“There, that’s better,” he whispered in her ear, nudging her hip with his.
“How so?” Fallon asked with perfect, albeit false, innocence.
“It’s always better to keep beautiful women close at hand,” he improvised, gifting Fallon another one of his smiles. Flynn was stunned when Fallon sucked in a sharp breath, not completely unaffected by Winter’s charm either. “Just don’t tell Melissa.”
The casual mention of the third person in their fake relationship put another damper on Flynn’s spirits but she couldn’t act like it affected her at all. The tangled mess of Winter and Melissa’s faux relationship was not something she had spent a lot of time thinking about because she hadn’t wanted to think about it. With the reminder that she was technically the other woman, she felt ill. But she wasn’t the other woman because the relationship between Winter and Melissa was a complete fabrication.
Clearing her throat, she asked in a soft voice, “Will we be seeing Storm today?”
Winter shook his head no in genuine regret. “He wanted to come but I felt it was better to leave him with his aunt. Even though he knows about the pirate ship, I want to leave the design as a surprise so the first time he sees the ship it will be at his party when it’s complete.”
That was actually kind of sweet. “Does he spend a lot of time here?”
“Not as much as we’d like to,” he answered with a hint of resignation in his voice. “When things are settled, we’re hoping to move up here full time.”
“What does your fiancée think of that idea?” Fallon asked, this time in genuine curiosity.
Flynn felt Winter stiffen but one would never be able to tell by his expression that he was bothered by the question. “Missy hates the idea, of course. She prefers living amidst the gilded streets of Beverly Hills whereas I prefer the quieter life up here in the country.”
Flynn nodded her head in silent agreement. Living in a warm, cozy house surrounded by hundreds of acres of pristine land was her idea of heaven. Add in a few animals, a large garden, a couple of kids, a husband, and she’d be set for life. She could easily picture herself living in Winter’s country home, with Winter by her side and a gaggle of children running wild in the backyard, with Storm leading his half-brothers and sisters into fake battle….
She faltered a step as the perfect image flashed in her head, leaving her wanting so much more than she had any right to want. Winter wasn’t going to marry her and she wasn’t going to be having his children and, for pity’s sake, she had only known the man for a few weeks. Before that he had been a picture on her wall. She was getting way, way ahead of herself and she mentally castigated herself for being so foolish.
“Peanut! Pickles!” her dad called out, excitement bubbling in his deep voice. “There you two are! This place is amazing and the pirate ship… Holy crap, the pirate ship is going to be a dream come true. Once it’s built, I might never leave…. Oh, you’re not alone.”
Flynn smiled at her dad’s enthusiasm, stepping away from Winter as she took in her dad’s ruddy face. “Dad, I’d like you to meet Winter Mitchell, the owner of this amazing property and the man who will be commissioning that pirate ship.”
“You’re awfully sure of yourself,” Winter whispered in her ear as he stepped past her and held out his hand. He stumbled a step when he saw just how big her dad was, who stood over Winter by a good three inches. “Mr. Rogers, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Daniel,” her dad said gruffly, accepting the hand and giving it a manly shake, squeezing it until Winter’s fingers turned white. It was her dad’s way of testing the worthiness of opponents, which included males who were within dating age of his daughters. By her father’s satisfied nod, Flynn knew that Winter had passed. “Mr. Mitchell.”
“Please, call me Winter,” he said. A moment later, Jeff appeared and Winter visibly swallowed, glancing back at Flynn with a look that was akin to panic in his eyes. But the panic was gone a heartbeat later as he smiled and held out his hand for her brother to shake. “Mr. Rogers.”
“Jeff,” her brother corrected with an affable grin, shaking Winter’s hand with a little more enthusiasm than the occasion called for. “You have some beautiful land out here, Mr. Mitchell.”
“Please, Winter is fine.” Clapping his hands together, he was suddenly all business and so sexy Flynn couldn’t help but stare. “Tell me what you’ve got planned so far.”
Off the three of them went, discussing bows and planks and two by fours and finding a local distributor to deliver the materials and a million other things. Flynn and Fallon stared after the three men with similar looks of astonishment on their faces. Turning as one, they looked at one another and started giggling. They automatically linked their hands and walked sedately behind.
“So, what’s going on between you and Winter Mitchell?” Fallon asked abruptly in a quiet voice.
“Nothing,” Flynn said. At Fallon’s look of disbelief, she continued, “That I’m allowed to talk about.”
“Come on, Flynn,” she cajoled. “I see the way he looks at you. You can’t tell me there’s nothing between you when he was practically fucking you with his eyes.”
Flynn felt the tell-tale blush heat her cheeks and she looked down, concentrating on her steps because she couldn’t wipe the stupid grin from her face. How much could she tell her sister, the one person in the world she had always told everything to before? How much did she want to tell her because there was still a part of her that wanted to keep the secret of Winter close to her heart? “There really isn’t that much to tell, Fal. He’s an attractive man and he makes me laugh.”
“He makes you blush as well, Flynnie,” she smirked.
“Everything makes me blush.” For once in her life, she was grateful for that truth that helped conceal an even bigger, more complicated truth.
“Just be careful,” Fallon told her, the warning coming from a place of love. “You don’t want to end up like Murphy.”
“I’m not getting involved with a married man,” Flynn said, which was the absolute truth. Before Fallon could protest, she held up her hand and continued, “Nor am I getting involved with an engaged man. Don’t worry, Fal. I’m fine.”
“I’ll always worry,” she said with a slight smile, resting her head on Flynn’s shoulder as they continued their leisurely walk across Winter’s massive backyard.
Flynn smiled but her thoughts went to Murphy and she wondered once again if it had been like this for her oldest sister. Of course, Murphy had been sixteen and the man with whom she had fallen in love was the father of the children she babysat. He was older, mid to late twenties and married and she had been underage and starry-eyed. The whole thing had been a huge scandal but it was Murphy who was the one who paid the price, getting shunned by her friends and having her heart broken when the guy decided he wanted to make it work with his poor wife, who conveniently held the purse strings.
Two years later, the bastard ran off with some nineteen year old heiress and the last Flynn heard of him, he was some smarmy lawyer with an eye on politics. He was just slimy enough to get elected. It had taken Murphy years to get over him, as well as a round of antibiotics, a difficult pregnancy and a beautiful little girl who never saw her father. Flynn had been twelve when the affair blew up, old enough to understand what was going on and young enough to be traumatized by it. The extra year that Fallon had on Flynn had given her some perspective, namely don’t fuck with sleazy, married bastards.
It was fucked up all around.
Which reminded her: she really needed to get in to see a doctor and get some birth control pills.
Murphy had her head turned by a handsome, suave older man who said all of the right things and promised her eternity but it had only lasted a few months. Was the same thing happening to her? She didn’t want to believe Winter was just some smooth-talking Lothario but what if he was? Unlike Murphy, she was not some naïve sixteen year old girl. She knew what she was getting into and she had both eyes
open. Still, it was a lot to think about and it was best to do her thinking when Winter wasn’t around because her brain turned to mush the moment he stepped into the room.
She could take some comfort in the fact that Melissa confirmed they were not engaged and that the game between them was coming to an end. Continuing the charade for another five months still didn’t make perfect sense to Flynn but she felt like she was at least on somewhat solid ground.
♥~♥~♥
Winter looked at the group of people sitting around his dining room table and a pit of yearning yawned open in his gut, almost painful in its intensity. He found he really liked Flynn’s family, from her bear of a father to her teasing brother to her beautiful sister. But it was Flynn he was drawn to, like a cat to a bowl of cream. And like a cat, he wanted to lap her up. Her smile lit up the frickin’ room and he found that it was nearly impossible to tear his eyes away from her.
Being away from her for a week while he was filming had nearly killed him. He felt like a drug addict going through withdrawal, shaky and moody, and the only time he could breathe were the moments he was able to talk with her on the phone. Now she was sitting less than five feet away from him, he could almost smell her intoxicating scent, and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
He wished this bargain with Missy was over and done with. Or that he had met Flynn after he and Missy parted ways. No, he didn’t wish he hadn’t met her yet because then he would have missed this time with her. It was just complicated and if he wasn’t careful it was going to get messy. Especially since he kept finding himself staring at her, studying her.
Clearing his throat, he turned to Fallon with a half-smile, “So, Flynn tells me you’re an actress.”
“I am,” she said proudly, her green eyes flashing with humor. Flynn was right when she told him Fallon had that spark. And just as long as the industry didn’t kill it, she could go far.
“Well, Flynn and I had a bet….”
“I know,” she interrupted, her lips curving in a wicked grin as she glanced at Flynn and stuck out her lower lip. “And it vexes me that she lost.”
“Yes, well,” he glanced at Flynn and saw the confusion and curiosity in her pretty eyes. He knew he should be focusing on Fallon but he wanted to see Flynn’s reaction when he told Fallon the news. “I talked to my director and if you’re willing….”
“Yes!” Fallon cried out before he could even finish.
Flynn’s eyes lit up with excitement as she mouthed Thank you. He nodded his head in acknowledgement and forced his attention back to Fallon. Chuckling, he said, “What if I were about to say if you’re willing to strip naked and wrestle with a bear in a vat of green jello?”
Fallon’s brows drew together in a slight frown as her lips parted and a soft oh came from them. “Then I guess I wouldn’t have been so enthusiastic?”
“I don’t want my daughter wrestling a bear, naked or not,” Daniel rumbled, though Winter could hear the amusement in his voice.
Exchanging a smile with the older man, Winter continued, “Anyway, as I was saying, there is a small role for you in the film. If you want it, it’s yours.”
She was silent for a moment but he could almost feel the excitement coming off of her. In a measured voice, she calmly asked, “Will it involve bears or nudity?”
“You’ll be fully dressed and there will be no wildlife,” he assured her, his eyes once again drifting to Flynn. Her smile was radiant and if he wasn’t careful, he would get lost in it. “So?”
“Yes!” she squealed again, clapping her hands together and bouncing in her seat. “Thank you!!” Twisting in her chair, she grabbed Flynn in a choking hug, “Thank you, Flynnie!”
“I didn’t do anything,” Flynn laughed, hugging her sister back. Once again, their eyes met and he had to suck in a breath as he went under.
Turning back in her seat, Fallon faced him with eager anticipation, “Do you have any advice for me?”
“Work hard,” he told her, wishing someone had been there to guide him through the pitfalls of fame. He was lucky to make it through relatively unscathed. “Just remember that there are hundreds of other actors out there that are just as hungry, if not hungrier, than you so work hard, show up early and stay late. And know that fame is fleeting, so be careful.”
She absorbed everything he said as if his words were gospel.
“Well, now,” Daniel said, his voice rough with emotion. “I don’t know about any of you but I’m hungry for the dessert we brought up.”
“You brought dessert?” Winter asked, his eyes focused on Flynn.
“Well, my sister did,” she admitted, lowering her lashes to hide her expressive eyes. “She got Harry to make a cake.”
“Is it as good as his burgers?” He knew he should be asking Fallon but he was unable to focus on anyone but Flynn.
Leaning forward, her eyes sparkling, she purred, “Better.”
“Then let’s have some dessert,” he managed to say through a throat that was suddenly too tight. How did she manage to take his breath away so completely? And yet, why couldn’t he breathe unless she was near? Recklessly, needing to have her to himself if only for a moment, he asked, “Would you like to help me get it?”
“I’d love to help,” she beamed radiantly, pushing back from the table and standing up. “Lead the way, Mr. Mitchell.”
With a grin, he walked around the table and put his hand at the small of her back to lead her to the kitchen. The small touch wasn’t nearly as much as he wanted but it was enough for now, especially considering the curious eyes that followed them out of the room.
“I love how open your home is, Winter,” she said as they rounded the corner, escaping the prying eyes. Leaning closer, lowering her voice to a whisper, “And I especially love that the kitchen is hidden away.”
Sliding his arm around her waist, he pulled her against him, her light floral scent teasing his nose and reinforcing the fact that she was finally close. But with her family in the other room, it was a test of self-control, one that he was certain he was about to lose. “It does make for a decent getaway.”
Pausing, she looked up at him with wide, grateful eyes. She reached up and lightly touched his cheek, her fingers burning all the way to his soul, as she said in earnestness, “That was a really nice thing you did for my sister.”
He tried to speak but sensation closed his airways. Clearing his throat, he confessed gruffly, “I did it for you.”
“I know,” she whispered, going up on her tiptoes and placing a soft, tender kiss against his lips.
Unable to hold off a moment longer, he swooped her up into his arms and deepened the kiss. Desire overwhelmed him and he stumbled forward a few steps until her back was pressed against the wall and he was pressed against her body. Her fingers pulled against his shirt and then her hands were on his skin and all of the blood in his body rushed to his penis. Lightheaded, he pulled back and growled, “I want you.”
“Yes,” she breathed, wrapping her legs around his waist and rubbing her sweet pussy against his erection.
“I promised you three months,” he said in a moment of lucidity even as his fingers tugged at the snap of her jeans.
“Three months, three minutes,” she breathed. “It’s all too long. Kiss me.”
With a groan, he obeyed her command, thrusting his tongue into her mouth and tasting the meat they had had for dinner. Slipping his hands into the back of her loosened jeans, he kneaded the warm flesh of her ass as he slowly rocked against her.
“No, Dad,” Fallon called out in an exaggerated tone, making the two would-be lovers jump apart. Furious color stained Flynn’s cheeks as she rapidly pulled herself back together. Winter made sure everything was back in place, realizing that her sister was giving them time because she must have seen them. “You stay here. I’ll go check and see what is taking them so long.”
Reaching up, he brushed a strand of Flynn’s hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, letting his hand ling
er. “You are so beautiful, Flynn Rogers.”
She smiled shyly at the compliment and his chest puffed up in pride and possessiveness. She was his.
At that moment, Fallon strolled around the corner, a hand over her eyes, “Am I interrupting anything?”
“We’re good,” Flynn said softly, glancing up at him one last time before pasting a smile on her flushed face. “Thank you, Fallon.”
The girl lowered her hand and glared at Winter with all that she was worth. “What the fuck are you doing? I mean, I knew something was up when the two of you raced off to the kitchen, leaving the butler with a baffled expression on his face, but I didn’t expect this.”
“It’s okay,” Flynn said calmly, trying to reassure her sister and failing. Her lips pressed together in a thin, frustrated line because she couldn’t explain the situation. But he could.
“Melissa and I aren’t what we seem,” he said, draping an arm around Flynn’s shoulders and pulling her against his side where she belonged. “Technically I am a free man, able to see or date whomever I want.”
“That’s not what everyone thinks,” Fallon said, still scowling as she shooed them into the kitchen.
“The world believes what we want them to believe,” Winter decreed, cringing at the haughtiness even he could hear in his voice. Heaving a sigh, he shook his head, “It’s complicated. But Melissa and I are not in an… intimate relationship.”
“Uh huh,” she said, clearly not believing him. Going over to the fridge, she pulled out a cooler and set it on the counter. Her shoulders were stiff as she pulled out a rounded cake container and set it down next to the cooler. “I can’t believe you almost took my sister up against a wall with her family sitting just a few feet away. I can’t believe you almost let him, Flynn. What the hell happened to my prim sister who has always been so careful about everything?”
Spinning around, she glared at the two of them, though Winter could see the hurt in her eyes as she looked at Flynn. Flynn audibly swallowed as she looked at him and then faced Fallon, “I seem to lose my head around him, Fallon. There’s no other way to explain it.”
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