“Ringing up orders of steak and potatoes ain’t the same as finding a man, now, is it?”
“It’s all about convenience. Besides, I know all the men in town and this way, I can meet someone new.” Someone who didn’t run from the possibility of more. Maybe even someone who also wanted marriage and children, Friday night football games, and Saturday afternoon cookouts. It wasn’t how I’d hoped to find my future husband, but beggars couldn’t be choosers and all that. “So, are we ready to get outta here?”
“Yeah, let’s make like a banana and split.”
“Knock, knock!” The door opened slightly and the last person I was expecting to see poked his head into the room. “I heard there was a hard-partying chick in here who danced herself into the ER.”
Will winked at Big Mama and she blushed like a school girl.
“What can I say? I intend to enjoy every second of my old age.”
“You’re an inspiration to us all, Big Mama. What can I do to help?”
“Nothing. We’ve got it taken care of,” I told him before Big Mama could bat her eyelashes and invite him to stay for lunch. Or dinner.
“Nonsense, child. When a big, strong, handsome man offers to help, you accept it.” She turned her gaze back to Will, who beamed a smile at her that made me want to puke. “Thank you, Will. Some help would be appreciated. I’m too much woman for Hope to handle on her own.”
He laughed. “I have a feeling you might be too much woman for most of us, Big Mama. But the brave try anyway.” He winked at me over his shoulder, like we were conspirators, and I glared back. We weren’t anything and I didn’t need his meddling.
“I like the way you think, Will Landon. You’ll be the perfect escort home.”
I should’ve been put out that I’d come to her rescue and she’d left with Will, but I was honestly grateful for the reprieve from both of them. My heart still hadn’t fully recovered from getting a call from the ER about my grandmother, and it wasn’t quite ready to deal with another up-close and personal dose of Will.
* * *
Maybe it seemed cruel to make deli sandwiches after bringing Big Mama home from the hospital, and maybe it even seemed like it was some act of unspoken retaliation for inviting Will to stay. To make up for the perception of evil intent, I took my time and cut the loaves into bite size pieces.
Even though she totally didn’t deserve it.
“Will wants extra pickles,” she called from the dining room because, apparently, when someone with a penis showed up for a meal, we ate fancy.
“Then Will should’ve brought more pickles.” It was petty but they couldn’t hear me, which made it okay in my book. What the heck was he doing here, anyway? Pretending to care? Acting like we were friends? If we were friends, he would know to leave me alone. “I’ll see what we have,” I called out instead.
It took three trips because I refused to answer Will’s constant requests to help, but finally, the table was loaded up with sandwiches, chips, pickles, and fruit. “Dig in.”
This was my favorite part of meal time: those early minutes when everyone was too focused on the presentation and the scents wafting from their plates to care about little things like etiquette. The table was mostly quiet and there was zero tension, because no one was truly aware of anyone else.
The problem with those minutes? They never lasted long.
“How do you like being one of the lucky Hometown Heroes, Will?”
The question clearly caught him off-guard, but he recovered quickly. That was Will, always ready to take the stage. “It’s a great honor to help get the tribute fixed up and to hang out with my friends, but sometimes, it’s a little much.”
“Because it takes up too much of your free time?” To Big Mama, nothing was more important than family and servicing the community, and she was already gearing up for a lecture.
“No, ma’am, because some of the women from outside of Tulip get a little handsy. Even some of the locals, honestly. It’s hard to know how to back off without anyone’s feelings getting hurt.”
A snort filled with derision erupted out of me, startling each and every one of us. “Sorry. Bubbles in my nose,” I said and pointed at the offending glass of pop in front of me. He could ply my sweet, trusting grandmother with his pretty little lies, but not me.
“That doesn’t sound all that pleasant. Maybe you ought to talk to Mayor Ashford. He’s a fair man.”
Will gave his best aww, shucks shrug and I had to bite down on the insides of my cheeks to keep from screaming. “Maybe I will,” he told her, “but I guess I kind of signed up for it, didn’t I?”
Whatever Big Mama said next, I had no idea—I was on my feet with dishes piled in my arms as I made my way into the kitchen. Will enjoyed every moment of attention he got from women of any age, color, or size. It never mattered to him.
And that should’ve been my first clue, and maybe it would have been if I hadn’t been so blinded by emotions. Stupid, useless emotions.
“So deep in thought.” Will’s deep voice sounded right beside my ear a second before his hands landed low on my waist, gripping me and pulling me against his hard body. “Remember how explosive you are when you’re in my arms, Hope? Because I can’t forget.”
My stupid, traitorous body betrayed me once again, letting out a rapid shudder at his warm breath and manly scent. Yeah, I remembered exactly the way he knew just how to detonate me, and when, to maximize our pleasure. That was hardly the point. “I’m sure I’m not the only one.” I said it more for my benefit than his, and even though I knew it was a low blow, it felt alright since it also had the benefit of being true.
He rubbed the hard ridge of his cock against my butt and groaned from somewhere deep in his throat. The sound was dark and guttural, almost feral in its need. My mind easily filled in the blanks with the soft skin I knew covered his long, thick erection, the musky scent of his arousal, and the way his lips and tongue felt between my thighs. His touch fired me up, pissed me off, and confused the heck out of me.
“But you, Hope, are the one I want.”
“For now,” I reminded him, my tone as harsh as it could be when I was wrapped up in his arms, his scent invading my senses and his touch making all my neurons misfire. “Tomorrow night, we’ll have our first and last date, and then you can break up with me.”
I stepped out of his grasp to make sure I was thinking straight. “Then,” I added, “things can go back to normal.”
He would ignore me unless it would seem rude to do so, and I’d pretend watching him date every single woman in Texas didn’t rip another hole in my heart.
“Normal is overrated.” His deep voice practically purred as he reached for me but I took another step back, squarely out of his grasp.
“Good to know.” Where Will wanted a never-ending string of women, I wanted a normal life with a man who was satisfied with me. Only me.
* * *
Find out what Hope & Will get up to next HERE!
Kissing My Best Friend
Jase
I’m not averse to a long-term relationship, I just haven’t found the right girl. Yet.
But the busy matchmakers in my small town have other ideas.
The kind that start and end with a wedding dress and a baby carriage.
So I tricked my best friend into pretending to be my girlfriend.
Just for the summer, of course.
Only I started to notice that my fake lover’s legs were smokin’ hot, that her lips were beyond kissable.
And I wanted to kiss her. Badly.
As summer nights grew hotter things got more confusing, real or fake, I didn’t know anymore.
It took almost losing her to realize that our fake relationship wasn’t fooling anyone, but us.
Bo
Everyone leaves. That’s the hard and fast rule I’ve built my life around.
Then my best friend and a stupid fake relationship changed everything.
Jase. My confidante. My family.
My fake firefighter boyfriend for the summer.
Emphasis on fake.
Until one little kissing booth ruined everything.
Made me see Jase as a man. A gorgeous, funny, kind, and did I mention gorgeous, man?
But it can’t work because I know how this will end.
In a hot mess.
Kissing My Best Friend
Bo
Since I had agreed to go to dinner with Jase, and I refused to call it a date—because that would just be weird—I figured it was the perfect time to find something new to wear. Not that I was trying to impress him; I wasn’t, but it didn’t hurt for a woman to look nice once in a while. A plain little black dress would be just enough effort without looking like I was trying too hard.
“Hey there, Bo. Looking for anything in particular?” Mikki’s deep southern drawl sounded behind me, yanking me from my thoughts like a fish on a hook.
I turned slowly, preparing myself for the full-on wattage that was Mikki. She was a sweet woman, beautiful and bubbly, but she specialized in things I couldn’t care less about. Like fashion.
“I’m looking for something girly for a night out, but not too girly. No lace or silk, and definitely no tulle.” I pointed a finger for emphasis, but Mikki, of course, wasn’t bothered in the least.
A small, warm smile spread across her face, and her delicate white teeth only highlighted her smooth, pale skin. “You know what you don’t want, but do you have any idea what you do what for this night out?” Her question was bland, benign even, but I felt defensive.
“A night out with a man,” I clarified for some odd reason. I blamed this store and all the girly confections dangling from every hanger, every rafter and every shelf in the whole place. It had my nerves on edge.
“Jase?”
I nodded tightly, and she gestured for me to follow her around the store—which I did, until things started to get out of hand. “Come on, sugar, I’ve got plenty of things that will look just great on you.” She grabbed my hand with her free one, since the other arm was already loaded with about five different dresses.
“You know I only have one body, don’t you?” Who needed this many dresses? Certainly not a woman who spent more time fishing and hiking than she did trolling bars or going on out dates.
“I have been so hopin’ that you’d come in and let me dress you for something.” Her smile beamed bright as her gaze roamed over my body, slowly, studying every inch of me like I was some kind of science experiment. “That figure of yours is just incredible.”
Not that it wasn’t nice to hear, it was, and my cheeks flushed as evidence. But a few alarms bells went off. “Are you hitting on me, Mikki?”
She glanced up from a rack of dresses in about a hundred different shades of purple, those swirling hazel eyes lit with amusement. “Oh, honey, no. While you are as gorgeous as a deep delta sunset, you’re not exactly my type. I like my dates with a bit more hair on their chest. And face.” Now she faced me head on, circling me like a hawk. “But an athletic woman with lean, feminine curves—well, she’s a dream to dress, and you’re her.” Mikki clapped her hands like an excited teenager. “Let’s start with these.”
Mikki’s ‘start’ included leaving me alone in the dressing room with five dresses, none of which were plain or black.
“Seriously, Mikki, this is too many. I hate shopping. Can’t you just get me something black and simple?” I avoided using the ‘p’ word in front of her, because she acted like it was a dirty word.
“Simple means plain, and I don’t do plain, Bo. You need something more than an LBD tonight. Definitely something more.” She shook her head, thick brown hair falling like a curtain around her shoulders. “Try these two next.”
One was a deep sapphire blue, just a few shades lighter than my eyes, and the other was the color of wine. They were different, but equally gorgeous.
But the wine-colored dress was skimpy and silky. “This is a date, not a sleepover.” At least, I didn’t think it was meant to be a sleepover. This was Jase—I mean, sure, we’d slept at each other’s houses before, and even in the same bed a few times, but not naked. Not while I was wearing anything sexy.
“Are they mutually exclusive?” Thick brown lashes fanned as she blinked, doing a bang-up job of pretending to be confused even as her lips curled into an amused grin. Her eyes went wide and round. “Oh. My. God. Is this the sex date for you two?”
Even though the shop was mostly empty, since it had just opened, I was terrified someone would hear her.
“Keep your voice down,” I insisted, my earlier complaint forgotten. “And no, it’s not a sex date. Just stop squealing, please.”
Mikki’s grin was contagious and she practically vibrated with excitement. “I have just the thing.” She darted off, which was impressive considering the four inch heels she wore, and returned with more clothes. A light blue dress with no straps and barely any dress came in first, and then a green dress that matched Jase’s eyes but looked to be more headband than dress. “Wear this lingerie with this dress and this with the other. Trust me.”
That was a tall order, but I just shrugged and accepted the pile of fabric, figuring it would be easier to try it all on rather than argue. Still, I came here for help, so I sucked in a deep breath and closed the curtain, determined to get through these last two dresses as quickly as possible. But the moment I stepped into the indigo dress with the simple spaghetti straps and low-cut back, I couldn’t deny her fashion genius. It was one of those perfect dresses that made you look ten times better than the real you actually looked.
“Is this dress magic or something? Because my boobs and butt don’t look this good. Ever.”
Her laugh sounded right on the other side of the curtain and I knew what was coming. “Can I see?” Before I could form an answer or come up with an excuse, the heavy curtain slid back and Mikki was there, too close, studying me like I was spring finals, senior year. “Oh, that is the dress. Jase is gonna swallow his own tongue when he sees you,” she said on a soft giggle before she leaned in with a conspiratorial smile. “And then, if you’re really lucky, he’ll swallow yours.” She winked, and my laugh came out on a choked groan.
“Jesus, Mikki.”
“Too much? My mama always says I use fifteen inappropriate words when five regular words would be just fine.”
“Sounds like a buzzkill,” I replied before I could think better of it. “Sorry.”
“You don’t sound sorry,” she said honestly. “But that’s all right. You aren’t wrong. Mama isn’t bad, she’s just set in her ways. And those ways are from the fifties.” She grabbed me by the shoulders and spun me until I faced the mirror, a scowl marring her delicate features. “Unfortunately, this cotton bra is all wrong for this dress. Put the dress back on with this underneath.”
This was one of those black lace mini-corsets, but this one had silky blue ribbon woven through it for a hypnotic pop of color. The matching panties were… let’s just say it was a stretch to call them actual panties.
“Where’s the fabric that covers my rear end?”
Mikki rolled her eyes and grunted. “With that booty, you should always wear a thong, honey.”
“Not gonna happen. I like my cheeks covered, thank you very much.”
“Suit yourself,” she said and handed me a pair of boy-cut panties in the same style and color.
“Thanks.” Forty-five minutes later, or maybe it was a millennium, everything was folded up with colorful tissue paper and placed inside equally colorful bags.
“I’m happy to help, sugar. And if you want to do a post-date dissection over lunch, I am totally available.” Her voice went up at the end, like it was a question and I recognized that look and that tone. It was half hopeful, but still anticipating rejection. That look, and the feeling that accompanied it, sucked. Big time.
“How about just lunch with no date dissection?” Whatever happened tonight, I was pretty sure I wouldn’t be ready to talk about it t
omorrow. Or ever, maybe.
“Oh, fine. Reese’s place? That girl cooks a mean barbecue,” she shook her head, sounding every bit the southern belle she was.
“Sounds good. I’ll stop by and we can walk there together, all right?”
Her smile bloomed this time, and I grabbed my purchases and darted out of the shop before Mikki herded me back into the fitting room to try on more dresses. “Enjoy your evenin’ enough for the both of us.” She gave a knowing wink and waved, leaving my skin flushed and my stomach nervous as hell about my date tonight.
With my best friend.
Heaven help me.
##
“Uh, hey.” I opened the door at exactly 7:27 to find Jase standing on my doorstep, wearing an unstoppable grin and holding flowers. And candy. “Oh, Turtles are my favorite!” I snatched the box of chocolates from his hand and stepped back to examine my loot. The sweet, sticky caramel covering the pecans was enough to make my mouth water, but the fact that Jase had also gotten dark and milk chocolate was enough to turn those platonic butterflies into something a bit more erotic. “The flowers are great, too. Thanks.” I took another step back and motioned for Jase to enter, but he just stood there. Staring.
Eventually, I grew self-conscious and began to second-guess this whole date thing. “What is it? Do I have a stain on my dress or something in my teeth?” Neither was possible, because I’d checked the mirror at least two dozen times while I’d gotten ready. And three more times as I scrambled to open the door for him.
“No, there’s nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing at all.” Something in his tone made me look at his face carefully, and the look he wore stole my breath. “You look fucking incredible, Bo. That dress really…” He grinned and shook his head in disbelief. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but that dress makes you look crazy hot.”
Crazy hot. That was a compliment, right? “Um, thanks?”
Hero Boss: An Alpha Male Office Romance Page 17