He blushed and wrapped his arm across his chest. “I feel so naked right now.”
Not naked enough.
I sat up to face him. “I’m trying to be honest. If you want to use me in your fantasies, that’s fine, too. I’m okay with it. It’s the twenty-first century, Tyler. Let freedom ring.”
His brow creased. “That’s not what it means—”
“Just let go.” I grabbed his hand that was on his chest and placed it on my tit. His eyes widened but he hadn’t pulled away.
“Feels good, right?”
“Yes,” he whispered.
“So why are you resisting what feels good? No strings attached. Except we have to be in a fake relationship for six more weeks, but other than that, you can do whatever you want.”
“Oh.” His hand slipped from my chest and I missed his warm touch immediately.
“You don’t like that idea?”
I was trying to make this appealing for him. Every man I had come in contact with loved the idea of no-strings attached fucking.
“Not really. It’s not like you’re a stranger I met in a bar, Iona. I have known you since we were in tenth grade. It was your first time being sent to the principal’s office in high school, and I was your guide through the process. Being I was more experienced than you with it.”
I laughed. “All your tips about buttering up Principal Atkins worked. You were a pro.”
“This is what I’m talking about.” His eyes grew soft as he gazed at me. “You’re my friend. I don’t think I could have sex with you or even kiss you and walk away. You burrowed deep in my heart so long ago that I could never break that bond and walk away. Not again.”
Where was this guy eleven years ago? Oh yeah, a missed digit away.
“Yeah, well, I’ve grown up. The heart only has to heal if you let it get captured,” I mumbled.
“What?”
“Nothing. It’s fine. You need romance and feelings. That’s not something I’m capable of bringing to the party.”
He frowned and reached for my hand but I dodged it, pretending to push some hair from my face.
“Iona.”
This was becoming more complicated than it should. It’s better we kept everything fake. I scooted off the bed and was heading toward my bedroom when I heard him come after me.
I turned and stared at the luscious sight before my eyes. The towel had dropped, and I swear a beam of light filtered through the window, centering a spotlight on the Big Kahuna. And it was big.
“Iona, let’s talk about this.”
Wait. Did he realize he was standing there buck naked in our hallway? Oh, this was better than I thought.
“I’m trying to see the big picture here, Tyler, but it’s hard. So hard,” I said and then rolled my lips between my teeth to keep from laughing.
“It’s not that hard.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that . . .”
I tell you what was hard, keeping my eyes on his face. His cock was bobbing up and down as he gestured in the air like it was begging for me to stare. God, I wanted to get on my knees and worship it. That cock was prettier than a beauty pageant winner cutting a ribbon at the opening ceremony for a car dealership.
“How about a date? I take you out, and it would work for the fake fiancée thing, too. I’m sure Babette would love that. Maybe I’d feel better if it was more than just sex.”
“I know that would make me feel better, too,” I responded without listening to most of what he said. That cock was deliciously distracting.
He clapped his hands together and my eyes snapped up to his.
“Good. It’s a date. I’ll take you out tonight.”
“Wait. What? Date?”
He nodded and turned back toward his bedroom.
“We can figure out where tonight but right now, I’m late for work. I hope Olivia hasn’t tried to treat the animals herself. She’s learning a lot, but she’s far from qualified to treat animals yet.” He chuckled as he moved to the bedroom doorway.
Tyler stopped when he looked at the floor of his bedroom. I saw the moment he noticed the towel was no longer attached to his body.
His grin fell harder than I had for his dick.
“I’m naked, aren’t I? I’ve been naked this whole time.”
“Yup.”
“I’d turn and come after you but then I’d still be naked. Thanks for not saying anything.” He stepped inside and slammed the door.
I yelled back, “You are more than welcome. Make sure you put on some clothes before we step outside to the paparazzi.”
Something hit the door, a shoe maybe. It didn’t matter. I got to memorize that golden, delicious body of his. After he leaves for work, I could break out the action team.
TWELVE
Tyler
“I don’t think I’ve worked that hard since I helped a cow give birth over at the Connor farm.” I flopped back in my office chair.
Olivia had a similar pose on the brown vinyl client chair across from my desk.
“Holy mother of ham, I had no idea it could get that busy. What are the chances that every pet in a ten-mile radius would get sick at the same time?”
I believed it had less to do with sick animals and more to do with who I was “engaged” to that brought the people out. Babette said she would keep it on the down low, but somehow word spread. After that day in the diner she worked her magic and my old clients came back. But now the line was out the door.
It should have tipped me off when, instead of one photographer lulling about on the sidewalk outside my house, there were ten. Iona and I put on a good show, holding hands and she gave me a peck on the cheek before I shuffled down the porch steps.
It’s not as if the paparazzi followed me to work. They were more interested in Iona. When I saw the chaos at work, I was in shock.
I should be happy I wasn’t the pet killer anymore. The place had business once again, so that was a good thing.
The bad thing was now my body was numb.
The phone rang. I shook my head. “No, stop. Please, everyone go away,” I said to the receiver before picking it up.
“Do you want me to answer?” Olivia barely lifted her head.
I wanted to say yes but she was hurting, too. She never asked for this. It was my fault for agreeing to the stupid idea in the first place. I’d take the punishment of moving and talking to the curious pet owner hoping for a chance meeting with Iona.
I waved her back and reached for the phone.
“Hello, Ferguson Veterinarian. No, I.D. isn’t here, and she won’t come in so you can get a selfie with her.”
“Tyler?” a familiar deep voice responded.
“Jake?”
“How’s my big bro?”
He wanted something. I loved my brother, but he never voluntarily called me for no reason.
“Tired. What do you want?”
“Why do you think I want something? I can’t call my brother just to say hi.”
I leaned forward onto the desk and planted my elbows down. The pounding in my head grew. This day was a disaster. Having Jake call made me want to go home and crawl into bed.
The only thing that kept a smile on my face was the thought of taking Iona out tonight.
“Because you don’t speak to me unless you have to.”
My brother and I had an agreement—we tolerated each other. He agreed to move halfway across the country to Chicago if I promised not to bother him all the time with brotherly concern. He left once he got his high school diploma six years ago. Actually, he disappeared. I managed to hunt him down in Maryland, and while he couldn’t tell me what he was doing, he swore he was safe.
I suspected drugs but as it turned out, he was being recruited by the government. He left them a year ago and started his own security firm in Chicago. I was proud of my brother, but I’d never tell him that.
“Anyway, I heard Iona’s back in town, and you’re engaged? Last I knew you never wanted to see her again.”
“I thought you didn’t listen to gossip.”
I knew I was going to have to tell him at some point, I just wanted to wait until the fake story was over.
“I don’t. F & G Securities was contacted by Ward Talent Agency in Los Angeles. They hired us to protect Iona Dell.”
I glanced up at Olivia who had curled up in the chair and fallen asleep. She was snoring.
“Your company is going to protect Iona?”
She didn’t need my little brother’s rag-tag team to keep watch over her. I was more than capable of doing that myself.
“Yes. Looks like I’m coming home. Make sure you have a bed ready for me. I like my pillow extra fluffy.” I heard him laugh through the phone.
“No.”
I wouldn’t accept this. Iona’s agent had gone too far. What was the chance out of all the security companies in the country that she would pick the one my brother owned? The woman did this on purpose. Babette hated me and I must say, the feeling was mutual.
“Oh yes. I fly out tomorrow. Seriously though, I will need a place to sleep because it’s twenty-four-hour security she hired us for.”
I can’t believe this. My life was slowly—but with tremendous force—being destroyed by a Hollywood agent. She supposedly owned my home. She forced me to tell the world a lie, one even my little brother believed. And now he was coming to live with me.
“It’s a two-bedroom home. You can have the couch.”
“What? Why can’t I have the spare bedroom?”
“Because Iona is in—” I stopped myself before I let it out.
I had signed a confidentiality agreement about the fake engagement. If I told anyone, even my brother, I would be in breach of contract. And if that happened, she promised to take me to court and fight for that house. I had no money for a lawyer and knowing her, she’d drag out the battle.
“Don’t tell me she sleeps in there because you two are saving yourselves for marriage? Because I know you are as far from a virgin as anyone can get.”
I rolled my eyes. “And you’re the saint?”
“No, but I’m not making my fiancée sleep in a separate bed because I’m an uptight asshole.”
“I’m not an uptight asshole, asshole.”
“Please. You were the drill sergeant growing up. Always making me clean up and help you fix something if it broke.”
“That’s because our parents didn’t do anything.”
“That’s the truth. Speaking of which, there’s something I need to tell you . . .”
I heard the door open to the office and groaned. Some last-minute pet emergency. This was going to be a long day.
“Can it wait until you get here tomorrow? I promise you will have a bed.”
I guess I’ll be sleeping on the couch. I can’t have my brother thinking we aren’t really engaged. This house was everything to me. I didn’t like lying to my brother, but I hoped he’d understand why I did it. And when all this was over, I’d tell him the truth.
Maybe if I repeated that enough, I’d believe it.
“I guess it can wait.”
“Someone came in the office. I got to go. Have a safe flight.”
“Thanks. And, bro, you know I love you.”
“Yeah. Love you too, my little man,” I said in my best baby voice.
“You’ve got issues. Later.”
Jake always ended his calls reminding me that he loved me. I think he felt some obligation because our parents never said it to me. They loved Jake, but he was the baby. Me, I was their work horse. I was to be used, not loved.
The call ended, and I put the receiver back in place. Olivia was still asleep, so I gently closed my office door as I left and went toward the waiting room.
“I’m afraid we’re closed for the day.” I raised my voice as I moved down the hall.
“But I found this lost puppy wandering the streets. I think his name is Carter. At least, that’s what he keeps telling me.” Iona’s words floated through the hall. I turned the corner and saw her standing next to a tall, bearded man who belonged in a paper towel commercial holding an ax.
“He’s hardly a puppy, more like a rabid dog,” I said nodding to Carter.
“Nice to see you, too, Tyler. Is Olivia here?” The burly sheep farmer glared at Iona with uncertainty.
“She’s in my office taking a nap. It was a busy day.”
He headed back, and Iona yelled out, “It was nice to meet you, bearded stranger.”
I shook my head. “Don’t bother. He won’t talk to you unless he absolutely has to. If you look up recluse in the dictionary, his face is there giving you the stink eye.”
“Did he move here when I left?”
“No. He’s been here since we were eight.”
Her eyes widened. “I don’t ever remember him.”
“You weren’t meant to. His father kept him hidden. It’s a long story.”
“I guess you can tell me all about it on our date.”
I shrugged and wondered if we should postpone the outing. After what I witnessed today, and now Iona was getting security, would we be bombarded on our romantic evening?
“About that . . . There’s something I should tell you before we go out.”
“Oh, I have a surprise for you, but you go first.”
Iona bounced on her toes, bursting with excitement. She was adorable and seductive in her tiny shorts. A part of me was thankful it was chaotic here today or my mind would have been wandering too often back to what had happened this morning.
Now that I had a moment to think, I couldn’t stop staring at her legs.
“My brother will be staying with us for a while.”
“Little Jakie-Jake. Aww, I can’t wait to see his adorable little cheeks.” She scrunched up her face as if she was giving him a million kisses.
“Yes!” I pointed at her. “That right there. I would consider giving you the house if you treat him just like that when he comes.”
The last time she saw Jake, he was thirteen. His voice hadn’t dropped yet, and his growth spurt didn’t hit until later that year. She remembered the pint-sized boy who followed her around like a love-sick puppy.
Little did she know he was a big hulking beast now.
“I’ll give him a big hug and pinch those dimpled cheeks, I promise. Where does he live now?”
“Chicago.”
“The big city.” Her eyes went wide, and she fanned her hands in front of me. “I guess he’s a big boy now.”
I fell to my knees in front of her and clasped my hands. “Please, I am begging you to call him a big boy when he comes. It would be a dream come true.”
She frowned. “You have the weirdest fantasies, Tyler.”
If watching your little brother get embarrassed because the woman he used to have a schoolboy crush on call him a big boy in front of people made me strange, then I didn’t want to be normal.
I sat back on my haunches. “My only fantasy right now is getting out of here and having something to eat.”
Iona lowered her hand to help me up. “That’s my surprise. Close your eyes and follow me.”
THIRTEEN
Tyler
“How much longer do I have to keep my eyes closed?” I asked for fear she was leading me to my death.
“Not much farther.”
“You said that a mile ago.”
We were still walking. Before we left the office, I told Olivia to lock up. She was now awake and having a make-out session with Carter in my office. I really hope they left before it went beyond kissing.
Once we were on the sidewalk, Iona made me keep my eyes closed—which I did for about a minute. When I heard a horn blare, I opened my eyes to discover she was leading me directly into traffic.
“I hadn’t factored in all the turns. It’s taking longer than I thought.”
Once we safely crossed the street, she swore she would let me look at the ground when crossing the street as if that made it any safer.
“At
least I don’t hear cars. You aren’t leading me to Old Legend Cliff, are you? You’re going to kill me, aren’t you? Make it look like I accidentally fell off a cliff. That’s why there’s no blindfold. Leaving no evidence behind, that’s smart . . .”
My heart pounded in my chest. At one time in my life, I knew Iona. She was my best friend, but I hadn’t seen her in over a decade. People changed. She could have turned into a murderous she-devil.
“You guessed it! How did you know I planned to parade you all through town so there were dozens of eyewitnesses before I shoved you off a cliff?”
“Your sarcasm isn’t appreciated at the moment.”
“No need to worry now, we’re here.”
Iona finally dropped her hand from covering my eyes and I blinked. I was temporarily blinded by the late afternoon sun, but it felt nice not having her sweaty hand over my eyes. At first, I thought, kinky, but the longer we walked, the more it went from sexy to irritating torture.
Once I could see, I noticed the picnic table with a white tablecloth, dishes, silverware, and a large covered dish in the center, and I realized what this was.
She went to the table and waved her arm. “Dinner is served.”
I was in shock. This place held so many memories of her that I haven’t been here since she left. The old shed was still standing off in the distance near the woods. “This is our old spot.”
It hurt too much to be here for the first few years after Iona moved. After that, I put the place out of my mind. Why visit a location that reminded me of the girl who captured my heart only to discard it without a thought?
“The paps don’t know about it, so we won’t be interrupted like we would if we went to a restaurant. Besides, I always loved this spot.”
Her fingers brushed along the edge of the table and the hazy gaze made me wonder if she was reliving the old times, too.
I had been struck silent by the most beautiful and thoughtful woman I was lucky enough to know. She was the opposite of a she-devil, and I was ashamed that thought ever entered my mind. I wanted to tangle my fingers in hers and pull her toward the stream. Make love to her like I did eleven years ago. Only I would know what I was doing this time.
“Why are you staring at me like that? I hope you don’t think it was stupid. We can eat at a restaurant if you want.”
Lost and Found (books 1-3): Small-Town Romantic Comedy Page 32