The Hookup Hoax (Entangled Lovestruck)

by Heather Thurmeier

  “And here I thought you only wanted to go for a swim.” His other hand snaked up to the nape of her neck.

  “That is what I want. I didn’t mean anything else. You’re twisting my words again.” She pressed her hands to his chest in an effort to put some distance between them, but only succeeded in reminding herself how nice his skin felt under her fingertips. How the crinkly dusting of hair contrasted with the silky smoothness of his hard length, currently pressing against her stomach. Not things she wanted to think about if she was going to stay away from him.

  Of course, her position under him had been pretty damn awesome in the hotel room, too.

  Stop. It’s Sawyer. And fake.

  He grinned. A big, know-it-all grin. “Have it your way.”

  Before she could react, he twisted and flopped backward into the water, taking her with him. Frigid darkness surrounded her as his arms disappeared from her waist. She struggled to the surface, finding her feet and sputtering out water.

  “Refreshing, right?” he asked while shaking out his hair as if he were a wet dog.

  “Refreshing my ass. What the hell was that for?”

  “I told you, inching in doesn’t work. You either have to jump off the pier or dive in. Since neither was an option, I opted for a simple dunk.”

  “You could have warned me.”

  “True, but then you would’ve made it harder by trying to resist me.” He splashed her and swam away while she swiped water out of her eyes.

  Going after him as quickly as she could, she attempted to splash him back, make him drink a little lake water as punishment, but he dodged her. “Jerk,” she said, finally giving up so she could catch her breath. Panting, she put her hand to her side, where a stab of pain shot through her.

  A second later, Sawyer dived under the water and resurfaced in front of her. Concern creased his forehead. “That’s from Tyler’s stupid boat ride, isn’t it?”

  She tilted her head to the side, leveling him with her gaze. “How nice of you to be concerned now when you didn’t even think about my well-being when you dunked me.”

  “You barely even submerged.”

  “Tell that to my soaking wet hair.”

  He smoothed a loose strand and secured it behind her ear. “I think it looks pretty good wet.” Dropping his hand to her side, he skimmed his fingertips against a large bruise that had bloomed that morning. She’d known she’d bumped the side of the boat, but she hadn’t thought she’d bumped it that hard until today. “Does it hurt?”

  The tenderness and concern in his voice made it hard to find hers. “Not really. I just look like a total mess.”

  “You’re beautiful.”

  The conviction of his words settled in her chest, hitching her breath. For a guy who insisted on staying a bachelor, he sure knew the right things to say to a woman. She wrapped her arms protectively around herself. “I’m going to lay out and warm up. I’ve had enough freezing cold water.”

  He pulled her back against his chest, the heat from his body instantly quelling her shivers. “I mean it. You’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met, inside and out.”

  His touch sent a shot of fire through her arms and legs. The desire in her core roared to life. She didn’t want to enjoy his words, but damn it, her body wouldn’t respect her wishes. She ached for him deeply, intensely.

  “I don’t want to be another notch in your bedpost.”

  “If that’s all I wanted, I wouldn’t have given you a second glance after our night in the hotel room.”

  “Yeah, and?”

  “And instead I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind since. You’re the only woman in my thoughts, in my fantasies.”

  Her legs went limp and she fought to maintain control, but the idea of him having fantasies about her made her yearn to hear all about them, maybe even live them. It didn’t matter that her time as his girlfriend would come to an end eventually; all that her tingling girly parts cared about was his attention.

  He slid his hand up her side, to the string of her bikini top, his fingers dangerously close to her breast. Memories of the last time he’d touched her flooded her mind and she leaned into him on impulse.

  “Yesterday, while I was fixing the roof, I imagined what you might look like in a little swimsuit like this. I have to admit, my imagination didn’t nearly do you justice. Real life is so much better. Of course, in my head, this little bit of material spent most of the time crumpled on the ground.”

  She didn’t know what to say. If Sawyer were the real deal, her actual boyfriend instead of a fake one, she’d be putty in his hands. Giving in would surely lead to heartache later on in this situation, but maybe the heartache was worth it.

  Every second she spent with Sawyer she was more captivated. He was an amazing businessman, a faithful friend, a considerate roommate, a loyal and heartbroken son, and a caring fake boyfriend.

  “I wondered if you would taste the same after being in the lake.” He dipped his head and kissed her shoulder while his thumb caressed the side of her breast, slipping under the tiny triangle of material. He licked up to her ear and whispered, “You taste like summer. Did I ever mention, summer is my favorite season?”

  Screw it.

  She’d done nothing but plan and think about what was coming next, but in turn, she was missing out on the beauty of the moment. And this was a moment she didn’t want to miss. Right now, right here, she’d live in the present and give in to the man who’d been tempting her, making her question her dreams for the future, and causing her to yearn for his touch again and again.

  Shouldn’t she live life? Enjoy all it had to offer? Against her better judgment, she let her head fall to the side, giving him better access. Between the freezing water and his hot mouth on her skin, her nipples were beaded so tightly they hurt. She pressed her hips into him and moaned as his hard length dug into her flesh.

  Inching back enough to fit her hand between them, she stroked his length. “I wonder if you taste like summer, too.” She found his mouth and kissed him with every ounce of need boiling inside her. He responded, equally eager.

  He scooped her into his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he carried her out of the water. Kicking their clothes out of the way, he deposited her on the towel then fished out a condom from his wallet in the pocket of his shorts, and set it on the pile of clothes next to them.

  Thank God the man came prepared, because she certainly hadn’t. Stopping now that he hovered over her again, wasn’t an option she wanted to go with. She wanted Sawyer again, now.

  Spreading her legs, she pulled him down on top of her, gasping as his erection pressed against her in just the right place. She squirmed beneath him, begging for more direct contact.

  He didn’t disappoint. Thrusting his hips, he rubbed the sweet spot between her thighs. Even with material still separating them, he had enough talent to bring her to the edge and push her over it. But before she got anywhere close, he stopped and sat back on his heels.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, suddenly panicked. “Is someone coming?” What if his family came looking for them? She would die a million deaths of embarrassment.

  “Relax, sugar. The only one coming is you. Well, I will too, eventually.” He winked, then slowly untied the strings at her hips, as if he were unwrapping a delicate package. His expression of eager anticipation made her giggle. “Something funny?”

  Her response turned into a moan in her throat when his tongue swept across her newly exposed skin, sending her head spinning. The laughter vanished, replaced by deep breaths and shaky gasps. Every flick and swirl of his tongue on her needy flesh was like a shot of electricity through her body. She rocked her hips, keeping pace with his movements, intensifying each one until she felt as if her body was about to explode like a firework. When he finally moved up her body to her breasts, she quivered with aftershocks.

  Sunlight warmed her breasts as he pushed the tiny triangles of material to the side.
His teeth nipped at her tight buds, sending another round of shockwaves through her body. She wiggled her hips against him, begging him for more.

  Grabbing the foil packet, he sheathed himself and inched into her, achingly slow.

  She expected him to feel cold from the lake, but instead he was hot and hard and huge moving inside her. Wrapping her legs around him, she thrust her hips, taking him deeper. He groaned and picked up his pace, kissing her neck and nibbling her collarbone.

  She stopped him long enough to make him roll over onto his back, and then she climbed on top, straddling his hips. Slowly lowering her body, she took every inch of him, moaning as he hit the spot inside that made her tremble. His hands slid up her thighs until they reached her heat, rubbing circles against her skin.

  Clinging to him with every thrust, she called out his name as waves of pleasure crashed over her like the tide on a stormy sea. He responded, pulling her down onto his chest, covering her mouth with his, claiming her.

  In that moment, she was his, and she’d never felt more complete.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Sawyer squinted up into the bright sky. A few puffball clouds drifted past, casting shadows on the ground and providing a minute or two of shade for their sun-kissed bodies. He really should have put on sunscreen earlier, but given his current situation, with Olivia’s body tucked into his side, he really couldn’t complain. Sunburn was a tiny, insignificant price to pay to have this afternoon with her, alone and naked, on the beach at the cabin.

  Maybe it was the afterglow of sex talking, or maybe it was simply something she did to him, but regardless, he hadn’t been this content and happy in a long time.

  She made him want to change. With her around, he wanted to slow down, take it easy. He still cared about the future of his company, but she had a way of making him forget about it for a few minutes and see that other things were important too.

  He finally understood the future she wanted to have someday. Being with someone like Olivia, having a home like the cabin, being successful at work—he got why she wanted all of that now that she was back. Part of him wished he could be the one to give it all to her. She’d done so much for him, with the cabin and work and during their fake relationship. Too bad he couldn’t offer her more than housing and a job reference. She deserved better than that…better than him.

  “My dad and I used to come here all the time. It was our little oasis.”

  She propped herself up on an elbow beside him, her hand resting on his chest over his heart. He wondered if she could feel it beating, calm and steady, beneath her palm. “What did you guys do here?”

  “While everyone else was still asleep, we’d dig up worms and grab our poles and be out on the lake as the sun was cresting that ridge.” He pointed off into the distance. It probably looked like any other hill, but to him it was a reminder of all the things he’d lost. The thought that he might have to add the cabin to that list worried him.

  “I bet you miss it.”

  “I do. That’s our—well, my—little boat over there. I haven’t been out in a long time. Too busy with work to give up an entire weekend and come here. Sunday dinner is about as much as I have time for. Sterling Enterprises isn’t going to save itself.”

  “It doesn’t need to. You’re going to land the Marcus project, I know it.”

  Hearing her confidence in his abilities made his chest tighten. He’d never taken so much pride in his work as he did in that moment.

  It also made him realize how his work got in the way of so many other aspects of his life, and made him wish there was a better way to balance it all. As it was, he couldn’t stop feeling like he was doing a piss poor job of living. Like she said, he needed to take better care of himself, and exist for more than work, the bar, and soccer.

  How the hell did Olivia know him so well? Didn’t he feel better today, here with her, not working, than he had in months? Wasn’t that true the other times she’d been at his side, even while they poured over Marcus project notes, or carpooled to work, or ate Chinese takeout straight from the container?

  He rolled to his side, facing her. The bruise on her ribs was another reminder of how he put the wrong things first. “I wish I’d been the one to offer to grab the power washer for Gramps, then I would’ve taken you out on the boat and you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

  It took him a good minute of staring off into the distance before he finally met her gaze and cleared his throat. “When I heard you scream, all I could think was that it was happening again. I was losing someone to the lake.”

  Cupping his jaw, she peered into his eyes. “No one should have to live through what you have.”

  He drew circles on her skin as he spoke. “It took me back to when my parents died. I could barely think straight. I could’ve killed Tyler for joyriding with you.”

  She smiled, her eyes twinkling. “Careful, Sawyer. I might start thinking you care about me on a deeper level. That would be bad for your whole carefree-bachelor persona.” Hopping to her feet, she pulled on her sundress and slipped into her sandals. “Come on. We should head back. We can’t hang out here all afternoon. Your family might get the wrong idea about us.”

  “What? Like we’re a couple, sneaking off to fool around?” Didn’t sound as terrible as he once thought it would. Did it sound terrible to her?

  “Exactly.”

  He put on his clothes over his now mostly dry boxer briefs, taking his time as he pulled himself back together. The term couple used to send a chill up his spine, but now it didn’t bother him. Of course, Olivia wouldn’t look at them as a couple because she wanted a relationship with someone who could offer her a real future. He still didn’t feel like the guy to give that to her.

  So why did he suddenly feel like this thing with Olivia was more than a hookup hoax?

  …

  Walking the path back to the cabin, Olivia heard talking up ahead, though she couldn’t make out the voice. “Who’s that?” she whispered.

  Sawyer paused, listening.

  The person spoke again. “I’ll need to make a few improvements over the winter, but mostly cosmetic stuff.”

  “It’s Tyler.” Sawyer inched forward.

  “I’d like to have it on the market by spring. I’m ready to unload it.” Tyler laughed at something they couldn’t hear, obviously talking on his cell. “Yeah, sounds good. Let me know what the other cabins sell for this summer and what amenities they have. I want top dollar for this place with minimal work.”

  When he hung up and started back toward the cabin, Sawyer blocked his path. “What the hell was that about? Are you planning on selling the cabin?” Sawyer’s voice sounded barely controlled. She didn’t blame him at all. Why would anyone work so hard to win the deed only to sell it?

  “It’ll be my cabin by then, and yeah, I am.”

  “Why would you do that?”

  Tyler looked away, fumbling as he tried to shove his phone back into his pocket.

  “Tell me. Why work so hard to get the cabin and then sell it?”

  “A little extra money—or a lot, according to my realtor—could go a long way to making life more comfortable with the new baby.” He met his gaze for a minute before looking out to the lake. “Things haven’t been stable at work, and with the house and new SUV payments…”

  “You could get a second job. Or ask for help. You don’t need to go so far as to swindle the cabin out of the family and sell it.”

  “You should talk. If you’re such an honorable grandson, then what the hell is she doing here?” Tyler sneered viciously.

  She took a step toward Sawyer’s side. Something about the way Tyler always looked at her gave her the creeps.

  “You will not speak to my girlfriend like that. She’s here because I invited her here, and in case you haven’t noticed yet, Gran is thrilled to have her. Think Gran will be thrilled to hear your plan to sell the cabin?”

  Tyler shrugged. “Think Gran will be happy to hear Olivia’s some girl y
ou’re using to win?”

  Olivia held her breath and peered up at Sawyer. How the hell did Tyler know the truth? They’d been in character and convincing as a couple this whole time, hadn’t they?

  Sawyer laughed easily, as if Tyler’s accusations meant nothing. “I don’t know where you got that crazy idea, but it’s not true.”

  She bit her lip, looking at the ground. Hearing him say the words, talk about their relationship, made it feel so real, almost as real as her feelings a few minutes ago, when he’d been inside of her and the world around them had disappeared into a haze of lust and love.

  Her chest constricted. Did she love him?

  Being with him was beyond anything she’d hoped to find in the person she’d spend the rest of her life with, but he was more than that. Every time he let her in a little bit deeper, shared more about his parents, hearing the pain in his voice when he thought she was in danger on the lake…it seeped into her soul, joining them on a primal level. Sure, they made sparks fly in the sack, but never had she experienced this feeling of absolute connectivity with a man. Sawyer had quickly become a part of her entire essence.

  He’d claimed her heart.

  Tyler puffed up his chest defensively. “On the boat, Olivia was talking to herself about some kind of plan and deal. It didn’t take me long to put it all together. The coincidence of your sudden relationship, and them signing over the cabin, she was in the right place at the right time, wasn’t she?”

  Had she mentioned the plan when she was scared out of her mind on the boat? No. Maybe?

  Sawyer’s jaw visibly clenched.

  “Do you really think we’d be sleeping together if we weren’t a couple?” Olivia asked. “Our feelings for each other are…”

  Sawyer continued when she trailed off. “Our feelings are real.”

  “I love him and I don’t care what you think you heard,” she added quickly and without thought.

  Oh shit. I said that out loud.

  Sawyer shot her a questioning look.