by Kennedy Fox
We’ve talked so much and dug into some deep shit, it almost feels like it’s been over a week since we started sharing details about one another. I like knowing more about him. It makes me feel confident that we’ll look like a legit couple to my family.
“Lennon.” Hunter’s voice has me jumping out of my skin.
I turn around with my hand over my racing heart. “Shit, you scared me.” I didn’t even hear his footsteps behind me. He’s holding his beer in one hand and brings over my bottle of water I left in the living room.
“Sorry, I said your name a few times, but you must’ve been in your head again.” He flashes me a smirk, then hands me the water. “Wasn’t sure if you wanted this or not.”
My shoulders fall, and I grin. “I’m fine, but thank you. Baby’s already using my bladder as a trampoline, though.”
His brows shoot up to his hairline, making me burst out into laughter. “You can feel that already?”
I shrug, uncertain. “I don’t know, but lately, I have to pee once an hour.”
“That’s gonna be a fun plane ride for you.” He snickers. “Good thing it’s not a long flight.”
“Right.” I sigh. The anxiety about telling my parents hits me. Hopefully after the initial surprise, they’ll be supportive and won’t ask a million questions even though we’re preparing for it.
“My nerves are gonna be shot anyway,” I admit, lowering my eyes, then turn back around to my lists and notecards.
“Well, you won’t be alone, so try not to stress too much,” he tells me, and I feel him behind me. The guilt of what he’s agreed to eats at me, though, I try to push it away. Hunter wouldn’t be doing this if he didn’t want to, but because he’s so willing has me wishing I could repay him someday for what he’s subjecting himself to.
“I’ll try,” I say softly.
Hunter walks back into the kitchen, the fridge door opens and shuts, and then he’s by my side again.
“Lennon.”
“Huh?”
“You said you had a weird request before,” he reminds me. “What was it?”
“Oh, um…” A blush rises to my cheeks. “It’s nothing. Never mind.”
“C’mon,” he urges. “You know I won’t say no.”
That has my lips tilting up a bit. “It’s too much right now. Forget it.”
Hunter sets down his beer, grabs my shoulders, then makes me face him. He gazes into my eyes and gives me a pointed look that tells me he’s not going to drop it. “Ask me.”
My breathing picks up, and nervous butterflies form in my stomach as I look at the man who’s going to be my fake husband for who the hell knows how long.
Sucking in a deep breath, I release it slowly, then nod. “Okay, but you can say no if you want.”
Hunter drops his arms and crosses them over his chest. “Sure.”
His tone lets me know that won’t be the case.
“I don’t know how to ask this, so I’m just going to come out with it,” I tell him, though I’m trying to convince myself to just do it.
“Please do,” he encourages.
“We’re gonna need to kiss,” I finally blurt out and swallow hard as I wait for his reaction. He stands firm, not moving or speaking. “If we want to convince my parents we’re newlyweds, ones who are pregnant, they’re going to expect us to be…touchy-feely. In love. So instead of it being weird around my parents, maybe we should…practice first.” My voice cracks at the end, and I feel like I’m an inexperienced teenager all over again.
“Okay, I was not expecting that actually,” Hunter finally replies, brushing a hand through his hair, then over his chin with a couple of days’ worth of stubble. I’ve learned it’s a nervous tell, which makes me feel better knowing I won’t be the only one who feels awkward.
“I totally understand if you say no. It’s a lot to ask. I shouldn’t have mentioned it. It’s odd, right? Sorry, just forget it. I don’t know what I was—”
“Lennon,” Hunter interrupts my rambling. “I didn’t say no. I just wasn’t anticipating it, but you’re right. We’ll need to act like we’ve done it a time or two.” He cracks the smallest of smiles, which eases my mind a bit. “Probably a good thing, so then we don’t act like two virgins on prom night.”
I laugh, the tension fading. “Well, considering they demanded I wait until my wedding night to lose my virginity, it’s not uncommon for couples in my church to get pregnant right away. Most get married only after dating for a short time and announce they’re having a baby a month later. Couples like that, who wait until their wedding night, are noticeably all over each other because they refrained so much beforehand.”
“So pouncing on you in front of your parents is a must,” he teases, taking a step back when I attempt to smack his chest.
“They’re actually pretty modest, so while they won’t mind touching and kissing, we need to be respectful in their home.” I shrug, actually thankful for that specific rule.
“Sounds good.” He stands in front of me with an unreadable expression. As he studies me, I know he’s probably waiting for me to make the first move, but shit. I can’t.
“I’m nervous,” I admit with a half-smile.
“Don’t be. I don’t bite.” He winks. “Well, unless you like that sorta thing.”
“Oh my God, Hunter!” I blush hard. “You aren’t helping!”
“Okay, sorry,” he says with a chuckle. “Don’t be scared. We’ll start slow.”
My chest rises and falls, heavy breaths release from my nostrils as I try to gain some control. I don’t know why I’m so anxious, but kissing Hunter like this feels so…calculated. Weird. Forbidden.
“Okay,” I finally say, not moving.
After a few silent moments, he cracks a smile. “Are you gonna kiss me?”
I cover my face, hunching over in embarrassment. “Ugh. I can’t stop the nerves.”
“Lennon.” His deep voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Just relax, okay?” He takes my hands and places them on his waist, bringing us closer together. “Breathe.”
I release a deep, steady breath as his palms cup my face.
“Do you trust me?” When his eyes bore into mine, I feel as though I’m looking into the depths of his soul. I know without a doubt this man would do anything for me.
“Of course I do,” I whisper, tightening my grip on his hips.
“Good.” He gives me the sweetest smile. “Now close your eyes.”
I do, and moments later, I feel his mouth on me.
Slow and soft, he presses his lips against mine as he moves us together in perfect harmony. He pulls back slightly, then his tongue traces my bottom lip before bringing us even closer together. My heart pounds so hard, I’m sure he can feel my pulse throbbing in my neck.
Hunter cradles my face as if I’m the most precious thing in the world. Gently, he rubs his thumb against my cheek, and when he slides his tongue between our lips, the kiss deepens, and I unwillingly release a moan. Hunter pulls back slightly, and my eyes pop open, looking right at him. By the expression on his face, he’s asking for permission to keep going, and when I don’t push away, he brings our mouths back together.
His hand slides down my throat, neck, and down my side, sending electricity everywhere he touches. I squeeze my fingers in his shirt and arch my back, forcing us closer together as he cups my ass. Reaching up, I wrap my arms around his neck, removing the remaining space between us. Hunter’s other hand falls from my face, and he snakes his arm around my waist, holding me tight. The kiss becomes eager, faster, desperate.
I feel his kiss down to my core. I feel it everywhere.
Mixed feelings surface as his tongue dances with mine, sending butterflies to my stomach as my heart races with eagerness. Each touch feels hot against my skin, and I’m powerless to stop it.
A deep groan releases from his throat, and when I feel his hardness against my stomach, I realize this is escalating too far. Quickly, I push him, stepping back to create distance. T
hat kiss was way too heated and intense to be fake. My breathing quickens, and when I see his chest heaving, I know it affected him just as much as it did me. My gaze drops to his noticeably hard cock in his jeans. That’s, uh…really big.
Wrong, wrong, wrong.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”
“No, I—”
“I didn’t mean—”
We can’t seem to get the words out. Both of us are flustered, and I’m confused.
Why did that feel so damn good?
Oh, right. Hormonal as fuck.
“That was…” I pause, watching him lick his lips and looking as conflicted as I feel. “Really nice.”
Hunter releases a short breath and snorts. “Uh, thanks?” I study him as he wipes his hands down his jeans, a nervousness I’ve never seen before settling into him.
“Guess we won’t have any problems convincing them,” I tell him, not knowing what else to say. My heart is racing, torn in two as I think about Brandon—the man I loved—and see the man in front of me who cares just as deeply.
“I don’t think so,” Hunter replies casually.
We stare at each other, neither speaking or knowing what to do. The silence lingers until his phone rings, pulling us both away.
Hunter fumbles in his pocket until he grabs his phone, then declines the call.
“You can get that if you need to,” I tell him, picking up my water and turning to walk to the kitchen before he can respond.
Shit, I could really use a shot of tequila right now. If not to erase the inappropriate thoughts from my brain, then to at least to give me the courage to face him again. I blow out a breath, needing to calm my racing heart.
Squeezing my eyes tight, I will the images of him hard and aroused out of my mind. It doesn’t work. As I’m sucking down my bottle of water, I feel Hunter behind me.
“Lennon, I’m sorry.” His voice almost sounds pained, which I hate. I know this can’t be easy for him, considering he hasn’t been with a woman since the accident. He probably has the same amount of pent-up sexual frustration as I do and didn’t mean to take it that far.
I turn around and face him. The look on his face has me frowning. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” I reassure him. “It was my idea, remember? I know it didn’t mean anything, and we just got lost in the moment.”
His jaw locks as if he’s holding back, but I don’t give him a chance to reply before trying to lighten the mood. “On the plus side, I’m starting to see the appeal other girls had over the years.”
Hunter rolls his eyes with a small smirk. “Would you just let me apologize, please? It’d make me feel like less of an asshole.”
I shrug, giving in. “Fine, but you have nothing to—”
“Lennon.” He grits through his teeth.
“Fine!” I raise my arms and drop them to my sides.
He inhales deeply, then steps back slightly. “I’m sorry I kissed you that way. I shouldn’t have let myself go that far. It’ll never happen again, I promise.” He sincerely rests a hand on his chest over his heart as if he needs to stop it from bursting out of his chest.
Never?
I swallow at his words, hating that he feels the need to say them in the first place. I’m the one who brought it up, after all.
“Alright, apology accepted.” I tell him what he wants to hear. “But we might want to practice again tomorrow,” I say with hesitation in my voice.
Hunter raises his brows.
“Practice normal kissing,” I reiterate. “Without the possibility of giving my parents a show. Or a heart attack.” I shrug, all dignity going out the fucking window at this point.
Slowly nodding, he grins, then moves away from the counter toward me. “Like this?”
He doesn’t give me a second to answer before his lips are back on mine.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Hunter
All the oxygen leaves my lungs as I push off the counter and lunge for Lennon like an animal. She gasps in my mouth as I bring our lips together, colliding in a desperate battle of wanting more but not letting myself get carried away again.
I’m pretty certain my heart stopped beating the moment she asked me to kiss her. Hell, I think I blacked out for a second. My head knows this is fake—it’s all show, an act, not real—but fuck, my heart doesn’t care. Tasting her, a desire I’ve craved for over two years, brings back the memories of the night we first met.
Her flirtatious smile, seductive voice, and lingering eyes were on me as I moved behind the bar to mix her drink. Goddamn, it makes me hard.
Then the reality of what I’m doing—what we’re doing—hits me like a ton of bricks, and I beat myself up all over again. I saw her first. But it didn’t matter because she chose him, and Brandon was my best friend. I’d never take what wasn’t mine, and she clearly made her decision that night. However, that didn’t stop the way I’ve felt about her, and when our mouths press together in a soft, sensual kiss, it takes all the fucking self-control in the world not to go any further.
My lips brush against hers, light and sweet with just enough pressure to nearly steal her breath away. We have to make it believable that we’re in love. Then as quickly as I grabbed her, I release and pull back.
“Was that better?” I ask just above a whisper.
“No,” she says, then pops her eyes open. “I mean, yes. Yes. Sorry. Less porn star show, more romantic couple.”
My brows arch. “Porn star?”
Lennon chuckles, which has become my favorite sound in the world, and swats at my chest. “You know what I mean. That was…perfect.”
A blush on her cheeks indicates she liked it way more than she wants to admit. I felt every fiber of her body press into mine when I kissed her the first time. She was begging for and needing more, taking everything I’d given her.
But I know she got lost in the make-believe of it all. She probably wishes it were Brandon and not me, and the fact that I’m jealous of my dead best friend rips me away from her.
“Okay, well I’m gonna head to bed. Or take a shower. Probably a cold one.” I walk backward, and she laughs at my expense. “We have a busy day tomorrow, so you should probably get some sleep too.”
“I’ll get right on that,” she mocks.
Lennon pretends to hate how much I take care of her, making sure she’s eating enough for two, drinking water, and not stressing, but I think deep down she appreciates it. She nearly gave me a stroke when I saw her doing yoga last week with her body bent in half. After the panic subsided, she reassured me it was perfectly safe for the baby.
Doesn’t mean I didn’t have to drink a beer after that to calm down.
If I thought Lennon was gorgeous before, seeing her swollen belly grow is beyond anything I ever imagined. She’s glowing, completely stunning, and beautiful. I can’t stop looking at her, watching her, appreciating every inch of her tempting body. Her shirts have grown a tad snug, showing off her breasts. Since her body is changing, she’ll need bigger clothes soon, but she’s being stubborn about it.
There will be more doctor appointments too, which I’ve already reassured her I’d go to. I don’t want her being alone through this, and even though I say it’s for Brandon, I’m not too selfish to admit I want to be there for me too. This kid is going to be in my life, and I want to support Lennon every step of the way. Knowing my best friend is missing one of the greatest moments of his life has my emotions in overdrive.
As I step into the cool shower, I speak to him. Tell him how amazing Lennon has handled everything so far. Tell him how much we both miss him. Lastly, I tell him how sorry I am for kissing his girlfriend. For being in love with his girlfriend.
I can’t say with certainty if Brandon would ever approve of a relationship between Lennon and me, but I’d like to think he’d trust me enough to care for her and their child. I’d never hurt her. Keeping his memory alive is something I vow to always do. I miss him so much sometimes it chokes me alive.
&nbs
p; Once I’m in bed, I stare at the ceiling and think about that kiss. Fake or not, it felt every bit real to me. Her breasts pushed into my chest, back arched to deepen it, and then she moaned.
Fucking hell, that moan.
My cock gets hard just thinking about it.
Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I lower my hand into my shorts and stroke my dick. The cold shower did nothing to subside my hard-on, and I relive the way she responded to me. I think about how things have shifted between us, how close we’ve gotten, and how comfortable we are together. Lennon makes me feel safe talking to her about things I keep inside. She’s managed to do something no one else ever has, and I doubt I’ll ever feel this way about anyone else again.
My cock grows harder, my fist squeezing tighter as I increase the pace. Lennon is all I can focus on—her sweet face, luscious tits, contagious laugh. Fuck, she’s the full package. Always has been.
Grunting, I slide my fist over the tip, again and again until I’m coming, hard and fast. I release a harsh breath between gritted teeth, hoping she can’t hear me in the next room, but shit that was intense. I use my shirt to clean myself off, then grab a new one, feeling temporary relief.
Over the past few months, I’ve jerked off as much as I did when I was a teenager, but having Lennon this close to me every single day makes me edgy. I have no desire to go out on the weekends or find someone else. The mere thought of it has me laughing at myself. All those times I teased Brandon for being pussy whipped, and here I am, whipped without the pussy.