Page 36 of Just (Fake) Married
I leaned back in my chair, eyes still on the dance floor, and caught Harmony’s gaze over her sisters’ heads. Tonight, she’d paired a black lacy top with a tight black skirt, tights, because it was winter in Wyoming, and chunky black boots.
That top though, it kept sliding off her right shoulder as she bounced around, revealing her bra strap underneath.
Her hair was up in a big ponytail on the top of her head and she was laughing like life was hilarious.
Well, laughing until she saw me.
She stopped dancing and just…stared at me. And I couldn’t look away.
Married. ToHarmony Calloway.Even if it was fake, it all seemed so surreal.
We’d made promises about a truce between us and laying down our weapons. Only what was I supposed to do about this sudden desire?
It had been a stupid test earlier today, touching her face like that in the living room. Running my hands along the smooth skin of her jaw line. Standing so close I could taste her breath.
I think my intent was to show her how easy this could be. Pretending. But the blood had rushed to my dick and her eyes had dilated. When her breath caught, it had felt real in a big way.
Now it was happening all over again. I needed a distraction.
“I want something a little stronger than beer,” I told Carter.
“Technically, this is your bachelor party,” he said. “I suggest you get skunk-like drunk.”
I made my way to the bar and asked the bartender, who was apparently filling in for Bliss tonight, for a shot of whatever was convenient. However, in the spirit of the night, and in order to make a spectacle in front of the town, we needed to really do this. So I ordered a tray of shots.
The bartender poured clear liquor into shot glasses and I took the tray out to the dance floor. As expected, everyone around us stopped to watch what I was going to do next.
The prodigal McGraw son home and making nice with the Calloways.
I stood in front of Harmony and smiled, pretending to be casual.
Only I didn’t feel casual at all.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“He’s a shot boy,” Bliss said, and took the shots from the tray and handed them out to her sisters.
“I’m a shot boy,” I said with a smile.
Harmony blushed. Maybe because shot boy sounded like fuck boy. Although fuck boy, I was not. I hadn’t had a date thatended in sex in many, many months, given that my surgical schedule was not conducive to an active dating life.
Maybe that’s why I was feeling so…charged up around her.
Maybe it wasn’t about Harmony at all. Maybe it was more about me needing to get laid.
Which of course couldn’t happen with her. My soon-to-be fake wife.
“What areyoudoing?” I asked her. She wiggled her eyebrows, took the shot and downed it with a full body shudder.
“Ugh,” she said. “Tequila.”
“Not a fan?”
“Is anyone?” she asked. Around us, people were still dancing, but they were also watching us.
Mike Palmer, who had been a grade above me in high school and a total asshole, came charging up to us.
“Holy shit, Ethan McGraw, I haven’t seen you around here in ages,” Mike said. Judging by his rhinophyma, I’d say he needed to get his drinking under control, and quickly.
