Page 89 of Pretend Girlfriend

But if it wasn’t weird for them, it would be insanely hot.

“Just don’t roofie someone,” Theo said. “All participants need to be able to give informed consent.”

“Damn,” I said. “There goes my plan to visit your dentist office while Connor Bedard is drugged up.”

“Connor has a girlfriend, and she’s delightful,” Theo said. “But if they ever break up? I’ll see what strings I can pull.”

“Only if he wears his jersey,” I quickly added. “And if it’s right after a game. When he’s all sweaty. Mmm.”

“Settle down,” Theo said, cupping my ass. “Seriously, you hockey girls are crazy.”

“Crazy in bed,” I replied.

“Or in a hot tub, on occasion.”

“It feels like you’re rising to the occasion right now.” I glanced down to where I could feel him stiffening again. “What happened to four minutes?”

“You’re hot enough to reduce my recovery time.” He gently kissed my neck.

“It was all that Bedard talk that got you randy, wasn’t it?” I teased.

“I got horny again thinking about this.”

He spent the next ten minutes showing me.

37

Joanna

Nobody slipped a roofie into my drink that night. Not surprising since every single member of the wedding party was watching it like a hawk. It was sweet… at first. Eventually it started getting annoying.

The next morning, while the light was good, Marisa and Bradyn took photos on the beach. It was fun to watch them from my beach chair, except Danicka had hired a professional photographer who had to shout instructions at them in order to be heard over the crashing waves of low tide.

“We’ve got the photographer for another hour,” Danicka said when Marisa and Bradyn were done. “Let’s get some family photos!”

“I don’t want to change,” Landon complained.

Me neither, I thought, although I wasn’t going to be the one to say it.

“You don’t have to change. Come on, it’ll be quick. CLARK! Clark come down here! We’re taking PHOTOS!”

Landon winced at me, then sighed and got out of his chair.

They took photos of the new family: Marisa and Bradyn, both sets of parents, and the siblings Landon and Carol. As they all dispersed, Danicka came rushing over to me and grabbed my hand.

“You and Landon should take some now!”

“Oh, I don’t know…”

“Nonsense. Your hair looks amazing. It will only take a minute.”

She shoved me at Landon, who gave me a wince of apology. I only shrugged. Photos would be quick, and it’s not like it mattered that much. The photos would be worthless when we eventually had the fake-breakup for our fake-relationship.

We posed together, squinting into the sun. “Come on, lean together! Pretend like you like each other!” the photographer shouted.

“He doesn’t know how accurate that is,” Landon whispered.

I put my arms around him and rested my face against his chest. “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t dislike you now. Although I definitely did a few days ago. Do you know why?”

---