taking the plate. “Want to share with me?”
Mia lets out a loud huff. “Seriously, you two need to stop being so damn sweet.”
“Sure,” Brooks says to me. So I stand up and offer him my chair. He sits down and pulls me onto his lap, my back to his chest. He picks up the fork and scoops some beef, and lifts it to my mouth.
“We’re doing the feeding thing now?” I ask him. “How old am I?”
“Just making sure you eat,” he tells me, then he lowers his voice. “I have plans for you later.”
“What plans?” Mia asks, frowning.
I laugh. But it melts away as I taste the beef. It’s delicious. My stomach gurgles loudly at the pleasure of the food. Brooks scoops up another forkful and I eat it eagerly.
“Dammit, I’m going to get my own food,” Mia says, standing. “Don’t you dare steal my seat,” she tells Brooks.
“Wasn’t planning on it. I’m happy where I am.”
I gotta hand it to the man, he’s a great actor. As soon as she’s walked over to the table I turn my head to look at him, ready to tell him he’s overdoing it.
“You all right, sweetheart?” he says in his softest voice. And I know he’s saying that as a reminder that we could be overheard.
“I’m fine, schnookums,” I say and he rolls his eyes. “Try some of the beef. It’s delicious.”
“I’ll get my own plate in a minute,” he tells me.
I huff and take the fork from him, deliberately scooping a lot of beef onto it, before lifting it to his lips. Two can play at this game.
Not that it’s a game, is it?
“It’s good,” Brooks says when he’s swallowed it down. There’s a tiny piece of food clinging to his lip. I reach out to wipe it away with my finger without thinking it through.
And then I lift it to my mouth. His gaze follows my movement, and I blush.
“Nice,” he murmurs.
I let out a breath.
“Okay, you two, when were you going to spill the beans?” Cassie says, walking toward us. She looks absolutely fabulous in a pale silver dress, her hair up in an intricate style and her makeup perfectly applied.
“Spill the beans?” I frown. “I’m not even eating any beans.”
“I’m not talking about actual beans,” she huffs. “I’m talking about the fact that you’re engaged.”
Everybody around us goes quiet. I swallow hard. “I…”
Brooks takes the fork and plate from me, leaning across me to put them on the ground. Then he curls his arm around me, squeezing my waist.
“You can blame me,” he says. Because we all know it’s not the proper thing to get engaged at somebody else’s wedding. “It’s completely my fault.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, because she looks so angry. “We weren’t going to tell anybody.”
“You’re engaged?” Mia says, walking back to join us. “How? When? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Tex told me all about it. Apparently it happened when he was taking them to their yurt. There are photos and everything,” Cassie says. She shows Mia her screen, then turns it to us. And there we are, Brooks and I, standing on the cliff. Or rather, I’m standing. He’s kneeling with a stunning view of Cassie’s dad’s Ranchlands stretching beyond us, as far as the eye can see.
I look at Cassie and she glares at me for a moment, before her eyes soften and she laughs. “Oh my God, you should see your faces.”
I frown. “Aren’t you mad at us?”
“Why would I be mad at you?” She leans forward to kiss my cheek, then Brooks’. “I’m delighted for you. You two…” she shakes her head. “You just look perfect together, like it’s meant to be. And now you have to let me be your maid of honor.”
“Hey, I should be their maid of honor,” Mia says. “They met at my wedding.”
I shift awkwardly. None of them are going to be my maid of honor. There won’t be a wedding. After next week, I’ll probably never see Brooks again.
“Oh, I forgot,” Cassie says, putting her hand to her mouth. “Word got around at dinner. That’s why I came down to warn you.”
“Everybody knows?” I say, exchanging a glance with Brooks.
“Yes. My mom was put out, but she’s over it now. I told her I didn’t mind at all. In fact I think it’s fabulous.”
I swallow hard.
“And Will was there, too,” she tells me. “I’m sorry.”
“Will knows?”
We should have just explained ourselves to the driver. I look at Brooks and he gives me a soft smile. I don’t know if he’s trying to make me feel better or trying to look like he’s happy we’re engaged, because we’re still pretending after all.
And now I know why they say lies are like a spider’s web. Every time you try to get out of one, they just wrap around you tightly until you’re they’re prisoner. The only way to get out of this now is to come completely clean.
If we do that it will be the end of friendships. And it will affect Cassie’s wedding. She doesn’t deserve that.
“Thank you for being so gracious,” I tell Cassie, my voice thick. Because I truly am grateful to her.
“You don’t need to thank me, silly.” She gives me a hug. “I’m just so happy for you both.” She gives me a pointed look and then smiles at Brooks.
He curls his arm around me and does that little brow kiss again. It feels so natural it makes my heart ache.
I know this is pretend. I know it’s just for a few days.
More than anything, I know I’m going to miss these little kisses and touches when they’re gone. But I can’t worry about that now. So I decide to enjoy them while I can.