Chapter 15 Best Friends #2
“Hush!” he barked. “You’ll take it.”
I did my best to relax.
“I don’t like you going out with him,” he growled. “Everybody will think you want him.”
He jabbed his cockhead into my throat over and over, but I managed not to choke.
“But you’re mine.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“I have a new rule for you.”
I gulped his precum and inhaled through my nostrils quickly before he cut off my breath with his next thrust.
“If you ever fuck another omega, he will have my cum in his ass.”
I moaned at the idea. I was so on board.
“You like that, hm?”
He grabbed my head with both hands and sped up, jackhammering my open throat. My stomach tightened in protest, but my cock throbbed.
“That’s it. Eat my cum.”
I swallowed everything, down to the last drop. The tension bled away, and Terry sighed contentedly. He softened his grip, then he carded his fingers through my hair with sudden tenderness. He caressed my swollen lips and smiled at me.
“Tonight, when we get back, I want you ass up on the floor, begging for my dick.”
I kissed his palm.
“Yes, alpha.”
“How come you’re getting so submissive with me?” His question held no judgment, only curiosity and maybe even a hint of desire.
“I don’t know.” I honestly didn’t. I just did what felt right, and my dragon seemed to be most content lying curled up at my mate’s feet. “I like feeling like you own me.”
“I’ve tamed the beast, huh?”
“Maybe? But I can go wild for you.”
He smirked. “I know. Now come, we’ll be late.”
Terry had discussed tonight’s outing with Kim, my new bodyguard. I hadn’t paid much attention. I’d promised Terry I’d do what they told me, and I would deliver on my promise.
Kim dropped us off and went to wait for us at a hotel lobby in the opposite building. A concierge wearing a tuxedo met us at the restaurant’s entrance.
“Mr. Courtemanche. Welcome, sir.”
“Good evening. I believe we have a reservation.”
The concierge bowed his head. “Mr. Olivier is already here, sir. Allow me to accompany you.”
We followed him through the dimly lit room, meandering among private booths shielded by strategically placed greenery.
“We have reserved places at the bar for Mr. Olivier’s security detail,” the concierge told Terrance. “You’re most welcome to join them, sir.”
“I need to be able to see my client and his immediate surroundings,” Terry said.
“Of course, sir. Mr. Olivier stipulated the same condition. We have chosen a table for you accordingly. It’s less private but allows you to intercept anyone who might approach Mr. Olivier and Mr. Courtemanche during their dinner.”
We rounded another corner, and the space opened. The concierge gestured to a table where a slim omega sat with his back to us. Terry nodded at me and walked off to the bar, situated only a few steps to the left.
“Good evening, Paris. I apologize for being late.”
To my surprise, Paris stood to greet me. He offered me his slender hand. “Hello, Lothair. You’re not. I was early.”
I saw him glance toward the bar and followed his gaze. Terry greeted an enormous, barrel-chested alpha whom I vaguely recognized. Had he been at Paris’s side the last time we met? Probably. He was built like a tank. They settled on high barstools, facing the room.
“Your guy?”
Paris smiled wanly. “Yes.”
Terry leaned with his elbow on the bar, glancing at me and then gazing somewhere behind me. He looked so handsome in his preppy jacket, white collar, and icy-blue tie, which matched the color of his eyes.
Our server appeared, and Paris ordered a bottle of champagne. We both scanned the menu. There were no prices, but I was getting used to that.
Paris began talking about Caspian and an upcoming project of his, and I smiled and nodded in the right places. He was clever and, frankly, the most beautiful omega I’d ever met, but more often than not, my gaze strayed to Terry.
He and Paris’s giant drank what looked like soda water with lemon. They didn’t talk. Terry briefly checked something on his phone and gave me an infinitesimal smile when our gazes met for a split second.
“I’m relieved,” Paris said loudly.
I blinked, refocusing on his impeccable features.
“Sorry. You were saying?”
“I said I was relieved. I’d expected you to proposition me or at least flirt with me by this point.”
Paris was still eating his first course, somehow managing to cut the tiny portion into microscopic pieces.
I eyed my empty plate. What was the right answer here? “I…thought this was a business transaction. You are by far the most attractive omega I’ve ever spoken to, but I didn’t get the impression that sexual advances would be welcome. I wouldn’t want to bother you.”
He set his fork aside and dabbed his lips with his napkin. “Your attention has been more on your bodyguard waiting by the bar than on me. You’ve been ignoring me so consistently; I find it refreshing.”
I jerked back in my seat. I’d fucked up, hadn’t I? Tonight was an opportunity, the most important networking moment of my life. Instead of giving Paris my undivided attention, I’d been ogling Terry’s thighs in those slacks.
Grovel, dude. Grovel hard.
“I’m so sorry, Paris. I’ve been terrible company tonight. I have no excuse for my behavior except that my confidence might have been rattled more than I’d admitted even to myself. Please accept my sincere apology.”
Paris’s expression remained neutral. He didn’t look annoyed with me. Yet. “The accident must have been traumatic. Your bodyguard was there, I believe.”
“He was following me in his car when I was attacked.”
“Do you know who did it?”
“Not yet. Could have been an overeager fan. The police are handling it, so I’m trying not to dwell on it.”
“See, I want to believe that the accident is the reason for your erratic behavior.” He smiled sweetly. “But I also think you sucked a thick cock just before you met me tonight.”
The champagne went down the wrong pipe, and I coughed. I picked up a napkin and muffled my hacking in it.
“Am I right?” Paris asked when I calmed down enough to breathe.
I opened my mouth, but he lifted his perfectly manicured finger. “No lies.”
“I’ve been distracted for multiple reasons,” I said, hoping to sound diplomatic. “Um. How did you come to your conclusion?”
“Swollen lips, dry at the corners, which could have had multiple causes. But you just confirmed my guess was right.”
I rubbed a hand down my face. I was pretty sure groveling wouldn’t help. Paris was way too smart for that. “You deserve better.”
He nodded pleasantly. “I agree. But here’s the deal. I don’t want anything romantic or sexual to happen between us. Your being more into your alpha bodyguard than into me suits me perfectly.”
He sounded excited for some reason. My mind reeling, I could only ask, “Why?”
“You can help me as much as I can help you.”
“You want to fake date me for press? I mean, thank you for the compliment, but you’re way out of my league. I’d be the one gaining more from the attention.”
Smirking, Paris finished his glass and moved it across the table toward me. I refilled it from the bottle in the bucket. “You need me to improve your image and to gain contacts.”
“My manager and Caspian think so. It wasn’t my idea.”
“I know. You’re not the strategic type.”
“Should I take that as an insult to my intellect?”
“Oh, not at all. I like your honesty.”
“I’m still waiting for you to explain what use I am to you.”
The server appeared out of nowhere and took our plates.
Paris leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, supporting his chin on his fist. It made him look boyish and endearing, which he must have known.
“I think of the interested public as a ravenous beast, and the press is the beast’s toothy mouth.
We need to feed it. It’s always hungry, and when we deny it food, it attacks and feasts on our flesh. ”
“That’s a…grim picture.”
“As a man in the spotlight, you need to feed the public. Truth, lies, stunts—it doesn’t matter what, but something needs to be going on and getting talked about all the time.
If we’re inactive and don’t say or do anything, the beast will attack.
It will invent lies, dig into our pasts, and spread conspiracies.
Just like what happened to you only a few days ago. ”
“You’re saying to just give them what they want?”
Paris waved a dismissive hand. “Oh, they have no idea what they want. We give them what we want. The monster gets fed, but we remain whole.”
The metaphor was getting a bit too convoluted for me. “I’m not sure I’m following. Do you want to fake date me or not?”
Paris straightened in his chair. “This is the deal. We’ll be seen with each other at events and occasions like this one.
No PDA, and no romantic getaways. There will be speculation about our romantic involvement, which we’ll steadily deny whenever asked.
After a few weeks, depending on the atmosphere, we’ll begin saying we’re close but platonic.
I’ll speak of you as the older brother I never had.
We’ll be publicly supportive of each other and tease each other on social media with cute jokes—I’ll have someone from my team send you a posting schedule until you get the hang of it.
You could even attend my family barbecue next month.
Whenever we’re asked about whether we’re dating, we’ll gush about what great and wholesome friends we are. ”
As he spoke, a smile spread on my face, wide and gleeful. I was in awe of this man.
“We’ll edge them ad infinitum,” I said.
He lifted his champagne glass in a cheers gesture.
“Paris, you are a genius.”
“Now. In order to become true best friends, tell me. How is he in bed?” He casually pointed at the bar where Terry was sitting.
“Terry? Amazing.” I waggled my eyebrows. “I’m addicted to his dick.”
Paris snickered at my reply. “I always thought of you as an aggressive top until I saw you at the premiere with him whispering into your ear. The expression on your face told me what I needed to know.”
“Am I that obvious?”
“No.” He winked. “I’m that observant.”
I leaned forward, my earlier nervousness gone. Now that I knew where we stood, I could even have fun with Paris. “You’re right. Terry has me wrapped around his little finger.”
Paris put his hand on his chest. “Aww. That’s sweet.”
“Do you sleep with your bodyguard?”
He lifted his chin, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “No. He sleeps on the floor at the foot of my bed.”
I laughed out loud. He was joking, wasn’t he? “You’ll be the best friend I’ve ever had. I can see it already.”
“Wonderful. Ready for the main course?”
In the car on the way back, I reached for Terry’s hand. To my relief, he took it and smiled at me.
“How did it go?” he asked.
“Very good. I was distracted, but he didn’t reproach me for it.”
“What’s the expectation? Are you going to pretend to date him?”
Was Terry so generous he’d accept that? Luckily, I didn’t have to ask for anything like that from him. I squeezed his hand. “No. We have a better plan.”
“Oh?”
“A great plan. You’ll love it.”
“Tell me.”
“I’m his best friend.”
Terry raised his eyebrows at me. “Explain.”
“We’ll pretend to be the most wholesome friends in the entire city of Ardaine. There will be speculation about our involvement, but we will never confirm it.”
“Why is that better?”
“It’s less of a lie for starters. I don’t have to feel like I’m cheating on you, and Paris doesn’t have to relinquish his proud single status.
But the connection between us will add adventure to his media profile.
I think he’s afraid his public image is getting boring.
I can spice it up for him with a few shenanigans. ”
“Huh. That’s clever.”
“He’s smart. You’ll like him. We’re invited over to his place for a party in two weeks.”
“We are?”
“Um. He knows about you.”
Terry’s eyes got big. “What?”
“He guessed we were involved, and I didn’t try talking him out of it.”
“Huh.”
“Apparently, I react to you in a way that he noticed.”
Terry smiled softly at me. I eyed Kim in front of us, who seemed to be fully focused on driving. He knew we were mates, so I didn’t have to be shy around him.
I leaned in for a small kiss.
“Terry, will you mind if we still need to keep our relationship secret from most people?”
“I haven’t told my family yet.” He looked down at our intertwined hands. “I only called my pops today.”
“Your great-grandfather? What did he say?”
“He was happy for me. I’m supposed to say hi and welcome to the family.”
The prospect of meeting Terry’s folks made me slightly nauseous. “Thanks.”
“I’ll tell everyone. I’m not ashamed of you. But they’ll make a fuss.”
“I can only imagine.” How many people counted as Terry’s closest family? Thirty? Fifty? I didn’t even have that many contacts on my phone. “You don’t have to rush the announcement on my account.”
Terry lifted an eyebrow. “You’re scared shitless, aren’t you?”
“Of your family? Nooo…” I shook my head vehemently, and he laughed.
“We’ll take it slow,” he said. “And I’ll gladly avoid any public attention for as long as I can.”
Yes, he was going to hate living in the limelight.
Sooner or later, I would drag him into it whether I wanted to or not.
Could I just quit? Say screw it and go hide somewhere on a remote farm and let the public think I’d gone to rehab or something.
We’d still need security, at least in the beginning.
How long would it take to run out of money?
How profitable was farming these days anyway?
Then Terry lowered his voice, dispersing my gloomy thoughts. “Remember what you’re supposed to do when we get home?”
I’ll go prep and then bend over for you like an omega in heat.
I would have said it out loud, but Kim had shifter hearing, and I didn’t want to make the poor man uncomfortable. “Yes, alpha.”
Terry chuckled. “It’s slightly ridiculous when you say it wearing that arrogant smirk of yours.”
“You love it.”
He stroked my thigh teasingly, his fingers brushing the inside.
“I do.”