The Boyfriend Arrangement: A Fake Marriage Romance

by Lara Swann

  “Yeah, me too.” I agree, then something else occurs to me. “Hey, d’you fancy ice cream?”

  “When have I ever said no to that?” He grins at me, and we sit up again.

  “I used to do an ice-cream taste-testing challenge with friends here. We’d all bring or buy different brands and flavors, and one of us each week would have to guess what they were.” I say, thinking back.

  “Did you win?” He asks.

  Of course. Josh is nothing if not competitive.

  “I’m not sure we ever kept track. We were more interested in eating the ice cream, really.” I laugh. “Probably not, though. Think you’d do better?”

  “Definitely.” He says, with the sort of certainty that always makes me want to hit him.

  “Well, I’m not going to let that go without a test.” I say, standing up and stretching. “I’ll go grab some ice cream and then we’ll see how you do.”

  He stands up too, but I wave him down. “You don’t want me to come with you?”

  “The store isn’t far, we passed it coming in - and you’re not meant to see them first. Don’t think that I don’t know how you like to cheat.” I grin at him as he laughs and capitulates, sitting back down with his hands raised.

  “Okay, okay.” He says. “But choose some decent flavors.”

  “Well…that’s the thing with this game…you’re not going to know if you like it until you try it.” I say, walking off before he can object.

  It really wasn’t the point of the game when we were kids, but…with Josh…I could get a little enjoyment out of that.

  Though, thinking about it, I’m not sure there’s a flavor of ice cream Josh doesn’t like.

  I’m still trying to work that out as I’m approaching the general store, and almost bump into someone in my distraction.

  “Sorry—” I start automatically, looking up.

  Then I stop.

  “Cassie?” Matthew looks back at me, apparently as surprised as I am. “What are you doing here?”

  “Oh, hi Matthew.” I take a step back, shrugging. “I was just…here for the day, thought I’d revisit a few old haunts since it wasn’t too far. And show Josh where I grew up.”

  I don’t know why I feel like I need to mention him, but I do, almost defensively.

  “Oh, I see.” He gives me a wide smile, and unease runs up my spine. I take another small step back. “And where is he, then?”

  I look around instinctively, even though I know he’s not behind me.

  “In the park.” I say shortly. “I just came to get ice cream, so it was nice to see you again, but I should—”

  “Ohh, all the way back there, hmm?” His smile gets even wider, if possible, and he steps closer to me.

  My gaze narrows on him and I frown. I’m not sure what it is about this guy that gives me the creeps, but I’m immediately aware that we’re pretty secluded here just before the entrance to the park, and there’s no one around us.

  “Not far.” I say deliberately, then move to step past him.

  He steps with me, and now I know I’m not imagining things.

  “It’s far enough that he’d never know if you wanted to have a little fun, Cassie.” Matthew’s voice lowers, and I frown.

  “I don’t want anything, Matthew, just for you to get out of my way.” I say, voice hard.

  “Oh, come on, Cassie. You don’t need to pretend.”

  He leans in and I try to step back again, but he catches my arm.

  “What the hell are you talking about?” I say angrily, trying not to seem scared.

  Trying not to be scared.

  “You know what I’m talking about.” He leers at me. “Your Mom already told me. I know all about your secret crush on me.”

  My Mom?!

  That comment is enough to break through my mental calculations of my chances if I try to knee him in the crotch and run.

  “My…er…what?!” I blink, my fear momentarily suspended by bewilderment.

  “Really Cassie, are you going to keep this up?” He sighs dramatically. “I know it wasn’t cool for girls like you to be seen with guys like me in school, but there’s nothing stopping us now, is there?”

  I just stare at him. I’d been kind of terrified this was going to become dangerous, but instead it’s just absurd.

  “I know you have a boyfriend - that’s cool, he doesn’t have to know. We can just have a quick bit of fun, fulfilling this mutual fantasy, eh?”

  He steps up to me again, and I’m still trying to work out what the hell is going on when he lays both his hands on my hips. I flinch, but he either doesn’t notice or doesn’t care, still smirking with repulsive lust written all over his face.

  “You can finally satisfy that little crush, and I’ll get with the girl everyone back in school wanted to have.” He says, with a dark pleasure I want nothing more than to get away from.

  I finally come to my senses and jump back just as he goes in for a kiss, jerking my body from his grip and twisting away.

  “No!” I say, fucking clear as day. “I’m not interested, you bastard. I never liked you. I can’t even remember you. Get the fuck away.”

  He grabs me as I try to spin and leave, and I yell in surprise, his grip hard and bruising on my arm.

  His expression darkens and he practically spits at me. “You always thought you were better than everyone else, Cassie. Always did. Well, you’re not, and I’ll show you that this is exactly what you need.”

  I try to pull away, but he keeps hold of me, and keeps coming closer.

  Terror pulses through me, and I feel a rush of adrenaline as the reality of this finally hits me.

  “Hey! You bastard!”

  I look up at the same moment Matthew spins around, and then Josh’s fist comes out of nowhere, smashing into him.

  I hear a crunch, and then Matthew slumps to the floor, his hand going limp and slipping from my arm.

  I jump away from him as if I’ve been burned, grabbing my arm where he’d touched me and trying to breathe again.

  To find myself face-to-face with Josh, his eyes wild and his body tense with fury.

  It’s for me, but even so, I take a step back, watching as he shakes his hand out with gritted teeth, cursing.

  I still feel that edge of terror, of what-might-have-happened, and I have to fight hard to keep it from overwhelming me.

  It keeps me frozen there as I watch Josh and try to recover without breaking down entirely.

  Nothing happened. Nothing happened. It’s okay.

  I want Josh to say it to me, but with the way his eyes are glazed over, I’m not sure he even knows I’m here.

  I’ve never seen him this fierce or angry before. He’s never been like this.

  “Fucking bastard.” He rounds on Matthew’s seemingly unconscious form, his fists clenched in readiness, and I get a sudden appreciation for just how easily Josh took him out.

  Josh grabs him by his jacket, hauling him up, and then shakes him a little. “How the fuck did that down you, asshole?! Wake the hell up!”

  Matthew just sprawls in his grip, showing no sign of obeying, and I finally step forward and take Josh’s shoulder.

  “Josh…” I’m still trying to get my own emotions back in balance.

  He jumps as I touch him, and then slowly blinks as he looks over at me, as if he’s only just noticed me at all.

  Then he drops Matthew and I wince as I hear him crumple to the floor.

  “I fucking want to nail the bastard again. But…he’s fucking unconscious, and what kind of guy does that?” Josh grinds out, standing over him as if he could kick the bastard - then finally seems to let it go, swinging away from Matthew to step closer to me.

  I don’t flinch.

  Hell, right now I’m having to fight not to run to him and collapse into his arms.

  The anger seems to rush out of his expression all at once, as he actually sees me, and I can almost see his hard tension fade.

  “Are you okay, Cassie?�
� He finally asks, warmth and care and an undercurrent of anguish creeping into his voice.

  I swallow hard, then nod. “I…I think so. Yeah.”

  I don’t feel okay. But nothing happened.

  “Nothing happened.” I say, repeating the words I keep telling myself. “I…how did…how did you know?”

  “You didn’t respond to my text.” He says, glancing back at Matthew for a moment, looking as stunned about what just happened as I am. “I was worried you weren’t going to get me a Snickers ice cream.”

  “Oh. I don’t think they stock those.” I say automatically, and then I hiccup a little, a sob ripping through me.

  That breaks us out of our almost-normal stupor, and in the next moment, I’m in his arms.

  “Oh, fuck it, Cassie.”

  The strength of his warm body washes over me, surrounding me with the protectiveness I’m desperate for, and the tight knot of tension finally starts to loosen.

  “I was…so…fucking…scared.” I try to gasp for breath as I say it, his hand rubbing at my back and his steadying, calm voice murmuring reassurance in my ear.

  This. This is the Josh I’m used to. Not the terrifying-violent-fury of a few moments before.

  I should probably be moved that he felt so strongly because of me, but instead…I just want this.

  My best friend.

  Then he kisses me.

  I shudder, but I want it. I push into that warmth, that comfort, that reassurance, his hands coming around my head and holding me tight.

  The unyielding strength of his touch.

  Tasting the tears that have escaped down my cheeks, feeling that wetness between us and struggling with whether to laugh or sob as he holds me safe in his arms.

  When he breaks that gentle kiss, his mouth travels upwards, following the line of the few rebellious tears that escaped until he kisses the corner of each eye.

  My heart skips a beat, and I melt in relief against him.

  “S—sorry.” I try to say.

  I know I’m being ridiculous. Nothing even happened.

  His grip tightens around me.

  “Don’t you dare, Cassie.” His demanding voice, right next to my ear. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”

  We stand there like that for a long time, time disappearing between us.

  Not saying anything. Not needing to.

  Until I finally step back, take a deep breath and start feeling close to normal again.

  I glance over at Matthew, and the anger that I should have been feeling this whole time finally penetrates through the shock and fear.

  “My fucking Mom…” I say bitterly.

  “She doesn’t seem to pick ‘em well.” Josh says, his tone darker than his words.

  She told him I’d had a crush on him all these years. That was what he was acting on.

  It’s on the tip of my tongue, but I don’t say it.

  I thought I knew everything about Josh.

  But I’ve never seen him like he was when he confronted Matthew. I didn’t even know he could be violent.

  And I don’t know what he’d do if I told him that this happened because my Mom is a fucking idiot.

  I just want to forget it ever happened.

  “Yeah.” I simply agree instead. “I know.”

  He wraps his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close, turning me away from Matthew sprawled on the ground behind us.

  “Should we…should we do something?” I ask uncertainly, looking back. “About him?”

  I can’t bring myself to actually care that he’s alright, but I’ve never just…left someone like that, either.

  “I already did.” Josh says grimly, and I get a confusing jolt of satisfaction.

  He leans in to kiss my temple, then takes my hand while somehow keeping me just as close, our bodies bumping against each other and giving me the reassurance - and contact - that makes me feel grounded again.

  “C’mon. Let’s go back to that diner.” He says. “I’ll buy you some ice cream.”

  I laugh a little, happy to find the lightness back in my chest. “I don’t need you to, you know. I’m fine now, I promise.”

  “Maybe I need to, Cassie.” He smiles over at me, and squeezes my hand as we walk away.

  I feel that smile all the way through me.

  Chapter Ten

  Cassie

  “Fuck, it’s cold in here!” Josh stops in the open doorway, then heads straight towards the AC unit.

  I follow him inside and immediately see his point, a wave of cold air hitting me.

  It’s late now, and the daytime warmth of the sun has all but disappeared - turning what should be a welcome coolness into something far less comfortable.

  I wrap my arms around my body to fight off a shiver and look over at the AC myself.

  “What did you do to this thing, Caz?” Josh frowns at the panel, trying to shut it off.

  “No idea.” I say. “I don’t know how that stuff works - just pressed random buttons until the AC came on.”

  He gives me a disbelieving look and I laugh at the expression, moving over to my suitcase and sifting through my clothes to find a pullover and shrugging into it.

  “You were the one that wanted it on this morning. I was just helping you out.” I point out.

  He mutters something about that under his breath and turns back to it.

  I wait for a minute, and when there’s no let up in the stream of chilled air, come to stand behind him. He flicks through the various settings as I watch over his shoulder.

  It always irritates the the hell out of him when I do that, but I’ve never been very good at just waiting.

  “Are you just going to hover there?” He asks, shooting an annoyed glance in my direction as predicted.

  “Would you rather I make suggestions?” I retort.

  We both know how those tend to end.

  I grin at the exasperated look on his face, and then come up behind him as he turns back to it, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind and resting my head on his shoulder.

  It’s just for warmth and because it’s comfortable, of course, but when he squeezes my hand where it rests against his hard abs, I kiss his neck.

  My family aren’t here to see us, of course. It’s just an instinctive gesture.

  But it’s one that I can’t stop myself from continuing, nuzzling him and running a trail of kisses up to where I nibble on his earlobe.

  He stills underneath me, and I can feel the hitch in his breathing even as I grow uncomfortably aware of the way I start aching. All sorts of illicit images come into my head - the kind that have been appearing all week.

  Josh jumping out from the pool, water flying everywhere and running down his hard, slick muscles.

  Josh bending down to kiss me, eyes sparkling.

  Josh pushing me against a wall and almost - almost - pressing against me with lust and passion and desire.

  The kind I’ve been feeling far too often recently.

  “I…” Josh breaks my train of thought, clearing his throat. “You know, I don’t think I can fix this.”

  Fuck it. He’s your best friend. Not your boyfriend.

  That’s just a pretense. Just for this week.

  I force my mind to shut off all those images, trying to pay attention to our current problem.

  But I don’t move away from him. And when I speak, my mouth is still right next to his ear.

  “I think it’s too late to ask anyone else for help.” At least I speak at a normal volume.

  I don’t whisper. I don’t murmur. I don’t do anything that could be misconstrued as seductive.

  Except for, maybe, the way I’m standing. Except for not wanting to stop touching him.

  “Yeah, I didn’t see any lights on when we came in.” Josh agrees.

  That had been deliberate. There hadn’t really been any reason to hang around in Yuma - there’s certainly not much to get up to there - but after we’d retreated to the diner for ice cream, we’d
just…stayed there.

  Talking about anything and everything, the way we’ve always done. Neither of us were really in any hurry to come back.

  After what happened with Matthew…we both needed some down time. A chance to recover and settle.

  Which seems to have worked. I feel fine now. Still pissed off and annoyed about it all, but the momentary wave of terror and anxiety is gone.

  I think we were probably hoping that we wouldn’t have to see my family, too. It’s been nice to have a day to ourselves, and I didn’t want it ruined by all the questions and explanations that they’d demand. And…I’m not sure if I see my Mom right now, I’m not sure I’d be able to stop myself from exploding at her.

  But it does mean that when it comes to this, we’re stuck.

  “I mean, we could always cut the power cord…” Josh cuts through my thoughts again, and I give an amused snort.

  “Hah, yeah, my Dad would kill me if we have to pay for damages. It’s not as desperate as all that.” I shake off another shiver, and add. “Definitely retreating into bed though - with all the blankets.”

  Josh grins. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

  I laugh, and we start throwing whatever spare covers we can find on the bed, thinking back to the other times we’ve had under-cover parties - eating pizza and watching trash TV, mostly.

  I don’t get much of a break from my studies, but whenever I’ve been super stressed-out and about to burst, Josh has always had the perfect solution for me.

  We make quick work of that, spend as little time as possible getting ready for bed in the cold room, and pile on double layers of night clothes.

  “I bet I look totally sexy right now.” Josh grins at me, striking a pose in the tight t-shirt he’d thrown over the loose pyjama pants he’d packed.

  His tone is mocking, but I have to take a moment as I’m struck by how fucking sexy he is - even like that. I can see the outlines of his hard chest, his biceps are bulging out of the stretchy material and even the lightweight pants suit him, practically inviting me to rip them off his casual, lounging form.

  Fuck it.

  “Mhmm, looks like you’ve got your next club outfit picked out.” I throw a sweater at him and shake my head. “Here - that’ll complete the look.”