Spencer’s gaze cut to Xtine. He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Adorable,” he mocked.
“Maybe we should go unpack,” Sherman suggested, a light hint of red coloring his ears. “What room is Xtine staying in?” he asked Sabrina.
“Yours, of course,” she replied with a giggle.
Noticing Sherman’s sudden discomfort, Xtine took her bag from Spencer, and slipped her arm around Sherman’s waist. “Lead the way, baby.”
Sherman’s blush only grew, but he did as told and walked Xtine to their room.
The whole time they unpacked, he apologized for her not having her own space and offered to sleep on the floor. She refused the offer and told him he was being silly. It was to be expected that they’d share a room, and they were both adult enough to handle sleeping in the same bed. While she said the words, her heart fluttered with nervousness. Unexpected things could happen in the darkness and after that kiss, the darkness held far too many possibilities.
After taking their luggage to their shared room, they met Sherman’s family in the dining room. Xtine was blown away by the open-armed greetings from Sherman’s parents. They were kind and loving, and seemed genuinely pleased to have her. They sat down to eat, and everyone fell into casual conversation, almost as if she’d always been a constant fixture at that table.
Mrs. Campbell set down her wine glass and hummed in satisfaction. “So, Xtine, tell us. How did you two meet?”
“Mom,” Sherman groused. “I already told you that.”
“I want to hear it from her.”
Sherman mouthed an apology and Xtine couldn’t help herself. She leaned into him and whispered in his ear, “Stop apologizing for everything or I might have to kiss you until you forget the word sorry.”
Sherman jerked his head in her direction, his mouth dropping. Xtine tapped the tip of his nose and began, “We met online.”
“Online?” Spencer snapped. “Seriously?”
Xtine nodded and maintained her smile, but Spencer’s reaction didn’t make her feel comfortable. “Yes. Online,” she repeated. “We met in a chat forum, and got to talking.” She tilted her head to meet Sherman’s gaze. He pushed up his glasses, the tips of his ears turning a brilliant shade of red. “Sherman’s so easy to talk to. I found myself staring at my phone waiting for his messages to come through.” Xtine lightly trailed her fingers along Sherman’s jaw. “When he asked me out on our first date, I knew I’d found something special.”
Two thick wrinkles formed between his eyes. Xtine wished she could ask what he was thinking, for he seemed upset by her story.
“How romantic,” Sabrina sighed, leaning into her fiancé. Sherman’s mother reached over and took his father’s hand. Sherman sat frozen. His eyes locked on her. In an attempt to break his intense stare, Xtine kissed him softly. A tingling sensation moved down her spine as their lips met, but she couldn’t help but notice how stiff he felt against her.
“Interesting,” Spencer smacked, his arms crossed over his chest.
“What’s that’s supposed to mean?” Sherman snapped.
“Nothing. It’s a millennial love story.” Spencer smiled and reached for his fork. Sherman sat up straight, his eyes glued to Spencer. Xtine squirmed in her seat, her gaze falling to her plate.
“Well, I think it’s sweet. Now eat up. We have to get to the church for rehearsal,” Mrs. Campbell noted.
The table grew silent as everyone finished their dinner, though Xtine felt all eyes remained on her, except Sherman’s. The smile he’d worn earlier was now gone, which caused her to wonder if there was more between his interaction with Spencer than mere brotherly inquisition. Whatever it was, she would roll with it. Tomorrow was the wedding and then they’d be headed home on Sunday. After that she could explore these feelings she was developing for Sherman without the scrutiny of his brother. At least that’s what she hoped would happen.
#7: The Truth Will Make You Miserable…but Misery Loves Company, Right?
Sherman remained quiet through the remainder of dinner and barely spoke a word all the way to the church. Xtine’s heart grew heavier with each passing moment, hating how he had closed himself off to her. He talked with his family, animated and happy, but with her he was cold and lifeless.
The wedding rehearsal was pure misery. His mood was dark, his words clipped, and the one time she attempted to touch him, he jerked away so abruptly, she nearly toppled forward. It was Spencer who caught her before she face-planted onto the floor.
“What’s wrong?” Xtine hissed.
“Nothing,” Sherman sneered.
She tried not to look at Spencer, whose posture was just as rigid as Sherman’s. What she might’ve done to offend them both was beyond her. “I don’t believe you. You’re not acting like yourself.”
Sherman cut his eyes to her, his face hardening. “How would you know?” His voice barely audible.
Xtine opened her mouth to rebuttal but snapped it back closed. There were no words to make whatever she’d done wrong right. At least not for the moment. If she pursued further, it was likely Spencer would hear, and then all hell would break loose. She was a patient woman. She could wait until they were alone in their room.
She stood from her seat, straightening her dress. “Excuse me. I need to powder my nose.”
Sherman shrugged, and bent his legs to the side for her exit. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes. Even if they were a fake couple, his rejection hurt.
In the restroom, she tried to calm herself. The pang in her chest ripped through her body. With any other guy she could’ve rolled with this behavior. Even expected it. But not with Sherman. He was different. Even in his advertisement he called himself a romantic heart, and she truly believed he was. She replayed the events of dinner over in her mind, but couldn’t figure out where she went wrong. It was after she relayed their meeting, but for the most part it was all true. Sure, she left out the Craigslist part. His family didn’t need to know about that, but everything else had been true.
She patted her face with a damp cloth and released a few relaxing breaths. Opening the door, she came to an abrupt halt at the sight of Spencer waiting in the foyer. He shoved off the wall, and started toward her. “We need to talk,” he prompted.
Xtine glanced around, hoping to find someone nearby, but they were alone. She rolled her shoulders, straightened her back, and held firm to her position. “About what?”
“About how you’re using my brother for money and I’m not going to allow it.”
Xtine fought to keep her composure. Somehow Spencer knew about her arrangement with Sherman. But how? Unless Sherman told him. But that wasn’t possible. Sherman had been adamant about keeping their arrangement a secret. She decided it was best to call Spencer on his bluff, just in case. She gritted her teeth, meeting his heated glare. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Spencer took another step toward her. “Come off it, woman. I know you and your type.”
Xtine crossed her arms over her chest. “Is that so?”
“Yeah. You prey on men who are kindhearted and loaded, just like Sherman. You make them believe you’re in love with them before emptying their bank accounts.”
The corner of Xtine’s mouth twisted in a crooked grin. Spencer had no clue about anything, and to make things worse, he was calling her out over something she’d never do.
Xtine pressed her index finger into Spencer’s chest. “You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Spencer grabbed her wrist. “Come off it, lady. A girl like you doesn’t date a guy like my brother.”
“Right and I suppose I should be with someone like you?”
“No. My point is, Sherman’s a good guy, and he’s vulnerable. I refuse to let a snake like you hurt him.”
Xtine gritted her teeth, biting back her rage. “Men are snakes. At least men like you and my ex-boyfriend, but you know what? Sherman isn’t. He’s all that’s good and kind in this world. I care a great deal for
your brother, Spencer. And until today, I didn’t even know he had money. We’ve never talked about such things.”
Spencer opened his mouth to speak, but Xtine continued without giving him a chance.
“You may think of me what you want, but I’ll never hurt Sherman. I want nothing more than for him to be happy. He deserves that. Don’t you think?”
“Of course I do.”
Xtine bowed her head. “Good. Then let him be happy.”
Spencer arched his left brow. “Is he happy?”
Xtine gave a slow nod. “You’d have to ask him that one.”
A somber smile tilted Spencer’s lips. “I believe I will.”
“All right. I think it’s time we get back─”
“Do you love him?”
Xtine was taken aback by the question. “I beg your pardon?”
“It’s a simple question. Do you love my brother?”
Helpless anger bubbled inside her. “It’s still too─”
“Don’t give me that crap. Just answer me.”
Images of that kiss came flooding back through her mind. Sherman’s lips pressed to hers, hungrily taking but giving just as much. Her body still tingled with the passion she felt in his embrace. The power in Sherman’s kiss melted time and space away. For a moment she’d felt caught in a world that belonged only to them. Her head and heart swam with emotions that she’d only ever seen in the movies or read in books. This couldn’t be real, yet she couldn’t imagine feeling anything more real.
She looked into Spencer’s eyes. They were understanding, just like his brother’s, but Sherman’s were also soft and gentle where Spencer’s seemed sharp and calculating.
He took a step back, his expression changing from anger to understanding. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
He scratched the back of his neck, pursing his lips. “Yeah. Okay.”
Relieved that Spencer didn’t continue to force her down this path, she dropped her shoulders and nodded. “Well, all right then.”
Without another word they returned to their seats, but Xtine couldn’t get past what she’d almost said. It was too soon. There was no way she could love Sherman. She barely knew him, yet somehow, she knew the beginning of something powerful and real was in the making.
#8: So Much For Pretending
As the night wore on, the chasm between Sherman and Xtine grew wider. It pained him to treat her with such callousness, but he knew no other way to handle what he was feeling.
That kiss had awoken something in him he’d never felt before. A lion roared in his chest, urging him closer to her. Wanting her. Needing her. He almost believed she felt it, too. At least until she was forced to regale his family about how they met. To hear her talk about their initial interactions with such regard pulled him back to reality. He’d forced her to lie, which sickened him. This beautiful, sensuous woman was lying to those he loved most because he wasn’t man enough to own up to his own humiliation. Not only had he tainted her, but his entire family. What kind of a monster was he?
His guilt worsened when he stumbled upon Spencer and Xtine’s conversation. He wanted to intervene, to rescue her from the situation, but he was frozen, hanging on her every word. The world came to a crashing halt at Spencer’s blunt question. To see Xtine struggle with the answer, knowing he was the cause of her being forced to lie, he couldn’t take it anymore. He had to put an end to this charade.
Back at the house, Sherman approached Xtine. “We need to talk.”
A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes, which only increased his guilt. He took her down the hall into his father’s study where they sat down on the plush sofa. “I’ve made a mistake,” he started.
Xtine adjusted her body to face him, her face contorted by confusion. “How so?”
“I should’ve known better than to ask you here this weekend. It was selfish of me to put you in this situation.”
Xtine reached for his hand, but he pulled away. “I didn’t have to say yes.”
He gritted his teeth. “I know, but that doesn’t make what I’ve done right. I’m sorry.”
“There you go saying those words again,” she growled, slumping back into the cushion.
He chose to ignore her interruption and continued. “I think it might be best if you go home.”
She jolted back up. “Home? The wedding’s tomorrow.”
He linked his fingers together in his lap. “And I don’t think you should attend. When I asked you to come, I was panicked. Now my head is straight. You shouldn’t be here.” He lifted from the couch and began to pace, his arms folded behind his back. “I mean, what was I thinking having some strange woman appear in my sister’s wedding photos?”
“I wouldn’t have─”
He lifted his hand, interrupting her. “You wouldn’t have a choice. Sabrina would demand you be in them. And then there’s your conversation with Spencer tonight.”
Xtine cover her mouth with the back of her hand. “You heard that?”
He nodded, refusing to meet her eyes. “I did, and frankly I’m disgusted by it.”
“Oh.”
Sherman stopped his pacing and met her watery eyes. “It’s not your fault. I put you in that position. Had I been truthful, he never would’ve cornered you. This all lands on my shoulders. I’m the one who made you lie to my family for me.” He tugged at the collar of his shirt.
“But I didn’t─”
“You don’t have to keep up this charade for me. We both know what I made you do. But don’t worry, I’ll still pay you.”
“What?”
He lifted his hand in supplication. “I said I’ll still pay you the money I owe you. A deal’s a deal.”
Xtine’s blood ran cold. Her face twitched as a surge of emotions welled up inside her. “Money. Right. Sure. Whatever.”
She stood up and turned her back on him. Tears pricked her eyes and a lump formed in her throat. “I’ll collect my stuff and be gone within the hour.”
Before he could say another word, she left the room, tears streaming down her cheeks. On her way to her room, she bumped into someone, but didn’t stop long enough to see who. A mere ‘sorry’ was given and she was gone, fearing they might try to stop her from leaving. Once again she was reminded that Sherman couldn’t be her knight. If he were, he’d be racing after her, telling her he was a fool, and that he felt for her the same she did him. But he never showed.
An hour later, she was packed and in another Uber. She’d stay in a hotel for the night and return home in the morning where she would force herself to forget about Sherman Campbell forever.
#9: Be Careful What You Ask For, Because You Just Might Get It
A knock at the door pulled Xtine from her broken slumber. Her eyes felt swollen and stung from the countless tears she’d cried throughout the night. Another knock came, this time with more force. She clambered from the bed, searching for her robe. Her flight wasn’t set to leave for several more hours, so it couldn’t be concierge coming to collect her bags already.
“Just a second,” she called out, wrapping her robe around her and meandering to the door. “Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
She came to a dead stop at the sound of Sherman’s voice.
“Go away. I don’t want to see you.”
“Xtine, please. We need to talk.”
“We did that already. Last night. Remember?”
“Open the damn door, Xtine. Now.”
Xtine flattened her hands against the wooden surface. There was a forcefulness in Sherman’s demand that was arousing, but her hurt and anger had a stronger hold. She took in a deep breath and opened the door.
Xtine almost didn’t recognize the man before her. Gone were the dark rimmed glasses. Sherman’s hair was styled, and the cut of his tuxedo accented his lean, muscular body. Her heart pounded in her chest as her eyes feasted on this gorgeous specimen of a man.
Sherman stepped into the room, seemingly unaware of her gaze locked on him. S
he closed the door and he pivoted on his heel to face her. “I need to hear it from you.”
She tightened her robe around her middle, suddenly feeling self-conscious in his presence. “Hear what?”
Sherman stormed through the room, ripping his fingers through his hair. “Spencer said…but he’s wrong. It can’t be true.”
“What can’t be? And where are your glasses?”
Sherman reached up to the bridge of his nose and attempted to adjust the frames that weren’t there. “Oh. I’m wearing contacts,” he noted, a little disoriented. He rubbed his forehead, taking in the sight of her. She was breathtaking, which made what his brother said about her even harder to accept. It was impossible for someone like her to want someone like him. They were from two different worlds. She was a social butterfly and he was socially awkward. They didn’t match. Yet he’d never wanted anything more in his life.
The sight of his distraught state caused her heart to seize. This man, though he’d hurt her, had a good heart. She’d known that much from the beginning. While she still felt an insurge of anger over his behavior, she couldn’t stand idly by and let him fall apart. Especially not on his sister’s big day.
Xtine took a step toward him, her hand outstretched. “Baby, what’s going on? You’re worrying me.”
He froze. His eyes narrowing on her. “Baby?”
“I’m sorry. I know you hate that word.”
The corner of his mouth twitched into a smile. “And I know you hate the words I’m sorry.”
Xtine sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, locked in the immensity of his stare. “Only coming from you.”
Sherman took a step toward her, his eyes sparkling in the dim light of the room. “Can it really be? Spencer and Sabrina both say it is, but it can’t be…”
She took another step toward him, drawn to him. “What are you talking about?”
He lifted his knuckles to her cheek. In his touch, all of the anger and confusion she felt dissipated. She wanted to hate him, view him like every other man she’d ever met, but she couldn’t. Sherman was different. He wasn’t afraid of being himself, even if it meant wearing an elf costume to dinner. He was true and real. Everything she wanted. She knew that now, and wished she hadn’t been so blind to see it the night they met.
What the Heart Wants: An Opposites Attract Anthology Page 21