Anchored Love (Propositions and Proposals #2): A Fake Boyfriend Romance

by Ryan Michele

  “She can share with me. It’s no big deal.” Jess smiled at me, and while I was thankful my sister was close to me in size, she also had a chest about two sizes smaller than mine. I didn’t even want to imagine the possible wardrobe malfunctions I would endure on this trip. Boob spillage here I come!

  I had two choices. Borrow something from my mother and look like I wanted to go to bingo night at the senior building, or like a hooker ready to walk the Las Vegas strip. Really what were the choices here? Too bad we couldn’t take a day of shopping before hopping on the ship. Maybe the shops would have something? And hopefully it wouldn’t be overly expensive. I had my credit card, and my savings were decent, but still, I hated to overpay. I was a shopaholic and looked for deals when I could. I wondered if they had shoes…

  We loaded onto the shuttle bus, and Mason wrapped his arm around my shoulders. It should’ve made me jumpy, but it had been a hell of a day, and I needed a nap or a drink; whichever came first. I welcomed his comfort; hey, we were supposed to sell our relationship. Couples were supposed to be all touchy and feely with one another.

  Reaching the port, my breath caught in my throat, not prepared for just how big the boat actually was in real life. Sure, I’d seen them in the movies and television, but to stand here looking up, up, and up, our new home for the next week was massive. Never in my life had I seen anything this big before.

  It made me feel very small in a very big world.

  After all the paperwork, we finally boarded the boat and met our personal tour guide, Eddie. He was of Latin decent and very attractive. The glint in his eye had me taking a step closer to Mason. Why, I didn’t want to think about; it just happened.

  Eddie showed us to our rooms saying he’d give us a tour in two hours before embarkation.

  I stood in awe at the door entrance, and it took me a couple of beats before my legs would work. When they got the message to move, I headed straight for the floor-to-ceiling sliding glass door that led to a balcony. The breeze hit me as I dropped my bag on the floor and stepped out on to paradise.

  That was the only way I could describe it. We were high up, and I could see blue water forever. Even the curve of the earth was visible from here. Arms on the railing, I looked down, and instantly my stomach pulled me from the pleasure of the view.

  It was a very long way down. I didn’t have a fear of heights, but this was a bit much. Turning around, I slammed into a hard body.

  “You just can’t stop running into me,” he teased, his hands cupping my shoulders, and a smile tipped my lips. He wasn’t wrong.

  “Sorry.”

  His hands came around to hold me, stunning me. “Don’t be. This is a nice position.”

  What was happening? No one was there to watch the performance. My head was spinning. Exhaustion from all the traveling wore me ragged. My lack of sleep from the night before had returned to haunt me.

  Tearing my gaze from his, I stepped out of his embrace, not really knowing why, but doing it all the same. “Can you shower first? I need to lay down a bit.”

  “Sounds good. You need your rest.”

  He smirked and took a step back, moving into the bathroom. My heart hammered in my chest as the realization hit me.

  One bed.

  One king-sized bed, which was beautiful with blues and whites, but I wasn’t sure I was prepared to share a bed with Mason.

  Exhaustion hit, and after the day I’d had sleep was calling me. I kicked my shoes off and put my hair up so it wouldn’t be all in my face. All I needed was a good nap then I’d be back to rights. Falling on the plush bed, I hugged the pillow, snuggling against it as though it was the best thing on earth. I had no more than closed my eyes before I was out.

  Mason

  Just Before I Die, I’m Going To Swallow A Bag Of Popcorn Kernels. My Cremation Is Going To Be Epic!

  Sitting on the edge of the bed, Everly could be heard in the bathroom while she finished getting ready. I glanced around the cabin wondering how in the world I’d survive six nights in this small space sleeping next to her.

  Everly Woolsworth had starred in more of my fantasies over the years than I cared to confess.

  I first took notice of her beauty in high school. Hell, every guy did. She had this unmistakable quality of being gorgeous and not knowing it. There was something about the fact that made all heads turn. No one would make a move. Drake had made it clear that no one in his circle of friends was to make a pass at his sister, no matter how damn pretty and tempting it might have been. Fuck, was she tempting with her gorgeous sea glass blue eyes and womanly curves.

  There had always been an attraction between us, and spending so much time with her brother, Drake, there was no way I could escape it. Blonde bombshell didn’t even give her enough credit. Her brother and I warned off several potential boyfriends. I was happy to oblige.

  Though due to nearly three years separating us in age and my friendship with her brother, I had never acted on any of those feelings, keeping them tucked away and burying them down deep. I’d told myself that I’d meet someone else when I went to college, and whatever this infatuation was would go away. Besides, no guy wanted their best friend hitting on their younger sister, let alone dating her.

  I respected Drake and the boundary he’d set. We were bros.

  Life got busy, and I’d lost track of her over the years, but I never stopped thinking about her. Wondering if she was happy. If she’d gotten married or started a family. It was always the what-if in the back of my mind. I wondered if she ever thought about me too.

  Drake and I would occasionally meet up for drinks, and we’d see each other here and there. While we kept in touch, I never reached out to question him about Everly, though part of me wanted to. Once I went looking for her on social media, but her profile was set to private, and I didn’t know if she’d think it was weird if I sent her a request to connect. I couldn’t tell much about her life with limited information available without coming right out and asking Drake.

  Then three years ago she came to work at my office, which shocked the hell out of me. I rallied for her to be hired in my department with one mention of her name from my boss.

  Seeing her, the one who always seemed out of reach, day in and day out, looking sexy as hell in those heels she wore was a cross between heaven and hell. Everly owned more shoes than I did ties, and that was saying something. I had accumulated quite the collection over the years. I didn’t think an occasion existed she didn’t have the perfect heels for, same with me and ties.

  I didn’t know what the hell I was thinking agreeing to this trip on the fly. Not because I wouldn’t enjoy myself being with Everly, but the temptation became all too real entering our small space and single bed. We’d barely gotten through the first few hours of the cruise, and my libido was already raring to go.

  Everly was the dream girl. Unobtainable. Untouchable.

  The only thing that had changed from then to now was we were older, but she still felt out of reach. We worked together everyday. The company frowned against fraternization, and it was written in the policy manual that it could be cause for termination and/or demotion.

  If anyone in the human resources department knew we’d gone on a vacation together, it could mean serious trouble, but something deep within me knew Everly was a woman worth the risk, and no matter what happened after this, I’d take the heat for it. No regrets.

  Only thing was I didn’t know if she ever thought of me romantically. She’d never led on to it. Really, the first time I’d thought it was an option was when her eyes glazed over when she saw me. It was a green flag on my part, and I was taking it.

  The bathroom door opened, my eyes flying over to it. Breath stuck in my throat, I gaped at the stunning vision standing before me, willing my heart to start beating again.

  Everly smoothed a hand over the tight-fitting black satin strapless dress that clung to her body like a second skin, hugging those curves perfectly. Fuck me. I was in deep shit. The mat
erial molded to her body leaving little mystery, but what I couldn’t see, I imagined and what a damn sight I pictured in my head.

  The woman had stepped right out of my dreams and damn near left me speechless.

  “Do I look okay?” Her mouth tipped down, and an uneasy smile crossed her face as she regarded me.

  “Wow,” I breathed the word out, unable to tear my gaze from her beauty and sexy curves. Her ample breasts played peekaboo with the heart-shaped fabric covering them. One wrong move and a nipple just might pop out, but I sure as hell wouldn’t complain if one did. I continued to stare, memorizing the sight. I’d picture exactly this the next time I took a shower and played out another fantasy while jerking off to thoughts of her. Everly was tits, ass, legs, and sass. Perfection.

  If I had my way in this moment, I’d strip Everly of that dress and eat her pussy until she pulled my hair and cried out my name. I wanted to shove her down on the bed and spread her thighs wide and devour every single inch of her body.

  Lips stained red, I wondered if they tasted as sweet as they looked. The pull to kiss her in that moment overwhelmed me. This was going to be one hell of a week of torture if things didn’t work out in my favor.

  “I look ridiculous.” Her long blonde hair hung straight and smooth down her back in a sleek ponytail. A ponytail I imagined wrapping my fist around, while titling her head back so I could taste her lips. There were a million and one things I wanted to do to this gorgeous woman. None of them appropriate. Dirty thoughts flickered through my mind like pages of a magazine. Scene after scene of her in naughty positions doing what I wanted. Damn, did I ache to kiss her.

  Instead, I resisted the urge to take her in my arms. Shaking my head and running a hand over my face, I let out the breath I’d been holding back. “No. You’re breathtaking, Ev. I’ll be fighting the men off with a stick.”

  She shook her head. “Well, good luck finding a stick. Maybe you can use an oar.”

  “Ha. You got jokes.” This made me smile as I rose, realizing in that instance my ass was stuck to the bed in awe of her.

  She shrugged, lifting her left shoulder, testing the limits of her dress. “Think I’ll be accused of being an escort?”

  “Never. Are we meeting your family in the dining room?” The draw to her was hard to resist.

  “Good question. I have no idea. When I went to get this dress from Jess, she wasn’t feeling so hot.” Everly’s luggage had gotten lost somewhere between Dallas and Miami, leaving her with no choice but to borrow clothes from her little sister who also happened to be a size smaller, making the fit snug. I’d never seen her in something as tight, but Everly was gorgeous no matter what she wore. I’d take her any way I could get her.

  “Shall we?” I held an arm out to escort her to the restaurant as she took a step toward me.

  The phone rang from the nightstand, and Everly shot me an apologetic smile. Hand cradling the phone, she answered, “Hello?” She paused a beat, lips curving down. “Oh that sucks. Are you sure? Is there anything I can do?” Another pause. “Only if you’re sure. I think I have that stuff for motion sickness in my bag.” Her head bobbed. “Breakfast then. I will. Okay. Later, Mom.” Everly ended the call, placing the phone on the receiver.

  Hands shoved in my pockets, I asked, “Everything okay?”

  “I guess. Everyone is seasick, so I guess it’s just us tonight for dinner; that is if you still want to go.”

  “I’m starved.” My mouth practically watered, but not because of hunger. I had a different type of nourishment in mind, but I didn’t voice my thoughts. This was a gift, being alone with Everly, and I was taking it. “And you didn’t put that dress on not to be seen.” I winked, and she rewarded me with her brilliant smile as her cheeks turned pink. “Come on. Let me show you off.”

  “If you insist.” She accepted my arm, and I felt like a damn lucky man.

  The moment we entered the restaurant all eyes were on Everly. How could they not stare at her stunning beauty? I pulled out her chair, waiting for her to be seated, then took the seat across from her.

  “So fancy meeting you here.” I chuckled in an attempt to lighten the mood. Nervous energy radiated from Everly in waves—from what, I wasn’t exactly sure—but she had no need for it around me. She fidgeted with her napkin and silverware. It became my mission to make Everly feel comfortable. “Relax, Ev. It’s dinner, not a marriage proposal.”

  She let out a laugh and then shook her head. “You’re right. I’m sorry. This shouldn’t be weird. We’ve known each other a long time, Mason.”

  “You’d think working together we’d cross paths more often.” It was a definite downfall. Or was it on purpose?

  “It’s weird, isn’t it? We work on the same floor, in the same department, but I rarely see you,” she replied, placing her napkin on her lap. The place was nice, but we were on a cruise ship.

  “I kind of thought maybe you were avoiding me,” I confessed.

  Her face scrunched up. “Why would I do that?”

  I shrugged and picked up the menu, opening it before responding. “I don’t know; I thought maybe you didn’t like me. Or that I had offended you somehow.”

  She looked at me, aghast. “Whatever gave you that idea?”

  We made eye contact. “I don’t know. When I’d come over to hang out with Drake, you always shied away from me.”

  “Well, there were two reasons for that. One. Hold that thought.” She smirked and held up a finger, turning to the waiter. Everly ordered red wine, and I went for a beer. It appeared we were both in need of some liquid courage.

  “You were saying,” I pressed, really wanting to know the answer.

  “Right … well, um. One, Drake always threatened to tell everyone at school I sucked my thumb in my sleep if I came around him and his friends.”

  Our drinks arrived, and I took a hard pull off the bottle while she ordered. Everly sipped her wine. I gave my steak order then waited for her to continue with number two.

  She didn’t offer up further explanation even after the waiter left.

  “And number two?” I prompted when the silence stretched.

  She let out a breath and licked her lips, seeming to be unsure about herself. “Did I say there were two things?”

  “You did.” I wasn’t letting her off the hook, genuinely wanting to know what number two was.

  Her teeth came out to bite her bottom lip. It was a sexy as hell move. “I must’ve forgotten.”

  “No way. I call bullshit. You aren’t getting off that easy, sweetheart.” She was so finishing this.

  Her gorgeous blue orbs softened, and a hint of amusement shined behind her gaze. It was the one time in my life I wished I could read people’s thoughts. “I’m not drunk or brave enough to share that with you.”

  The statement caught me off guard. “It can’t be that bad.”

  “You’ll laugh or think I’m silly, and I don’t want to make things weird or awkward between us. We still have another, what—six days together. I’d rather keep some dignity while I still can.” Her eyes looked away as if she was embarrassed, which only piqued my curiosity even more.

  “Ouch. I’m doing this whole pretend boyfriend thing completely wrong if you’re already counting the days down until you get rid of me.” I tried teasing to break the tension that seemed to form.

  Her eyes flew to me, wide in apparent shock. “I don’t mean it like that. You know I don’t.”

  Giving her a smile, her shoulders seemed to lose a bit of the tension. “You’re going to have to confess reason number two if you expect me to buy that lame reasoning.”

  Her head shook as the waiter dropped off some rolls in a basket. Once he left, she answered, “You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

  “Not in the slightest.” I held out the basket to her, and she shook her head. Hungry, I grabbed a dinner roll to tie me over until our food was brought out. Pinching off the corner and dipping it in butter, it melted in my mouth.


  “You really want me to say it?” A flush came over her neck, spidering up further. She was really embarrassed. It made me want to know all the more.

  “Humor me, Ev. Don’t hold back. We’re friends.”

  She tossed back her wine, finishing the glass in one big gulp. Her gaze met mine. Cheeks now flushed pink as well under the lighting. “Whew.” She sucked in a breath. “Why is this so hard?” Her hands flexed into fists a few times as her chest rose and fell.

  “You tell me.” I was beginning to worry a bit. Did I do something back in the day to freak her out? Was there something I missed? Thinking back to when we were teenagers, hanging out in their basement eating pizza, watching scary movies, and playing video games, nothing came to mind. Occasionally, Drake and I would sneak into the liquor cabinet and replace what we'd drank with water, but there was nothing specific to Everly.

  Her lip worried once again. She breathed out deep. “The thing is, back then … in high school.” She paused, making my mind race. When she spoke, she shocked the shit out me. “I had this terribly embarrassing crush on you.”

  Hearing this instead of me being an asshole to her was a relief, but there was something I needed to know. “And now?”

  “Mason,” she hissed, and before I could push for more, the waiter showed up to serve our dinner. She smiled at the man, completely avoiding the question.

  Giving her that play, we ate in comfortable silence. Everly focused on her shrimp pasta, and I cut into my juicy steak and took a bite. One thing was for sure—the food was damn good.

  After eating for a bit, I didn’t let her off the hook. “You didn’t answer my question.”

  She gave me one of those sexy smiles. “I’m still debating my answer. I’ll get back to you.”

  The woman was killing me. “Would it help if I told you that back then I used to hang around so much on the weekends because it meant I got to see you.”

  Her widened eyes were beautiful. She had no idea how I felt all those years ago. I did a damn good job hiding it. “You’re just saying that.”