25
CASH
EVERLY HAS BEEN IN HIGH spirits since Theo stopped by our apartment last week. It’s been fourteen years since the three of us have hung out together, and it felt like old times. Since then Theo has texted me a few times, and even suggested we all go out for drinks once he gets back from his current business trip.
It’s Sunday morning, so I surprised Everly with a full-body massage at the spa on the second floor of the High Rise. It’s one of the many perks of living in one of London’s most coveted complexes. However, the penthouse apartment is the only one with a private gym, which is why I couldn’t resist buying it when it became available last year.
I’m finishing up a weightlifting session before meeting Everly downstairs when my phone pings. I set the barbell to the ground and retrieve my phone from a nearby bench to find that I have a text.
Presley: Are you awake?
Cash: No, I’m texting in my sleep.
Within seconds, my phone rings with an incoming video chat, Presley’s name popping up on the screen.
“Hey, Pres,” I answer, taking a seat on the bench.
She appears on the screen, lounging in bed, her hair tied in a messy bun. She’s wearing an oversized button-up shirt, which I assume belongs to Jack.
“It’s early in London. I’m shocked you’re awake,” she says.
“It’s the middle of the night in New York. What are you doing awake?” I counter.
“You’re such a smartass,” she remarks in a snarky tone. “One of Jack’s clients in Chicago has a critical issue with a multimillion-dollar project launching on Tuesday, so he had to spend his weekend helping them in person. I have an important presentation tomorrow afternoon, so I couldn’t go with him.” She pouts as she leans back against the headboard.
I chuckle. “That doesn’t answer my question.”
“We’ve only spent the night apart from each other a handful of times, and I can’t sleep without him here,” she admits.
I can relate. I’ve grown so used to sleeping next to Everly, and I don’t like thinking what it would be like if she wasn’t there anymore.
“I’m touched you’d call your big brother to keep you company,” I say, grabbing the towel next to me to wipe my brow.
“I would have called Dylan, but I’m sure he’s asleep, and Harrison’s likely up working late or on a call with a client overseas, even on the weekend.”
“Glad to know I’m your last resort,” I say wryly.
We both know I’m the one she reaches out to first when she needs to talk to someone.
“Honestly? I miss our daily phone calls.” She sighs. “Getting married doesn’t give you the right to disappear on me.”
“Oh, you mean like you did when you and Jack first got together?” I ask with a raised brow.
“What are you talking about?”
“Pres, when you two started dating, we didn’t talk on the phone for an entire month after you went back to New York.” I grab my sports drink from the ground and take a big gulp.
There’s silence on her end as she looks at me with a perplexed expression. “Okay, fine. I guess you’re right.”
“I’m sorry. What was that?” I cup my ear.
Presley shakes her head. “You’re so annoying,” she huffs.
“No, that’s your job, little sis.”
“It’s a good thing I take my job seriously then,” she quips. “Are you and Everly planning to visit Aspen Grove soon? Every time I talk to Mom, she asks if you’ve mentioned anything to me.” Presley goes out of view briefly when she leans over to grab a Chapstick from her nightstand. “She still seems upset that you didn’t invite us to the wedding. Honestly, I don’t blame her. We’re your family and should have been there. I wanted to see my favorite brother get married.”
I grin. “I’m totally telling Harrison and Dylan that you called me your favorite.”
“Go right ahead. I tell them they’re my favorite, too.”
I understand why Presley and my mom are unhappy about the wedding. They assume we eloped and chose not to invite our families. The truth is far less glamorous.
A sign of resignation escapes me. “Presley, I have something to tell you.” I take my baseball cap off and run my fingers through my hair.
“Oh my god.” Her eyes widen as she holds the phone closer to her face. “You cut your hair.”
I fidget with my bracelet. “Yeah, I did.”
“It looks so good,” she says.
“What? No jokes?”
She shakes her head. “Not about this. You seem more content, happier even. Like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.”
It’s like she can read my mind.
My scar is permanent, and I know some days I’ll still struggle with that reality. The difference now is that I’m learning to turn the pain into resilience and accepting myself for who I am.
“I do feel lighter,” I tell Presley with a chuckle.
“What does Everly think about your haircut?”
“She’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Well, sort of.”
Presley’s smile drops. “Please tell me it’s not bad news,” she begs, sitting up straight in bed.
“Depends on how you look at it. Everly and I got married on accident,” I admit, glancing down at the ground.
“What do you mean?”
“We hadn’t seen each other since high school until the weekend in Vegas. I saw her at the hotel bar and I invited her to hang out. After a few too many drinks, we spontaneously got married because of a marriage pact we made in high school.”
“Shut the front door.” Presley slaps her hand over her mouth.
“I was supposed to tell the family when we got to Aspen Grove, but I couldn’t when I saw how excited you and Mom were.”
Presley holds up her hand. “Wait, why didn’t you get it annulled if that’s the case?” Her eyes widen as realization strikes. “Does this have something to do with the Townstead acquisition?”
She might not work for Stafford Holdings, but she owns stock in the company, and Harrison keeps her in the loop on what’s coming down the pipeline.
“Harrison and Dylan confronted Everly and me before family pictures, and they advised us against ending things before the deal was finalized to avoid bad optics.” I wince at the admission.
“How could I miss all of that?” She shakes her head. “That’s what I get for making out with Jack in the bathroom instead of being nosy like Harrison and Dylan. But you should have told me later,” she scolds.
“Oh, come on, Pres. There’s no way you could have kept that from Mom. You might be good at keeping your own secrets, but you’re terrible at keeping other people’s.”
“If that’s the case, what makes you think I won’t call Mom right after this and spill the beans?”
“Besides it being the middle of the night? I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. And if you do tell, I know never to trust you with another secret.”
“Cash, that’s not fair.” She flops down on her bed, her head landing on the pillow. “You shouldn’t have told me.”
I arch a brow. “Weren’t you just scolding me for not telling you sooner?”
“Ugh.” She sighs. “Fine, I’ll keep my mouth shut. So how does this work? Are you and Everly supposed to get divorced after the deal is done? I know you better than anyone, and it’s clear that you care about her.” Her tone changes to one of concern. “I might have been a kid at the time, but I could see how much you liked her in high school. Plus, you’ve worn the bracelet she made you for the better part of fourteen years. If that’s not a foundation for true love, then I don’t know what is.”
“It’s complicated, Pres.” I rake my fingers through my hair. “I want to be with Everly, but—”
“Uncomplicate it,” she states, cutting me off. “You can’t let the chance of being with the one person you’ve always wanted fall through your fingertips.”
I raise my brow. “Since when did you become the relationship expert?”
“Since I was the first sibling to be in a serious relationship.”
“Yes, you’re so much wiser than the rest of us,” I mutter sarcastically.
“Naturally,” she chirps. “Now if only you’d take my advice and tell Everly how you feel.”
“Okay, I think it’s time for you to go to bed now.”
She sticks her tongue out at me. “You’re no fun.”
“I’m still your favorite brother.”
“Only if you and Everly stay together.” She smirks. “I mean it when I say you two could be happy together. Fake marriage or not. I mean, Jack and I started out fake dating, and look how that turned out.” She gestures around their bedroom.
“Yes, shacking up in a penthouse in New York. Mom and Dad are so proud.” I wink.
My mom is thrilled that Jack and Presley are living together. She only wishes they’d get married and give her grandbabies. But for now, she’ll have to settle for them being madly in love.
“At least we came clean about our relationship early on. Imagine how she’ll react when you finally tell her.”
If I can convince Everly to give me a real chance and agree to stay with me long-term, something tells me my mom will be okay with it.
“We’ll have to wait and see. Listen, I have to go, but I’m glad you called,” I say.
“Yeah, me too. Don’t be a stranger.”
“I won’t. Good night, Pres.”
“Good morning, Cash.” She grins before ending the call.
I tuck my phone in my pocket and head down to the spa to meet Everly.
She’s the person I want to grow old with, to create a lifetime of memories with. As far as I’m concerned, this thing between us should be permanent, but she has the final say. All I can do now is show her how much she means to me and that my future belongs to her.
The first step is figuring out how to tell my wife I don’t want a fake marriage anymore.
“Tell me again why we haven’t come here yet?” Everly says over her shoulder as I follow her down the hall toward the sauna. When we get to the entrance, we take off our robes and hang them on the designated hooks. She keeps the towel she took from the front desk tucked under her arm, and I open the door for her, motioning for her to go in first.
“Thank you,” she says.
As soon as we step into the sauna, I’m hit with a wave of intense, dry heat.
We’re the only ones here, and I follow Everly to the bench in the far corner. She’s wearing a bold red bikini that makes my mouth water. Her breasts spill out over the strapless top, and her high-cut bottoms hug her hips. I can’t take my eyes off her—she’s a total knockout.
And she belongs to me.
Everly settles into her seat and sets the towel down on the bench next to her. She leans back against the wall, her arms resting at her sides as her entire body visibly relaxes.
I sit next to her, scooting closer until our legs touch. Her skin glistens with oil from her massage, enhancing its natural glow, and the subtle scent of lavender and eucalyptus wafts through the air. The sound of her steady breathing fills the room. I’m spellbound by her alluring beauty as I study her heart-shaped face, pert nose, and pouty lips.
My hand moves to her leg, and her eyes fly open, accompanied by a soft gasp. I slowly trace my hand up her thigh in teasing strokes before slipping my hand inside her bikini bottoms, welcomed by her warmth.
“Someone could walk in here at any moment,” Everly warns, glancing toward the door.
She nibbles on her lip as I trail my finger along her seam.
“The idea didn’t seem to bother you when we were in the shoe store,” I remark, leaning across her to grab the towel she brought and drape it across our laps. “There. Now if anyone comes by, all they’ll see is a couple sitting side by side with a towel over their laps. It’s completely innocent.”
“That’s not—”
Everly abruptly stops speaking when I plunge a finger inside her. She clutches the edge of the towel, digging her fingers into the fabric.
“Fuck, you’re soaked, Ev.” I lower my mouth to her ear. “Does the idea that someone could walk in and catch us at any moment make you wet?”
She looks up at me, nodding as she swallows hard.
Her legs fall open for me, making it easier for me to pump my finger in and out in a steady rhythm while massaging her clit in languid circles. When I add two more thick fingers, her head lolls back against the wall, and her eyes flutter shut.
My movements slow subtly until my hand goes completely still.
Everly’s eyes snap open as she gives me a discontented pout. “Why did you stop?”
“Because you’re so damn beautiful, and I want to watch your reaction when you finally come undone for me,” I say, her entranced gaze locked on mine.
I move my fingers again, teasing in quick strokes, never going more than knuckle-deep. Everly puts her hand under the towel and grabs my wrist, urging me to give her the gratification she’s searching for. She squirms against me, and despite knowing full well her body is begging for release, I continue to draw out her approaching orgasm.
My breath quickens as I toy with her. The scent of her arousal mixes with the smell of the oil, and I welcome the taste of her as she brushes her tongue against mine.
We both freeze when we hear voices outside the sauna. My hand remains buried inside Everly’s pussy as we wait with bated breath. When the voices grow fainter, sounding more distant, I thrust my fingers deep inside her, angling toward her G-spot.
“Oh, god.” She breathes.
“It’s intoxicating watching you unravel, knowing there could be people within hearing distance.” She moans as I pump my fingers in and out. “Are you going to be a good wife and come on my hand?
“Fuck, yes,” she cries.
After a few firm strokes of her clit with my thumb, she detonates like a bomb. My cock becomes harder than steel as her orgasm rips through her, and tremors course through her body.
“I’ll never get tired of watching you come for me.”
Just like I did at the shoe store, I bring my fingers to my mouth, groaning as I suck them clean. Everly’s eyes widen as she watches me savor her essence.
“Delicious.” I flash her a wicked grin of satisfaction.
“Let’s go back to the apartment,” she says with a heated gaze. “What I want to do with you next can’t be hidden under a towel.” Her eyes sparkle with mischief.
“By all means, lead the way.”
I’d follow her to the ends of the earth and back again.