Page 14 of That Fake Feeling

Adoor slams somewhere upstairs, and there’s a clash of voices too far away to figure out what they’re saying.Thenfeet thunder down the stairs as a man’s voice shouts, “It’smy house.I’llgo where the fuckIlike,” followed by some loud shushes.

Iraise an eyebrow atSterling.

Hepicks up the pen and lifts his backside off the chair so he can stretch all the way across the table and place it on top of my contract.

“Justsign, and you can meet him in a moment.”Hesays it so quickly the words almost merge together, and his smile widens, but this time it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“It’llbe fine.Fine.Justgo ahead and sign.”Hetaps the pen a couple of times with his index finger. “Nowwould be good,” he adds as the footsteps get closer.

BeforeSterling’sbackside has re-made contact with his chair, a man appears in the doorway.Aman with several days of stubble and a mop of bed head hair, some of which has given up on life and flopped across his forehead.Aman wearing nothing but a pair of skin-tight, bright white boxer briefs.

4

CONNOR

“Whatthe fuck isshedoing here?”

Sittingat my dining table is the face in the pictures and videosI’vebeen scrolling through on and off all week.AndhereIam wearing nothing but a scowl and my undies.

Myhands fly to my crotch.Notonly because these clingy boxers are so white and so tight they might be slightly transparent, but also becauseRose’slong bare legs stretched out under the dining table and theT-shirt clinging to her breasts are about to cause an immediate and embarrassing stirring.

Sheleans away from me, putting as much distance as possible between us without getting up.

Sterlingpoints at his assistant, who just chased me down the stairs.

“Ifyou couldn’t keep him upstairs, couldn’t you at least have gotten him dressed?”Heswings his finger toward the front door. “Goget us all lunch.”

Thepoor dude, whose nameI’veforgotten or possibly didn’t know in the first place, rushes off.

Sterlinghas become increasingly irritating over the last few days.

“Ofcourse he can’t keep me in my bedroom or get me dressed.I’ma grown-assed man who can do whatever the fuck he likes in his own fucking house.”

Roselooks down and fiddles with her pen.Ohgreat.I’msaddled with a goody-goody who can’t bear the sight of a male body or the sound of profanity.Thenext few weeks are going to be a blast.

“Seriously,Sterling.Whythe hell didn’t you tell me she was coming today?”

Heemits a nervous giggle and stands up. “Well,Rose.Thisisn’t quite the introductionIwas hoping for.Butthis isConnorDashwood.Connor, this isRoseBellamore.”

Istep forward and extend a hand, an instinct born of parents who raised me with excellent manners.

Sheholds up her palm and recoils. “Er,I’mgood, thanks.Don’tneed to shake a hand that’s just been…you know.”

Shekeeps her eyes on my face but circles a finger in the direction of my groin that’s now covered by only one hand.

“Oh, yeah.IguessIhad just been cupping my balls with it.”

“Niceto meet you, though.”Herface suggests otherwise. “Again,Imean.”

SuddenlyIcan smell the tomato plants we fell into a few weeks ago, feel her body under mine, her left leg bent and resting against my waist.Itighten my grip on my shifting dick.

“Yeah,Ithought maybe it might go better this time.”Ilook down at my almost-naked form. “ButIguess not.”

Shepresses her full pink lips together and nods.Hardto tell if she’s trying not to laugh or cry.

Ifix my eyes onSterling. “Ifonlysomeonehad told me you were coming today.”

Sterlingis an over-dressed, full-of-himself ass.