10. Aubrey
“Ipromise, no more Aubrey shit talk from me,” I said to Brodie.
He brushed his thumb over my bottom lip. “Better. That’s my good girl.”
The words and touch sent a shiver of delight through me. Online, it was fun. Word. In person, his actions carried more weight.
I didn’t want to fall into the realness of what was going on between us, though. I had a wedding to worry about. Family coming into town, several of whom would be almost as bad as Grandma. I didn’t have time to entertain relationship ideas.
So I pocketed the warm-fuzzies. For now. “We should probably get back.”
“Probably.” Brodie maneuvered the car onto the road again, and a moment later, we were on the freeway, heading home. “Holy… That thing’s still there?”
As I followed his gaze to the side of the road, I knew exactly what he was talking about. A local dealership had a billboard with headlights that actually lit up. The sign had been there for decades. “They change the picture of the truck at least once a year.”
“Still… Those headlights haunt my nightmares.”
I laughed. “What’s it like to have such boring dreams?” I was teasing. “Besides, that’s how you know you’re back.”
He glanced at me. “No. That’s not how I knew I was home again.” His tone had dropped an octave, and was instantly serious.
Was he talking about me? How was I supposed to respond to that? Glossing over it and moving on. Classic Oblivious Aubrey. “You know what they did finally get rid of.”
“I’ve seen a lot of things missing, but I assume you have a specific one in mind.” He navigated traffic easily, but also more aggressively than he had with Grandma in the car.
The perfect fiancé.
“Do you remember the old train station, and the hidden door away from the tracks?” I asked.
“The one that led to the underground tunnels?”
I grinned that he knew what I was talking about. “That’s the one. They sealed it up.”
“Aww. Bummer.”
“I know. Alys and I used to spend so much time down there. Hiding from the world. Talking.” Airing our trauma in a place only the walls would hear us. “Make out.” Wait. Was it a good idea to say that? Were there rules about talking about exes-who-were-still-friends with a fake boyfriend?
Brodie gave a light cough and surprise spread across his face. “You and Alys? In high school? But Deacon…?”
I’d never dated Deacon, though my obsession with him kept me from dating other people. Not Alys, though. “Not that long ago. A few years back. We gave it a try.” The sex was fun. But we both wanted to be the one who was romanced, and neither one of us was good at being the aggressor.
“But you’re still friends with her. Aren’t you? She was in your shop the other day.”
It was both fun and strange watching Brodie wrap his head around this. To me, it wasn’t a big deal or a secret. “Something you don’t get to see, spying on us from afar. More than half the town has hooked up with each other. You might be surprised at who’s dated who and is still talking,”
He shook his head. “I might be. Don’t suppose there are any pictures of you making out with Alys.”
“Are you kidding me?” I smacked his arm lightly. “You’re fantasizing about me with another woman? Are you going to imagine me with the guys I’ve been with, too?” I was being playful, but I also wanted him to know I had a past. It would suck to find out he was one of those guys who had a problem with that.
Brodie made a grunt that was a sort of hmm, maybe sound. “Honestly, I’d fantasize about you making out with anyone. I like the idea of watching you get off.”
Oh. I exhaled softly, and heat spilled through me.
“Especially if I get to make you come when you’re done with them,” he added.
Wow. The idea zinged through me, culminating in a pulse between my thighs. I knew he was a voyeur. It was part of what made our cybersex so much fun. He liked watching me from a distance, even if he was doing so with his ears.
And again, I didn’t know how to respond. That wasn’t me, and I didn’t like it. “I feel like we’re getting off-track.”
“You started it. Also, no, I wasn’t picturing you with anyone but me. She can’t have you.” A hint of possession slipped into his light retort.
I would argue that Onyx and Maddox wouldn’t let that happen regardless, but that wasn’t Brodie’s point. “Train station. Tunnels. Most of the entrances are closed off now. Supposedly there’s one under a pawn shop and another open in a bar basement, but even if we could get down there, I doubt the experience would feel the same.”
“I feel like a lot of memories don’t hold up to time. I’m glad you’re still you, though.”
“Same. I mean ditto? I mean…” I sighed.
Brodie squeezed my knee. His touch sent a rush of want through me, but it was also comforting. “I’m still me, too. Same person you’ve been talking to.”
“Good.” The longer I considered his words, the more they meant. I was thinking about this too much. Putting too much mental time into what was going on. Just because he’d put a ring on my finger, didn’t mean anything had changed. “I’m glad you came back. I’m glad you’re you, and also BW.”
One corner of his mouth tugged up.
“Speaking of things that haven’t changed, there’s still an Old Spaghetti Factory in Salt Lake. They have murder mystery nights.” We’d tried it a couple of times, but management had asked us very politely to not come back when Evie figured out immediately whodunnit both times.
Brodie pulled a disgusted face. “Nope. Never again.”
“Why not?”
“I went there with friends for high school graduation. We got wasted drunk, and that was where we ended up after. Regardless of what anyone tells you, tomato sauce in large quantities doesn’t come out of white. Especially with Mad Dog mixed in.”
Just the description was enough to make me ill. “You got drunk on MD 20/20? Ugh. Why?”
“We were high school students. We took what Cam’s brother would buy us, and he promised us we’d love it.”
“I don’t know if I should be disgusted or amused.”
Brodie laughed. “Amused. Please. There’s no other appropriate response.”
I joined in, and the memories hopped from one to another on the rest of the trip home. A long string of nostalgia that had me both looking back fondly on the past, and being glad it was in the past. When I let my guard down, things were easy with Brodie.
I shouldn’t be surprised.
When we reached Main Street, he parked in front of my shop.
I tugged his arm. “If you don’t have plans, come inside. We’ll keep talking.” This was my first free night since Sylvie arrived. It was only three now, but I was going to make the best of an open evening and enjoy some good company.
Not that Sylvie was bad. She had a specific focus right now, though.
And I was having a lot of fun with Brodie.
“My only plans are spending the day with you,” he shut off the engine and we climbed from the car.
“Is that weird?”
“That I like your company? No.”
I grinned. “That you don’t have anywhere else to be. Is it weird having no schedule?”
“Oh. Yeah, I’m not adjusting to that well.” His tone dropped.
I didn’t want to ruin the mood. “In that case, I’ll help keep you busy.” I grabbed his hand, and led him inside.
Clint was waiting on a stool next to the register.
My brain glitched, and I tried to be subtle about letting my hand fall from Brodie’s. I couldn’t say why except that Clint hadn’t reacted well when I told him about the engagement. Even when I told him it was fake.
He glanced down at Brodie’s and my hands, then up to my face again, his expression blank.
The awkwardness I’d felt earlier rushed back, amplified by a thousand.
“Hey.” Brodie’s cheer sounded weak. “How’s it going, Clint?”
“Same day, different shit.” Clint was cool.
“Sylvie wants me to choreograph her wedding dance.” I blurted out the words. “We were going to watch some videos…” I trailed off. That wasn’t what we were going to do at all. Why did I say that? I didn’t need to make up a story. Clint didn’t even ask what we were up to.
Clint raised his brows—his first hint of emotion since we walked in. “You could ask me.”
Right. Fuck. He used to do choreography, and the man had range. He knew so many styles and steps. “Can you help me make up a dance for my sister and her wedding? She wants simple-but-flashy.” I stopped myself before I slid into another unnecessary ramble.
Clint smirked. “I’d love to. Dee is staying over at a friend’s house, so I’m free right now if you’d like.”
He was never free during the week in the summer. What was I going to say besides yes? Not can we do it another night?
I should. I was about to spend time with Brodie.
“Mind if I watch?” Brodie asked. Were he and Clint staring each other down?
“Never have,” Clint said.
What was happening? “Great. Awesome. Go team.” I gave a fake cheer.
Clint reached between Brodie and I to grab my hand. “I do need to borrow you for a few minutes, first. We need to talk.”
“Right. You came by for a reason.” I let Clint tug me toward the back room, and looked over my shoulder. “Only be a minute or so,” I said to Brodie.
“No naughty stuff with my fiancée,” He called after us.
“With my wife,” Clint muttered so softly I wasn’t sure I heard him right. We stopped a little way into the other room, and he turned to me. “Is he serious?”
Probably more than I wanted to admit. “He’s playing a part.” But I knew better.
“Uh-huh. Real fast, your insurance company called me today, asking about our addresses. I tried to call you…”
I’d turned my phone off so Grandma wouldn’t bitch at me for calls coming in during lunch, and forgot to turn it back on. “Sorry. Hang on.” I pulled the device from my purse, and powered it up to find multiple messages. One from Clint asking me to call him back, and another from the insurance company saying for the policy to cover a stepchild, they needed to be my dependent. I needed to be living at the same address as Dee..
“Fucking…” I silenced the curse with a sigh.
“When are you moving in?” Clint teased. “But seriously, tell the insurance company you live with me. Have another bill sent there too if you need, and I’ll make sure your mail gets back to you.”
It was a good solution. Simple and straightforward, and I could keep having most things sent here, because it was also my business.
How many more things would come up around this? What else hadn’t we thought of?
Too late to go back. We’d deal with all of that when we got to it. “Are you sure you’re up for this dance thing tonight?”
“I’m positive. We’ll come up with something awesome. Brodie,” Clint shouted the name.
I winced and made a show of rubbing my ear.
He grinned. “Sorry.”
Brodie joined us in the back room, and for the next few hours, he offered praise as Clint and I worked our way through a variety of steps and combinations thereof. I didn’t realize how long we’d been at it until my evening employee poked their head in to tell me they were taking off for the night.
Even after that, we were going for another couple of hours. My feet shouldn’t be able to do this, but with Clint was easy. The longer he and I danced, the nicer it was to sink into the music and his arms. As he spun and dipped me, lifted and intentionally dropped me, desire built inside.
At one point, he whirled me away from him, then pulled me back in a spin, wrapping me in his arms, with mine crossed over my chest and my back to his front.
The pause in the room was audible, and when he dragged his nose up my neck, I was both shocked and wanted more. Clint followed it up with a series of soft kisses.
I’d ask what the hell? But I didn’t want him to stop.
Brodie cleared his throat loudly. “That’s my fiancée.”
Right. Shit.
“Fake fiancée,” Clint corrected him. “She’s my real wife.”
Oh, fuck. “So much for keeping it between us.” My retort slipped out without thought.
“I’m not going to hide this from him,” Clint said. “It doesn’t leave this room, though.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Brodie stared at us in disbelief. “We can’t get married if you’re already married.”
Were they fighting over me? “We aren’t getting married, so it doesn’t matter.”
Clint tugged me closer. Held me tighter. “That’s solved, then.”
“Is it?” Brodie asked.
“I’m not a toy for you to fight over and use.” I let a warning slide into my voice.
Clint let go of my arms, but moved his mouth to my ear. His hot breath brushed my skin. “You could be. You just have to say the word.”
Wait. How did we get from?—
Did I care?
Because what he said had my entire body dancing with anticipation. Not of course you are or anything like that. But you could be if you want…
Did I want?
The idea was terrifying. Telling someone do what you want with me. It also made desire pool in my belly and travel lower. And I trusted Clint.
Whatever happened next, his proposal had me turned on and anxious to discover. “Okay. Use me.”