Page 48 of Four-ever Single

“Everything is going to be fine, Bella. I promise. Jones is a really great guy. You guys seem so comfortable with each other already. The marriage part is just to make it official for the inheritance.”

“I know.” I sighed heavily, letting my shoulders fall. “But Lia, I’m taking something important away from him. What happens if we get divorced, and then he falls in love with someone else and wants to get married? I’ll have already stolen all the firsts for him, so his real wedding won’t be as special because he’s already done it.”

“Do I need to get a dirty sock?” she asked, raising her eyebrows.

“No, Kensy. Geez, what is it with you guys and dirty socks? Do you have some weird kink I never knew about?”

“I have plenty, but dirty socks are not one of them. And you’re missing the whole point here.”

“Okay, what’s that?”

“You’re so focused on convincing yourself that this is a fake marriage that you won’t stop and allow yourself to consider that Jones might be considering this a real marriage. So, while you’re obsessing over how he might feel in the future, you’re not thinking about how he feels about it right now. Who knows, maybe this is how things are supposed to be, and you’re only making it more complicated by fighting it.”

I shook my head, not wanting the words to settle in my brain. If they did, they would plant seeds there, and then thoughts of having a future with him would run wild, and I wouldn’t be able to rein them back in when he changed his mind about all of this.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” I asked, changing the subject.

Even though I had lived here with Lia longer than I lived with Jones, it didn’t feel like home anymore. I knew where everything was, but it didn’t have that feeling deep down inside me that felt like I belonged there. Not like how I’d felt this week staying with Jones.

“Kensy will be here shortly, then we’re running out to pick up the dresses and flowers. We’ll drop some stuff off at the fire station, then we have some surprises lined up.”

My brow immediately furrowed.

“What kind of surprises?”

“If I told you, they wouldn’t be a surprise, now would they?” She gave me a look as she passed me to set her cup in the sink. “I’m going to jump in the shower. Feel free to make yourself at home.”

I sighed dramatically, making sure she could hear it before she left, and then made my way to the couch after refilling my coffee cup. I didn’t feel like watching TV, so I scrolled through social media on my phone until a new text message from Jones popped up.

Jones: How’s your morning going, beautiful?

My cheeks burned with how tight the smile stretched across my face just seeing his name.

Me: Good. How’s yours?

Jones: It would be better if you were here.

I was about to reply but stopped when his next text came through.

Jones: Never mind, I take that back.

Oh. Okay. Kinda harsh, but at least he’s being honest.

I tried not to let the hurt wash over me, but it was there, in waves, as I tried to think of another way he could have meant that. Is he happy that I’m not there? Is his life better without me in it?

Jones: It would be better if you were here and my cock was buried deep inside you.

My fingers moved quickly over the screen, but a picture message popped up before I could get my reply out.

“Fuck,” I muttered to myself, pulling at the light hoodie I was wearing as my body heated up.

I pinched my fingers on the screen and spread them, making the image of his hard cock larger so I could zoom in on the tip. Right there, where my mouth should be, was a drop of precum glistening like a beacon calling to me.

Me: That’s not fair. You know how much I love him. He’s ready and waiting for me to suck that precum off.

Jones: He’s definitely ready. But we can’t do anything until tomorrow night, after the wedding. Remember?

Me: I think the wedding day counts. I can come over at midnight, and we can seal the deal at 12:01.

---