Lucy continues.“You know, it’d help me out a lot if you’d tell me what happened between you two. That way I can tweak my acting skills to better fit you and our fake relationship.”
The idea of confessing to Lucy that I was once rejected while down on one knee for a woman is equivalent to crying during asappy romance movie. Wholly emasculating. Plus, I know I need to get Lacey out of my head. It’s notherthat haunts me sometimes. It’s her partingwords.
I don’t want to unintentionally hurt Lucy by giving another woman even an ounce of my attention. Not after I explored her body with my hands only hours ago.
I scan the reception crowd, my eyes flicking over the torch lights, pool, and white tables, before looking down at the woman still hanging on my arm, whose thumb I swear has roamed up and down a few times. She’s glancing at me with an exquisite expression, waiting patiently for my answer.
Of course, I deflect. “You have every single person here convinced we are a real couple and that you are fully in love with me.” I smirk, shifting my gaze to where her fingers mindlessly roam across my muscle. “Exhibit A. You’re taking advantage of this situation, aren’t you?”
Her entire face blushes, shades darker than her strawberry hair, which is styled half-up, half-down in big waves hanging loose down a long, baby blue dress with a half-open back. A silver belt cuts the dress at her waist, accentuating her curves. I move my hand to the showing skin of her back and gently run my fingers up and down it.
She shivers right as I imagine slipping my hand underneath that belt, tugging her closer to me, and picking up where we left off earlier.
“Pretty sure you were adamant about physical touch in front of everyone. I’m just honoring your wishes.” Though her blush is running deep, her shoulders are back, and she’s speaking in a sultry,albeit shaky, voice. The smile that crosses my face is as genuine as can be as I realize she’s fully captured my attention away from Lacey.
Interesting.
“Use me all you want, Lucy May. I’m yours for the weekend. What happens in Dasher Valley stays in Dasher Valley. In fact, I think I’ll give a hint to a drunk relative that they should want to see us kiss.” I wink, and she squeezes my arm while turning her upper body away from me. Unless I was envisioning things, I’m fairly certain she licked her top lip as she hid her face from my sight.
Heaven help me…
My brain is definitely back in the bedroom, discovering her body and mapping the inside of her mouth.
Dude. Cut it out.I shake my head clear and attempt to focus my thoughts.
I can talk a big talk all day long about how I want to respect and honor Lucy’s wishes. I can speak to the wind about how I desire to be upfront and clear with a woman that I’m not the committing type. But if the mesmerizing woman on my arm thinks she can get away with licking her lip like that in front of me after I give her permission touseme, she’s got another thing coming.
Lucy Spence is a flirt. She had never turned her charm onto me, but I had seen it in action as she had dated different men and had brought them into the office. I was starting to think it was a good thing she has never flirted back with me. I mean, honestly, how could I have resisted her?
Now that she’s started…
No. Control yourself, Stone.
Regardless of my attraction to her, my flirty personality, and the fact that she’s pretending to be my girlfriend this weekend, Lucy is still my employee. She’s still the woman I’ve seen crying in her office after a breakup, even if she didn’t know I was stalker-ish in my watching. Even though I’ve flirted relentlessly with her, I always knew she’d block my advances. It was fun. A game.
But now…
She’s flirting back.
We kissed. No, laid claim to each other is more accurate.
And I… Ilikeit.
Too much for comfort.
Maybe she’s right to worry. How do I go back to normal after this?
I clear my throat and gently remove her hand off my arm. “I’m going to chat with Jared and Lucas for a second. Why don’t you go see what Gracie and my sister are up to? Don’t let her ramble your ear off about her educational reform platform she’s running for office on. I know she did it earlier today before the wedding.”
She tilts her head and scrunches her nose, and I can see questions written all over her face, asking why I’m sending her off, but after a moment, she says, “Oh, okay,” and walks through a small crowd of drunk, dancing people before reaching my sister. It’s not until Stella meets my gaze from across the way that I realize I was watching Lucy to make sure she got over there safely and didn’t get bumped into the pool by some chance.
Any gentleman would do that, right?
Tugging at my white collar (I lost the tie the moment the reception started), I undo one more button, bringing my total to three.I walk around the opposite side of the pool to meet up with Lucas and Jared.
“‘Sup, Stone?” my brother-in-law says, drawing me into a hug and clasping me on the back. “Want a beer?”
“Sure, short stuff.”
