Chapter 15 #2
Oh yeah. I should say hello. I take a deep breath, forcing a smile on my face as I hold my hand out to Bennett. He shakes it weakly.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I say with a husky voice.
“I’m going to be your Friar Lewis,” he blurts out.
“Laurence,” West corrects smoothly. He looks down at me. “Like Romeo and Juliet.”
Bennett beams at me like he’s just been introduced to the Queen of England. “Your story is so romantic,” he says, eyes shining. “West told me everything. About how you’re soulmates and how you ache when you’re apart and how he can’t live without you—”
I blink. Hard.
West makes a low sound in his throat – something between a laugh and a warning – and presses a kiss to my temple. His lips linger there, warm and annoyingly sensual.
“I haven’t told him everything,” he murmurs. “Just the important pieces.”
His hand slides down my waist like he owns me, like this is just another night of domestic bliss and not the start of a very weird fever dream. I stiffen on instinct, but then I catch his look. The warning in it. The plea.
Fine. I’ll play along.
I lean into him, wrap my arm around his back, and rest my head against his shoulder, praying I don’t smell like bonfire, sweat, and anxiety.
Bennett sighs like he’s watching a Hallmark movie in real time.
“Baby,” West says, kissing me again. I shoot him a look, because he really is laying it on thick. “Do you think we should take Bennett back to our house?” He inclines his head toward the door. “Before your brothers decide to come up and offer to castrate me.”
My stomach drops. Damn, if Hudson or Asher walked in here now, I’m not sure I would survive it.
But then another thought occurs to me. A really, really awful thought.
“Oh,” I say quickly, widening my eyes at him. “That’s… really not a good idea.”
West frowns like I’ve pissed in his cornflakes. “Why not?”
I shoot a warm smile at Bennett then turn my gaze back to West. “Actually, honey,” I whisper, “Can I speak to you in private?” I’m practically simpering as I speak. “There’s… a thing I need to tell you.”
West lets out a grunt like he’s not at all happy about this. But still, I know I’m right so I tug him toward the hallway, the fingers of my good hand digging into his bicep.
Okay, not quite digging. More like bouncing off. Ouch, is there metal in his arm instead of muscles?
I push open the first door we come to – Hudson’s library – and close it behind us. West visibly changes as soon as we’re alone. That soft look, those touchy feely hands, they all disappear in a heartbeat. Replaced by an expression that looks so out of place on him it takes me a minute to work out.
Panic.
“Shit.” He shakes his head. “I can’t believe this.” His eyes widen. “Why did you pull me away? You know we have to take him home. We can’t trust him to behave in the hotel. Or not to say anything. You saw how chatty he is.”
I let out a breath. “I know. But West… your house. It’s completely unprepared. We have separate rooms. There’s no sign that we’re a couple. Not even a photograph of our wedding.”
He blinks, my words sinking in. “Can’t we just tell him we’re keeping up the charade at home in case your brothers drop in?”
I roll my eyes at him. “You’re supposed to be in love with me. My soul mate. The man who can’t keep his hands off me in private. Does that scream separate rooms to you?”
He grimaces. “No. Shit.”
“Then we need to persuade him it’s real,” I point out.
He tips his head to the side, studying me for a moment. “And how do you propose we do that?”
“Well, staying in separate bedrooms doesn’t exactly look like we can’t keep our hands off each other.”
His brows lift. “Are you suggesting we sleep in the same bed? Together?” The way he says it, low and deep, sends a shiver down my spine.
“I’m suggesting we make it look like we’re actually a couple. Photos. Clothes in the same drawers. My toiletries in your bathroom.” I take a deep breath. “And yes, sharing a bed.”
West moves before I can blink, bracing one arm on the door behind me, caging me in. “You’d have to sleep with me,” he points out.
My muscles tighten. Shift. “Shut up.”
“As in fall asleep,” he corrects. “Are you really willing to do that?”
“What choice do we have?” I ask him. “We both have things to lose.”
“Yeah, but I have more. And you know, if this comes out, I’ll tell Hudson and the others it was all my fault. I’d never let you take the fall.”
The way he says it, so softly it sends a shiver down my spine, is enough to make up my mind.
“You married me because I was being an idiot. It was my fault.”
He runs his thumb along his jaw, his other arm still caging me in.
“Can we get away with it?” he murmurs. I’m not sure if he’s thinking out loud or wants to know what I think.
I look up at him, my heart beating faster. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”
He blinks. We’re so close I can feel the heat radiating off him. And then I break the tension by pushing lightly at his chest. “Come on. We’ve got a house to fake-marital-blissify.”
His lips quirk. “Is that a real word?”
I shrug. “It is now.”
We’re halfway to the kitchen when it hits me. “Wait! What excuse are we going to tell Bennett? About why he can’t stay with us tonight? We can’t tell him the truth.”
West doesn’t even break stride. “Don’t worry. I’ve got it covered.”
That should concern me more than it does. But I’m in a hurry to get this over with so we can get back to the house.
We walk into the kitchen like a united front, West holding my hand as though he can’t bear not to be touching some part of me. Bennett’s sitting exactly where we left him, looking awed by his surroundings. Like he’s stumbled into the real-life version of his favorite soap opera.
West claps a hand on his shoulder. “Bennett, my man. Change of plans. You’re going to spend tonight in my old apartment at the Grand Liberty Hotel.”
The kid frowns. “Wait. Why? I thought I was staying with you.” He sounds disappointed.
West’s tone is casual. Almost apologetic. “Yeah, we were going to take you back, but Eden just told me something important.”
My stomach tightens
“What?” Bennett asks.
I’m wondering the same thing myself. Because whatever it is, it better be convincing.
West slides his arm around my waist again. “She just took a test. She’s ovulating.”
I make a choking noise. What the hell? I look up at him, but he keeps going, undeterred.
“Tonight is... critical,” he murmurs to Bennett. “Remember what I said? If I can get Eden pregnant, our marriage won’t be an issue. Her brothers will have to accept me.”
“Pregnant,” I echo, feeling faint. Because I thought he’d tell Bennett the guest room shower was broken or something.
Bennett’s mouth opens. Closes. “You mean you’ll be... baby-making?”
“Absolutely fucking rampant baby-making,” West says, straight-faced. “Walls may shake. Headboards may crack. Eden will likely scream. Multiple times. We didn’t think it was fair to subject you to that kind of trauma on your first night.”
My eyes widen. I’m somewhere between hysterical laughter and a scream. Why am I suddenly feeling so hot?
Bennett must feel the same, because he flushes crimson, eyes wide with a mix of horror and awe. “Right. Yeah. Totally. I can stay at the hotel. That makes total sense. Zero questions. None.” He stands up, grabbing his bag. “So ah, yeah. You should go, do that. Have fun.”
West nods solemnly. “Good man.” Then he winks at me. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s take Bennett to the hotel and get you home. We’ve got work to do.”