Page 15

Jade

I’d had better days. Ones that didn’t involve wining and dining with the wealthy and playing the doting fiancée to Red. Ones that also didn’t include getting eaten out, wanting to take a man’s pants off, but being stopped before I got a glimpse of the goods.

“All right, that’s it,” Jake said, his voice traveling down the hallway as he walked back to the couch. He pointed a finger in the general vicinity of the coffee table, which was currently holding my feet up as well as a half-eaten box of pizza.

Name one thing that was better than eating cold pizza for breakfast. Go ahead, I’d wait for you to think on it.

But you wouldn’t—no, couldn’t—come up with anything.

Well, there was that feasting session with Red, and that was pretty amazing.

I was a big fan of my vibrator. Finger fucking was always a win.

Oh, and don’t even get me started on giving head.

There was nothing else like it. Nathaniel, the pompous ass, had never liked it when I went down on him, but I was pretty sure that was because he had small dick syndrome.

You know what, sexual acts didn’t count in this little game.

It was too easy, so besides sexcapades (that had a nice ring to it), there was nothing better than cold pizza for breakfast. Geez, for a second there I was helping you guys out.

I wasn’t that charitable, contrary to what Red was saying about me to anyone who would listen, so it didn’t sit well with me.

Although, that might’ve been the three slices of pizza I’d eaten.

Jake grunted, giving me a deadly stare that said I knew it, and you’re so predictable . “I go to the bathroom to take a whiz and you steal the pepperoni off my pizza.”

I cleared my throat, shrugged, and flung my arm over my knee that was now up against my chest as I got even more comfortable on the couch. “You should know by now that if you go to the bathroom, you forfeit your pepperoni.”

He sat on the arm of the couch and ran a hand through his hair, clearly frustrated. Get over it, pal. They’re my leftovers, and pepperoni has my heart. “You know, that’s where I was when Red and I decided to kick things up a notch and—”

He crinkled his nose and shook his head, holding up a hand. “Spare me the gory details. I told you not to sleep with him.”

“And I didn’t,” I defended, my voice hitting a new octave as I toyed with the soft, fuzziness of my gray socks. “Although, that’s only because he’s a pain in my ass.”

“I have a feeling I’d like this guy. He seems somewhat intelligent.”

“Somewhat?”

Scratching his chin, he looked up as though he was deep in thought.

Something told me the only thoughts he was having were about all the reasons he thought Red was actually stupid.

I couldn’t say I hated where his mind was going if that was the case.

“Let’s see”—he began counting on his fingers—“he lied about you two being engaged, he’s your ex’s older brother, he dolled you up for photos, made you go to an engagement party when this is all a bigger load of bullshit than a heap of actual shit at a stable, and now he complicated things even further by giving your pussy attention.

Somewhat seems appropriate. It’s the most I can give him, sorry. ”

I licked my lips and tried to ignore the twinge that went straight to my crotch as the memories I’d been trying to keep at bay of Red eating me out swam through my mind.

That was some performance. It was like he was starving, and I was the only food he’d had in days—no, weeks.

I shook my head back and forth, trying to bring myself to the present.

“You know me. I don’t let silly things like a man’s tongue on my lady parts mess with my head. ”

He cocked a brow and pointed at my face. “Then why are you blushing?”

What? My own cheeks were betraying me. Don’t get the wrong idea and make this out to be something it wasn’t, like Jake seemingly was in his own head.

I loved Jake (as a friend), but sometimes he had too optimistic of a mentality for my liking.

I much preferred a narcissist or realist’s point of view, much like my own.

“Because it’s like a furnace in here.” My hand flew to my cheek, and I let the back of my hand settle on it.

“I’m not blushing. I’m hot as hell. You could fry an egg on my forehead.

See?” I lunged forward, trying to push my head close to him so he could feel it if he didn’t believe me.

Who was I kidding, even I didn’t believe me.

It was a weak lie. Although I hated being read like a book.

He let out a low whistle and ignored my attempt at having him touch my forehead.

Good thing, too, because the only thing he would’ve come to know was that I was a lying liar who lied.

This was all Red’s fault. Him and his perfect body.

And that mouth that went toe-to-toe with me. “Whatever you say,” Jake chided.

“I hate it when you do that.” I sniffled and leaned forward to grab another slice of pizza. “Here.” I handed it to him. “Maybe if you have food in your mouth, you won’t be able to put your foot in it.”

He shook his head but took the pizza from me just the same.

Then he walked over to the loveseat, sitting manspread now.

Phew, maybe the investigation I was being put through like I was being charged with first-degree murder was over.

Fine, maybe that was a slight exaggeration (I wasn’t admitting to more than slight , though), but that was how I felt, and my feelings were valid.

At least, that was what my deceased adopted parents had always told me.

“I guess I can’t help but wonder if you wished something else was going in your mouth, though,” Jake said between bites.

I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth, grabbed a discarded pizza crust from the box, and chucked it at him.

It hit his forehead and landed on his lap.

“Anything Red and I do is as one fake fiancé to another. It means less than the speech that phony bitch, Savannah, gave at our high school graduation.”

“Oh, and let the record reflect that I am so damn glad I couldn’t go to your engagement party. Sounds like it was a real snooze.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

He went back to eating the slice of pizza, and I lowered my head, focusing on my socks.

“What about you?” I asked, nudging my jaw toward him.

“What about me?”

I gasped, my mouth staying completely open.

“What do you mean, what about me ? You’re Mr. I Have Girls Lined Up Around the Corner.

” I changed positions, sitting with my feet completely under me before scooting to the corner, leaning on the arm of the couch.

“Any train wreck dating stories you have to share? The more nightmarish, the better.” I wiggled my brows.

Laughing, he put the rest of his slice back in the box and dusted his hands off, clapping any crumbs off them.

Then he sat back, getting comfortable. Oooh, this one was going to be a doozy, I could already tell.

Stage 5 Clinger. No, no, let me guess again.

She cried during sex. No, after sex. Oh my goodness, I’d bet all the money I had (let’s not get crazy, it was really nothing, but the sentiment was still there) that she’d blurted out how much she loved him after he’d pulled out.

I rubbed my hands together and gave him a devilish look. “Don’t make me wait. Come on, tell me!”

Clearing his throat, his expression grew serious and. . . and stoic. What the hell? His shoulders tensed and he looked like he was about to tell me that he had been served and had to appear in court.

When he still didn’t say anything, I wagered, “You got her pregnant.” I blew bubbles and leaned back fully, hurting my feet in the process, so I pulled them out from under me. “What is it with you men? Have you never heard of a condom?”

“They don’t always work,” he answered. Now the man spoke. “But I didn’t knock someone up. That’s not what’s going on.”

I searched his eyes. “Then what’s up?”

He put his hands together, intertwining his fingers as it seemed like he was searching for courage or something to say what was on his mind. “I’m actually still dating Chloe.”

Chloe. Chloe. I racked my brain, trying to come up with who that was. “Oh, the one with the son.”

He nodded. “We’re in love.”

They were in love. Wow, okay. I supposed I was just shocked because this was Jake, the boy who I’d grown up with, who didn’t plan on settling down.

Not that I’d ever known. So, when had that changed?

I shook my head and placed a hand to my temple.

“You two are serious then?” I wasn’t jealous, just confused.

He got up and raked a hand through his hair, pacing now. “I’m actually sort of nervous because I’ve been wanting to go ring shopping, but you know me. I don’t know the first thing about shit like that.” He exhaled. “And she deserves something really fucking special.”

I swallowed. “You’re proposing to her?”

“Yeah, I am.” He stopped to look me in the eyes. “I’ve been wanting to tell you, but I know how you feel about love. I know you don’t believe in it.”

Tsking, I brushed him off with my hand. “Please! That’s me, not you.”

“I didn’t think I’d want this either. I mean, the idea of settling down and getting married is one thing, but doing that with a single mom—”

“But you love her,” I reminded him, smiling. I was happy for Jake, I really was.

He chuckled, pulling on the back of his neck. “I always thought I’d play the field for a little longer. I don’t know anything about being a good husband, let alone a good dad. More importantly, I don’t know how women think.”

“If you think you love her, you must know something about what she’s thinking. You wouldn’t fall for a woman who wasn’t into you.”

He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his way-too-tiny gym shorts. “You will meet someone one day, too. Someone who will make you rethink your position.”

“I already did,” I joked, waving my ring finger in the air and tapping the blinding diamond with my thumb. “Didn’t you hear? I’m engaged to be married.”

His expression was crestfallen. “Jade, you know what I mean.”

“Ohhh.” I laughed, trying my best to make light of the situation because was it just me, or was the air suddenly very thick in here?

Must have been these socks. They were comfortable before, but now I had a feeling they were the cause of me suddenly feeling stifled. “You’re not referring to a fake thing.”

He angled his head and furrowed his brows. “Jade,” he pressed.

I licked my lips and shrugged, chuckling because I genuinely didn’t know what else to do.

“Some people find love, and that’s great for them, but when they realize it’s all bullshit, they wind up hurt.

It’s not worth it.” I shrugged again. “Lucky for me, Nate showed me that not everyone is lovable and that happily ever after doesn’t exist. Well, on the former he just put the final nail in the coffin because I already suspected that.

” I sat back down and took my socks off, combing my hands through my hair to keep busy and expel my energy.

“I was adopted by two wonderful parents. I got lucky in that regard. But life isn’t easy, Jake.

It’s not some fairytale, and I know that. Best I remember it.”

“You’re right.” He nodded slowly. “But you’re also wrong.”

“Everyone has their own opinions,” I responded nonchalantly, hoping he would drop this.

No such luck, though, because then he went on.

“True. But, on this, you’re wrong because life is hard.

Actually, it’s a bitch on wheels most days, but it’s a goddamn blessing.

When you meet the right person, and they love you and you see that love in everything they do for you and with you, I don’t think life can get much better than that. At least, I don’t see how it could.”

I leaned over and plucked a tissue from the box I always kept on the table. I wasn’t a crier by any means, but it seemed practical to have it there. “Here.” I handed it to him.

He took it and rolled his eyes. “You telling me I’m getting too sappy?”

“For me? Yes.” The corners of my lips pulled up, and I winked. “But you get to be because you’re going to be engaged soon.”

“You’ll have to be my best woman.” He cocked a brow. “I don’t know if I just made that up or not, but you’ll do it?”

My mouth fell open, and I gasped, placing a hand on my chest. “Oh, Jake, I would love to. I’ll just have to check my calendar, though, because I’m not sure if I’ll be busy that day.” I turned to get up, and he grabbed my arm pulling me back down and messing with my hair.

We both broke out in laughter and wound up sitting comfortably next to one another. I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed.

“What was that for?”

“Nothing.”

As if knowing what was weighing on my mind (this silly notion of fairytale love), he placed a chaste kiss on the top of my forehead and said, “You never know how things will work themselves out with Red.” He reached for my hand and whistled, staring at my ring.

Me? Engaged to a billionaire for real?

Definitely knew how that one would turn out—it wouldn’t.

“The one I buy Chloe won’t be nearly as big,” Jake pointed out. Then he shook his head. “You know what, though, I don’t think she’ll mind.”

Allowing my gaze to drop to my engagement ring, I couldn’t help but think how I couldn’t see any of this ending any other way except exactly as it was meant to—with Red and I going our separate ways. “Honestly, I can’t wait to get this thing off. It doesn’t feel like it belongs on my finger.”

“And whose finger does it belong on?”

“The finger of the woman who doesn’t have more baggage than what’s at baggage claim at the airport.

” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“I have to protect myself, Jake. No one else is going to look after me. Well, besides you, of course. And maybe my sisters now. But I don’t like to rely on people, you know that. ”

“I know.”

“Because just when I do, they’ll be gone, vanish in the night or become a ghost. It’s happened too many times before, and there’s only so much a person can take. So now I make sure I don’t get attached. Nothing is a sure thing.”

“It’s a lonely way to live and think.”

Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. Either way, it was the only way I knew to keep from becoming a shattered version of myself.

Everyone knew what happened when something was broken into tiny pieces.

It was hardly ever reparable. I didn’t want that to be me.

“Why don’t we change the topic?” I asked.

More like begged, actually, grinning up at him.

“When do you plan to grow a pair and just ask her?”