by Aubrey Irons
Austin rolls his eyes as he chuckles. “Oh, that.”
“Yeah, that.” I narrow my eyes at him as he grins at me. “I mean, a little respect would be great, you know! I didn’t sign up to be humiliated with your fucking affairs, and I did not sign up to be a part of whatever trashy Kardashian tabloid story you’ve got going on with Tina.”
Austin shuts the TV off and stands as he shakes his head. “Relax, it’s not what you think it-”
“She’s having your baby?” I hurl at him, hating how emotional it sounds.
“Well, that would be a fucking miracle, because I never touched her, and I certainly didn’t fuck her.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I do not need to know about-”
“Nat, nothing is happening, or has ever happened, with Tina.”
“And why would I possibly think there is, Austin? Her leaving just as I come home, you practically naked lounging around the couch?”
His face suddenly splits in that wide, white, cowboy grin.
“What,” I mutter.
He laughs.
“Oh fuck off.”
“You know, I think I like you angry.”
“Why, so you can feel vindicated about screwing around with-”
“Because you look hot as hell when you’re jealous.”
His voice cuts across the room, silencing me as my lips snaps shut. Heat blooms in my face as I feel his eyes burning right into me, his chiseled chest rising and falling as he inhales deeply.
Austin steps closer to me, my pulse pounding in my ears. “I’m not jealous.”
“No, I like this ‘jealous wife’ version of you,” he says darkly, moving even closer to me with his eyes locked right on mine.
I swallow thickly. “I’m not your wife,” I say quietly.
He stops right in front of me, so close that I can feel the heat from his bare skin, the scent of him filling my senses. His hazel eyes pierce down into mine, and I shiver as his hand suddenly comes up to cup my jaw.
“Yes you are.”
And suddenly, he’s kissing me - hard - and I’m melting right into him.
I’m throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him back before I can even second-guess any of this. I’m moaning into his mouth as he pulls me into him, cupping my jaw with one hand as the other slides down my back to palm my ass and grind me against him.
His kisses are hungry and demanding - insistent and needing.
Needing me, and I know right then that whatever the hell this is, I need him back.
I kiss him hungrily, my hands sliding up and into his hair as our tongues swirl.
And that is when reality hits me like a big slap in the face - I’m making out with a man who in all effects is paying me to do so.
I gasp as I pull away, bringing a hand up to touch my bruised lips as I step away from Austin.
“No,” I say quietly, shaking my head, my fingers still tracing my lips and my eyes locked on his.
This can’t happen. Because me kissing Austin is quite suddenly Vince’s secretary kissing him. Because at some point, that’s how that whole thing started - a woman kissing a man who signs her paychecks.
I will not be that girl.
“Nat-”
“No,” I say firmer this time. I take another step back before I shake my head, turn away, and run out of the room.
19
Austin
“Wait, what?”
Natalie scowls at me through the half-open bedroom door. I’m almost impressed she’s even opened it after our, well, thing downstairs earlier. Of course, she’s more scowling past me, since she’s also not meeting my eyes in the slightest bit.
I clear my throat and repeat myself. “My mom’s house.”
Nat’s brow shoots up. “Your mother lives here, in LA?”
I moved my mom into a house down in the valley when I got recruited. Home might’ve been fucking terrible growing up with her always going back to my shithead of a dad no matter how many times he walked out on us or slapped us around.
But it’s my mom, and you’ve gotta take care of family, even when they’ve fucked up more times than you can count.
I shrug as I lean against the doorframe. “Yeah, she obviously heard about our whirlwind of a romance-”
Natalie rolls her eyes.
“And she wants to meet her new daughter-in-law.” I wink. “She’s really excited to meet you.”
Natalie scrunches her face up. “You want me to go lie to your own mother’s face about us being married.”
“That’s the general plan, yeah.”
She wrinkles her nose and shakes her head. “No way.”
“Look, it’s not a favor for me, it’s for her. She’s sweet, you’ll love her.”
Natalie blows air through her lips and runs a hand through her deep brown hair. “I can’t believe you want me to lie to your mother.” Her eyes dart in the vague direction of my face before looking away, which only makes me grin since she still hasn’t looked me in the eye since opening the door.
“It’s a white lie.”
“White lies are small, this is kind of a bigger deal.”
I sigh. “Look, it’s just-”
“We’re not actually married, Austin.”
I grin. “You know, you keep saying that, but I’ve got a little piece of paper from the State of Nevada that says-”
“Ugh,” she groans. “You know what I mean.” And this time her eyes do meet mine.
“We’re not in love or anything.”
I stick my bottom lip out and make the sad puppy eyes at her. “Aww, you sure you don’t lurrrrv me?” I say, drawing out the L-word cartoonishly.
“I’m quite positive.”
I grin. “I mean that kiss a few hours ago sure seemed like lurrrrv to me.”
Natalie’s whole face goes fucking crimson, and her eyes go wide before they narrow at me. “That was- I mean-” She stammers before holding her head up high and regal-like. “Enjoy dinner alone, Austin.”
She starts to shut the door, but I jam my foot in it. “Okay, okay, lighten up.”
Her eyes are still glaring at me, and her face is still stewing this adorable pink color. But she eases up on the door.
“Look, please come to dinner with me at my mom’s house.” I flash her a grin. “I’d totally do the same for you.”
Natalie barks out a laugh. “Yeah, you’ve never met Loraine.”
“Should I?”
She raises her brow and lets her gaze do a once-over before she drags them back to my face. “No, probably not.”
I laugh. “Hey, moms love me, you know.”
“So I’ve read,” she says curtly as she smiles sweetly at me. “And that is exactly why you won’t be introduced.”
I grin as I rake my nails across my five o’clock shadow. “That tabloid stuff is mostly just rumor and garbage you know.”
“Mostly or entirely?”
“Taking the fifth on that one, princess. So, dinner? My mom really is a sweetheart.”
She sighs heavily before I finally watch that last defense of hers drop from her face.
“Okay, fine. But I’m doing this for your mother, not you.”
“Thanks, dear.”
She rolls her eyes at me. “So what time are we leaving for dinner then?”
I shrug and look down at my watch. “Like, ten minutes?”
Natalie’s jaw drops as her eyes go wide. “Seriously?!”
I frown. “What?”
“You’ve clearly never lived with a woman before, that’s what.”
I snort. “Well, yeah, obviously. Why?”
“Because I’m about to meet my fake husband’s mother for the first time and I need to get ready!”
I make a face. “What’s wrong with that?” I nod at the tank top and jean shorts she’s wearing. “She’s cooking dinner, you know. We’re not going to the opera, Madame Ames.”
Nat gives me a ‘watch it’ look. “I’m going to need at at least thirty minutes.”
I r
oll my eyes. “Fine, just-”
The door slams in my face.
Welcome to your married life, Austin, I grumble to myself as I head downstairs to grab a beer.
“Oh well now you are just sweet as pie, sugar!”
Natalie doesn’t even have a chance to say anything back before my beaming mom wraps her up in a big bear hug.
“I am so glad you found my boy and got him to settle himself down!”
Mom pulls back to beam at Natalie, her rosy, dimpled cheeks and the smile lines around her eyes pulled tight with her delight. I’m always amazed that my mom even knows how to smile with the shit we put up with growing up with Dad.
“Oh now, Mrs. Taylor,” Natalie’s voice adapts a “folky” tone similar to my mom’s, and she cocks a hip to the side in this casual way I’ve never actually seen her stand. “I think Austin is the one that found me, actually!”
I raise a brow. Country-bumpkin Natalie is making an Oscar-worthy performance.
Mom snorts a laugh and bats a hand at Nat. “Oh, please, this boy couldn’t find his own ass with two hands.”
Natalie cracks up right alongside my mom, hamming it up like the two of them are old bridge partners. “He sure can’t, Mrs. Taylor!”
“Oh now, please, it’s just Bernadette, we’re family now.”
She turns back to me, beaming like I haven’t seen her in years - even when I “made it” and bought her this house.
“I’m so proud of you, honey,” she says in that gushy mom way as she reaches up to pat my cheek. “Now, c’mon now, let’s get fed, huh?”
Natalie starts to follow her into the house, but I snag her arm and hold her back.
“Since when is Ms. Natalie Ames a little ol’ country girl?”
She grins and shrugs. “It’s proper to put people at ease when you meet them for the first time.”
“By imitating them?”
She frowns. “No, God, of course not,” she says primly. “Meeting someone new for the first time is putting aside showing who you are and letting them be who they are.”
I blink. “Wow.”
“Eddington Hill Preparatory Day finishing classes,” she says with another shrug.
“A what now?”
Natalie grins. “Rich kid school for learning to be fancy.”
“Sounds awesome.”
“Oh, a blast.” Natalie winks. “If you ever want to go ballroom dancing, by the way, I’m kind of really good at it.”
“I’ll have to check my schedule.”
“C’mon now, you lovebirds!” Mom’s voice calls out from the kitchen.
“Your mom is kinda great, by the way,” Natalie whispers before winking and turning towards the kitchen. “Just makin’ sure this big goof remembers to take his boots off before traipsing through the house, Bernadette!”
Mom hoots from the kitchen.
“Now I’ve been dyin’ to know, honey.” Mom puts her fork down and grins eagerly at me across the dinner table. “How exactly did y’all meet?”
Shit.
I probably should’ve expected questions like this, and really, we probably should’ve gone over this at some point. Hell, we’re going to need this story for the media any-
“Dance class.”
I snap my eyes over to Natalie, who’s grinning impishly at me over a bite of chili.
“Dance class?” Mom’s brows shoot up. “Well you don’t say.”
“Yes ma’am,” Natalie winks at me across the table, ignoring the hard look I’m trying to shoot her. “Ballroom.”
“Oh how sweet!” Mom turns and wags a finger at me as she smiles. “You are full of surprises, honey now aren’t you? Now, did y’all go as a couple?”
Natalie answers for me, of course, because she’s enjoying this too much. “Oh, we were both there solo and Austin came over and asked me to dance.”
I silence the laugh that’s threatening to come spilling out with a giant spoonful of chili. The idea of me, going alone to some ballroom dance class doesn’t make a damn inch of sense.
Mom is head over heels though, beaming between the two of us as if she can’t make up her mind who she wants to smile at more.
“I just knew you were more than just some sports guy, Austin.”
I roll my eyes. “I mean, sports guy Austin was able to buy this house, mama.”
Mom grins slyly at Natalie. “He did, you know. Just the sweetest boy getting his mama a new house like this in the city so I could be near him.”
She neglects to mention that doing so keeps her away from my dad, wherever the fuck he is these days, but that’s just as well.
“More cornbread, honey?”
Natalie chuckles and pats her stomach. “Oh, no thank you, Bernadette, I-”
“Oh I’ll get you one more small piece then.”
I shrug helplessly at Nat as Mom walks back to the kitchen.
“God, I can’t believe you’re lying to my mom like that,” I whisper, leaning close to her.
Natalie elbows me in the side.
“Do not start with me,” she says, grinning.
“Dance lessons?” I snort. “Hardly a believable backstory.”
She turns and smiles sweetly at me. “Well it’s hardly believable that I’d marry a guy like you, isn’t it?”
Our eyes lock for a second, and then another, even though we’re saying nothing.
I like this sass.
Mom steps back into the dining room and stops at the head of the table, eyes darting between us with this mischievous look on her face.
“What’s up, Mama?”
“Now, look, there’s something-” Mom shakes her head. “Oh, never mind, it’s silly.” She grins at me, like she’s dying to spill whatever it is she’s about to say.
“Mom-”
“Oooh, okay! It’s silly, but, well-” She turns to Natalie. “I know you kids already went and got hitched, but I have always wanted to see my boy up there at a real proper alter with a girl like you, honey.”
I frown. “Mama, I don’t-”
“You want us to have a real wedding, Bernadette?”
My head jerks towards Nat as my mom nods.
“It’s silly isn’t it?”
Natalie shakes her head. “I think it’d be a lovely thing to do, actually. What do you think, honey?” she says, grinning at me.
I scratch my chin. “Hey, why not.”
“Oh honey that would just make my whole dang life!” Mom throws her arms around Natalie, and I arch my brows at her over my my mom’s shoulder.
“Well lordy, I went and forget your cornbread!”
“Oh, Bernadette, that’s really-”
“Nonsense, nonsense,” Mom waves her off. “Now, us girls will have to set aside some time to go shopping soon,” she says, eyeing me with a smile as she bustles back to the kitchen.
I lean into Natalie, whispering out of the corner of my mouth. “What the hell have you gotten us into?”
She elbows me again, giggling. “It’s going to be fun!”
“Yeah, a blast.”
“Oh, honey?” My mom’s voice drifts back from the kitchen.
“Yeah?” I say, reluctantly pulling my eyes away from Natalie.
“Set another place at the table, would you?”
I freeze, the smile instantly dropping from my face.
You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.
“For who, Mom,” I say with a leaded voice.
I don’t even have to wait for her answer though, because I already know. I’ve been at this table, having this exact same dinner about a hundred times before, when I was growing up.
There’s the sound of a car pulling into the driveway, and I feel every muscle in my body tensing as my hands clench into fists on the table.
Mom pokes her head into the dining room. “Now, Austin, honey, don’t get mad.”
But I’m already mad. No, fuck that, I’m furious - furious that he managed to find her, and manipulate himself back into her life. And I know
that look on her face, because I saw it a dozen fucking times growing up, usually a week or a month after she kicked him out.
“You’re fucking kidding me.”
“Language, Austin!” My mom shushes, her hand flying to the cross around her neck.
“What’s going on?” Nat whispers, leaning close to me.
“My dad’s here.”
“Oh,” she nods, furrowing her brow. “Oh well that’s nice.”
“No, it’s not,” I growl.
The front door slams open, and I’m right back to being a kid all over again.
And suddenly, there he is, standing in the dining room doorway and beaming at the whole room like he’s the best thing that ever happened to everyone here.
I hate that fucking look.
“Well well! Big NFL star!” Dad throws his arms wide. “Come on, boy! Git over here and give your ol’ man a hug!”
I stay seated, my eyes narrowing at him. Him, the man who beat the hell out of my mother, who cheated on her, who left her, who stole from her.
The one she always took back.
He’s drunk, obviously, and he stands there swaying slightly on his feet for another second or two before he suddenly turns his eyes on Natalie.
I growl.
“Well well!” He whistles lowly, his gaze turning all sorts of evil as he narrows in on her.
“So you must be the bride, huh?”
Natalie smiles cordially, clearly sensing the tension in the room but still putting up that smiling finishing school veneer.
“Yes, sir.” She starts to stand. “Please to finally meet you, I’m-”
Dad belts out a hooting laugh, cutting her off. “Holy shit, son!” He grins, nodding his chin at Natalie. “Look at this piece of tail, huh?”
Natalie quickly looks at the floor, her face growing red. Mom is fidgeting from foot-to-foot across the room, silent as usual in the presence of Harry.
“I mean damn!” Dad whistles again, openly ogling Natalie as I feel the red rage building to the point of no return inside.
“Shoulda gone pro myself! I mean, would you look at that ass!”
He suddenly puts his hand out, as if he’s about to touch her, and that’s when I fucking snap.
I stand with a roar, yanking her behind me and shoving him away and into the wall. It’s primal, like I’m some sort of caveman, but I don’t care.