by Lexi C. Foss
“Hello, earth to Sarah,” Rachel said through the phone. “I asked why you didn’t punch Abby today.”
I cleared my throat. “It wasn’t for a lack of wanting to, but my mom is pissed enough already.”
“So tell her Abby set you up. Let that idiot twin of yours fry a bit.”
The temptation to do so struck me more than once today. “I couldn’t with my babysitter hanging around, and—” I was cut off by a knock on the door. “Speak of the shadow and she shall appear.”
“Huh?”
“Sorry, someone’s at the door. Probably my makeup artist supervisor.” I crawled out of the massive king bed. “Going to have to call you back.”
“Your life is surreal.”
“Tell me about it.” I hung up the phone and stashed it beneath the mattress.
Wearing black shorts and a tank top, I opened the door and froze. “Uh, hi.”
“Is now a bad time?” Evan’s leather-clad arms were braced over the door, his lips curled into a mischievous grin.
“I thought you were in Virginia.”
“I decided on a detour.”
“Because Indianapolis is on the way to Richmond.” Not.
He shrugged. “It is when you own a private jet.”
“Right. Billionaire. I forgot.”
“Are you going to invite me in?” His intense gaze dropped to my breasts before rising to my lips. “Or should I make other arrangements for the night?”
“No skeleton key?”
“Going for incognito tonight.”
“Right.” I cleared my throat and stepped aside.
He kissed me on the cheek as he entered. “Sorry, I should have called you first and asked if this was okay.”
“I would have said yes, but the surprise is nice.” I grabbed the phone and texted Rachel a quick explanation for not calling her back and collapsed onto the bed.
Evan kicked off his shoes and draped his jacket over the chair. His soft white sweater clung to his biceps and broad shoulders. It made me want to pet him as he stretched out beside me and hooked an arm beneath his head. “I feel like I should have brought you flowers or something.”
I rolled toward him. “For future reference, I prefer wine over flowers.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and traced his fingers along my jaw. “Duly noted. I just wasn’t thinking when I decided on this detour. All I wanted was to see you, so I came straight here.”
I cupped his cheek. “I’m not complaining, Evan.”
“I know, but I wanted to clarify. Honestly, I’m more in the mood to talk. I had a shitty day.”
“Paul?” He made me want to scream several times over the last few weeks.
“Yes and no.” He rolled onto his back and rubbed his hands over his face. “It’s so wrong to talk to you about this, but this whole thing with Tiffany is killing me. They know she’s the one I’m going to let go, and they want me to do it in front of her family tomorrow. It’s cruel and paints me to be such an asshole. At least with Amber, she’d get what she deserves, but Tiffany is a sweet girl.”
“You like her.” The words were bitter in my mouth but came out calm. He was right. It was wrong for him to talk to me about this. These were the feelings I didn’t want to know anything about.
“Of course I do. That’s why I’ve kept her around, but it’s more than that. I care about her, but not in the way she wants. Tiffany’s a good person whom I’ve let believe I’m romantically into even though I’m not. She’s attractive, inside and out, but I’m drawn to her in a friend kind of way. How do I tell her that without hurting her?” He scrubbed his hand over his face again, blowing out a breath. “I face intimidating people in the boardroom all the time, but I can’t figure out how to break up with a nice girl I was never really dating. This is so fucked up.”
“You tell her exactly what you just told me. She’ll appreciate the honesty more than a scripted speech.” I spoke from my heart. It’s what I wanted from him when this relationship ended, because I had no doubt it would be him walking away, not me. I was too far gone to be the one to end it. I would never admit it out loud, but I couldn’t lie to myself.
Earlier, Abby accused me of loving him, and her words wouldn’t leave me alone. Everything about Evan intrigued me. Even now, with him admitting how difficult it was going to be to hurt another woman, I adored him. It was an insight into his character. He called himself an asshole for doing exactly what the show and his parents demanded of him.
“I’m a selfish bastard.” He looked pained. “I’m hurting people to secure my company. How is that right? I should have fought harder, gotten them to call all this off before it got to this point.”
“From what you’ve told me, you didn’t have a choice,” I murmured. “Your parents forced this on you. They’re the ones hurting people, Evan, not you.”
He was suffering just as much, if not more than everyone else. I saw the way he tensed when Paul forced him into an uncomfortable position, told him to remove his clothes for the camera, or kiss a woman he didn’t want to touch, all for the sake of entertainment. He was more than punished by the whole charade, and that was his parents’ fault, not his.
His hands were in his hair. “You have no idea how many times I’ve tried to walk away from this mess. You’re one of the few reasons I stayed. You keep me grounded.”
I brushed my knuckles over his cheekbone, hating the frown lines marring his brow. We needed a lighter subject. “If that’s your way of saying I’m good in bed, thank you.”
He rolled his head my way, grinning. “You’re not good in bed—you’re phenomenal. It’s why I can’t seem to stay out of it.”
“Trust me, the talent isn’t all mine. It takes two to tango.” I waggled my brows at him, earning a wider grin from him.
“Distracting me with sex talk?”
“Depends. Is it working?” I went up onto my elbow and placed a hand over his heart. He wrapped his fingers around my wrist and drew circles against my pulse. Despite the dimples, his brown eyes were troubled. Physical comfort wasn’t going to cut it tonight. He wanted me to console him with words, not my body. That inherent act spoke volumes about his feelings and faith in me.
“I’m not sure how to comfort you other than to say I understand. Tiffany will be hurt, and she’ll likely cry, but she’ll get over it. I know you don’t believe in marriage or soul mates, but I do, and her true love is still out there. She’ll find him and forget all about you someday. The best way for you to honor her is to be honest.”
“You believe in soul mates?” He cocked an eyebrow. “I never would have guessed that.”
“Why not?”
He traced the crease between my eyes. “You’re cute when you frown.”
“Don’t avoid the question. Why wouldn’t I believe in soul mates?” I wanted a man who looked at me the way my father looked at my mother. Someday I would find the one.
“I don’t know. You agreed to explore our relationship and see where this goes, knowing I don’t want to get married. I made assumptions based on that.”
“Just because I agreed to our temporary arrangement doesn’t mean I won’t look for a relationship with someone else down the road. It won’t be tomorrow or even next year, but I do eventually want to get married and have kids.”
His gaze narrowed. “Temporary?” It sounded like a curse on his lips, confusing me.
“Well, yeah. You’re going to go back to work after all this, right? And I’ll be back in Chicago. We could have a long-distance fling, but there’s no longevity there, aside from our business relationship. You don’t want anything long-term, hence the no marriage stipulation, and I’m okay with that. But that doesn’t mean I won’t be looking for that at some point in my life with the right person.”
“I thought part of exploring what this is between us was meant to go beyond the show.” His fingers were locked around my wrist as if to hold me to him.
“Okay, but for how long? I’m being re
alistic, Evan.” It was the only way to safeguard my heart, not that I could tell him that. He would end this tonight if I admitted how I felt, and I wasn’t ready to say good-bye yet.
He studied me, his all-consuming gaze roaming over my features as if he were memorizing them. “I don’t like the idea of you being with someone else.”
My eyebrows hit my hairline. “That’s rich considering you came over tonight to talk about breaking up with another woman.” Okay, that came out wrong. I shook my head, clearing it. “I shouldn’t have said that.”
“No, you were right to say it.” He sat up and ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe I should stay somewhere else tonight.”
I grabbed his arm, stopping him from standing. “Please don’t go, not like this.” He didn’t try to get up but didn’t relax either. I blew out a breath, irritated that I let my big mouth speak before I could think it through.
“Look, I’m flattered you came to visit and confided in me. I didn’t mean to botch it with a stupid comment. Just, okay, I get why the thought of me being with someone else bothers you, but I have to be true to myself here. You don’t want a future with me or anyone, and that’s fine. I respect that. But I need you to understand that although you don’t want to get married, I do someday. I don’t know who he is yet or when it will happen, but it’s something I want eventually. I don’t want to be lonely the rest of my life.”
His shoulders were tense as he kept his back to me, his feet on the ground. “Do you think I’ll be lonely the rest of my life?” A quiet question.
If you age the way your father has, then no, definitely not. “I think you’ll live your life the way you want to, Evan. Whether that be with flings, temporary lovers, or maybe the eventual relationship, you’ll find ways not to be alone.”
“I’m not lonely when I’m with you.” He turned, his gaze penetrating. “I don’t like the idea of this being temporary, even if it’s true.”
“Then we live in the moment and enjoy it while it lasts.” And hope that it gives us enough memories to last a lifetime. I was starting to doubt that I would ever find another man like him. One who not only respected my ambition but praised me for it. Someone who confided in me like a longtime best friend, not just a pillow mate. A man who gave me multiple orgasms every night and could melt me with a look.
God, Abby’s right. I’m falling for him. I looked away, biting my lip. This man was going to break me. He couldn’t handle the idea of me with someone else; meanwhile, I wasn’t sure there ever would be anyone else for me. I was fooling myself with all these words. If I had a soul mate, he looked a lot like Evan Mershano. And didn’t that suck? The man who could be destined for me was provisional at best. Fate was just cruel enough to pull this prank on me.
He palmed my cheek and brushed his nose against mine. “I don’t deserve you, but I’m glad I have you, even if only for the moment.”
I kissed him and poured all my feelings into the unspoken dialogue between our tongues. Frustration, adoration, humiliation, and love went into that kiss, and a piece of my heart broke off, forever becoming his. His leg slid between mine, pinning me to the bed as he embraced me with the same passion. He cradled my face between his palms and took his time exploring my mouth.
Each lick and nip was an introduction to something new, his way of prolonging the moment. This was a mutual exchange of emotions, not a seduction. It broke the remainder of my shields, unleashing everything from within until tears pricked my eyes. I shuddered under the impact of it. I was so screwed.
27
The Familial Test
He spent the night again after his trip to Charleston. This time he brought his suitcase. We were getting dressed in the morning after a shared shower when he looked at me with a twinkle in his eye.
“So the producers said I’m meeting your mom and Bob. You’ve never mentioned him. Is he your stepdad?”
I laughed. “Oh no. My mom never remarried after my dad. She just dates to kill the time, and I think she likes having someone around to take care of her.”
“Ah, that’s right. You mentioned Abby has similar proclivities.”
I pulled on the cocktail dress given to me last night by the crew. It was black and skimmed my knees. Evan walked up behind me to help tie the halter neck.
“Yeah, but Abby just cares about their wallets, while my mom doesn’t need their money. She only wants their company.” My dad was a financial planner and set aside a nest egg for my mom. It wasn’t substantial, but it was enough to care for her after his passing.
“I’m beginning to understand why the show picked her as a contestant.”
“Yeah, I would love to put her in a room with Amber and watch the fireworks.” My sister would teach the southern belle all sorts of new tricks. “She’s not a bad person, not at heart anyway. She just has a hard exterior and no regard for consequences. Sometimes I envy her ability to live in the moment without a care for the future. I’m always planning, while she’s this spontaneous little ball of fun.”
He kissed my neck and trailed his fingers down my spine. “Ambition and aspiration are sexier than spontaneity.”
“You’re only saying that because you woke up with my lips wrapped around your c—” He sealed his mouth over mine in a bruising kiss before I could finish.
“Keep talking like that and we’ll never get out of here.”
“I didn’t realize I had that choice. In that case—” He kissed me again, hard, swallowing what I was about to say. “I think I like this game.”
“I bet you do.” He nipped my lower lip. “Now stop misbehaving, or I’ll have to take you over my knee.”
“Oh? Is that a promise?”
“You’d like that?” He grabbed my ass and squeezed. The devilish swirl in his brown irises made me want to get back into the shower with him.
“It’s not my first choice, but I’m sure you would make it interesting.”
“You’re saying all of this to distract me from leaving, aren’t you?”
“I don’t know. Is it working?”
He growled low in his throat and kissed me again. I took that to mean yes and smiled against his lips. He thrust his tongue deep and set a harsh rhythm that reminded me of sex. The intensity of it left me quaking for more.
“Careful, sweetheart. I’m more than capable of playing this game, too.”
“That’s an enticement, not a warning.” I sucked his lower lip into my mouth and let it go with a pop.
He grinned. “We’ll pick this up tonight. I need to get downstairs before my parents go up to my suite and find it empty.” He kissed my cheek and ran his thumb down my exposed arm. “Bring a sweater, Sarah. It’s cold outside.” April in Indiana was unpredictable. It was a moderate temperature when I arrived two days ago, and this morning it was snowing.
“Yes, sir. Anything else?”
“Minx.” He patted me on the rump on his way to the door. My mom was going to drool over Evan. She was a sucker for a man in a suit, and he looked damn fine in the black one he was wearing. The maroon dress shirt was casually unbuttoned at his throat, giving me a slender view of what I knew to be a tan, muscular chest. Mmm. I liked him without the tie. “You’re ogling me.”
“I am.” Jeans were my preferred mold for his fine ass, but the dress pants worked, too. “You look good, Mister Mershano.”
He grinned. “Right back at you, Miss Summers. See you in a bit.”
* * *
“No,” I repeated for the fifth time. Paul was having issues understanding the word. “Absolutely not.”
“Oh, come on, dove. It’ll be fun.”
“Watching my sister flirt with Evan is not going to be fun for me.” They had Abby in the same black dress with her makeup and hair done up for the camera. She loved the idea of playing a game of Can You Tell the Difference between the Twins? Any other time, with any other man, I would have been fine with it. But not with him. Not like this. If he couldn’t tell the difference between us, I would break.
/> “No,” I said again. Abby’s responding smirk made me want to punch someone.
“I think it’s a good idea.” I gaped at my mom. “You’re supposed to marry this man, sí? After only a few weeks of knowing him? Then I say, if he loves you the way he should, he’ll know the difference between you and Abby.”
Great. This was my mom’s punishment for me not telling her about the show. Despite her recycling of boyfriends every few years, marriage was a big deal to her. She vowed herself to my father and no one else. Love was sacred and reserved for family. Dating Evan would be fine, and even living with him wouldn’t be a problem, but wedding vows were revered.
“Fine.” There was no disagreeing with Estrella Summers when she had that look in her eyes. I was asking for a verbal beatdown if I argued. “Where do you want me to hide?” I couldn’t even look at Paul. This was what Brenda meant by him having a field day. His smile was permanently attached to his face after meeting my mother and Abby. Bob he could take or leave, but he loved having three gorgeous women for his camera.
“You can stay in here and watch with Bill.” He pointed to a crew member wearing a trucker hat, T-shirt, and board shorts. The crazy freckled man didn’t realize it was snowing outside.
“Sup, beautiful?”
Oh, he’s charming, too. I sat at the dining room table with my hands in my lap. My chubby new friend tried to sidle closer, but I shot him down with a glare. Keep your paws to yourself, big boy. His smile slipped, and his green eyes went wide. With the mood I was in, he better be scared.
He turned on his screen so I could see what the cameras were shooting outside. There were five of them on Evan’s limo, where he and his parents sat inside waiting. Abby stood in the front foyer with my mom and Bob, awaiting their cue to exit. My mother’s frown and ultimatum told me how she felt about all of this nonsense.