by Tami Lund
Madison stole a glance at her parents, who were obviously within earshot but not participating in the conversation. She caught her mom’s smile before the woman’s lips turned down and she twisted her head away, to either stare at her husband or look out the window. Who knew?
“Okay, so cake for all of us!” Camila turned to Tommy. “Your brother thanks you for being a famous motocross racer.”
He chuckled and lifted his glass in salute.
“After that,” Camila said, “we’re splitting up. Maddy, Maecie, and Deanna, you’re all with me.” She paused and glanced over their heads at her parents. “Mom, do you want to come with us?”
Their mother looked to her husband for guidance, and he staunchly refused to acknowledge she was doing so, just like always. Madison wanted to shake her and demand she make up her own mind for once.
“Well, that answers that,” Camila muttered, not waiting for a response and pressing on the iPad screen with unnecessary force. “The guys—everyone except my dad, of course—are going with Tommy to take care of whatever last-minute things he needs you to help with.”
Kyle covered his mouth and pretended to cough, but Madison clearly heard the word, “Shots.”
Elliot raised his mug again. “I think we can handle that.”
Deanna said, “Joe, you’d better go with them to make sure they don’t get into too much trouble.”
“On it,” her husband said with a grin that was 100 percent mischievous.
The group broke up after that. Several people headed to the kitchen to clean up after breakfast. Madison’s parents stayed exactly where they were.
Tommy and Camila left the house, headed to their appointment with the wedding planner. Deanna and Joe disappeared upstairs, leaving Madison and Kyle semi-alone on the screened porch. She was acutely aware of her parents’ presence, though. Dad was probably fully immersed in his book, but Mom was no doubt watching them out of the corner of her eye.
“We have a couple hours to kill,” Kyle said. “Want to go check out the sights?”
“Yes,” she said, probably a little too enthusiastically.
But seriously, anything was better than hanging out here.
Chapter Eight
Kyle had done his research, so he knew Tigertail Beach wasn’t far from the house they were renting. He was also confident that Madison would love it.
“This is gorgeous,” she said, practically breathing the words and making a certain part of Kyle’s anatomy perk up. But then again, the woman had to simply exist for Kyle’s body to notice, so that probably wasn’t a very good example.
They stood where the sand met the walking path, a narrow, shallow lagoon separating them from the beach and ocean. Tigertail wasn’t a typical Florida beach; it was more natural, more like the beaches they were used to back home in Michigan. Except with saltwater. And more sun. Especially in the winter.
He pointed across the lagoon. “We can wade through to get to the Gulf, or we can walk around.”
“How deep is it?”
He shrugged. “You might get the bottom of your dress wet.”
With an impish smile that seriously stole his breath away, she gathered the hem of her skirt and held it against her thigh, giving him an excellent view of far more leg than what he’d call “friendly.” If they weren’t adding benefits to their friendship, of course.
“Well, let’s go then.” Sandals—and her skirt—in hand, they waded through the clear, briny water. At one point, she lifted her skirt high enough that he caught a glimpse of her panties, which reminded him of their unexpected meeting in the bathroom this morning. And her promise of another orgasm before the day was through.
“Your shorts are soaked,” she commented as the water grew shallower and they emerged onto the strip of beach on the other side of the lagoon. A short path through a copse of trees and shrubs took them to the Gulf.
“They’ll dry. Especially with this wind.”
It was late morning on a Monday in February, too early for spring break, so the beach was quiet despite the fact that the temperature was in the eighties. There were a few people walking along the water’s edge, a handful of others lying on the beach under umbrellas, but otherwise, nature definitely dominated this area on this day.
“Is this where Camila and Tommy are getting married?” Madison asked.
Kyle nodded. “Not sure exactly where, but yeah, this beach.”
“It’s so peaceful,” Madison remarked, stopping to take in the scenery laid out before her. “And so incredibly beautiful.”
So was she. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, lean in, and kiss the curve of her neck. Hold her like they were a couple.
Except they weren’t.
He really needed to get the idea out of his head. Because if he didn’t, she’d figure out that he was already emotionally vested in this little game they were playing, and even though it was slowly killing him inside, he had zero interest in ending the benefits aspect of their relationship.
Instead, he wanted to enjoy the moment with Madison. He relished spending time with her. He liked watching the awe on her face, how the sun kissed her cheeks, giving them a healthy glow. How the stress of trying to keep up with a life plan that was honestly too structured for any sort of enjoyment melted away as she stood there at the water’s edge, letting the waves rush onto shore to lap at her neon-orange painted toes.
A shriek made them both turn around. A bikini-clad young woman rushed out of the brush, chased by a young man wearing board shorts. He caught her around the waist and she shrieked again, giggling as he lifted her off her feet and then flipped her around so that she was facing him.
And then he kissed her, deeply and passionately, either not caring or not aware that Kyle and Madison were watching. When the guy broke the kiss, he still held her tightly with one arm while digging around in the pocket of his shorts with the other, finally lifting his palm, upon which a tiny, black box rested.
“Marry me, Bella. Make me the happiest man on the planet.”
The woman squealed, and completely disregarding the ring he’d produced, wrapped her legs around his waist and shoved her tongue down his throat again. When he dropped to his knees and she started grinding on his lap, Madison touched Kyle’s elbow.
“We should probably give them some privacy,” she whispered.
Kyle snorted and they moved away, heading up the beach and around a bend, until they could no longer hear the couple’s groans and sighs over the wind and the sounds of birds and the ocean and far off boat motors.
“How would you do it?” Madison asked after a brief silence.
“Do what?”
“Propose.”
He shook his head. “I’ve never really thought about it.”
“Okay, fine. Right now. Gut reaction. How would you do it?”
He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. “You mean pretend like I’m about to propose to you?”
She chuckled. “That wasn’t what I was thinking, but now that you said it, yeah. Propose to me.”
“This isn’t a good idea, Madison.”
“Come on, it’s just for fun.”
“Why do you want to see this?”
She shrugged. “I’m curious.” She fisted her hand in the front of his shirt and tugged him to her. “I’ve always thought you were the perfect catch, Kyle Bryant. And now I’m wondering if the real deal would live up to my imagination.”
“You think I’m the perfect catch?” His mouth was probably hanging open, but he couldn’t help it. Madison thought he’d make a good boyfriend? Not just a good boyfriend, but the perfect catch.
Damn.
“Not for me,” she clarified. “For someone else.”
“Someone else?”
“A very lucky someone else.”
He opened his mouth to ask her why he was good enough for “someone else” but not her, when she spoke again.
“You’re one of my closest friends, which means I have a pretty go
od idea whether you’d be good boyfriend material.”
He shook his head. “Actually, I don’t think you do.” If she did have a good idea, she’d know he was perfect for her.
She gave the front of his shirt another tug. “Fine. Prove it. Propose to me. Show me how you’d do it.”
He dragged his hand through his hair. “This is kind of awkward, Madison.”
“Oh, come on. It’s just for fun. And there’s no one around.” She swept her arm in an arc and twirled in a circle before grabbing his shirt again. “I’ve been trying to convince myself to step out of my comfort zone since I got off work on Saturday.”
“If I’m the one proposing, how are you stepping out of your comfort zone?”
She laughed. “It’s spontaneous. Fun. Not something I’d normally do.”
He had been encouraging her to relax and cut loose. Although he’d certainly not imagined her finally deciding to do so would involve a fake proposal.
“I feel weird,” he admitted.
“Spontaneous,” she chided. “Pretend like we’re a couple.”
No problem there.
She released his shirt and placed her hands on his shoulders, then dragged them down his arms until she laced her fingers with his. “And we’re walking along the beach.” She dropped her sandals in the sand and led him closer to the water. The wind whipped at her face, flinging her hair into her eyes. She impatiently brushed it out of the way. “We just had an amazing date. Dinner at a beachside restaurant.” She pushed her sunglasses up onto her head and plucked his off his face and dropped them into the pocket of his shirt so that she could look into his eyes. “Fresh crab.”
“You’re just saying that because it’s my favorite meal.”
“Maybe,” she admitted with a small smile. “We split a bottle of wine with dinner. Had the perfect dessert.”
“What was it?”
She tapped her nail against her chin for a moment and then snapped her fingers. “Crème brulée.”
He nodded approvingly. “Good choice.”
She giggled. “So now we’re taking a stroll along the beach, happy and full and feeling generally content with the world.”
So far he was all in with this fantasy.
“And you’re thinking about how great our relationship has been. How we always seem to get along and we never fight and the sex is definitely off the charts.”
It was like she was in his head. “How long have we been dating?”
“Hmm, good question. I feel like with you, you’d know pretty much instantly whether she’s the one, so I could see you proposing after only a few months. Assuming she’s it, of course.”
“Of course.”
She kicked at the waves, still holding his hand. “So everything’s hunky-dory. More than, in fact. It’s awesome. And you’re thinking, this is it. I want to spend the rest of my life with this girl.”
Yes.
She gave his arm a tug. “Now it’s your turn. I set the scene, you take it from here.”
“Oh. Right. Okay…” He squinted, looking out over the water, trying to decide the best way to go about this fake proposal. What would Madison want? How would she like to be proposed to?
Abruptly, he used their connected hands to pull her close until she bumped into his body with a small gasp. Then he wrapped one arm around her waist and—hell, this was all pretend, right?—cupped her ass cheek.
She let out another gasp and pressed both hands to his chest for a moment before curling her fingers into his shirt. With her sunglasses on her head, he had a clear view of her eyes, watching him with a little bit of surprise and a lot of anticipation.
She’s enjoying this.
Good, because so was he.
He covered one of her hands with his and guided it around his waist. Then he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You are the most wonderful woman I’ve ever met.” He stared into her eyes. She hardly blinked, staring right back at him, her mouth slightly open.
“You are perfect for me,” he continued. “I even love your need to overplan your life. Maybe especially that. Okay, maybe not, because I’ve been afraid you’re not going to have time to actually live that life you’re trying to plan for. But right now, right here, I think we should change your plan. I want to be a part of it.”
He paused to take a breath. Her eyes widened, and she sucked in a burst of air and didn’t exhale. He’d better get to it before she passed out from a lack of oxygen.
“I don’t think I can live without you. I need you in my life, Madison. Forever. Will you marry me?”
Her mouth opened and closed several times, and then her gaze dropped a scant moment before her eyes fluttered closed and she leaned forward, pressing her lips to his.
He didn’t even hesitate. With his hand on the back of her head and the other one still clinging to her ass, he dove in, nudging her lips apart with his tongue and sweeping into her mouth, devouring her, savoring every single minuscule aspect of this interaction.
He wasn’t an idiot; he knew damn well her reaction had been to the moment. Yes, they’d kissed plenty in the last twenty-four hours, but this was different. She was caught up in the fantasy as much as he was. And probably, when the kiss ended, she’d be embarrassed and try to laugh it off. He hated that it would end that way, but not enough not to prolong it in the first place.
And then her hand slid from his waist down to his ass, and she squeezed once, twice, and then she pressed, pushing him against her, her hips undulating, and, damn, was this what happened when a guy proposed out here on this beach? Because they were about five seconds from doing what he was pretty sure that other couple had done after he and Madison had hurriedly walked away.
“Camila and Tommy, what are you two doing out here?”
Kyle tore his mouth away from Madison and flung around. Her maternal grandparents stood about twenty feet away, watching them. And then her grandmother’s eyes widened.
“Maddy? What are you doing with your sister’s fiancé?”
Madison took several unsteady steps away from Kyle, and he fought the urge to adjust his junk, which was still swollen and pressing uncomfortably against his zipper.
“N-no, Abuela. This is Kyle. Tommy’s brother.”
“Huh?” Her grandmother squinted and lifted her hand to cup her ear. “I can’t hear you over this wind.”
“Kyle,” Madison called out, flapping her hand at him. “I’m with Kyle, not Tommy.”
“Oh, she’s not kissing Camila’s fiancé,” Madison’s grandmother said to her husband. “She’s kissing one of his brothers.” She squinted at them again and waggled her finger back and forth. “Why are you kissing one of Camila’s fiancé’s brothers?”
“It’s not what you think, Abuela,” Madison shouted.
Her grandmother smacked her husband’s chest. “What did she say?”
He shrugged.
“It’s the wind,” Kyle said to Madison. “I don’t think they can hear you.”
“She’s also hard of hearing.” Madison took a couple steps closer to her grandparents. “We were pretending,” she called out. “Kyle was proposing. As a joke.”
Yeah, right. Oh wait, he wasn’t supposed to want anything more than her friendship.
“You went out on a boat? And proposed?” Her grandmother turned to her husband. “Did you hear that? She’s not going to be an old maid who adopts a bunch of cats after all.”
“Cats?” Kyle asked.
Her grandmother nodded. “My daughter thought Maddy would never settle down and get married. She’s going to be thrilled.”
“No,” Madison called out, taking another couple of steps toward them. “There was no boat. He proposed as a joke. It was just for fun.”
“You should have fun,” her grandmother responded. “Keeps the love alive. Right, Saul?”
Her husband shrugged.
Kyle wiped his hand over his face. “Madison, they still can’t hear you.”
Her grandmother waved
. “Come on, Saul. Let’s leave them be. Go ahead, kids, carry on.” She started to lead her husband away but paused and turned around.
“Congratulations. You two make a lovely couple.”
And then they shuffled away. Kyle flapped his hand at their retreating backs. “Madison, they think we’re engaged.”
Instead of panicking and chasing after them like he figured she would, she stood there with a faint smile on her face.
“Yeah, they do.”
Chapter Nine
Kyle peppered Madison with questions as they headed back to the house.
“Why didn’t you make sure they understood before they walked away?” was his favorite, apparently, since he repeated it three times before giving her a chance to explain.
“Because,” she said. She could feel the small, sly smile indenting her cheeks. Why did kids even stop playing pretend? It was way more fun as adults. “I decided to finally let loose and be spontaneous.”
“Yeah, we covered that, during the fake proposal.”
“That was the start,” she agreed with a chuckle.
He narrowed his eyes and frowned so she finally stopped walking and grabbed his hand, moving him off the sidewalk so they weren’t impeding other pedestrians.
“Let’s roll with it.”
“With what?” he asked.
She laughed. “The engagement. Let’s let everyone believe we’re engaged.”
“What?” He gaped at her, eyes wide, mouth hanging open, the tendons in his neck so tight if he moved a certain way they might snap.
“Come on, it’s spontaneous. It’s fun. There was literally no planning involved in this charade. I’m doing everything you’ve been telling me I need to do. And you know what? I’m totally relaxed, too. Because you’re right. Having fun is relaxing.”
“Madison, when I suggested you be more impulsive, I didn’t mean let’s fake an engagement. The repercussions…”
“Exactly.” Using their clasped hands, she gave his arm a tug. “I am not even thinking about the repercussions. Have you ever known me to do that?”
“No.”
“And the best part is, I’m not even stressed out about it. This is fun. Well, it would be, if you played along.” She batted her lashes, trying to pretend innocence.