Page 4 of Stick Work

I’m not that important, buddy.

In a move that feels possessive—or maybe it’s just that I want it to be—Elias stands a little taller, getting into character too as he pulls me close. I suddenly can’t help but think we’re more alike than I ever realized. We’re both always performing in the limelight.

“This is Taylor Coolidge. My girlfriend.” Strange he’s using my real name. As excited voices buzz around us, he smiles at me, and for the briefest of moments the world falls silent to my ears. Lord, this man is in the wrong profession, because he’s giving everyone an Oscar-winning performance. I stare up at him, no doubt looking like a cartoon character with its tongue spilling from its mouth and rolling across the floor. Are my eyes bulging with hearts too?

Dramatic, I know, but speaking of tongues…

Elias bends forward, and as his soft lips capture mine, for what I assume is just supposed to be a fast kiss to satisfy the media, I moan. He goes still for a second, and as my brain kicks in, and I berate myself for making any kind of noise, his hand slides around my back. He pulls me against him, his sweet tongue sliding between my parted lips, to tangle with mine.

Holy Hell, everything in the way he’s devouring my mouth has me wanting to drag him to the airplane bathroom to join the mile high club.

But this is fake, and that can’t happen for numerous reasons.

Right?

2

Elias

Christ, I probably shouldn’t have kissed her. But I did and there’s no taking it back now. Not when hundreds of people whipped out their phones to document it. I’m sure it’s all over social media, and if my best friend sees it, I’ll have some explaining to do. Sure, Kalen knows we’re fake dating, but he doesn’t expect me to suck his sister’s face—and like it.

I cast Taylor a fast glance as we buckle our belts on the plane, and the second I see her running her tongue over her bottom lip, like she’s enjoying the lingering taste of my lips on hers, my dick jumps in my unforgiving dress pants.

Well, isn’t this just fucking great.

I glance around for the flight attendant. We’re not in the air yet, but dammit, I need a drink or two. Why again did I think Roman’s idea of bringing a girl home for the holidays and pretending to be a couple was a good one? Okay, sure, maybe it is a good idea, but my fault in that logic was asking Taylor. Why did I do that? I guess some part of me thought she was safe, that she wouldn’t want anything more from me.

Not that I now think she does. She’s young and smart and has the world at her fingertips. I overheard her saying after she graduated, she just wanted to enjoy travel and life, wanted to live a little like all women in their early twenties should. I want that for her too—even though I want her.

What the fuck?

Dammit, I think that’s the first time I ever admitted that to myself, which makes this charade all the more dangerous. Yes, I’m trying to dupe my folks, only because they’re determined to marry me to someone they think is the right girl. I love them, they’ve been good to me, and I don’t want to disappoint them. I just need time to find the girl right for me. Not one shoved down my throat by them. Eventually, I assume it will happen. I’m not opposed to marriage.

Then I kissed Taylor.

And it only confirmed what I thought it would. I really like her. Fuck me sideways.

“You okay?” Taylor asks and that’s when I realize I just groaned out loud.

I scrub my face, and look past her to see out the window. “Not a fan of flying,” I tell her, and it’s not a lie. I don’t love it.

“This is my first time,” she admits, and my head rears back.

“Are you kidding me?”

She shakes her head, a nervous kind of excitement about her and I’m glad we’re in first class and she has the window seat. “Why didn’t I know that?”

“It just never came up.” She tugs her belt, securing it tightly around her sweet hips as she wiggles and my goddamn mind wanders.

No, it never came up, but something else sure the fuck is coming up.

“My first flight was supposed to be this weekend, flying to New York with Kalen to see Dad.”

“Right. I guess I just assumed you’d flown before. We fly so much with the team, it just never occurred to me that this is your first.” She blinks rapidly. “Are you nervous?”

Her shoulders tighten. “I might be a little bit.”

I reach over and put my hand over hers, giving it a little squeeze. “It’ll be okay.”

---