Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
“Well, that couldn’t have gone any worse,” Britt lamented once they were inside the safety of Linc’s home.
Her momma had emerged from the bathroom before Britt managed to hustle Skye out of the house.
Of course, Lacey had immediately mentioned the wedding.
Skye was understandably shocked, but with Lacey right next to them, Britt and Linc had no choice.
They had to run with the same story they’d told her.
So now, Britt’s bestie thought she’d intentionally gotten married and kept it from her. Perfect.
“Sure, it could’ve,” Linc countered. Sometimes it was annoying how optimistic he was, especially when all she wanted to do was wallow.
“Since the girls showed up, we got to tell them together instead of having to repeat the story multiple times. And you know we don’t have to tell the guys now because, I guarantee you, Laurel, Em, and Jessa called them as soon as they left. ”
After Skye had found out about their marriage, she’d immediately texted the girls.
They’d cancelled lunch and hightailed it over.
Unfortunately, since Dex chose this one and only time to run late, they’d arrived before Lacey had left.
Since they couldn’t come clean in front of her, that meant Britt and Linc were forced to feed their friends the same lie: they’d secretly been dating and decided to get married in Vegas on the spur of the moment.
At least, the last part was true. The weirdest thing was that none of their friends seemed surprised. What the hell was up with that?
“We have to tell them the truth, though,” Britt decided. “I mean, they’ll figure it out eventually.”
“They will,” Linc agreed. “But we should wait to come clean until after Lacey leaves.”
Did she want to lie to her friends for that long?
Because you haven’t already been lying to them for weeks?
“Why should we wait?”
“Just to make sure there aren’t any slip-ups. I swear, your mom’s a bloodhound. She’ll be able to tell if they’re hiding something.”
“She couldn’t tell we were.”
“Because we weren’t,” Linc pointed out. “Not really. We did get married. The only thing we didn’t do was tell her how it went down.
Any weirdness she may have sensed, she chalked up to us having kept the marriage quiet.
That was a big enough secret for her to deal with. Why would she think there’d be more?”
“Maybe.”
“But if, say, Laurel started acting weird and Lacey called her on it, she’d cave. And knowing Jake, he’d tip her off just to be an ass.”
“He wouldn’t do that. Would he?”
“Probably not intentionally, but he sucks at keeping secrets. Better to not put any of them in a situation where they’d have to lie.”
He was right. She didn’t want their friends to have to lie for them.
“Okay. I guess that makes sense. So, what do we do?”
“Let’s get you moved in,” he suggested, lifting the suitcase he’d been carrying for emphasis. The one she’d randomly stuffed some clothes, her toiletries, chef’s knives, computer, and whatever else she happened to think of inside. You know, since they were apparently living together now.
She’d been to Linc’s place hundreds of times…
just never with a suitcase, and never after having slept with him.
She suddenly felt incredibly awkward. He’d been forced to let her move in with him, and now she didn’t know how to act.
Like, where did she put her stuff? Did he think that since they’d slept together, staying with him meant staying with him?
Last night was amazing, and hopefully there would be a repeat, but was she ready to actually share a room with him?
She wasn’t sure. Hell, before this morning, she’d never even expected to share a house with him.
“Why are you still standing at the door?” Linc asked.
Britt looked down at her feet firmly planted in the entranceway. He was waiting for her a few steps inside the living room.
She played with the zipper on her purse. “Um…”
“Move your butt, Zan.” He headed down the hall toward the bedrooms, and she had no choice but to follow. “Damn, this is the lightest your suitcase has ever been.”
“Hush up,” she said, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a smile.
They passed the guest bathroom before he paused between two doors, looking back to make sure she was following. The master bedroom was on the right, with the guest bedroom directly across the hall.
This was it. The moment of truth. She needed to tell him it would be best if she had her own room before…
Linc carried her suitcase into the guest bedroom and put it on the bed.
Oh.
Obviously, he’d never considered having her share his room, yet here she’d been preparing a mental PowerPoint outlining all the reasons why staying together would be a mistake. None of which she could actually recall at the moment.
Wow. Have one… dozen good orgasms and reality goes bye-bye. Was there an award for being delusional? Because if so, she’d just made it into the finals.
And from Louisiana, here’s “Miss What The Hell Were You Thinking?”
Just because they’d had sex didn’t mean they were in a relationship. Not a real one. Not one that didn’t happen while they were drunk, anyway. She needed to remember that.
“This okay?” Linc asked.
“Yeah, sure. Of course. It’s fine.”
He narrowed his eyes and frowned.
Britt widened hers. “What?”
“Four comments in the affirmative when you could have just said ‘yes?’”
She looked at the floor. The bed. The window. Anywhere except Linc. “So?”
He studied her a moment, then sighed. “Zan, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. Why do you think something’s wrong? There’s nothing wrong. Nothing.”
Oh, good Lord. Shut your mouth!
“Because you repeated the same thing four times,” he pointed out. “Again.”
“And? What are you? The grammar police?”
He walked over and took her hands in his. She had to make a conscious effort not to squeeze his fingers like a stress ball.
“No. I’m your best friend, and no matter how many times you say, ‘nothing’s wrong,’ I know there is, so spill.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong,” she overemphasized the last part. “Go to your room, and I’ll get settled in here.”
Why was she upset? She’d just told herself staying in a separate room was what she wanted, yet here she was pouting because he’d given her precisely that.
Releasing her hands, he stuffed his own into the pockets of his jeans and cocked his head, studying her. “Is that what this is about?”
“Is what what what is about?” Hmm, maybe I do need the grammar police.
The corners of his lips teased upward. “I thought you’d be more comfortable here than in my room.”
Not wanting to open her mouth and have something embarrassing come out, she stayed silent.
“You okay?” His gaze was so intense, she lowered her eyes. “You seem disappointed.”
Please tell me I’m not that transparent.
“What would I be disappointed about?” she asked, biting down on her thumb. Dammit, she hated how frail her voice sounded.
He pulled her hand away from her mouth, then trailed his finger along her jawline, making her shiver. All he had to do was touch her, and her entire body heated like she'd bitten into a ghost pepper. It was unfair how much he affected her.
“You tell me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.
” She was certain he wasn’t buying that the carpet in his guest room was as fascinating as she was making it out to be, but it was either stare at that or look at him.
And if she looked at him, she’d start blushing.
And if she started blushing, he’d know she’d been thinking about sharing a room.
“No? Then I’ll tell you.” He pushed the wave of hair that had fallen forward behind her ear. “I think you’ve been stressing about whether or not I’d ask you to sleep in my room.”
She swallowed.
Don’t react.
Distract yourself.
Um…
Is the carpet taupe or tan?
“I think,” Linc continued, rubbing a strand of her hair between his fingers, “that you thought I’d ask you to share my bed.”
Simply hearing those words had her squeezing her thighs together.
Lord have mercy.
Carpet! Color! Concentrate.
Um…
Caramel? Maybe it’s caramel?
“I think…” He let the hair sift through his fingers. “...that you wanted me to ask you whether or not you’d say yes.” He slid his fingers around the back of her neck and lifted her chin with his thumb.
When her eyes met his, air froze in her lungs. His pupils were dilated, and the look in his eyes was about as far from friendly concern as you could get. No, that gaze could burn through her clothes.
“But I didn’t ask.”
She jerked at the acknowledgement. When she tried to pull back, he squeezed the back of her neck and pulled her face to within inches of his.
“You need to listen to this part, Zan,” he instructed. “I didn’t ask, but make no mistake, I’d rather have you in my room and in my bed.”
“You would?”
A spark of sin flashed in his eyes. “I thought I’d made myself clear earlier, but apparently, I didn’t, so let me remedy that right now. I want you anywhere and everywhere you’ll let me have you.”
Holy shit!
One look from him, one sentence, and her insides turned molten.
“I didn’t want to assume you’d stay with me, Zan, but don’t for a second think I don’t want you to… when you’re ready for that.”
“And I’m not ready?”
“Since you’re asking me that question, absolutely not.
” Linc gave her a quick peck, then took a step back.
“The guest bathroom has a shower,” he said, like he hadn’t just told her he wanted to have sex with her anywhere and everywhere.
“So, if you want a bath, you’ll have to use mine.
The master bath is the only one with a tub. ”
The quick switch from steamy to innocent jarred her senses. Obviously, the sleeping arrangements talk was done, and she’d gotten the outcome she’d told herself she’d wanted. She should be relieved, so why was she having roommate's remorse?
Is that a thing?
“I know how you Southerners love baths.” He headed across the hallway and into his bedroom.