From Friend to Fake Fiancé

by Jules Bennett

  Mac squeezed her shoulder. “Let’s go, sweetheart. I’m done discussing your ex.”

  The endearment he delivered seemed so genuine, so perfect. Jenna didn’t want to get so wrapped up in this that she forgot what was truly happening. Mac was simply playing a role. He wasn’t a man she could ever tame and he wasn’t looking for anything beyond this week. She knew him better than most, so to cling to any false hope would only leave her with a bruised heart.

  Amy winked at Jenna. “See you tomorrow. Don’t forget we have a bonfire on the beach at nine.”

  Jenna came to her feet when Mac pulled out her chair. “I’ll be there,” she promised. “See you guys tomorrow.”

  Mac rested his hand on the small of her back, his fingertips brushing her rear end, sending even more jolts of arousal through her. She didn’t remember being so responsive before, but she’d also never been touched so intimately by Mac, either. Clearly the man had a special touch, one her body instantly loved.

  As soon as they reached the doorway, Mac patted her bottom. “Go on ahead, sweetheart. I’m going to settle the bill and I’ll be right there.”

  “There’s no bill,” she told him. “It’s all part of the package my sister paid for.”

  “Go on, Jenna.”

  Something about the way his eyes seemed darker, his smile seemed tighter, had her wondering what he wasn’t telling her, but Jenna nodded and headed back toward their bungalow. She needed a moment without Mac, a moment away from his touch, his powerful presence. Jenna pulled in deep breaths as she walked along the docks leading toward various areas of the resort. If she ever did get married, she’d seriously consider Bora Bora for her honeymoon.

  If she ever found the one who made her heart kick up, who made her want to rip his clothes off, who made her want to reveal all her hopes and fears. Did that miracle man even exist?

  Well, Mac did all those things, but he’d made it abundantly clear he couldn’t be that man. As soon as she entered her bungalow, she slid out of her wedges and padded across the room and out onto her private deck. She sank down onto the hammock and carefully swiveled around to lie back. The gentle breeze had her swaying. Jenna laced her hands over her abdomen and closed her eyes. Yeah, she’d definitely bring her husband here.

  She let the daydream of a faceless man flood her mind. Would they make love out here in the open, but where nobody could see them? Would they walk hand in hand along the shore and discuss their dreams for the future? Have a romantic dinner and come back to their bungalow and skinny-dip in the dark?

  “That must be some daydream.”

  Jenna jerked at Mac’s voice.

  “That was the sexiest smile I’ve ever seen.”

  When Jenna started to sit up, Mac put a hand on her back. “Don’t get up,” he told her as he leaned against the side of the bungalow and propped his foot up.

  “You look so relaxed, I hate to disturb you.” His mouth spread into a wide, toe-curling grin. “Now, tell me what put that smile on your face. Or should I say who?”

  “Nobody in particular,” she replied with a shrug. Jenna settled back down onto the woven ropes of the hammock and sighed. “Just thinking of bringing my future husband back here for our honeymoon. It’s too romantic and gorgeous not to.”

  When he didn’t respond, Jenna risked a glance. His eyes held hers, a muscle ticking in his jaw as he crossed his arms over that broad chest.

  “Do you really have your mother’s dress in storage?” he asked.

  Swallowing, Jenna nodded. “Yeah. It’s satin with a simple lace overlay. Her marriage may have been a disaster, but I love the vintage dress and it was still my mother’s. It’s perfect for me if I ever find the right man.”

  Perfect because Jenna had inherited her mother’s curves and the measurements were just right. Amy had a different father and got her athletic build from him...lucky girl.

  “What else would you want in your dream wedding?” he asked.

  Jenna stared at him for a second before she laughed, shook her head and turned back to focus on the water just beyond their private deck. “Does it matter? Or is this another ploy for you to seduce me?”

  “If I wanted to seduce you, I’d have already succeeded,” he told her. “You know I want you physically, any man would be blind and a fool not to. But you were right. We’re best friends and at the end of the week, that’s what we still need to be.”

  Great. She was right. He was finally seeing reason. So why did she feel like she’d lost out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

  “I won’t lie,” he went on. “You’re still one of the sexiest women I’ve ever known, but I respect you, respect what we have.”

  Wait a second. She was one of the sexiest women he knew? Now he was just being kind, but she wasn’t about to say anything because she wasn’t one of those women who went fishing for compliments.

  “You talked to Martin after I walked away didn’t you?” she asked, already knowing the answer.

  “I’m done talking about your ex,” Mac replied, which told her all she needed to know. “Are you going to work on those flowers tonight? I can go pack more in if you need me to.”

  Jenna smiled. “You want to help put together wedding arrangements? I knew you had a soft side.”

  Mac grumbled. “I’m just offering to do some grunt work. Don’t read too much into it.”

  Jenna needed a breather and she had to get these arrangements made. “Fine. Go bring me the rest of the lilacs and half of the greenery.”

  With a mock bow, Mac gave her a wink. “Consider it done.”

  Even when he was being a sarcastic goof, he made her heart flutter. She couldn’t afford the flutter, the bundle of nerves or the tingles from his kisses.

  At dinner, Martin hadn’t come over to speak, so perhaps they were making headway. Maybe seeing her with Mac over and over would get through to him—or maybe Mac’s fist helped. As much as she wasn’t a fan of violence, she also knew Mac was effective when he wanted to be.

  She recalled a time he’d been more than forceful at a party when a guy had hit on her and she’d politely turned down his advances. Unfortunately that guy hadn’t taken no for an answer and Mac intervened. A slam against the wall and a threat she hadn’t been able to overhear sent that guy packing in the other direction.

  Mac was definitely a man she wanted in her corner...too bad she couldn’t risk having him in her bed.

  * * *

  Mac’s cell vibrated in his pocket just as he hit the entrance to the lobby of the resort. Glancing at the screen, he darted to the side of the building and slid his finger to answer the call.

  “Ryker. What do you have?”

  “Nothing yet on the scrolls, but we have a problem.”

  Not what Mac wanted to hear. He was having enough problems trying to remain on the strictly friend level with Jenna. Throwing in a dose of family issues wasn’t going to help his mood.

  “It’s Shane,” Ryker went on.

  Shane, Braden’s nemesis and all-round world-class ass. He’d tried to ruin their family years ago when a business deal had gone sour. He’d attempted to sic the authorities on Patrick, who’d still been running the show. Only Shane hadn’t been smart enough to realize the commissioner, the police chief and the FBI director were in the O’Sheas’ back pocket. Poor Shane, rookie mistake.

  “What the hell is he doing now?”

  “I have no clue who is feeding him information, but he’s been following me for two days.”

  Mac glanced around to make sure nobody could hear him. “What the hell does he want?”

  “No idea,” Ryker stated. “He’s trying to be sneaky, but I spotted him when I got to my hotel. I had Laney check into his travel arrangements, and he has an open-ended airline ticket. He’s also staying in my hotel. Laney made things a bit
difficult for him by hacking into his bank account and moving his funds around.”

  Mac ran a hand over his face. His sister, the computer hacker. She’d be dangerous if they gave her too much leeway.

  “Did you call Braden?”

  The cell rustled on the other end before Ryker’s reply came through, his tone hushed as if he were worried about being overheard. “He texted me yesterday and said not to bother him unless I found the scrolls. Claimed something about a personal problem with Zara. I didn’t ask any more.”

  Mac frowned. He’d gotten a text from Braden telling him there was a slight issue at home, but it was nothing for Mac to worry about. What was going on?

  “That’s not all,” Ryker went on. “Laney received a threat from Shane through her email. He tried to encrypt it, but she was able to trace it back to him.”

  Mac gripped the phone. Nobody threatened his family and lived to follow through. “What did the message say?”

  “She wouldn’t tell me, but I could tell she was shaken up.”

  “It’s not like her to be caught off guard,” Mac stated. They’d never known any other way of life, so the contents of the email must have been pretty harsh.

  “There’s more,” Ryker stated. “Someone tried to grab her as she went into a coffee shop two days ago. Luckily an off-duty cop was there and was able to stop it.”

  Mac’s blood boiled. “Why the hell am I just now hearing about this?”

  “Because I just heard about it,” Ryker retorted. “Laney is smart. She’s keeping low and staying home with her security alarm on, but she finally told me when I called her to check on another matter.”

  Braden may want this family to go legit, but there were times that extreme measures were called for.

  “Shane has been a thorn in our side for years,” Ryker went on. “Now he’s literally threatening one of our own. I know that was him who tried to grab her because she said the guy had a mask on, but it slipped. She saw the tattoo on his neck. I don’t care that he’s following me. I can handle him, but Laney is another matter. When are we going to end this once and for all?”

  Mac rubbed a hand down his face and blew out a breath. Damn it, he hated making this call. Braden had been adamant about moving this family in a new direction since their father had passed. No more killings. That was Braden’s main stance, but Shane had crossed the line by threatening Laney. “Wait,” Mac stated. “Braden really wants O’Shea’s to make a new start and I can’t say as I blame him. He’s got a fiancée to think of now and he’s in charge. Let’s try to get ahold of him again and see what he thinks. If we can’t contact him, I’ll make a decision.”

  Ryker sighed. “Fine. But if Shane gets in my way or tries to thwart my plans regarding the scrolls, I’m not backing down. And if I even think he’s contacted Laney again, I won’t ask for permission to proceed.”

  Mac gripped his phone tighter. “Make sure you call or text me before you do anything.”

  Ryker grunted and hung up. As Mac slid his phone back into his pocket, he thought back to all Shane had done. Braden had practiced serious restraint a few months ago when Shane had been harassing Zara. Apparently Zara and Shane had gone out a few times, and once Zara had showed interest in Braden, Shane took that as a personal slap in the face. His pathetic attempt at making their lives hell backfired, but Shane was lucky he was still on this side of the grave.

  Mac tried Braden’s cell, but got no answer. What on earth could be so dire at home that Braden had checked out? That wasn’t like him, especially as the new head of the family. He took that role seriously. Worry slid through Mac as he shot off a quick text asking if everything was all right. Once he knew what Braden’s status was, he’d delve into the mess with Shane because Laney’s very life could be on the line.

  Pulling in a breath and trying to focus on the task Jenna had sent him out for, Mac turned back toward the lobby. If Braden continued to be unreachable and Shane forced their hand, Mac wouldn’t be able to hold Ryker back much longer.

  And, in all honesty, Mac wasn’t so sure he wanted to. Legitimacy be damned.

  Eight

  “I really need to get back to working on the flowers.”

  Not bothering to even slow down, Mac laced his fingers with Jenna’s and kept walking down the beach. “You didn’t come to bed until three this morning because you were working.”

  Well, that was true, but she’d also been avoiding going to bed because she was having a difficult time lying there beside such temptation. The fewer hours the better. The warmth of his body next to hers was something she could get used to and that was a major problem.

  “I have yet to start on the largest arrangements and the wedding is in three days.”

  She risked a glance to see if he was going to respond, but he just kept walking in that sexy, I’ve-got-all-the-time-in-the-world kind of way. Without a shirt. With all those glorious, tanned muscles clenching with each step and strut.

  And he was totally oblivious to the fact that he stole her breath and made her heart quicken.

  Jenna blinked and focused on looking ahead. While Mac had all the confidence in the world, she tugged on her strapless cover-up once more to avoid a wardrobe malfunction. Mac had suggested they head to the beach to “be seen” so she’d thrown on the only bathing suit she’d packed, because it was the only one she owned. Clearly swimwear was designed by the devil and a host of supermodels.

  The cover-up helped, though. As long as she kept her shield in place, she didn’t feel so...exposed.

  “Stop fidgeting,” he commanded. “You look fine.”

  Great. She looked fine and he looked delicious.

  “C’mon,” he said, tugging her toward the water’s edge. “Let’s cool off.”

  Jenna pulled her hand free. “Go ahead. I’ll just sit here.”

  She sank onto the sand, shoving her toes into the warmth. When Mac stood in front of her, blocking the sun, she eased back on her hands and stared up at him.

  “Come in the water with me.”

  “I’m fine,” she told him. “Go on ahead.”

  When he took a seat next to her, Jenna continued to stare out at the ocean through the tinted lenses of her sunglasses. They’d only seen one other couple walking along the beach. It was still early and the weather was perfect. Everything about Bora Bora, this wedding, the ambiance, was perfect. What wasn’t perfect was the turmoil rolling inside her. Maybe Martin had gotten the hint and was going to leave her alone. Maybe she and Mac didn’t have to be quite so touchy-feely in public.

  Because her body still tingled from the table experience.

  Mac’s hand brushed along her shoulder, smoothing her hair away from her back and over the other shoulder. “Take off the cover-up, Jenna.”

  Stiffening beneath his touch, letting his husky words wash over her, Jenna’s refusal was on the tip of her tongue.

  “I know you’re not comfortable,” he went on, his tone low and soft. “But you’re one sexy woman. You’re made like women should be, Jen. All those curves.”

  He palmed her back as he leaned in closer. “You make a man think of things he shouldn’t.”

  A shiver racked her body. “You’re delusional.”

  “No, I’m honest.”

  Jenna glanced his way, her hair falling over her shoulder, the ends tickling her bare thigh. “You don’t need to say pretty words, Mac. I only needed you to pretend.”

  Mac jerked off his sunglasses, then hers, and looked her dead in the eye. “You think I’m just saying this to make you feel good? I’ve always thought you were sexy, Jenna. That’s never been a question.”

  Yeah, well, clothes could camouflage quite a bit.

  Mac slid his hand down, his fingers curling around the elastic on the top of her cover-up. Jenna jerked.

  “
Don’t,” he ordered. “Let me.”

  Closing her eyes, she waited for him to pry her security blanket down. She hated this. Hated knowing she would be exposed in seconds. No, she’d never worn a swimsuit around him. She rarely put a suit on, period. Why was he doing this? To prove he could?

  “Mac.” Her plea came out as a whisper.

  The material slid over her breasts and down her torso, and Jenna sat up, wrapping her arms around her waist in some vain attempt to keep herself covered.

  “Lift your hips,” he said, continuing to pull the material down.

  In no time, he slid the cover-up down her bare legs and tossed it to the side. Jenna clenched her teeth, blinking back the burn of tears threatening to spill.

  “Look at me.”

  Jenna pulled in a breath and turned to Mac. As he kept his eyes on hers, he gently eased her arms away from her body. “Hiding such beauty should be a crime.”

  When he said these things in such a convincing way, Jenna believed him. Mac kept secrets regarding his business at times, but he’d never flat-out lied to her face. Was he being sincere? Why did this tender moment feel so intimate, so raw and...real?

  “I’m a heavy girl,” she told him, still holding his gaze. “I know what I look like in a suit, Mac.”

  “If you know how stunning, sexy and intriguing you look, then we’re on the same page.” His smile nearly killed her. He wasn’t mocking, he was flirting.

  Mac. The good-time guy with a mysterious side.

  When he smoothed his hand over her knee and up her thigh, Jenna tensed again.

  “Wh-what are you doing?” she asked.

  With a shrug, his eyes darted to where his hand traveled across her skin. “Being affectionate. What if someone is watching? What if someone can see us, but we can’t see them?”

  Right. The charade. But as his fingertips continued their path up and down her bare leg, Mac leaned in and kissed her shoulder.

  “Mac—”

  “Jenna,” he murmured against her skin.

  He kissed her again, higher on her shoulder this time, and Jenna couldn’t stop the instinctive reaction as she tipped her head to the side, silently pleading for more of his touch.