by Beth Ehemann
“Yep. I mean, I tried to get her to suck my dick in the theater, but she had a fit. I had no choice but to watch the whole fucking movie.” He sighed.
“Oh, you poor sex-deprived maniac,” I condescended.
“How you guys doing? You okay?” Joe asked as he walked up to our table. “Need anything?”
“I think we’re still good. Thanks, Joe.” I smiled and nodded at him.
“Joe, did you know this idiot is getting married?” Viper pointed across the table in my direction.
“I did hear something about that this morning.” Joe looked from Viper to me, a smile spreading across his face. “Two hot little blondes were talking about it when I was getting their drinks. I asked who they were talking about and they showed me the paper.”
“This one?” Viper picked it up and showed it to him.
“Yeah, that was it.” He nodded, taking the paper from Viper and examining it closely. “I gotta say, you picked a good one, Brody. Nice little ass on her.” Joe slapped my shoulder in congratulations before he walked away.
I watched Joe walk across the coffee shop until he was behind the counter, out of earshot, and I looked back at Viper. “There’s something wrong with him, you know that?”
Viper laughed and slammed his hand down again so hard it made our cups rattle against the table. “Are you kidding? I love him. He’s a horny old man, my hero. I want to be Joe when I grow up.”
“Be serious. You’re never growing up.” I threw the balled-up napkin back at him.
“You’re right,” he agreed. “No way will you ever catch me putting a diamond on some chick’s finger and getting down on one knee. Fuck that.”
“Come on.” I tilted my head to the side. “Never?”
“Nope. Never. My parents have been married and divorced enough times for me to learn that marriage just doesn’t work.”
He was shaking his head back and forth defiantly, but I knew even he didn’t believe the bullshit he was spewing. Somewhere deep inside that walking hard-on was a man who needed a serious girl to straighten his ass out. I just wasn’t in the mood to argue with him.
After I pretended to listen as Viper went on and on about conventional marriage and how pointless it was for another hour, I headed to Andy’s office. When I was there a few days ago signing my contract, I told him I was going to propose, but I hadn’t talked to him since.
The elevator doors opened and I was greeted with Ellie’s cheery smile.
“Hey, Brody.” She sat back from her computer. “Congratulations!”
“Thanks,” I said proudly. “I’m assuming you guys saw the paper too?”
“Uh, yeah. It’s been the chatter around the office this morning. Actually,”—she looked off into space, frowning slightly—“it’s kinda been the buzz all over. I was getting my gas this morning and even the people on the other side of the pump were talking about it.”
“Wow. Gas station gossip. Guess that means I’ve arrived, huh?” I laughed as I shoved my hands in my pockets and walked toward Andy’s office.
“Wait a sec, don’t go in yet. He has a client in there, but I think they’re just about done.”
“Okay, no problem.” I sat on the couch. The morning’s newspaper sat on top of the stack of magazines on the coffee table, taunting me. I shoved it to the side and started sifting through the magazines when Andy’s office door opened.
A young woman who looked to be in her early twenties, probably not even bar-legal, walked out with her ponytail swinging behind her. I stood up and took a step toward Andy’s office just as he appeared in the doorway, leaning against the frame. Hiding myself behind a tall plant, I watched him watch her walk away. She got to the elevator, pushed the button, and turned back to him, a shy smile creeping across her face.
“Bye, Andy,” she cooed.
Ellie’s head snapped up from whatever she was working on, and she stared at the girl. The ding of the elevator broke their Lady and the Tramp stare at each other, and Andy offered a one-handed wave before she bounced in and disappeared.
Lady and the Tramp? I’m clearly watching too much Disney.
“Andy?” Ellie repeated sarcastically. “Don’t your clients call you Mr. Shaw?”
Andy cleared his throat and looked at the ground as his face flushed. “Uh, yeah.”
“Except for me, of course,” I bragged, taking a step forward so he could see me.
Andy’s eyes widened at my sudden appearance. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I came to talk to you, though it looks like you’d like to talk to her some more.” I nodded my head toward the elevator. “Want to chase her down? I can wait in your office.”
Andy rolled his eyes. “Shut up and get in here.”
I walked past him into his office, with him following along behind me. “Ellie, hold my calls for a bit, okay?” he called out before closing the door.
“So, who is that mystery woman? Wait. Is she even a woman? Mystery teenager?” I teased as I plopped down on his couch.
“Fuck you. She’s a client.” He sounded annoyed as he sat in the chair across from me.
“That doesn’t answer my question.” I laughed. “What’s her name?”
“Callie Marsh. She’s a tennis player.”
“Hmmm. Limber,” I cracked, ducking just in time from the football flying toward my head.
“I haven’t dated her, nor am I going to date her. You know my rule about clients.”
“I do, but I also saw the way you watched her leave.” I picked up the football and tossed it back to him. “Rules are made to be broken, my friend.”
“Ha!” He laughed out loud. “Says the all-American boy who just got engaged to the all-American girl who comes built-in with the most perfect all-American family ever. Congratulations, ass wipe.”
“Thank you. I think.”
“Have you set a date yet?”
“Not even close.” I got up and walked over to the bar area of his office and grabbed a water bottle out of his fridge. “Other than telling the girls yesterday, we’ve barely even talked about it. Want one?” I held up the bottle.
“Sure.” I tossed the bottle to him. “Thanks. What do you mean you’ve barely talked about it?”
Walking back to the couch, I groaned. “You know, Alexa said the same thing to Kacie yesterday. Why is everyone thinking we should’ve had this planned already?”
“I don’t know, but you weren’t kidding when you said everyone. Once that newspaper hit the street this morning and the article went online, I got three e-mails from banquet hall owners offering their services.” He cracked his water bottle open and took a swing.
“You did?”
“Yep. Apparently they think I’m your wedding planner, not your agent.”
“Actually, funny you should mention that, I do need your help with something.” I shifted uncomfortably on the couch. Andy had been my best friend as far back as I could remember, but I was nervous about asking him to be my best man. Viper was easy. I knew he’d be all over it. While I didn’t necessarily think Andy would say no, I knew he had a lot of shit going on. Part of me felt like no matter what, he would always be the figurative older brother I would constantly seek validation from.
“So, I know life is crazy for you right now, and I don’t want to add to that,”—I rubbed my sweaty palms on the thighs of my jeans—“but I would be honored if you would stand up next to me and be my best man.”
Andy sat in his chair like the boss that he was, completely confident and relaxed as he rubbed his top lip with his thumb and stared back at me, making me wait longer than I was comfortable with for his response.
“Brody, you’re right. My life is crazy. The phones are ringing off the hook since you signed that huge-ass contract the other day. Blaire is as obnoxious as ever, dragging me in and out of court for money every ten minutes, and being a single dad is way harder than anything I do inside this office.”
Oh shit. I’m going to have to beg Viper, a
ren’t I?
“But… that all being said, do you honestly think for one minute I’d pass up standing shoulder to shoulder with my best friend when he gets married?” He stood up and offered his hand to me. “And I’m the one that’s honored, friend.”
It was late when Brody got back to my house. He’d gone to the city for the day to talk to Viper and Andy, and though I told him he didn’t have to come back for the night since it was going to be so late, he insisted, and I didn’t argue.
Mom, Fred, and I were sitting on the couch when we heard the front door open. I hopped up and tried not to jog up front.
“Hey,” I welcomed, throwing my arms around his neck. His big arms wrapped around me, squeezing so hard it made my chest ache, but I didn’t dare tell him for fear that he’d quit hugging me like that every time.
“Hey, babe. How was your day?” He loosened the hug but didn’t let go.
“Good. How was yours? How did everything go?”
I squirmed out of his arms and we walked hand in hand to the living room.
“Hi, Brody!” Mom called out when we got to the kitchen, Fred offering a silent wave.
“Hey,” Brody responded, sounding exhausted.
“You okay?” I gently rubbed the side of his face as he sat down at the island. “Can I get you something?”
“No, thanks. I’m good, just tired. It was a long day.” He smiled. “But everything went well. Viper said he’d be in the wedding, then proceeded to book every illegal activity in Minnesota for a bachelor party.”
“Oh boy.” I laughed nervously, setting a glass of ice water in front of him.
“Thanks, and don’t worry. I told him to chill out. I will definitely have a say in what we do.” He paused and took a long drink of the water he said he didn’t need. “Then I went to Andy’s. We ended up talking longer than I’d planned on, and he asked me to go have a burger and a beer with him, so I did.”
“I’m glad you had such a good day.”
“All right, you crazy kids.” Mom walked over to us with Fred following right behind. “Us old folks are heading to bed. Turn the lights off when you’re done?”
“Got it, Mom.” I yawned, suddenly feeling just as tired as Brody looked.
She leaned over and kissed my forehead before she and Fred disappeared down the hall.
Brody rested his chin on his fist and smiled lazily at me, his beautiful green eyes sparkling. “You look tired too.”
“I wasn’t until you got home.” I yawned again. “Suddenly I’m ready for bed.”
Brody cocked an eyebrow at me as the corner of his mouth pulled up in a sexy smirk. “Ready for bed, or ready for Brody?”
“Well, I meant bed, but I could possibly be persuaded into something else.” I giggled.
“No, if you’re really tired, we’ll just go to bed.”
“I’m tired. I’m stressed. I’m just… blah.”
“Wanna talk about it?” He reached over and squeezed my hand.
I shrugged halfheartedly.
“Come on.” Pulling me to a stand, he held on to my hand and led me to the living room, where we both sat on the couch. He lifted my feet into his lap and started massaging them as he looked at me. “What’s going on? Talk to me.”
“I think Alexa’s comments yesterday are bothering me more than I initially thought.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know. I just feel like a slacker because we haven’t picked the wedding date and location and a dress and everything else, all within forty-eight hours of being engaged.” I sighed.
“Ah.” He nodded. “Those comments. Yeah, I kinda got the same thing from Andy today.”
“You did?”
Who knew guys talked about wedding planning too?
“Yeah, he actually said he got a few e-mails this morning from different places offering to host our reception.”
“Holy shit, seriously? I don’t get it. Why do so many people care where we get married?”
Brody shrugged and shook his head as he continued the best foot massage ever given by any human ever. “Publicity, probably. Then they can forever say they held Brody and Kacie’s wedding there.”
I tilted my head to the side and narrowed my eyes at him skeptically. “Gimmie a break. They don’t care about the Kacie part. They just want to be able to say Brody Murphy got married there. Who you’re marrying is irrelevant.”
“Not to me,” he said sweetly, trying to make me feel better.
“Oh, I know and it’s okay. I couldn’t care less what the public or whoever thinks of our wedding. It’s for us, you and me, and that’s all that matters.”
“I’m glad you feel that way.” He bent his leg under him and turned to face me. “I had a thought while I was driving home.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not eloping.”
“No, no. I know that. But you’re right… about not letting them have our wedding, the paparazzi and leeches who thought it was okay to post a picture of the girls in the newspaper. I don’t want them having any part in our day, so I was thinking, what if we had the ceremony and the reception in my parents’ barn?”
My mouth fell open as he held his hand up. “Don’t freak. Just hear me out. I know it’s a crappy rundown barn, but I was thinking how cool it might look if we hung thousands of little white lights or even candles everywhere, though we don’t want to burn it down, but you get what I’m saying,” he rambled, barely taking a breath. “I can hire a company to come in and clean it up. We’ll rent some tables and chairs and whatever other crap you need for a wedding. Anything you want, Kacie. The sky’s the limit. I just want you to be—”
I put my hand over his mouth to stop the adorable, incoherent sentences that were tumbling out of his mouth.
When he stopped talking against my hand, I lowered it and scooted forward, cupping his face in my hands. I looked him straight in the eye. “Brody, I think that’s the best idea I have ever heard.”
“Really?” His eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“Yes, really. I don’t want our celebration at some stuffy banquet hall where two thousand other people have gotten married. I want ours to be special, and I can’t think of a more special place than your parents’ barn.”
A devilish grin spread across his face. “We do have history in that barn, don’t we?”
“Correction.” I moved closer to him and gently brushed my nose against his. “We almost had history in that barn. The girls came in and interrupted us, remember?”
I gently kissed the corner of his mouth and flicked his lips with my tongue. “How could I forget? I still don’t think my balls have recovered.”
“Oh, please.” I ran my teeth gently along his jawline and kissed just under his ear. “We’ve had sex like five hundred times since then.”
His hand clutched my thigh and squeezed gently as he started breathing heavier. “If you keep kissing me like this and then go to sleep, I’m gonna have navy blue balls all over again.”
“I’m not tired anymore.”
“You aren’t?” Pleasant surprise filled his voice.
“Nope.” I moved my tongue to the other side of his neck while my fingers ran up his thigh, under his shorts. “You said the magic word.”
“What did I say? Wait. I said barn.” His hearty laugh vibrated under my lips.
“You said barn,” I reiterated. “And you know what that does to me.”
“I do, but I didn’t know it could take you from 0 to 100 that fast. I’ll have to remember that for the next fifty years. Screw that, I’m getting it tattooed on me somewhere.”
“Stop talking,” I ordered, pulling away just enough to look him in the eye, “and kiss me.”
The words were barely out of my mouth before Brody’s strong hands encompassed my face, gently pulling my lips to his. The second we connected, all the tiny stresses of the last couple days washed away. He held a secret power that I didn’t know existed until we got together. Contact with Brody actually altered the way
I felt physically. If I was sick, he would hold my hand and I’d feel better. If I was angry, he would hug me and make it all disappear. And in moments like this, when I was hot for him, his smallest touch set me on fire.
After four swipes of his tongue, I was straddling him on my couch, grinding my hips into him as hard as I could.
“Whoa.” He laughed. “Slow down there, killer, or we’re both gonna need Neosporin tomorrow.”
“It’d be worth it.” I continued kissing him.
“For you, it’s worth a little chafing, but I’d rather be skin to skin, and I’m thinking the couch in the family room isn’t the ideal location. Wanna move this down the hall?”
He was right.
Mom had a full house of guests, and I didn’t think any of them wanted to see the innkeeper’s daughter dry humping her fiancé on the common area sofa, even if that fiancé was a smokin’ hot hockey superstar. Okay, maybe they would want to see it, then, but I wanted to keep our life together as private as possible. I could just imagine Brody getting a call from Andy in the morning freaking out that some weirdo had videoed us on the couch and our sex tape was all over the Internet. Kim Kardashian could keep that disgusting throne; I had no interest in it.
“Yes, let’s go,” I whispered, sliding off of him.
I grabbed his hand and pulled him along behind me, down the hall.
“Wait. Do you want to go to your room or mine?” He stopped suddenly, tugging my hand back. “We don’t want the girls to hear us.”
“Having sex? No. But it’s about time they know we sleep together at night. We’re engaged to be married and they think of you as their daddy. Mommies and daddies sleep together at night. No more sneaking back to your room in the wee hours of the morning.” I winked. “Now come on before you kill my mood.”
We tiptoed down the hall, past my mom and Fred snoring in their room. I peeked in at Lucy and Piper as we passed. Sound asleep.
“They good?” Brody whispered.
“Sound asleep.” A seductive smile slid across my lips as I closed my bedroom door.
“Brody. Brody,” Kacie whispered loudly, her voice just strong enough to break into my nightmare of Viper covering me in feathers at my bachelor party. “Your phone is ringing.”