How to Marry Your Frenemy, page 23
“What’s that?”
“Happiness,” Misha said.
“Yeah, that’s really funny,” I said.
“I think it’s great,” Misha said. “You both need it. Who cares?”
“Yeah, I know,” I said. “Who cares? It’s just sex. Really good sex. You think passion is good, throw in a little hate and… whew…”
“As long as you don’t fall for him, it doesn’t matter,” Misha said.
I laughed. “Yeah, like that’ll ever happen.”
I looked down at my desk and swallowed hard.
That will NEVER happen.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Jackson
“You slept with her.”
I dropped the weights to the floor.
They hit with a loud enough thud that everyone in the gym looked at me. Even the people listening to music looked at me.
I gave them all a wave which was a kind way of saying mind your own business.
Liam crossed his arms and leaned against the stone wall.
He had a grin on his face that was worthy of a punch.
“What did I miss?” Cole asked as he threw a towel over his shoulder.
“Where’s Lincoln and the other guys?” Liam asked.
“Don’t,” I said.
“What?” Liam asked. “This is huge news.”
“What is?” Cole asked.
“Jackson finally fucked his wife,” Liam said.
I gritted my teeth.
I stepped toward him and Cole moved between us.
He let out a small whistle and looked at me with the same grin as Liam.
“Is that true?” Cole asked.
“Why does it matter?” I asked.
“Look at his face,” Liam said. “He’s got sex written all over it. Worse yet, he’s got great sex written there. And he’s barely worked out. She drained him. She must have been working him all night…”
“Cole, I have to hit him,” I said.
“Jackson’s right,” Cole said to Liam. “You’re out of line with the way you’re talking.”
“I’m breaking his balls,” Liam said. “I’m his best friend. I’m allowed to do it.”
“Let me ask you something,” I said to Liam. “When was the last time you and Miranda slept together?”
Liam showed his hands. “You got me there.”
“Everybody good?” Lincoln asked as he approached.
Behind him came Dax, Finn, Gage, and Hudson.
We had the whole crew in the gym today. We basically took the place over.
“Everything is perfect,” I said.
“Jackson is enjoying the perks of marriage,” Liam said.
“And Liam can’t even get laid by his own fiancée,” I said.
“You guys are crazy,” Lincoln said. “Women…”
“They’re a beautiful beast,” Gage said.
“You going to put that one in a song?” I asked Gage.
He pretended to play the air guitar. “You never know. If it’ll sell, I’ll write it.”
“Come on, what are we doing here?” Hudson asked in his rough voice. “We’re acting like women gossiping over coffee. Who cares about who’s fucking who?”
“I like his thinking,” I said. “Thanks, Hudson.”
“I’ve got about five to go,” Finn said. “Then I have a meeting.”
“I was spotting someone over there,” Dax said. “She had solid C’s. Possibly D’s. You know how sports bras like to hide the goods.”
“The goods?” Cole asked. “What are you, a teenager?”
“Don’t get like that, Cole,” Finn said. “This asshole and his young charm bullshit works like I’ve never seen in my life.”
“That’s because every woman wants to be with someone else,” Dax said. “Me.”
We all started to laugh.
Liam pushed from the wall and kept smiling at me.
He was lucky he was my best friend.
I felt like putting his head through the glass window.
At the same time, I felt like putting my own head through the glass window.
Was it that obvious I was getting closer to Callie?
* * *
I put the bottle of cologne to my neck and tilted it.
I rubbed the bottle to the back of my neck and then around to the other side.
“You have to give me something here,” Liam said.
“No, I don’t,” I said.
I put my cologne away and took my bag out of the locker.
I slammed the locker and took a step before Liam blocked my path.
“Come on, Jackson. What’s the worry?”
“There is none,” I said.
“You slept with her,” Liam said. “It’s about time, right? You two have been going at it for a while now. The sex has to help ease that tension. And don’t tell me it wasn’t good. I’ve known you long enough to-”
“It was amazing,” I said. “Okay? I know exactly how to take care of her. She knew how to take care of me. And there was zero weirdness to it. Because we both knew it was for the sake of the marriage and the money.”
“So it was wild and guiltless,” Cole said as he appeared wearing nothing but a towel.
“Exactly,” I said.
“Goddamn, man,” Lincoln said as he ran a hand through his wet hair. “How long are you going to keep that going?”
“No clue,” I said. “I’m just going with the flow.”
“I bet you are,” Liam said. “That’s why you have no energy for the gym today.”
“Are you done yet?” I asked.
“You two should come out with Miranda and I,” Liam said.
Cole laughed. “Really?”
“Why not?” Liam asked.
“I think we’re good,” I said.
“A marriage is more than just wild sex,” Liam said.
“You’re not even married yet,” I said.
“And your sex life is already down the toilet,” Lincoln said.
“Hey, fuck you,” Liam said to Lincoln. “You have no idea what goes on between Miranda and I.” Liam looked at me again. “Come on, Jackson. Double date. Tonight. Just grab dinner with us.”
“Why?”
“Why not?” Liam asked. “Take her out on a date.”
“Why date her when he’s already fucked her?” Cole asked. “He gets to skip the boring stuff.”
“That’s a great point,” Lincoln said.
“Do what you want,” Liam said. “It would be a favor to me. Things with Miranda have been… stale. I could use the moral support.”
“You want me and my pretend wife to show up for moral support?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Liam said.
“You know what? I like it. I’ll be there. Excuse me, we’ll be there. Me and the old ball and chain, okay?”
Liam nodded. “Thanks.”
I patted his shoulder and walked out of the locker room.
Sometimes I really had no idea what Liam was thinking or doing. But if he needed me there for a dinner with his fiancée, then I would be there. I had never went out with him and Miranda because I wasn’t the type of guy to date.
At least this time, I could be there.
Now I just had to convince Callie to go along with me.
* * *
“Absolutely not.”
Callie walked from the kitchen and I stepped into her path.
She moved right around me.
I spun around and grabbed her perfect hips and pulled her back against me.
“Come on, sweetie,” I whispered as I lowered my mouth to her ear. “It’ll be fun.”
“How is a fake date fun?” she growled in a voice that made me want to rip her dress off and put her on her hands and knees on the floor and get behind her and…
“We can be over the top with the pretend stuff,” I said. “Make them feel uncomfortable. We can order the most expensive food and drinks and then stiff Liam with the bill.”
Callie turned her head and looked at me.
“No,” she said.
She kissed my chin and walked away.
She walked toward the bedroom and made sure to reach back and unzip her dress before entering her bedroom.
When she shut the door, I hurried through the apartment after her.
“Callie, just listen to…”
I grabbed the doorknob and twisted.
It was locked.
She locked me out.
She was getting undressed.
I couldn’t see her.
I made fists and put my head against the door.
“Are you naked right now?” I asked.
“Mostly,” she said. “Why?”
“You locked the door.”
“That’s because I’m not some dessert in a display case.”
“We both know you like the way my tongue tastes the dessert,” I said.
“That was weak,” Callie called out.
I grabbed the doorknob again. The door was still locked.
I walked away from the door and sat down on the couch.
My eyes didn’t leave the door.
When it opened, Callie stepped out in jeans and a t-shirt.
I gritted my teeth at the sight of her.
Her hips were made for jeans. And her chest was made for t-shirts.
“Are you pouting?” she asked.
“No. I wanted to be there for my best friend. He’s going through some stuff. And it would look good for us to be seen out on a date.”
“You get to sit there and talk to your best friend. And I get to meet new people.”
“You like meeting new people.”
“Only people who can make me money.”
Damn, she was beautiful and vicious at the same time.
“Okay. Whatever.”
Callie walked toward me. “Look at you right now. You don’t get your way and you turn into this.”
“I’m not turning into anything,” I said.
“Yes, you are, Mr. Pouty.”
I looked up at her.
She walked close enough to me that she bumped her knees into mine.
Then she slithered forward and climbed onto the couch, slowly straddling me.
My hands wasted no time in grabbing for her ass.
She put her hands to my shoulders.
“You really want me to do this, Jackson?” she purred.
My hands cut under her shirt and touched smooth, warm skin.
“Yeah,” I said. “It’s all for the bonus, sweetie. Right?”
“Right,” she said.
She lowered herself down and gently rocked her hips forward and back.
Just once and my dick set off like a goddamn tornado warning.
I tried to suck in a breath without her seeing.
I didn’t exactly like that I got so hard so fast because of her.
Callie half smiled.
There was no hiding my dick when it was hard.
She rocked back and forth again. “Somebody is happy to see me.”
My hands moved around to her sides and I stopped her. “You do that again, Callie, and I’m going to fuck you.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Are you here to tease me or are we getting down to business?” I asked.
“Everything between us is business,” she said. She leaned down and put her lips close to mine. “You really want to go out on a double date?”
“No,” I said. “But Liam asked. He’s my best friend.”
“So you’re trying to show me that you’re a decent guy,” she whispered.
“No. I just want to take you out on his dime and then bring you back here and fuck you all night.”
Callie let out a groan and moved her body in a way that was just…
My hands moved under her ass and I lifted her up.
My dick started to leak. Once again, she was going to turn me into a minute man.
“I guess we can go,” she said. “Are you going to give me your credit card so I can shop? That’s what a good husband would do?”
I took a deep breath, smelling her hair, skin, and perfume.
Just having her on me…
“Sure,” I said. “Anything for my wife. Get yourself something nice to wear. Look pretty for tonight.”
Callie laughed.
She moved her hands to my chest and pushed.
She popped off from my lap in a second and stood there.
My pants stood no match to my dick being mostly full, I was pitching a tent high enough for ten people to camp out under for a week.
“I don’t need your credit card, Jackson,” she said. “Remember something about me…”
“What?” I asked.
Callie leaned down and put her hands to the couch.
Her tits were right in my face.
Covered by her shirt… but still…
She lowered her mouth down to my ear.
“Remember this… I can always take care of myself on my own. I don’t ever need you.”
I curled my lip.
She made me angry and turned on.
She made me…
Callie laughed.
Then she bit my ear.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Callie
I danced on one foot as I hurried to the door, still trying to mess with my hair.
Jackson couldn’t just knock once. He had no problem bursting into my apartment any other time. But tonight he decided to just stand there and knock like a jerk until I answered.
When I opened the door, all I could see were flowers.
It was the biggest bouquet of flowers I had never seen in my life.
“These are for you, sweetie,” Jackson said as he stepped into the apartment.
I took the heavy vase from him and needed both hands to hold it.
I walked it to the counter and felt my cheeks turning red.
“This is over the top,” I said.
“You’re worth it,” he said.
I spun around and he moved right at me.
His hands touching my cheeks. His lips moving down to mine.
We kissed. Soft and quiet for moment.
When he broke the kiss, I swallowed hard.
“How was that?” he asked. “Making sure we have this down pat for tonight.”
“Um… yeah. Good. Sure. Very good.”
Jackson laughed. “Then again, Liam knows. I’m sure Miranda does too.”
“And you’re sure about this?” I asked.
“I never get to see Liam like this,” Jackson said. “I don’t do the dating thing.”
“Just the fucking, right?”
“What can I say… I like to skip to the best part.”
“Then why are we even going out?” I teased.
Jackson let out a loud breath. “Now if you start tempting me…”
I pushed at his chest. “Down, Jackson. I didn’t spend all this time getting ready just to stay home. Take me out. Make me feel pretty.”
I started to walk by him and he grabbed my wrist. “You are pretty, Callie. Whether you’re dressed up or down. Clothed or naked.”
I smiled. “Thanks.”
I shook his hold away and went to the couch and sat down.
My high heels were on the floor.
I mentally began to curse them.
I hated wearing them so much, but I wanted to complete the outfit.
Even if I was going out with Jackson, it was a night out.
A chance to eat some fancy food and drink some fancy wine.
Sadly, the last time I was out was the night I went to the strip club with Jackson and Vince.
This was a chance to look and feel like a woman.
Plus, Jackson wanted to do this fake marriage over the top? So be it.
The flowers on my counter looked more like a chunk of someone’s landscaping.
I shook my head.
It was going to fill up an entire trash bag to throw those flowers out when they died.
Which was the whole point.
Jackson loved to leave his mark.
And not just for one day.
I reached for the heels and sighed.
“Let me do it,” Jackson said.
“What?” I asked.
Jackson sat on the coffee table across from me and took the heels from my hands.
He grabbed my left foot and gently put the shoe on.
Him just touching me made me tingle.
Oh… fuck…
I swallowed hard.
He touched my right foot and I shut my eyes for a second.
He slipped the shoe on like I was Cinderella.
But then the story became very, very naughty.
His left hand was suddenly under my dress, sliding up my leg with ease.
I looked at him and he smirked.
You want to play this game? Try me…
I didn’t move.
His fingertips did the trick though. Between my legs… I felt it…
The urge. The need.
And just when Jackson was close enough to find out if I was wearing panties or not, I shut my legs on his hand.
He groaned. “Callie…”
“We’re going to be late,” she said. “Remember, this is your thing, Jackson. Your best friend. You begged me.”
I leaned forward and grabbed his arm.
He hung his head as I stood up and walked away.
I loved teasing him like that.
* * *
Jackson pushed my chair in for me before taking his own seat.
“Liam, Miranda, this is Callie,” he said. “This is my beautiful wife.”
“Callie, the wife,” Liam said with a smile.
He was cute as hell. Not quite as rough and tough as Jackson, but he had bright blue eyes that could most definitely steal anyone’s attention.
“Callie,” Jackson said. “This is Liam. Anything bad about me I learned from this guy. And next to him is his fiancée, Miranda.”
“Hello, Jackson,” Miranda said in an icy tone. She looked at me. “You’re really married to him?”
I showed her my ring. “Real as can be.”
“But not real, right?” she asked.
“We’re married,” Jackson said. “Nothing else matters but that. Let’s drop the subject.”
