“Fine. It makes sense.” He put his wallet away. “Right, I’m going to need to know everything. Your pet peeves. Your passions. What drives you crazy. All of it.”
“This is going to take a long time.”
“I’ve got all day.”
Checking the time, she didn’t have any excuse either and so, she started to let him know every single minute detail about herself. What she liked. What she hated. Her passions, opening herself up to someone though she’d never even considered doing before.
It was scary, exhilarating, and just plain difficult, especially as she’d thought about hurting this man a few times.
Chapter Three
“This isn’t me,” she said.
“According to you, nothing is you.”
“There’s a reason nothing is me.”
“Stop being a baby. You look beautiful,” Caleb said. He knew now more than ever why he didn’t have a girlfriend and would never have one. They were exhausting with a capital E.
Lauren questioned everything from the clothes to even the jewelry he’d purchased for her.
“Why do I even need a ball gown? We’re going to your father’s birthday party. Not some special charity event or gala.”
“And if for whatever reason one of the events is exactly that, you’re prepared and not looking out of place.”
“I can’t believe you’re making me do this,” she said.
“The red brings out your eyes.”
“Caleb, you’re not even looking.”
He was typing on his cell phone. The tailor he’d picked had finally gotten together a decent wardrobe and it meant he’d taken an extended break from work.
Lauren still worked for him during the day and when he got home, they talked and planned about how they were going to break their love to his parents. They disagreed on everything. She didn’t want to come off as a gold digger, and he didn’t want to appear like an overbearing asshole.
“Put away.” He slid his cell phone into his pocket. “You look sexy as fuck, Lauren. Just accept it and that way you’re not without a dress. I told you I’d take care of it and believe me, I’ve had surprise balls at the whims of my family.”
“Fine. I’ll take this one. Only one.”
He rolled his eyes. “You really are a pain.”
“And that’s why you’re going to love me. Turn away.”
He spun to stare into the corner while the tailor helped her remove the dress.
“Please tell me that was the last one?” she asked.
He couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder and he wished he hadn’t. She was … stunning.
She wore a pair of white lacy panties and a matching bra. She was fuller in every single direction and his cock twitched.
He wanted her. No doubt about it. The instant pull between his thighs was testament to that. Fuck!
“It’s the last one.”
“Thank you, Mike. I appreciate it,” Lauren said. “You can turn around now.”
The way his suit jacket hung, there would be no evidence or display of his arousal.
“Can I get back to work?” she asked.
“Not yet. Thank you, Mike, for fitting me in such short notice.”
“It was a pleasure. Your lady is a dream to dress.”
Lauren’s face went a bright shade of red. “So what’s keeping you?”
He waited for Mike to leave and until the door closed. “You need to accept my touch and kisses.”
“What?” she asked, taking a step back.
“You heard me.”
“Yeah, and we don’t need to do that. We’re going to be with your parents.”
“They know I’m not a child. I’ve been fucking since the moment I knew how to get my dick to work.”
“You’re so vulgar.” She wrinkled her nose.
“Look, I’m just stating a fact.”
“And it’s a horrible little fact about yourself. Why tell me?”
“You want to know everything about me. My parents are not going to believe we didn’t sleep together.”
“We don’t need to kiss. We’ll be sharing a bedroom while we’re there.”
“I know.” He hadn’t broached the subject but seeing as she already figured that out, it was a job he didn’t need to worry about. Something to cross off his checklist of shit to do.
“Not going to happen.”
“Look, you always tense up when I touch you. They’re going to want us to be like any normal couple.”
“Any normal couple do not need to grope each other in the company of others.”
“No, you’re right,” he said, taking a step toward her. “But they do have contact that they find acceptable.” He stroked a finger down her arm. “See, like this? You’re going to have to get used to it.”
“No, I don’t.” She stood, frozen.
“Yeah, you do.” He cupped her face and she instantly pulled away, looking a little grossed out. “See!” It was the very first rejection he’d ever encountered and he didn’t like it.
“I’m sorry.”
“We’re supposed to be a couple, which means touching and loving, and all of that stuff.”
“I know. I know. You’re right. I guess I thought about the whole sharing a bed, and we can just like, pile pillows down the center and stuff like that, but I didn’t really think about the kissing and touches. Ugh!” She started to pace. “I don’t like this.”
“Think of it as kissing your brother.”
“Ew!” She pulled away, her face scrunched up.
“I know that’s a bad idea. What about a teacher?”
“Ew!”
“I’m not doing well at these.” He rubbed at his chin, trying to think.
“No, it’s fine. It’s just kissing and getting used to each other and hands and stuff. I’m a grownup, I can do this.” She waved her hands in front of herself and then placed them on her stomach. “I can do this.”
“Speaking of a grownup, how old are you?”
“You didn’t get that by checking out my personal details in my file?” Her eyes went wide.
“I was more interested in finding where you lived. I don’t see a reason to keep invading your privacy, especially with you agreeing to be my pretend girlfriend.”
“I’m twenty-one,” she said.
“Wow, so … young.”
“I don’t look it?”
“Yeah, you do, but I guess I was hoping you were a little older.”
She chuckled. “Well, maybe I will have something in common with all those other women you party with. I’m young.”
“That doesn’t make me feel better.”
She giggled and seeing her face light up, yeah, it showed just how beautiful she really was.
“So, kissing.”
“Have you ever kissed anyone?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m not a virgin. I’ve had my fair share of kisses.”
“Good. Come here.” He didn’t know why it bothered him to know she’d been with other people. This was a fucking agreement between them, nothing else.