Page 2 of Conveniently Theirs (Viva Las… Oh, Sh!t)

two

Josh

K eni’s hand trembles in mine. I don’t know what that means, hopefully she’s just surprised.

Hopefully she won’t turn me down without letting me explain.

I feel the weight of Devin’s gaze on us, gauging our reactions.

He and I spent a good deal of time over the past week discussing this moment. The possible outcomes. What to do next.

Even though we’ve never made our relationship ‘legal’, Devin and I have been together for fifteen years.

We talked about getting married and I was willing to give up my place in the family business for him.

Sometimes my uncle seems to have antiquated ideas about marriage, although he supports Devin’s and my relationship.

I know he’s seen the matching rings we wear to show our commitment to each other, but he hasn’t said anything.

I never have been able to figure out that man’s thought processes and beliefs. Which is why we asked Kendall to come to Vegas.

Staring into her face, I watch emotions flow through her eyes, how they tense her lips or create tiny wrinkles in her forehead.

I love her face. Hell, I love her. Back in high school she would have been mine except I didn’t understand the bisexual part of me—how I could want both a man and her.

Since she believed I was gay, that’s how our friendship evolved.

I know who I am as a sexual being now. I glance at Devin and he gives me an encouraging half-smile. An emotional thumbs up.

I have my man. Now I want my woman. Even if it’s just pretend.

“Wha…what?”

Keni’s confusion is warranted. I did ask the question out of left field. No warning at all. I kiss the back of her hand and stand. “Remember that play we did junior year?”

Her eyelids lower to cover her rapidly moving pupils as she searches her memory. After a moment she opens her eyes. “The one about the fake relationship?”

“Exactly. I’d like to revisit that possibility with you.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Devin shakes his head. “Josh. You’re messing this up. Go talk in the living room. Get comfortable and be direct with the truth.” His gaze lingers on Keni. “She deserves that.”

She slips her hand from mine and uses both hands to lift her wine. The liquid shimmies with her trembling. “I have a feeling you’re involved with this, Devin. You’re coming, too.”

His head dips in acknowledgement of his deep involvement. Although the two of us have talked this situation to death, he’s been keeping something from me. Some concern or issue with our plan. Maybe she’ll be able to get him to talk.

Glasses in hand, we move to sit on the couch facing the window. I sit on one end with Keni in the middle. She pats the cushion at her side and points at Devin, then to the couch, indicating she wants him to sit next to her.

“Probably be better if I sit over here,” he says softly and sinks onto a side chair .

With a frustrated huff of breath, Keni glares at me. “Talk.”

Devin clears his throat. “Start at the beginning.”

That’s good advice. She needs to understand what I’m asking her, what I need her to do for me. The possible consequences. Risks. I give a single nod.

“You know my uncle intends for me to inherit the company.”

“Sure. I’ve known that since college.”

“He’s placed a stipulation on that inheritance. He suddenly came up with an old-fashioned idea that I need to be married.”

She turns her head to look at Devin, then focuses on me again.

“So get married. I’ve never understood why the two of you haven’t done that anyway.

I keep hoping you’ll ask me to be your best woman.

” Her face pales. “Oh, shit, there isn’t anything going wrong with you guys, is there?

You still… love each other, don’t you? Please, tell me you do. ”

Devin’s deep chuckle relaxes the tight set of her shoulders. “Yes, sweets, we still love each other.” He holds my gaze and rests two fingers over his heart. “Deeply.”

I return the gesture, our secret, non-verbal pledge to each other. “I would marry my Devin in an instant if that’s what my uncle wanted. He knows our commitment to each other. No, instead he has stipulated that I marry a woman.”

“Well that’s just plain stupid,” she says. “You don’t…” Her words fade as realization sets in. “So you’re asking me to marry you? Because I’m safe and you can still be with Devin?”

“No. I mean yes. Uh, no? Hell, Kendall. That makes the idea sound sordid. I understand if you don’t want to.”

Her amber eyes have gone dark, her pupils enlarged. I don’t understand her reaction or why the look she gives me sends blood screaming to my dick.

“So, you asked me to come on a vacation to Vegas hoping I’d marry you?”

“Uh, yeah. Keni, I’m sorry. I really messed this up. I should have told you about Uncle Harold’s will first. Then asked if you’d help me.”

“Why would I want to mess up my life with a marriage, and undoubtedly a divorce in what? A year or two? That’s asking a lot, Josh.”

She’s right, of course. Devin said he didn’t think we’d thought this whole thing through enough. I got carried away by Kendall’s beauty, her sweet smile, and the love I’ve harbored for her all these years .

“If I may?” Devin says as he pours more wine into our glasses. Relieved, I nod. He always knows what to say. How to make things work out right. He understands my heart and what I feel for Kendall. At least as much as he can.

“When Harold added the codicil to his will, he spoke to Josh and I about it at the same time. He never once said anything derogatory or hateful about our relationship. Only that he felt there was something missing. That Josh needed a wife.” He shrugs.

“He called me aside later and told me he’s sure Josh and I are going to have a lifetime of love together.

But I still don’t understand why he believes Josh also should be married to a woman. ”

Keni grins. “He is stubborn. When he gets something in his mind, he doesn’t let go.

A marriage request is an odd twist though.

” She sips her wine. “Devin, you always think things through in silence so I’m sure you’ve got some ideas.

Josh, honey, you are impulse personified.

You need to spend a little more time thinking. ”

Setting my glass aside, I pull my legs up to sit tailor-style on the couch. “I suppose. But if I’m going to marry a woman, I want my bride to be you. I don’t need to think about that. You know me. We’re comfortable together. And we’re a great team. ”

After studying me a long moment, she focuses on Devin. “What about you ? What do you really think about this situation?”

Swirling his wine, he watches the liquid rise and fall in the goblet.

“I think Harold has ulterior motives I haven’t figured out yet.

Josh taking over the company with you at his side is a solid plan.

Your presence, your marriage would soothe the tender feelings of some of the board members who’d prefer for me to simply disappear. ”

“No,” Keni states firmly before I utter the same syllable. “You are not going to be shoved aside, ignored, or forgotten. If we do this, we’re going to do this together.”

“Yeah, what she said,” I say like the total adult I am then I hold my love’s gaze. “You’ve contributed as much to the growth and success of the company as I have. Uncle Harold knows that, too. You will not be treated like a second class citizen. Yes, we’ll do this together.”

He gives me a saucy look. “You’re cute when you’re bossy.”

Keni groans. “Oh god, you two. Stop with the goo-goo eyes. Save that for later. Right now I need to know more about this marriage proposal.”

Time to get serious. “I don’t want to mess up your life with my problems. My not-so-good proposal. Are you seeing anyone?”

Both Devin and I lean forward anticipating her answer. She stares at her hands for a long time. Is she involved and keeping it secret? From me?

“Josh, you’re my best friend. You’d be the first person I’d tell if there was any action in my love life. Since I haven’t said anything…”

“Damn fools,” Devin mutters. When we both look at him, his expression turns bland. There’s a hint of that something he’s not telling me in his eyes. He holds Keni’s gaze. “Men are fools not to see you as the loving, wonderful woman you are. Damn fools.”

She rolls her gaze to the ceiling. “Yeah, but I can’t say that I’ve tried too hard either. Starting a relationship is a lot of work and I haven’t been in the mood. So, no, marrying Josh wouldn’t mess up my life. In that respect anyway.”

Now’s the time to explain what I should have started with in the first place. “I don’t want to stand in the way of your future either. Marriage followed by a divorce is messy even if that was the plan. Some men don’t want a partner who’s starting over. So we thought of an alternative.”

Her head tilts to one side in the adorable way she has when she’s curious. “Alternative? To a marriage? What do you mean?”

“Maybe not an alternative in the legal sense of the word. Option might be a better word.”

“Option?” Her head tilts a little further.

“A fake marriage.”