by S. E. Law
The cycle continues and I work hard to keep my attention where it should be, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t slip up every so often. How can you not look at Kade? I find myself gazing again, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth as I do so.
“You’re a lucky lady,” a voice comes from in front of me. Coming back to myself, I turn my eyes to the next person in line.
“Oh, we’re-” I almost tell the truth – that we aren’t together. I almost forgot about the pretend boyfriend aspect of it all. Things are getting mixed up in my head at the realization. Is Kade putting on an act today? Was the kiss this morning for show? I try to remember if there were fans around that could have seen at that time. I clear my throat and quickly offer my thanks.
“He’s really into you,” the fan continues with a beaming smile. “It’s such a fairy tale come true.”
“Thank you. I feel the same way about him too,” I claim, smiling sincerely. I sign the book and catch Kade’s eye once more as she leaves the booth.
Mattie comes up behind me after a few more books are signed.
“We’re breaking for lunch soon. Then you’ve got another panel to sit in on.” I nod as I sign another book. The day has been busy – I know we owe a lot of the business to Kade’s presence.
When there’s a brief lull in visitors to the booth, he turns to me with a smile.
“You’re famous,” he grins even wider.
“I’m not famous,” I laugh.
“Between all the people that came to see you yesterday and the crowd you’ve got today, I think it’s safe to say you’re famous.” Kade nods seriously.
“I think they mostly came to see you,” I challenge with a tilt of the head.
Kade looks down at himself with a shrug, then looks back to me with a cocky grin.
“That might be part of it,” he jokes.
“Okay, enough flirting,” Mattie butts in. “I’m hungry. Let’s go find food.” I chuckle to myself and follow her down the hall, Kade’s hand finding its place on my hip once more.
The flirty banter and touching along with last night’s bedroom activities and the deal we made has me so confused. It feels like he’s my real boyfriend, but at the same time I know he’s not. I shake my head firmly. I need to get a hold of myself, pronto. But then Kade turns towards me and smiles again, and I practically melt into a warm pool of butter. It’s so nice to be with him, and I’ll enjoy what this marvelous experience has to offer while it lasts.
7
Kade
When the convention wraps up, I pull my phone from my pocket to see that Brandon has texted.
Dinner? it reads.
I quickly turn to Jane to ask if she’s interested. I’m hoping she will be willing to meet up with us tonight so that we can talk.
“Sweetheart, are you hungry? My friend Brandon that you met last night wants to get some food,” I say, pretending that Jane and Brandon are only acquaintances. Of course, that’s technically true since they just met, but at the same time, he’s been inside her. That counts for something, right?
I turn on my best charming smile knowing Jane won’t be able to resist. Watching her bite her lip in thought is far more distracting than I’d like to admit. She releases it before she speaks.
“Mattie and I already made plans to go to that place across the street. Want to join us?” she murmurs. Jane seems nervous to ask, so I step closer and place my hands on her hips, thumbs caressing the roundness of her belly.
“Does she know?” I ask, referring to what happened between us last night.
“Uh. Yeah. I mean, Yes. Is that okay?” The tremble to her voice is sweet, as though she is afraid I’ll be mad at her. I lean in to press a kiss to her temple. If anyone else had told my secret, I would be livid, but I can’t find it in myself to be anything but endeared by this woman.
“Yes, that’s okay,” I assure her, drawing back to meet her eyes. “She’s your best friend, right?” Jane simply nods in confirmation. I smile and lift my phone between us to let Brandon know of our new plans.
“Ready to go, Jane?” Mattie says from behind me. Jane takes a step back before replying to the question.
“I think Kade and Brandon are going to come with us. Is that okay?”
The look of excitement that crosses Mattie’s face is unashamed, but she is calm in her reply.
“It’s totally fine. I can’t wait to meet this Brandon,” she says meaningfully, glancing between the two of us. When I place a hand low on Jane’s back to guide her to the exit, I catch Mattie winking in her direction. Knowing that Jane can be shy, I decide to pretend I don’t notice, but the grin can’t be wiped from my face.
Brandon meets us for dinner not long after we arrive. I love how well Brandon and Jane interact with one another. Jane laughs at his jokes and his eyes sparkle at the sound of her giggles. I’m already imagining how life might be with the two of them in the future. They’re very cozy with one another, and there are heated sparks that pulse in the air between the three of us.
When Brandon and I head to the bar for a drink, Mattie steals Jane for some work off to the side. That’s cool. My friend and I stand at the oak slab, taking advantage of this opportunity. How will we proposition Jane with our potential future relationship? Brandon orders a Rum & Coke and I’ve got a top shelf bourbon cradled between my hands.
“Do you just want to ask?” Brandon says with a shrug. “Be upfront about it?”
“I don’t think it’s the asking that’s the issue. It might be how much we should tell her. I don’t want to scare her off,” I admit.
“After last night what could possibly scare her off?” Brandon brings up. I laugh.
“Good point. We’ll just be casual about it, then,” I say. He nods in agreement.
“Anything you want to try tonight?” A smile accompanies his question. I can’t help but grin in response.
“I’m sure we can come up with something,” I say with a chuckle.
Just then, a stereotypically pretty bartender interrupts the conversation.
“Can I get you guys anything else?” she asks coyly. She’s wearing a leather vest with nothing underneath, and the tiny piece of fabric barely covers her large assets. Her eyes travel across Brandon’s arms and chest, then her gaze meets mine and she smiles. It’s a seductive kind of smile – one that most men would love. She probably gets a lot of guys to flirt with her. Maybe she even takes some home at the end of her shift. I turn my eyes to Brandon as he declines the refill and looks entirely unaffected by this woman.
“Just the bill, thanks,” I say. I make sure my tone is completely professional. It’s a voice that I use with investors and franchisees at Muscle Nation. Her smile falters somewhat before she nods her head and walks to the register behind her.
“I think you broke her heart,” Brandon says. I huff out a laugh.
“I highly doubt one interaction had heartbreaking qualities.”
“She’s probably going to cry in the bathroom after we leave,” he jokes.
“That’s a little dramatic,” I say with a smile. “You know she’s not our type, anyway.” My voice is low and hard to hear over the din of the bar.
Brandon nods curtly.
“She’s not because she’s too scrawny,” he says in agreement. “Jane though,” he adds with a devious grin. “Now she’s definitely our type.” His smile is contagious, and I find myself trying to tamp down on my own as the waitress returns with the bill.
After we’ve paid, we find ourselves in the elevator alone and it’s hard to keep my hands to myself. I’m excited for the future. Finding Jane seems like it was meant to be. Nibbling on Brandon’s chiseled jaw and ghosting hands across his toned shoulders in the confined space has the heat increasing. His quiet moans and the grip he has on my back has me growing hard in my pants.
The elevator dings and we separate just before the doors open. In the room, it’s hard to hold back. Kisses grow more urgent, hands more insistent.
“
Wait, wait, wait,” Brandon breathes. My hands still. “We should wait for Jane to get here.” He’s right. It will be so much better when she’s with us. I place one more kiss on his panting mouth before stepping back, trailing my hands from his body.
“You’re right,” I say aloud. “Good thinking.” Brandon nods.
I cross to the mini bar for something to do while we wait. After choosing a beverage for myself and pouring one over ice for Brandon, we sip in relative silence. Heavy eye contact in conjunction with the alcohol makes the room seem stifling. I watch as Brandon licks a drop of rum from his lips, his tongue dragging slowly across his bottom lip.
“It’s hot in here,” he says as he begins to unbutton the shirt he’s wearing. The white ribbed tank top beneath his shirt becomes more visible with every opened button, the thin fabric clinging to the defined muscle of his chest and torso. When his button down is hanging open from his shoulders, I stand from my leaning position against the desk.
“Let me help you with that,” I say, crossing the room to reach for his shirt. I intentionally drag my fingertips across bare shoulders as I remove the shirt from his body, tossing the fabric in the corner. My hands nearly have a mind of their own as they return to his taut shoulders, kneading and rubbing at the firm muscle found there.
I continue the massage for a few minutes before leaning over Brandon’s form and placing an open-mouthed kiss at the hinge of his jaw. I watch his Adam’s apple dip with a swallow as I raise up and return to my spot by the desk. Picking up my beverage, I take another deep drink, never losing eye contact with my lover. His lip becomes trapped between his teeth and I watch as his eyes grow darker, the blue nearly overtaken by the blackness of his pupil.
“Jane can’t get here soon enough,” he rasps into the otherwise silent room.
I nod my assent.
“Impatient?” I tease.
“Very,” he smirks. I smile in return.
“It will be worth it,” I tell him. Brandon’s nod tells me he believes so, too.
The room returns to silence. Then, the silence is broken by a quick, three pattern knock. Brandon and I smile at one another as he rises to answer the door. He swings it open to reveal the object of our affections, Jane herself. Beyond Brandon’s form, I can only make out the dark wash of her jeans and a hand smoothing over her upper thigh, as if she had to wipe the sweat from her palms.
“Wow,” I hear Brandon say.
“Hi,” Jane murmurs in return.
They’re still standing in the doorway a moment later. “Are you going to let her in?” I ask, teasing.
“Right. Come in, Jane,” Brandon chuckles. When he moves aside and Jane enters the room, I can see what held him up. Those voluptuous breasts are nearly on full display in her low-cut top, and the jeans she wears hug her hips perfectly.
“Jane,” I say. “Thanks for coming.” She smiles at me, sincere and sassy all in one.
“Of course,” she says in reply. “Being alone in my room didn’t seem like the best use of my time tonight,” she teases. Her confidence has me licking my lips, eyes traveling over her curvy form once more.
Brandon smiles from behind her and I can’t help but to switch my gaze to him. I feel like a lucky man, standing here with a gorgeous, hungry man, and a lovely, generous woman. I wink at Brandon before returning my attention to Jane.
“Would you like a drink?” I ask courteously.
“Please,” she says, tension seemingly leaving her shoulders.
Remembering her order from the bar a couple of nights before, I pour her a glass of red wine before handing it over, placing a kiss on the corner of her mouth in the process. I watch as the blush travels up her chest and to her cheeks. She swirls the liquid in the glass before bringing it to her lips. My eyes never leave her face as her tongue works over the wine, savoring it as she swishes it in her mouth. When she finally swallows, her throat bobs and she hums in appreciation.
“Wine connoisseur?” Brandon asks, now sitting on the edge of the bed. Jane laughs louder than intended, if her hand coming to cover her mouth is any indication.
“Not so much. I just drink a lot of wine,” she admits with a cute smile. Brandon and I laugh.
“Fair enough,” he says, his smile permanently stuck on his face.
Jane plops down on the bed next to Brandon and looks at me.
“What have you guys been up to?” she asks coyly.
“Waiting for you,” I say, honestly.
“That’s it?” she asks, reaching out to tug at Brandon’s jeans. He chuckles and glances at me.
“Mostly.” Jane smiles at my vague answer, then switches her attention to Brandon as she raises an eyebrow. He caves under her knowing look.
“There may have been a massage. And a kiss or two,” he admits. “But we did decide to wait for you.” Jane’s other brow rises to meet the other.
“Well, that’s very kind of you,” she smiles and takes another sip from her glass.
“But first, we want to talk,” I say in a firm tone, shooting a warning look at Brandon. My buddy looks disappointed, but gives a slight nod of his head. Meanwhile, Jane’s expression becomes something of confusion at my statement.
“Oh, really?” she asks. “About what?”
Little does the curvy girl know, but Brandon and I want to possess her in every way, shape and form. The only question is: does Jane want that too?
8
Jane
Earlier in the night.
The conversation was titillating, but now, it’s time to have dinner with Mattie. This is the first time she’s going to meet Brandon, and I’m nervous. My best friend always supports me, but is she really on board with the idea that I’m doing two men? Two men who are into each other too?
By the time we make it to the restaurant across the street, I’ve worked myself up about the situation. Mattie is usually well-behaved, but I am imagining the embarrassment I’m sure to feel if she starts asking probing questions.
As Kade opens the door for us, Mattie turns at the bar to greet us. Before even one word is said, I make sure to make eye contact with her, shooting her a look that says behave. She knows exactly what I mean and her slight nod gives me some relief.
Inside, Kade speaks with the hostess. After confirming a short wait time, we stand off to the side and wait to be seated. Then, Brandon enters through the door and heads directly for us, planting a kiss on my cheek in greeting and laying a friendly hand on Kade’s arm. His eyes find Mattie as Kade introduces them.
“Mattie, this is Brandon. Brandon, this is Jane’s publicist and friend, Mattie.” Brandon reaches out a hand to shake Mattie’s hand as Mattie offers a warm smile.
“Nice to meet you, Mattie.”
“You as well, Brandon.” Mattie turns her eyes to mine and widens them slightly so as to be discreet. Being her best friend, I know she’s thinking wow, he’s hot in our own language. I feel a smirk start to cross my features, despite my attempt at keeping it at bay.
The hostess catches our attention to lead us to a table and the small talk begins to flow freely. Dinner is kept light and uncomplicated. My nerves dissipate somewhere between Mattie and Kade discussing future modeling opportunities and Brandon making jokes at Kade’s expense.
We decline dessert after such a hearty meal and leave the restaurant soon after. It’s only then that Mattie tells me that we need to go over some numbers.
“So, you’ll come up to my room for a bit, right? I want to figure up some sales numbers from the last couple of days.” I have no reason to be with Mattie as she does this, so I know it’s a cover for gossip.
“Sure, I can spare some time,” I say simply.
Kade pulls me closer to him, whispering in my ear.
“Come to our room when you’re done.” I make eye contact with Brandon and he nods his agreement.
“Sure,” is my naughty reply. “Can’t wait.”
The two men grin, and then they veer off to the hotel bar for a drink. Meanwhile,
Mattie and I enter the elevator to go to her room. The second the elevator doors close, she looks at me wide-eyed.
“Oh. My. God.”
I can’t help but laugh out loud, her reaction completely expected, but still funny.
“Seriously, Jane. Holy shit! They’re both so hot!”
“I know,” is all I can say. I’m not going to argue with that.
“I- just- I- oh my god!” I’ve never heard Mattie stumble over words like this because her natural confidence always carries her through smoothly. I laugh again at the stuttering mess in front of me.
“You had sex with them? Both of them?!” Mattie sounds as though she’s utterly shocked.
“Well, gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” I drawl.
“No, no, no. I don’t mean it like that,” Mattie backtracks, sincerity in her tone.
“Don’t worry. I know what you mean,” I chuckle.
She nods.
“It’s just…well, any woman would be lucky to experience one of those men for a night and to have both – holy fuck.”
“You have no idea,” I say. My voice almost sounds cocky, knowing that I experienced something very few women get to.
“So, you’re going to their room tonight?” Mattie asks, eyebrows waggling. I laugh again at her enthusiasm.
“Yeah, that’s what Kade said.”
“Lucky bitch,” Mattie mutters. I give her shoulder a good whack for the comment. When we reach her floor, Mattie gets off the elevator.
“We don’t really have to talk numbers. Go see your men,” she says with a wink.
I don’t go immediately to Kade and Brandon’s room, knowing that they’re downstairs at the bar. Instead, I go to my own room. It’s been awhile since I’ve been alone with my thoughts and I could go for a nice bath.
When the water has filled the tub and the bubbles cover the surface of the water, I slip into the hot bath with a glass of red wine in hand. Existing in complete silence for the first time since I woke up this morning is a needed escape. I’ve hardly had time to process everything that happened last night.