Page 38 of The Pucking Fake Boyfriend

“That I was getting a massage. He didn’t know it was you, though. But then, he wouldn’t have cared much either way.”

I let out a small exhale. He’s right, I realize. Blake is well aware of the fact that Alex always specifically requests me for his massages. Maybe he even feels better about me working on his best friend than another teammate he isn’t exactly friends with.

And yet, we’d been seconds from having sex before he interrupted.

Alex’s face doesn’t show a trace of guilt. We should both feel culpable about deceiving my brother.

There’s a hint of regret in his eyes though, a feeling mirrored in my own heart. But then, when he steps over to me and presses a palm against my cheek, it dissolves faster than lightning.

I can’t bring myself to feel bad, not for long, anyway.

Not when being around Alex feels like this. I’m not even concerned about blurring the line of my own plan and having to regroup and rethink for what seems like the fiftieth time.

“You’re fine.” His voice is reassuring. “We’re fine.”

I close my eyes, letting myself enjoy his touch despite almost being caught. “What did he say?” I ask.

“There’s an impromptu press meet tonight,” Alex says. “After the fancy dinner Andy Furman’s throwing for us down in the hotel’s grand hall.”

I release my fears in one huge exhale. I’d been to a lot of dinners like that, and for the longest time, I’d hated it.

Now though, imagining myself and Alex exchanging looks and having to rein in our lust for each other makes me almost giddy.

“You know what this means, though?” He stares down at me with warm brown eyes. “Blake almost walking in?”

Fearful of what he’s going to say, I meet his gaze.

“We’re going to have to stop doing . . . what we’re doing?”

“No.” He brushes his thumb across my lips. “We’re just going to have to be much more careful.”

“You look . . . stunning.”

I force a smile, which is supremely hard to do when I’m being complimented by someone who’s staring at my boobs and not my face.

“Thank you,” I grind out.

“That dress,” he says. “I cannot look away.” His gaze dips lower, and he’s now staring at my hips.

Ugh. Gross.

If Alex was granting me with this slow kind of perusal, from my neckline to my pink toes, I’d be falling to pieces, and my knees would be trembling. But then again, I bought this outfit for his eyes only, hoping he’d set me on fire and maybe rip the dress to shreds in the process. For all the out-of-state dinners I’ve gone to over the past years, I always wore one of my mom’s outdated gowns.

Last weekend, after I’d come twice to the fantasy of Alex watching me masturbate, I walked to Walnut Street and picked up the sexiest outfit I could find, a lime-green slipdress with spaghetti straps. It’s pure silk, hugging every curve of my body. I’m also completely naked underneath except for a thong, a fact Theo, without a doubt, recognizes. When I bought it, I was still flush with dopamine from my sexual high, and I picked a dress that would be easy to do away with. Just in case Alex and I decided to sneak out for a quick romp.

I’m not saying that is going to happen today, but one can always hope. Particularly, since we didn’t get to finish what we started this afternoon.

“Shall we?” Theo holds out his arm.

It would be nice to see Alex’s jealousy at me and Theo sitting together. Maybe it could even be enough for him to skip dinner and text me to meet him outside, so we could steal a moment alone.

But not even the thought of having forbidden public sex with Alex is enough to make me endure more hours listening to Theo talk about himself.

“I’m waiting for my dad,” I say with a timid smile. He puts up a childlike pout, while I mollify him with, “I’ll look for you later.”

“You better,” he says. With another unabashed glance at my chest, he finally leaves me.

Relieved, I look for my father. It’s still early, and only the masseuses and the team doctors are in the dining hall. My father has been AWOL since he arrived, and I’m starting to dread what other plans he’s been putting in place. Maybe if I can see him and talk to him, then I could get an idea of what he’s thinking.

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