Page 12 of Capitally Engaged

“Thank you,” I said before I raced into the only separate room in the place. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, needing to put something solid between me and Preston Brandt. My mind raced over the last fifteen minutes, trying to square the Preston who got so easily embarrassed at my low-level flirting with the Preston who faced a challenge head on and held me like it came naturally to him.

“It’s not real, it’s not real.” I repeated to myself as I moved to get undressed and turn on the water in the shower. His willingness to engage, the way those blue eyes pierced mine, the way he seemed to want to know more than my practiced and reserved responses. The result was disarming, especially for a girl who had been on her own for as long as me. I may have just met my match.

Chapter

Six

Preston

It had been years since I shared a living space with anyone. Growing up, I’d shared a room with my brother Spencer for a while, but sharing a mostly square space with your youngest brother was nothing like sharing it with yourfake fiancée.My thoughts stuttered a bit as I turned over those words in my mind. What in the world was I going to tell my family? I hated the idea of lying to them, but it seemed like it flew in the face of the benefits of a fake relationship when too many people knew the truth. Laurel already knew it wasn’t real. How many people in the know created a liability?

My hands cradled my head as the water from the shower shut off, unsure how I found myself here. I had never thought about any decision less in my life before I made it, and never thought about any decision more in the time since. There were just so many ways it could backfire and blow up in our faces.

I knew I needed to get it together before Jax came back out here. She presented herself so collected and aloof. I didn’t want to let her know our situation—living and otherwise—got to me. During our dancing practice, I managed to hold my own. I justneed to channel that energy. Fake it till you make it and all that. With a nod to seal the deal—with myself—I stood up and headed over to the kitchen to wash the three dishes I used so far today, just for something to do.

The bathroom door opened out of sight, but even if the sound hadn’t alerted me, the steamy air carrying the scent of jasmine and lavender would have. I took a deep breath in, inhaling the pleasant scent. Eventually, Jax entered my line of sight. The blue towel I set out for her wrapped tightly around her body in that magical way all women seemed to know by the time they were showering around men. Did towel manufacturers offer a secret course on how to drive men you just moved in with wild? How did they keep it a secret?

She bent over to rummage in her drawer of the dresser, causing the towel to ride low and high at the same time. That towel seemed a lot wider when I folded it out of the dryer than it did spanning Jax’s torso. I turned my gaze back to the glass drying in my hand, plunging it back under the water in an instant, the hot water a shock to my system. I hope she didn’t catch me looking at her in her towel. My eyes locked on the mug rack in front of me, laser focused so they didn’t stray. Anything to keep my attention off my very attractive, mostly naked roommate.

“So how long until we need to leave for this thing?” Jax asked, her voice calm and steady, seemingly unaware of my racing thoughts.

I answered, still not looking at her. “We need to be there by 5:30, so I’ve scheduled a car to pick us up at five.” My voice held steady.Keep it up, Brandt.

“Okay, great. Do you want to jump in the shower now, and I’ll finish up after you’re done?”

Turning to answer, I found her applying lotion to her long legs, her wet hair dangling from where her head was turnedupside down to reach her ankles. A strangled noise climbed up my throat, desperate to escape. I covered my mouth with my fist, attempting to turn it into a cough.

“Um, yeah sure. I’ll head in there now.” I moved to the dresser to grab a pair of boxers. After another moment, I grabbed a shirt and pair of shorts; as many layers as possible couldn’t hurt this scenario. The lavender of Jax’s lotion reached my nose again.

“That lotion smells great. The scent is nice and light. So many lotions can be so fragrant heavy,” I found myself saying.What the hell? Why am I talking about fragrances?

Jax flipped her hair over her shoulder, lifting her head to meet my eyes with a smile. “I totally agree. This is the only lotion I buy. Plus, it makes your skin extra soft. You’re welcome to use it if you want.”

The mixture of thinking of Jax’s soft skin, and the silky feel ofherlotion while I jerked my cock up and down entered my mind unbidden. I ground out a “thanks” and cleared the distance to the bathroom in what seemed like three steps. I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, Jax’s scent was even more overpowering in the steamy room. My cock plumped the rest of the way up and I squeezed myself once through my pants before releasing just as quickly. My self-control disappeared around this woman. I saw many a cold shower in my future if I didn’t get acclimated to having her in my space.

Jax and I managed to orbit each other in the apartment while we finished getting ready. Our movements carried an ease that surprised me for two people who barely knew each other.

“Can you zip me up?” Jax came out of the bathroom, her brown hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders, her forehead covered by artfully messy bangs. She turned her back toward me and I worked the zipper up on her navy dress. I tried to make as little contact with her skin as possible. She turned around to face me, fidgeting with the skirt of the dress. The dress was modest, very appropriate for a Senate campaign dinner. As the Rolodex of guests whirred in my mind, I knew she’d be one of the most beautiful women there.

“You look great,” I said, realizing I had been staring.

“Well thank you, fiancé,” Jax purred, a wide smile on her face. “You don’t clean up half bad yourself.”

“I wear a suit literally every day to work. There’s nothing exciting about my outfit.”

“How do you know I don’t wear this every day?” Jax asked while she put earrings in her ears. “Besides, you’re adding a shiny new accessory tonight—a fiancée on your arm.”

I let out a laugh.

“Yes, I guess you’re right. Also, speaking of shiny accessories, I think you’re going to need this.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a ring box. Her eyes homed in on it immediately.

“Is that what I think it is?”

“Well, yeah,” I said dumbly. “Last I checked, the engagement ring is a pretty important part of being engaged.”

“I figured we’d just say the ring was getting resized or something.”

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