Page 3 of Mr. July

Liberty

I glanced behind me,making sure Lewis wasn’t able to witness this absurdity. Five hundred fifty dollars for Mr. July? Was I on drugs? He was gorgeous enough, but what was I thinking?

“I can’t believe you just bid that much for me.” Mr. July stuck out his hand. “I hope the Women’s Auxiliary is near and dear to your heart for donating that amount of money.”

“Look. Just pretend you’re my boyfriend. Please. Like, right now. I’m desperate.” I swallowed.

At least I’d gotten lucky. Mr. July’s eyes oozed sex appeal. His body was rigid with muscles I’d never had the pleasure of touching in real life. His arms alone were picture-perfect. But the hair on his chest, which traveled down past his belly button into his shorts, was worthy of its own porn site.

Oh hell. I am in trouble.

“Not sure what you’re running from that has you this desperate, but I’ll do what I can. What’s your name, anyway?”

“Liberty Belle.” Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Lewis’s red suit jacket. I shoved my bidder number at Mr. July. “Hide this. Quick.” I reached into the waistband of his shorts and shoved my sign down the front. I caught a glimpse of white boxer briefs, and my fingers skimmed his hot, tight skin, and it could have been my imagination or not, but Mr. July got goose bumps.

“What’s your name, anyway?” I finally asked.

“Jake Cassidy.”

Lewis’s red suit jacket moved directly into my line of vision.

“Libby. I found you.” Lewis snorted and plastered on a big smile. “Tag. You’re it.”

I met Jake’s gaze and tried to silently convey, This is what I’m running from. This absolutely cringeworthy fellow.

“I told you I was busy, so I had to run. I promised Jake a funnel cake. You didn’t have to follow me,” I said.

Again, Lewis snorted. I couldn’t believe how desperate I’d been a year ago. This desperate.

Lewis waved a hand. “Oh, it’s fine. I’d follow you anywhere.”

That was what I was afraid of and the number-one reason I had ended our not-so-serious relationship. Lewis disregarded all of my boundaries. I placed a hand on Jake’s arm, trying to get over the fact that I was touching this complete stranger. “Lewis. You haven’t met Jake yet. My boyfriend.”

It must have been human nature, because Lewis’s gaze traveled exactly the way mine had when perusing Jake, from the bottom all the way up to the top. Lewis pushed his glasses up on his face. “Well, hello there. I didn’t think Liberty liked your type.”

I swallowed my anger, hoping to keep this as peaceful as possible, but the reality was I was about to blow. After running into Lewis at the concession stand, where I had been helping my church, trying to get Lewis to see how busy I was and that he couldn’t just stand in everyone’s way and talk to me while I took orders was like talking to a brick wall.

Jake folded his arms across his chest, making the muscles in his forearms bulge, even intimidating me a little. “That’s the thing with Liberty, and I would think you would know it, too. She looks beneath the surface and appreciates people for who they are on the inside. And unlike you, buddy, she isn’t judgmental.”

Stranger Jake was mostly right about that. But staring at his physique made me question the whole beauty-beyond-biceps thing. My nerves were bundled in my throat like a traffic jam. Lewis’s mom was the number-one contributor at the church. Anything we needed, she provided. I was stuck between being nice and screaming at Lewis to go fuck himself.

Plus, how could Lewis miss the whole vibe Jake was giving him?

“Well, I know a lot about Liberty, and I know she and I get along really well—in public and private, if you catch my drift.” Lewis snorted again.

Jake gave me the side-eye like he was asking, Did you really fuck this clown? I shook my head. I didn’t know if that was what he was really thinking, but it was best to answer anyway.

“Lewis, you know we’ve been romantically over for a long time. In fact, if you really wanted to tally it up—four dates isn’t enough to call us a couple anyway. But you see, Jake and I, well—”

“We’ve been together for what…?” Jake let his voice trail off, giving me the green light to finish his sentence.

“It’s been six months straight, babe.”

Lewis did his snorting laugh, like he couldn’t care less. “Jake, I might need to give you some pointers, because you’re standing so far away from Liberty it looks like you guys aren’t even dating. And a woman like Liberty—who is the whole package—deserves to be showered by her boyfriend.”

My heart did a quick thump, thump, thump. I knew what was going to happen before it did. Jake stepped to me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He gave me the sexiest, most mischievous smile any man had ever given me.

“Allow me to rectify that. For your benefit only.” Jake winked at me. “Liberty and I have loads of private time where I shower her with love, gifts… my tongue.”

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