13. Posey
Posey
The music drifts out of the hotel, and Brent has me pressed against him as we sway together.
While I accused him of being too romantic, I can’t deny how much I’m enjoying this moment.
The reminders of home in the smell of the ocean, the swirl of the breeze around us, and the solidness of him, are a perfect combination.
Things I long for melded with the one I lust after.
He might be turning out to be better than I initially expected, but it’s still his body I’m interested in. Nothing more.
“I noticed Val disappeared from the dining room about the same time as you.”
“She followed me to the bathroom,” he says.
“And?”
“She tried to convince me that our shallow, dysfunctional relationship is actually the best thing for me for the next six years.”
I emit a low laugh and graze my fingertips against the nape of my neck. “And?”
“And then she stuck her hand down my pants, and I was, I will admit, a little tempted.”
“Little? Brent, you’re not giving yourself enough credit. If you were tempted, nothing about that was little.”
He spins me around, and I let out a surprised laugh before he dips me low. “When you put it that way...”
“Was it only the big guy tempted, or was Brent tempted too?” The idea of him going back to her sours my stomach, but I don’t know why. Whatever happens between us this weekend is temporary. If he wants to resume his shallow relationship with her, that’s up to him.
He sets me on my feet, and he picks up our discarded cups from the ground. “She thinks she can convince me. Next week she’s going to stop by my place so we can talk again.”
“Which body part is she hoping will spring to attention during that conversation?”
“In the past, when she pulled stunts like today, I’d be consumed with jealousy, and we’d get back together.
Or if jealousy didn’t win out, her persistence to get me back would.
” He grabs my hand, and he leads us back to the wedding.
“I’m not jealous this time, so she’ll hit me hard with persistence. ”
“Why would she want such a superficial relationship for six more years?” I don’t want any relationship, and I can’t imagine clinging so hard to someone based on sex and profit margins.
“She said we get what we need from each other.” We’re at the doorway to the banquet hall, and he stares into it. “She seems to enjoy the drama, and I’m just done with it.”
“She definitely put a lot of effort into making you jealous tonight.” After my boyfriend experience in high school, jealousy is my least favorite trait.
Chris was jealous of everyone I spoke to, every person I spent time with who wasn’t him.
Even now with my casual hookups, as soon as there’s a hint of possessiveness, we’re done.
Brent and Val going back for that over and over again is baffling.
“I’m no relationship expert, but from the functional ones I have seen, it’s about protecting each other, not possessing the other person. ”
“I would never claim my relationship with Val was functional or healthy. But it was fun for a while. Easy. Low stress and commitment.” He releases a sigh. “Which is exactly why she won’t give up when we get back to campus. She’s well acquainted with what works for me once I’m in training mode.”
The MC announces all the groomsmen and bridesmaids need to come to the floor for a dance. Brent kisses my temple before he takes his leave.
Natalie appears at my side. “Was he talking to her?”
“He was.”
“She convince him to take her back?”
“Not yet,” I say.
On the other side of the room, Val is running her fingers through Stephen’s hair while her gaze is glued to Brent on the dance floor. Her strategy hasn’t changed. She’s still hoping to make him jealous enough to cave.
“Do you think he will?”
“For his sake, I hope not.” There’s a funny twinge in my chest at the thought of him going back to her.
“You’re not tempted to extend your fling beyond the weekend?”
“Nope,” I say. “Boyfriends are overrated. He’d be a terrible one, anyway.”
“I used to think Sebastian would be a terrible boyfriend too,” Natalie says.
“What changed?” Brent is chatting to the bridesmaid in his arms, and our dance is still at the forefront of my mind. I’d gladly switch places with her.
“To me, he ended up being worth the risk.” Across the room, their gazes lock, and Sebastian grins. “No regrets.”
Their connection is palpable, even from a distance. The song changes, and on the dance floor, Wyatt and Ellie sway to the music, oblivious to everyone else. Wyatt appears to be singing in Ellie’s ear, and her expression is one of absolute contentment.
God, to be loved like that.
“May I have this dance?” Brent asks, appearing in front of me.
“I’m going to snag my own dance partner,” Natalie says while Sebastian weaves his way through the crowd to us. “Talk to you later.”
“Another dance?” I pretend his request is scandalous. “What will people think?”
He takes my hand and spins me onto the dance floor.
I laugh as I twirl into the center of the fray.
When we stop, we’ve carved out our own section of the floor, and Brent draws me close.
His warm hand settles over the bare skin on my back, and desire rushes through me.
Just like when we were outside, his proximity is enough to make me crave more intimate contact.
“I was thinking,” Brent says.
“I don’t know you well enough yet to determine if that’s a good thing or an ‘oh shit, here we go’ thing.”
“I have a proposition for you.”
“Oh,” I say, and I bat my eyelashes at him. “I like the sound of this.”
“I’m going to be very busy when we get back. My schedule is packed, but Val must have it tattooed on her somewhere. She always knows where I am.”
“Want me to guess where she tattooed it?”
“I’ve checked everywhere,” he says. “I’ve never found it.”
I smother my grin. His ability to free flow with my jokes is definitely a plus. “Let’s get back to the big P.”
“Proposition, not—”
“Penis, right.”
His eyes are alight with amusement when he gazes down at me. “Pretend to be my girlfriend when we get back. One week, two tops. I’ll give you my schedule—”
“Do I have to tattoo it on me? I don’t think that’ll work for me. Though I would be okay with you looking for it everywhere.” I give him an exaggerated wink.
He frames my face, and he kisses me, soft and deep.
His tongue dips into my mouth, but it’s prodding, not demanding, as though he’s coaxing me to give him more.
I rise onto my toes, seeking his heat, his pliable lips.
As I’ve come to learn, his kisses curl my toes and cause my gut to clench with longing.
I cling onto his biceps. Whether the kiss is for show or for real doesn’t matter to me. I just want more.
“As an incentive,” I say when we break apart, “that was a strong move.” I slide my arm around his neck, and he clasps my other hand in his so we’re dancing again. “You want to fake a relationship? Just for show?”
“For a week or two. At some point, Val will get tired of chasing me. She’s got some self-respect.”
From what I’ve seen, and from what I can still see happening on the sidelines, it’s very little. Her tongue is in Stephen’s mouth, but she keeps glancing our way. I’m trying not to notice her, but her over-the-top public display is making it hard.
“You’ve told me over and over again she’s not what you want. That you’re done with the drama. At some point, you need self-control,” I say.
“When I get busy with training, I get lazy in other ways.” He runs his fingers along my spine. “I don’t know that she’ll wear me down this time, but I’d rather not take the chance. A couple of buffer weeks is all I’m asking for.”
While I might technically be able to pretend to be his girlfriend, I’m not sure it’s a good idea. Boyfriends are a no-go for me, even fake ones.
“We don’t even have to sleep together if you want to keep it totally for show,” he says.
“What?” I rear back. “What would I get out of this if not your hot body?”
“My undying gratitude?” He chuckles.
“I’ll take both, thank you very much.”
“You’re in?”
Unease crawls across my skin at the ruse he’s proposing. I’ve never had any problem playing pretend with a guy before, whether that be role-playing or faking interest to get out of an awkward situation or feigning the big-O to stroke a so-so lover’s ego. I’m an expert at emotions that aren’t real.
“I’ll need to think about it,” I say. “I’ll tell you on the plane ride home.”
“We won’t be sitting together.”
“That’s what makes it exciting,” I say. “I get to keep you in suspense.”
He’s not the only one who’ll be in suspense.
I have no idea what I’m going to say on Monday.
Saying yes is risky, but I’m not sure I’m quite ready to let go of the fantastic sex either.
He said he’d be the best I’d ever had by the end of the weekend, and we’ve still got more than twenty-four hours for him to earn his medal.
“And I,” he says, “get to convince you my undying gratitude and my hot body are well worth your time.”
When I glance up at him, another butterfly emerges from its cocoon to flutter around my stomach.
My fear is that I already believe he’s worth it, and that’s terrifying.