My Geeky Valentine

by Jeanne McDonald

  “We have to make this look natural. If you want your family to believe we’re dating, you’re gonna have to kiss me.”

  “Now?”

  “Better to get the kinks worked out beforehand, don’t you think?”

  Sherman ran his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know.”

  Xtine, realizing his internal struggle, took matters into her own hands. She cupped both sides of his face. Before he could make any sort of dispute, she planted a kiss on him. It started off slow, awkward, on the borderline of platonic. Sherman was stiff, his hands hanging at his side, but Xtine continued on. She placed his hands on her hips, drawing his body even closer to hers. Her mouth moved against his, lightly gliding her tongue along his bottom lip. Sherman complied with her silent request, opening his mouth and allowing her to slip her tongue past his lips.

  Sparks began to fly between them, as Sherman relaxed. He moved his hands up the ridge of her spine, pressing her body hard against his. Her eyes fluttered closed and her hands lifted to his hair, lost in his kiss. Desire cascaded through her veins, a reaction she hadn’t expected. Deeper and deeper they were drawn into the kiss. A tangle of limbs, lips, and tongues, they lost all sense of the world around them. It was almost as if two magnets were drawn together, polar opposites, but meant to be.

  The urge to sweep her off her feet consumed him. His mouth became bolder, hotter, desperate for more. Xtine pushed up on her toes, bridging the remaining gap between them.

  “Ackhem.”

  Xtine’s eyes flew open, as did Sherman’s. They both pulled away, flushed. Sherman wiped the corners of his mouth while Xtine touched her fingers to her lips. She’d never experienced a kiss such as this before; one that reached the recesses of her soul. She lifted her eyes to the cause of their interruption. A tall man, sinewy, resembling Sherman stared at them with his brows lifted. Had her mind not been swimming from that kiss, Xtine might’ve paid notice to him. He was exactly the kind of guy who typically garnered her interest. Instead, she stared at Sherman in amazement. This man, this strange, odd man left an impression on her that she wouldn’t easily be able to shake.

  “Spencer!” Sherman exclaimed, meeting his brother in a hug.

  Spencer clapped Sherman’s back. “How are you, Bro?”

  They pulled apart and Sherman took a step back toward Xtine, wrapping his arm around her. “I’m well.” Sherman smiled, rushing his fingers through his hair. He dipped his head toward Xtine. “Let me introduce you to…” Sherman paused, unsure as to how he should introduce her. Xtine intervened. She thrust her hand out toward Spencer. “Hi. I’m Xtine, Sherman’s girlfriend.” The word rolled off her tongue with ease, and for a moment she imagined calling herself that for real.

  “Yes,” Sherman followed up. “My girlfriend. Xtine, this is my brother, Spencer.”

  Spencer took Xtine’s outstretched hand and shook. “It’s nice to meet you.” He released her hand. “And here I thought you were Sherman’s Snuffleupagus.”

  Xtine furrowed her brow, looking to Sherman for clarification. Sherman rolled his eyes. “My brother is insinuating that you’re my imaginary girlfriend.”

  “Oh. I see.” She looked down her own body then back to Spencer. “I guess I’m a real girl after all.”

  Spencer pursed his lips. “Yes you are. So, what’s a girl like you doing with my knucklehead of a brother?”

  Xtine wrapped her arm around Sherman’s waist and smiled up at him. “I like the way he kisses.”

  The tips of Sherman’s ears burned hot. He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to her lips. Xtine could feel Spencer’s eyes on them, taking in their sweet moment.

  “Get a room, you two.” Spencer clapped Sherman on the shoulder. He leaned into his brother and whispered, “Watch out for this one. She’s way out of your league.”

  “I know,” Sherman admitted, his chest constricting. If his brother only knew the truth. He shuddered at the thought and put it out of his mind, at least for the moment.

  #6: There’s Always One in Every Bunch

  “Sherman!” A svelte woman raced toward them as they entered the house. “I’m so happy you’re here.” She pulled Sherman into a warm embrace, then punched Spencer in the arm. “This jerkwad’s no help at all.”

  “Hey!” Spencer growled. “I’ve busted my ass for days trying to help you.”

  Sherman kissed the woman’s temple. “Well, I’m here now.” He reached back toward Xtine, grasping for her hand. Xtine couldn’t contain the smile that appeared on her face as they linked fingers. “Xtine, this is my sister and bride-to-be, Sabrina.”

  Sabrina ripped Xtine from Sherman’s grasp. “Oh thank God you’re here, too. I need a sensible woman in this place. Can you believe my mother thinks we should get dressed at the church instead of the here? The insanity!”

  Xtine’s eyes widened, her breath ripped from her lungs by Sabrina’s tight hold.

  Sherman pried them apart. “Sis, can I have my girlfriend back before you strangle her to death?”

  Sabrina released her and Xtine inhaled deeply. “Thank you,” she gasped, finding her new favorite place at Sherman’s side.

  “You’re so cute together,” Sabrina squealed. “Look at them, Spencer. Aren’t they adorable?”

  Spencer’s gaze cut to Xtine. He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Adorable,” he mocked.

  “Maybe we should go unpack,” Sherman suggested, a light hint of red coloring his ears. “What room is Xtine staying in?” he asked Sabrina.

  “Yours, of course,” she replied with a giggle.

  Noticing Sherman’s sudden discomfort, Xtine took her bag from Spencer, and slipped her arm around Sherman’s waist. “Lead the way, baby.”

  Sherman’s blush only grew, but he did as told and walked Xtine to their room.

  The whole time they unpacked, he apologized for her not having her own space and offered to sleep on the floor. She refused the offer and told him he was being silly. It was to be expected that they’d share a room, and they were both adult enough to handle sleeping in the same bed. While she said the words, her heart fluttered with nervousness. Unexpected things could happen in the darkness and after that kiss, the darkness held far too many possibilities.

  After taking their luggage to their shared room, they met Sherman’s family in the dining room. Xtine was blown away by the open-armed greetings from Sherman’s parents. They were kind and loving, and seemed genuinely pleased to have her. They sat down to eat, and everyone fell into casual conversation, almost as if she’d always been a constant fixture at that table.

  Mrs. Campbell set down her wine glass and hummed in satisfaction. “So, Xtine, tell us. How did you two meet?”

  “Mom,” Sherman groused. “I already told you that.”

  “I want to hear it from her.”

  Sherman mouthed an apology and Xtine couldn’t help herself. She leaned into him and whispered in his ear, “Stop apologizing for everything or I might have to kiss you until you forget the word sorry.”

  Sherman jerked his head in her direction, his mouth dropping. Xtine tapped the tip of his nose and began, “We met online.”

  “Online?” Spencer snapped. “Seriously?”

  Xtine nodded and maintained her smile, but Spencer’s reaction didn’t make her feel comfortable. “Yes. Online,” she repeated. “We met in a chat forum, and got to talking.” She tilted her head to meet Sherman’s gaze. He pushed up his glasses, the tips of his ears turning a brilliant shade of red. “Sherman’s so easy to talk to. I found myself staring at my phone waiting for his messages to come through.” Xtine lightly trailed her fingers along Sherman’s jaw. “When he asked me out on our first date, I knew I’d found something special.”

  Two thick wrinkles formed between his eyes. Xtine wished she could ask what he was thinking, for he seemed upset by her story.

  “How romantic,” Sabrina sighed, leaning into her fiancé. Sherman’s mother reached over and took his father’s hand. Sherman sat froze
n. His eyes locked on her. In an attempt to break his intense stare, Xtine kissed him softly. A tingling sensation moved down her spine as their lips met, but she couldn’t help but notice how stiff he felt against her.

  “Interesting,” Spencer smacked, his arms crossed over his chest.

  “What’s that’s supposed to mean?” Sherman snapped.

  “Nothing. It’s a millennial love story.” Spencer smiled and reached for his fork. Sherman sat up straight, his eyes glued to Spencer. Xtine squirmed in her seat, her gaze falling to her plate.

  “Well, I think it’s sweet. Now eat up. We have to get to the church for rehearsal,” Mrs. Campbell noted.

  The table grew silent as everyone finished their dinner, though Xtine felt all eyes remained on her, except Sherman’s. The smile he’d worn earlier was now gone, which caused her to wonder if there was more between his interaction with Spencer than mere brotherly inquisition. Whatever it was, she would roll with it. Tomorrow was the wedding and then they’d be headed home on Sunday. After that she could explore these feelings she was developing for Sherman without the scrutiny of his brother. At least that’s what she hoped would happen.

  #7: The Truth Will Make You Miserable…but Misery Loves Company, Right?

  Sherman remained quiet through the remainder of dinner and barely spoke a word all the way to the church. Xtine’s heart grew heavier with each passing moment, hating how he had closed himself off to her. He talked with his family, animated and happy, but with her he was cold and lifeless.

  The wedding rehearsal was pure misery. His mood was dark, his words clipped, and the one time she attempted to touch him, he jerked away so abruptly, she nearly toppled forward. It was Spencer who caught her before she face-planted onto the floor.

  “What’s wrong?” Xtine hissed.

  “Nothing,” Sherman sneered.

  She tried not to look at Spencer, whose posture was just as rigid as Sherman’s. What she might’ve done to offend them both was beyond her. “I don’t believe you. You’re not acting like yourself.”

  Sherman cut his eyes to her, his face hardening. “How would you know?” His voice barely audible.

  Xtine opened her mouth to rebuttal but snapped it back closed. There were no words to make whatever she’d done wrong right. At least not for the moment. If she pursued further, it was likely Spencer would hear, and then all hell would break loose. She was a patient woman. She could wait until they were alone in their room.

  She stood from her seat, straightening her dress. “Excuse me. I need to powder my nose.”

  Sherman shrugged, and bent his legs to the side for her exit. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes. Even if they were a fake couple, his rejection hurt.

  In the restroom, she tried to calm herself. The pang in her chest ripped through her body. With any other guy she could’ve rolled with this behavior. Even expected it. But not with Sherman. He was different. Even in his advertisement he called himself a romantic heart, and she truly believed he was. She replayed the events of dinner over in her mind, but couldn’t figure out where she went wrong. It was after she relayed their meeting, but for the most part it was all true. Sure, she left out the Craigslist part. His family didn’t need to know about that, but everything else had been true.

  She patted her face with a damp cloth and released a few relaxing breaths. Opening the door, she came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Spencer waiting in the foyer. He shoved off the wall, and started toward her. “We need to talk,” he prompted.

  Xtine glanced around, hoping to find someone nearby, but they were alone. She rolled her shoulders, straightened her back, and held firm to her position. “About what?”

  “About how you’re using my brother for money and I’m not going to allow it.”

  Xtine fought to keep her composure. Somehow Spencer knew about her arrangement with Sherman. But how? Unless Sherman told him. But that wasn’t possible. Sherman had been adamant about keeping their arrangement a secret. She decided it was best to call Spencer on his bluff, just in case. She gritted her teeth, meeting his heated glare. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Spencer took another step toward her. “Come off it, woman. I know you and your type.”

  Xtine crossed her arms over her chest. “Is that so?”

  “Yeah. You prey on men who are kindhearted and loaded, just like Sherman. You make them believe you’re in love with them before emptying their bank accounts.”

  The corner of Xtine’s mouth twisted in a crooked grin. Spencer had no clue about anything, and to make things worse, he was calling her out over something she’d never do.

  Xtine pressed her index finger into Spencer’s chest. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  Spencer grabbed her wrist. “Come off it, lady. A girl like you doesn’t date a guy like my brother.”

  “Right and I suppose I should be with someone like you?”

  “No. My point is, Sherman’s a good guy, and he’s vulnerable. I refuse to let a snake like you hurt him.”

  Xtine gritted her teeth, biting back her rage. “Men are snakes. At least men like you and my ex-boyfriend, but you know what? Sherman isn’t. He’s all that’s good and kind in this world. I care a great deal for your brother, Spencer. And until today, I didn’t even know he had money. We’ve never talked about such things.”

  Spencer opened his mouth to speak, but Xtine continued without giving him a chance.

  “You may think of me what you want, but I’ll never hurt Sherman. I want nothing more than for him to be happy. He deserves that. Don’t you think?”

  “Of course I do.”

  Xtine bowed her head. “Good. Then let him be happy.”

  Spencer arched his left brow. “Is he happy?”

  Xtine gave a slow nod. “You’d have to ask him that one.”

  A somber smile tilted Spencer’s lips. “I believe I will.”

  “All right. I think it’s time we get back─”

  “Do you love him?”

  Xtine was taken aback by the question. “I beg your pardon?”

  “It’s a simple question. Do you love my brother?”

  Helpless anger bubbled inside her. “It’s still too─”

  “Don’t give me that crap. Just answer me.”

  Images of that kiss came flooding back through her mind. Sherman’s lips pressed to hers, hungrily taking but giving just as much. Her body still tingled with the passion she felt in his embrace. The power in Sherman’s kiss melted time and space away. For a moment she’d felt caught in a world that belonged only to them. Her head and heart swam with emotions that she’d only ever seen in the movies or read in books. This couldn’t be real, yet she couldn’t imagine feeling anything more real.

  She looked into Spencer’s eyes. They were understanding, just like his brother’s, but Sherman’s were also soft and gentle where Spencer’s seemed sharp and calculating.

  He took a step back, his expression changing from anger to understanding. “Okay.”

  “Okay?”

  He scratched the back of his neck, pursing his lips. “Yeah. Okay.”

  Relieved that Spencer didn’t continue to force her down this path, she dropped her shoulders and nodded. “Well, all right then.”

  Without another word they returned to their seats, but Xtine couldn’t get past what she’d almost said. It was too soon. There was no way she could love Sherman. She barely knew him, yet somehow, she knew the beginning of something powerful and real was in the making.

  #8: So Much For Pretending

  As the night wore on, the chasm between Sherman and Xtine grew wider. It pained him to treat her with such callousness, but he knew no other way to handle what he was feeling.

  That kiss had awoken something in him he’d never felt before. A lion roared in his chest, urging him closer to her. Wanting her. Needing her. He almost believed she felt it, too. At least until she was forced to regale his family about how they met. To hear her talk abou
t their initial interactions with such regard pulled him back to reality. He’d forced her to lie, which sickened him. This beautiful, sensuous woman was lying to those he loved most because he wasn’t man enough to own up to his own humiliation. Not only had he tainted her, but his entire family. What kind of a monster was he?

  His guilt worsened when he stumbled upon Spencer and Xtine’s conversation. He wanted to intervene, to rescue her from the situation, but he was frozen, hanging on her every word. The world came to a crashing halt at Spencer’s blunt question. To see Xtine struggle with the answer, knowing he was the cause of her being forced to lie, he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to put an end to this charade.

  Back at the house, Sherman approached Xtine. “We need to talk.”

  A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes, which only increased his guilt. He took her down the hall into his father’s study where they sat down on the plush sofa. “I’ve made a mistake,” he started.

  Xtine adjusted her body to face him, her face contorted by confusion. “How so?”

  “I should’ve known better than to ask you here this weekend. It was selfish of me to put you in this situation.”

  Xtine reached for his hand, but he pulled away. “I didn’t have to say yes.”

  He gritted his teeth. “I know, but that doesn’t make what I’ve done right. I’m sorry.”

  “There you go saying those words again,” she growled, slumping back into the cushion.

  He chose to ignore her interruption and continued. “I think it might be best if you go home.”

  She jolted back up. “Home? The wedding’s tomorrow.”

  He linked his fingers together in his lap. “And I don’t think you should attend. When I asked you to come, I was panicked. Now my head is straight. You shouldn’t be here.” He lifted from the couch and began to pace, his arms folded behind his back. “I mean, what was I thinking having some strange woman appear in my sister’s wedding photos?”

  “I wouldn’t have─”

  He lifted his hand, interrupting her. “You wouldn’t have a choice. Sabrina would demand you be in them. And then there’s your conversation with Spencer tonight.”