CHAPTER 30 KAYLEE
Ben just gave me my second orgasm in the last hour (this one was with his tongue on his bed, while the first one was on top of the contract we’d both just signed on top of his kitchen table) when we hear his doorbell ring.
Buddy starts barking downstairs, and I’m lying naked in his bed as I make a feeble attempt at recuperation for more naked time with the man who really knows how to use his tongue.
He locates his Spiderman boxers and pulls them on then grabs a pair of shorts. Once those are on, he runs a hand through his hair. It sticks up everywhere, and that’s when he grabs a hat and pulls it on.
Backwards.
Holy cannoli, I think my ovaries just exploded.
“It’s probably just a delivery,” he says, literally clueless to the fact that he just made himself about a million times hotter when he put that hat on his head, and he was pretty damn hot to start with. “Or maybe my dad. He pops over uninvited all the time. I’ll get rid of whoever it is.”
“I should head home anyway,” I say, forcing my jaw shut and my eyes off him. I sit up and stretch, and his eyes fall to my chest. I giggle before I stand and start looking around for my clothes. “Kate will start to wonder what happened after she left the bar if I don’t get home soon.”
He nods and gives me sad puppy dog eyes as I put my bra back on and pull my shirt over my head. The bell rings again followed by knocking on the door to which Buddy responds by barking louder and adding in a few growls for good measure.
“I’ll meet you downstairs,” Ben says, bolting out the door to take care of whoever it is while I finish getting dressed.
Alone in Ben Olson’s bedroom…it’s a glorious feeling. And I’ll be feeling that gloriousness a lot more as soon as I move in next month after I get a start on being his fake girlfriend.
But for now, it’s back to reality…and back to figuring out what to do.
I bound down the stairs a minute behind Ben, and Buddy is still barking.
“Who was at the d—” I begin, and I cut my question off as I come face to face with my brother.
“Kaylee?” Jack practically roars. “What the hell are you doing here?”
My eyes bug out as they meet Ben’s, and that fucker maintains his cool with his damn backwards hat despite the fact that we’re freaking caught. We’ve barely even gotten started on this secret and Jack is already outing us.
“Why aren’t you wearing a shirt?” Jack asks Ben. His brow is crinkled as he tries to add up everything he’s seeing.
“Because I just got done banging your sister.” Ben shrugs flippantly as my entire world is flipped upside down at his words.
I choke on something.
There’s a vein in Jack’s neck that looks like it’s about to burst, and just as Jack opens his mouth to unleash his fury on Ben, Ben claps him on the shoulder. “I’m kidding, dude. You know I wouldn’t do that to your little sister.”
Shit, that was close.
I bend down to try to calm the still barking Buddy, and as soon as I gently scratch him behind the ears, he stops barking, though it nearly looks like he’s glaring at Jack.
“Have you spoken with your wife?” Ben asks.
Jack nods. “Yeah, she mentioned something about a fake relationship for the media, and I think it’s fucking dumb.”
“Thanks for your opinion,” Ben says. “Unfortunately, the complaint department is closed today.”
“I’m just trying to help him out with your near father-in-law and general public opinion,” I say. “You know what the press is saying about him.”
“And you know Calvin,” Ben adds.
Jack holds up a hand. “Dude, you know I’d put in a good word with Calvin for you.”
“I know you would,” Ben says. Buddy growls at Jack. “This dog has never liked your brother,” he says to me.
I lift a shoulder as I tap Buddy on the nose. “Accurate judge of character.”
We walk into the family room and Jack collapses on the couch where I once gave Ben a blow job. “I’ll ask again. Do you want me to put in a good word with Calvin?”
“I don’t think it’ll help, man. He was pretty serious about me fixing my image, and my publicist seems to think the way to do that is to show I can make commitments.
It isn’t about Calvin being mad at me, it’s about public perception and the wrong impression of who I am.
And as much as I enjoy my lifestyle, I’m getting to an age where it’s necessary to show another side. ”
“But you don’t have that side,” Jack says flatly.
Ben nods. “Correct.”
Jack turns toward me again as if he just remembered his question was never answered. “So what are you doing here?”
“Um…the contract for our agreement was here, and Ben wanted to give me a tour of his place,” I say, scrambling to come up with why I’m here.
“And I was just up in the guest room that’ll be my new room when we heard the doorbell.
” I’m not sure when I became a good liar but I’m glad I did because Jack isn’t easy to fool.
He wouldn’t be happy with the truth…that’s for sure, as evidenced by the neck vein that nearly popped.
“So why are you here?” Ben asks Jack.
“I came to talk you out of it. This isn’t you.”
“Yeah, I know.” Ben glances over at me. Something in his eyes changes a little when our eyes connect. I get the feeling that this hasn’t been him, but it could be him. For just a glimmer of a second, I think maybe he does want this…with me.
And as Buddy settles in by my feet, still positively glaring across the room at Jack, I think for that same glimmer of a second that maybe I do, too.
“I’m pool parties and first game fiestas and shithead shindigs, right?” Ben asks.
Jack’s brows pop up. “Shithead shindig?”
Ben shrugs. “My dad coined that one. I’m thinking maybe after we win the big game next season."
“I like it.” Jack makes a face as he nods approvingly. “But that’s my point. That’s you. That’s your brand. That’s what you’ve built your sponsorships on.”
“Yeah, well aware of all that, thanks,” Ben says dryly. “But Ellie argues that my brand is built on the joys of life, and why can’t I still experience joy and be in a committed relationship? You do…don’t you?”
Jack steeples his fingers and leans his elbows on his knees. “Yeah. I can’t argue with that. Still, though. She’s my little sister, and whatever the hell you’re doing…just remember that. Take care of her.” He turns toward me. “And what about you? What are you getting out of this?”
I’m quiet a long beat before I answer, and then I clear my throat and decide to level with him…
with the exception of the fact that this gives me unlimited access to my new fuck buddy.
“Well, he’s paying me, so there’s that. But beyond that, here’s the thing.
I was forced to declare a major my junior year.
I chose wrong. I don’t want to teach, but I feel like I’m betraying Dad’s memory if I don’t since he wanted it for me so badly.
I hate it, though. Ellie sold this as a fun little summer job, and I need something fun and exciting because, truth be told, I feel like I have zero friends since moving out here and I don’t even know if I want to stay in Vegas. ”
Jack sinks back a little at my words as if they knocked the wind out of him. He didn’t know any of that, which is what it is. He’s a busy guy, and I’m busy with work, too. Even though we live together, it’s not like we exactly sit down for daily heart-to-hearts.
His brows dip and he squints a little at me. “You think you’re betraying Dad’s memory?” he asks.
I shrug and bite my bottom lip to keep the emotions from welling over.
“Oh, Kay,” Jack says, and he stands and comes over near me. He kneels down and takes my hand in his. “Dad would be so proud of you. I’m sure he’d want you to do whatever it is that makes you happy, and if teaching isn’t it, then we’ll all work together to help you figure out what it is.”
I press my lips together. “Thanks, big bro.” I squeeze his hand. His words help, and his sympathy is appreciated, but it doesn’t really change the fact that I have no idea what to do if I’m not teaching.
But playing Ben’s girlfriend? That seems like the start to some sort of career I can work with.