Page 12 of Dearly Betrayed

I lean forward on my elbows with a groan. “You’re back on the Fallon thing.”

“Well, it’s why we’re all here, you know that? Showing up for moral support, and to attend our older brother’s wedding.”

“Yes, thanks so much, what a good sport.”

“Don’t be a dick. There’s got to be something you like about the girl.”

“We spoke for all of two minutes out in the freezing cold. There was not.”

“Liar. Think hard. Come on, give me one thing you liked about her and I’ll stop mentioning it for an hour.”

“One whole hour? Lucky me.” I rip a bar napkin into shreds before saying, “She’s attractive.”

I regret it immediately. Conlan shouts a laugh and slaps my back hard.

“I fucking knew it,” he says. “Adler told me she was pretty, and you got this look on your face when I brought her up.”

“Fuck off. It’s not like that.”

“You want to sleep with your future wife, don’t you? Hey, don’t be ashamed, it’s only natural.”

“I am not ashamed,” I say through my teeth. “If I want to have that kind of relationship with her, I will.”

“Are you sure about that?” Conlan asks, softer now. “Because she might not feel the same.”

I bristle at the suggestion. Fallon was checking me out just like I was staring at her, but he’s got a point. Maybe giving her shit was a bad idea, at least if I want to have a physical relationship with her.

Which I don’t. This is a stupid hypothetical. She’s the enemy, and we’ll never sleep together. She all but said it already as she walked away in those tight skinny jeans, her lovely peach-shaped ass swaying from side to side a bit more than it needed to almost like she was wagging it at me, taunting me. Begging me to imagine driving my cock between her juicy thighs, fucking her into submission.

Fuck, I need to stop.

“I’m not interested in having anything with her, alright? You pushed me into saying something nice and I said something nice. She’s attractive. That’s all.”

“It’s a good start at least,” Conlan muses.

“She’s mouthy, likes to curse and give me shit. I have zero interest in her beyond signing some marriage license. Can you drop it?”

“Oh, that’s scandalous. Did Jayson meet his match? The fiery red-haired Irish girl already got in your head?”

“Fuck you. Now you’re starting to piss me off.” I put my hands flat on the bar, glaring at him. “Like I said, it just doesn’t matter. Now can we move on?”

“Fine, but I’m coming back to this in exactly one hour.” He checks the time and nods to himself. “I have all sorts of questions. For example, which parts of her are your favorite? Tits or ass?”

“I’m done here.” I get up and toss some cash on the bar. “Have a good night, Conlan.”

“Ah, come on, bro! Don’t be like that.”

I stride off, leaving my brother behind. He got in my head and I don’t like it. I keep thinking about Fallon, her mouth, her eyes and her hair, and that beautiful ass. I don’t know if she’s got nice breasts or much else about her on account of the big coat, but my filthy mind’s been filling in the details, and Conlan would love to know that I haven’t stopped thinking about her since that meeting.

I fucked it up. I know it, but that doesn’t matter. We were never going to be anything more than reluctant spouses.

I need to stop fantasizing about our wedding night.

Chapter6

Fallon

My head’s full of devious plans the day before I’m supposed to get married when Rian finds me sitting at a slot machine. “I’ve got a surprise for you,” he says, but his face suggests it isn’t a good one.

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