by Cathryn Fox
Kat handed him a mug of coffee, and he plunked himself down onto the sofa next to Caleb. Sky came from the bedroom. He could feel her eyes on him, and his heart started beating a little faster. Would she have changed her mind? Would a good night’s sleep have helped her see how easily this plan could backfire? In the movies, the one playing the fake lover always ended up with the girl. He scoffed. Hell, maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea. Oh, but it was, he quickly reminded himself. There was no way Sky was ever going to fall for him, and even if she did, he didn’t want her to. She deserved better.
Hungover and looking like shit, Caleb groaned, pulling Matt’s thoughts back. Matt put his hand on Caleb’s head and gave a little shove. “Dumbass.”
“Don’t, man,” Caleb said, closing one eye. He palmed both ears, like he was trying to stop the spinning. “Why the hell did you let me drink so much?”
“You only turn thirty once,” Jack said.
Tallulah, who was sitting on Garrett’s lap, pointed to his glass on the table. “Drink your orange juice. It will make you feel better.”
“Death is the only thing that would make me feel better.” As everyone laughed, Caleb reached for his juice and took a big swig. “I didn’t do anything stupid, did I?”
“No, nothing,” Sky said quickly and rested her elbows on the counter behind her as she leaned against it. She crossed her legs at the angle, looking to all the world relaxed and rested. But Matt knew her well enough to know there was a storm going on inside her.
A strange look came over Caleb’s face. “Sky…wait…did…?”
“Don’t worry about it, pal,” Matt piped in. “I was the last one up with you and you didn’t do anything stupid. Believe me if you did, I’d never let you live it down.”
Caleb nodded and finished his juice. “That’s true.”
Matt looked at Sky, and she gave him a grateful look when their eyes met. His glance dropped from her face to take in the knit cover-up she was wearing over her bikini, one that did little to hide her gorgeous curves. Damn, she looked so good. Then again, it didn’t matter what she wore. She always looked good.
“Anyone need more coffee?” Kat asked from the kitchen and when Matt shifted his focus to her, she dipped her finger into the icing and slowly licked it off. “Mmm, good.” She lifted her plate and held it out to Sky. “Want some?” Sky scooped off a bit of the icing, put her finger into her mouth and sucked it clean. A soft, sexy bedroom moan sounded in her throat.
“Delicious,” Sky said, going back for seconds.
Matt looked away. No way in hell could he watch her do that again, not without thinking about how much he’d like to smear that blue icing on her body and lick it off, slowly, carefully, until she was writhing beneath him and screaming out his name.
“What’s everyone doing today?” Tallulah asked, and Matt could have kissed her, grateful for the distraction.
Kat pointed to the backyard. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m hitting that hammock and reading.” She winked at Sky. “I got a hot new Jan Meredith book in my hands and can’t wait to see what her sexy doctor is up to next.”
“What?” Caleb said. He’d obviously heard something about a doctor but missed Kat’s insinuation.
“Go back to sleep,” Jack said, laughing. Caleb groaned and returned his attention to his juice.
“I think I’ll join you out back,” Tallulah said to Kat.
Matt kept glancing at Sky, waiting for some sign that she still wanted to go through with this. If only she’d get her attention off that frigging icing and onto him. She finally turned and glanced around the room.
“What are you boys up to?” she asked.
Jack put his legs up on the coffee table and glanced at Caleb. “Are we still taking the boat out?”
“Yeah, sure,” Caleb said. “’Cause my head isn’t spinning enough.”
“Maybe I’ll go fishing with you guys then?” Sky said.
All eyes turned to her. Matt pushed back in his seat, sinking into the cushions. All righty, then. Apparently the plan was a go.
“Since when do you like fishing?” Caleb asked.
With a casual shrug, she walked over to Matt and planted herself on the edge of the sofa beside him. He handed her his coffee. She took a swig, and while there was nothing out of the ordinary in what they were doing, he could feel the shift in the room.
She handed him back the mug and he placed it on the coffee table and pulled her onto his lap. Caleb stretched out, but didn’t seem to notice anything unusual in in the way they were acting. Then again, why would he? Sky often plunked herself down on his lap, and sharing drinks between them was the norm. Which made Matt realize they’d have to go pretty far to convince their friend there was more to their relationship.
Sky fell onto him, sinking back into the sofa with him, and as she settled herself onto his lap, Matt’s throat tightened. Jesus Christ, she felt good. Too fucking good. Her legs brushed over his, soft, warm and silky. She flicked her hair over her shoulders and when he caught the sweet scent of her skin, he drew it deep into his lungs. The gentleman in him urged him to ignore the way his cock was thickening. But the man in him decided manners were overrated, taking his mind down a path he had no business going. Not anymore, anyway. And certainly not with her. She squirmed and he fisted his fingers, resisting the urge to scoop her up in his arms and haul her ass into the bedroom—along with the half-eaten cake.
“Matt said he’d help me reel in a big one,” Sky said.
Oh yeah, I have a big one for you all right.
She wiggled slightly and her sweet ass pressed against his cock. Okay, this was torture, pure fucking torture, and if he didn’t put a stop to it and get the hell out of there, there was no way anyone could hold him accountable for his actions. Just when he was about to climb to his feet and go for a good long swim, she ran her fingers through his hair, mussing it up.
“Isn’t that right, Matt? You’re going to help me reel in a big one?”
He cleared his throat. “Yeah. Right. Big. One.” Awesome, now he was down to one-syllable words.
“Fine,” Caleb said, one eye still closed as he cast a warning glace her way. “But no screaming like you did the last time we went fishing. My head can’t handle that.”
“I was twelve, Caleb,” she shot back. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m all grown up now.”
Matt shook his head at Caleb. What a dumbass. He had to be the only living, breathing male on the face of the earth who hadn’t noticed Sky was all woman.
“Doesn’t mean a thing.” Caleb pulled her from Matt’s lap and onto his. She yelped when he put her in a headlock and started rubbing his knuckles into her hair, then he stopped abruptly. “Wait…Sky?”
“Breakfast ready?” Matt jumped to his feet, redirecting everyone’s focus.
“Come and get it,” Emery said from the kitchen.
He grabbed Sky by the waist and lifted her from Caleb’s lap and they exchanged a long, knowing look. Relief danced in her eyes as she wrapped her arm in his and dashed to the kitchen for breakfast. They ate their pancakes outside at the picnic table and when the dishes were cleared, the girls disappeared inside to prepare for a day of sunbathing.
“You sure you want to come?” Matt asked Sky.
She looked hesitant for a moment. “So far everyone seems to be noticing but Caleb.”
“Yeah, I know.”
She frowned and went quiet. Was it possible that she was having second thoughts? Giving her an out, he opened his mouth, about to call the whole thing off, until she blinked up at him with those beautiful dark eyes. His heart squeezed. When she looked at him like that, all he wanted to do was give her the moon and the stars, and everything she’d ever wanted. Which, of course, was Caleb. He chewed on that for a moment, then felt something in him give. Honest to God he had to be some sort of masochist, because if Caleb was who she wanted then Caleb was who she deserved to have and he’d damn well do whatever it took to help her ge
t him and make her happy.
“Don’t worry, by the end of the day, he’ll see things differently.” He was about to push her hair from her face, like he did any other day, then drew his hand back. The only touching they’d do from here on out was when they had an audience. “I promise, okay?”
The smile that spread across her plump lips was like a damn sucker punch. But it was nothing compared to what she did next. Going up on her toes, she put her arms around his shoulders and pressed her lips to his cheek. “You’re the best friend a girl could ever have,” she whispered, her warm breath rushing over his skin like a hot caress.
She went back on her heels and he made a fist and nudged her chin. “Yeah, that’s me. Your best friend.” Desperate to get away from her, he grabbed his T-shirt and pulled it off. “I’m going to take a quick swim before we go.” He started toward the dock and in usual Sky fashion she ran after him and jumped on his back for a piggyback ride. Holy hell, he could feel the heat between her legs pressing into his back. And knowing nothing but a skimpy pair of bikini bottoms separated their bodies was just about more than he could take at the moment.
He took off running and she tried to break free, but he held her tight. His shirt slipped from his hands, and he jumped into the water with her still on his back. He let her go when they hit bottom and she pushed away from him. They both came up sputtering.
“Matt,” she screamed. “You’re a dead man.”
Tell me something I don’t know.
She splashed water in his face, then grabbed his shoulders. She pushed herself out of the water and tried to dunk him under. Her hard nipples scraped over his chest, then all of a sudden they were right there, directly in front of his mouth. All he had to do was flick his tongue out to brush them through the thin piece of fabric separating her hard nubs from his mouth—if he wanted to. And yeah he wanted to. She wrapped her legs around his waist to hold on. Shit. If she slid downward she was going to feel his hard cock. He wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her in place, then dragged her under again. She kicked off him and swam back to the dock, while he went deeper.
He surfaced a few feet out and spotted Jack watching them.
“You don’t play fair,” she said and grabbed his T-shirt. His look was coy when she said, “But neither do I.” She wiped her face with his shirt, then dried the rest of her body. Great. Now her scent would be impregnated in the fabric and he’d have to smell her all fucking day.
“I’ll get into some dry clothes and meet you back here,” she called out and took off toward the cottage.
Matt stayed in the water until his hard-on receded, then he climbed out and sat on the dock beside Jack.
“So what’s going on?” Jack asked.
Matt shrugged. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I guess I always knew you liked Sky. Hell we all did. But I just never thought you were going to do anything about it.”
He wasn’t going to. At least not until after he became a doctor and was worthy of her. “Things changed.”
“When?”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“I guess it doesn’t.” He patted Matt on the shoulder. “I’m just glad you finally went for it.”
“Why do you say that?”
“You two are good together, Matt. I’ve always thought that.”
They might have fun together but that didn’t mean that he was right for her. Not wanting to talk about Sky anymore, he turned the subject back to a common ground. “I hear Theo’s strong enough to get back to work.” He thought about their fellow comrade who’d recently been discharged, and the shrapnel he’d taken in the leg. “He’s been working with Kat at the hospital and making great progress.”
“I offered him a job at the bike shop, but Luke is expanding his security business and I think he’s going try that for a bit.”
Beside them the boat started and Matt climbed to his feet. “Looks like Caleb is ready.” He grabbed his wet shirt and pulled it on, then jumped onto the deck. Jack followed him and Garrett came running from the cottage with all the fishing gear.
Matt looked past his shoulders to see Sky coming behind him. Dressed in a pair of cut-off shorts and a tank top that showed her curves, she looked as beautiful as ever. Her hair was loose, spilling down her back and drying in the warm morning sun. He held his hand out to her when she reached the boat and pulled her on board just as the boat rocked. Her body collided with his and she wrapped her arms around him to hold on.
“Whoa, you okay?”
“Yeah,” she said, sounding a bit breathless.
Garrett and Jack started preparing their rods as Caleb motored the cruiser out to the middle of the huge lake. Sky gripped the metal bar running along the sides to hang on. She leaned over slightly to look into the water, that cute little ass of hers in the air. Matt pressed against her, and put his hands on the rails on either side of hers.
Yeah, okay, he was definitely a masochist.
The boat swayed in the light waves and after setting the anchor, Caleb reached for his rod. “Skywalker,” he called out. “Get over here and I’ll show you how to catch a big one. Only thing our boy Matt here can catch is a cold.”
Matt pushed away from her, and she maneuvered around Jack and Garrett to sit beside Caleb. Matt grabbed his own rod and put on his lure. He casted it over the side and listened to Caleb give Sky directions. He clenched down hard on his jaw and worked not to go batshit crazy as Caleb and Sky laughed. Fighting the possessive tug on his emotions, he reminded himself he’d have to get used to seeing them together, because this was what Sky wanted. Another thought hit and his stomach tightened with unease. When those two got together, he’d no doubt see less and less of them. Sure, they’d invite him along, but what would that make him—the third wheel? Shit, he wanted this for her, but other than Gran, Sky and Caleb were the only family he had. It would destroy him if he lost either one from his life.
Commanding himself to think about something else, he cast his rod from the opposite side of the boat and glanced out over the water. Two girls sped by on a jet ski and waved. He recognized them. They vacationed at a cottage just down the road. They jogged by Caleb’s place often, and a couple weeks ago had joined the guys for a drink. Maybe tomorrow he’d go for a run with them and see where it led. Maybe that would help him forget about the long, lonely nights he’d have ahead of him. Before he could give the idea any more consideration, his bobber dipped below the surface and he tightened his hold on his reel. A few minutes later he pulled in a speckled trout. After catching the first fish of the day, the rest of the morning and early afternoon passed quickly and everyone except Caleb and Sky had caught their share of fish.
“I’m starved,” Caleb said, rubbing his stomach. “We should head back.”
“Yeah, and maybe we can cook up that ‘big’ one you and Sky caught,” Garrett ribbed.
“Ha ha, funny guy,” Caleb shot back.
“Guess you should have stuck with Matt,” Jack said to Sky when Matt pulled the anchor and Caleb started the boat to take them all back to shore. When they reached the dock, Sky jumped from the boat, signaling for Matt to follow. Matt walked with her up to the cottage, and when they were out of earshot, she stopped and turned to him.
She crinkled her nose and pushed her hair from her face, only for it to fall back into place. “I don’t think that went so well.”
Matt looked over his left shoulder to watch Caleb tie the boat up while the other two gathered up the gear. “Our plan kind of got off track when he called you over.”
“I know, I didn’t have a chance to play up to you, and all Caleb did was treat me like one of the guys.”
Unable to help himself, he tucked her hair behind her ear. His fingers brushed her cheeks and his entire body went on fire. Even though he knew it wasn’t in his best interest he said, “I guess there is only one thing we can do.”
“What’s that?
“Hit him over the head with it.”
&nb
sp; Before he could think better of it, he slid his hand around her neck and drew her mouth to his, working to convince himself he was doing this for Sky. But the second his lips touched hers, he knew the real truth. He needed to taste her, and the ruse was nothing but a damn excuse to finally feel her mouth moving under his.
She opened for him and a moan that didn’t have to be faked crawled out of his throat. Her warm fingers slid around his back and when she pressed against him, he fisted her hair and deepened the kiss. His tongue slipped inside and when he tasted her sweetness, his cock swelled inside his shorts.
Her hands gripped his shirt, and desire to haul her off to bed twisted inside him. She made a soft, mewling sound that set off a storm inside him. Completely rattled by the things she made him feel, moisture broke out on his forehead. He breathed deep. The rich scent of her skin singed his blood. He should stop. He needed to stop. But as she kissed him back, his mind abandoned any rational thought. All he could think about was the erection tenting his pants and how much he wanted to get her out of her clothes so he could kiss her all over…drive inside her.
“Get a room,” Jack said as he walked past them, his voice bringing Matt’s attention back around.
Matt broke the kiss and inched back. He rocked on his feet, working to catch his breath. He took in the warm flush on Sky’s face, the pucker in her well-kissed lips, the upward tilt of her head as she stood there with her eyes still closed, her mouth poised open.
“Sky,” he whispered, barely able to squeeze that one word out as his cock raged for more.
Her lids flicked open and she glanced around, like she was trying to orient herself. “What?” she asked.
He gestured toward Caleb, who was staring at them from the dock, shock all over his face. “I think it worked.”