Best Man with Benefits Page 4

  How? Is he… How?

  “Kiss me,” I whispered, the words coming from a forbidden place deep inside. “Jacob, kiss me, right now.”

  His lips collided with mine, and it was nothing like the first kiss. It started soft and sweet, lips parting slowly, but the minute his tongue touched mine, I lost control. My hands scraped up the front of his suit jacket and tugged on the lapels. I grabbed handfuls of his hair then released them and moved down to his belt. I tugged on it, kissing him, moaning gently against his mouth.

  Jacob’s fingers traced the line of my jaw. His thumbs caressed me, trailed down the front of my throat, lower and lower. His hands slipped beneath my dress and found my breasts. He massaged them, kissing me, pressing his erection against my body.

  “Oh my god,” I whispered. “Oh my god.”

  “We have to stop,” he said, but kissed me again. “We gotta stop.”

  “I can’t. I want you. Come to my room,” I whispered, and it was pure insanity. A needy succubus had taken control of my mouth. “Please.”

  “Chloe,” he growled. “Don’t tempt me.”

  “Jacob.”

  A car honked as it passed by in the street, and I jerked out of his embrace. I fixed the front of my dress, embarrassment and regret mingling in equal proportions. We were still out in the street! What the hell was wrong with me? With us?

  “Jesus.” Jacob cleared his throat and hastily buttoned his jacket over his raging boner.

  “Yeah.” I wiped the underside of my lip. I took a few steps back to get distance. I was on the brink of repeating that invitation, but I held back. He was the past. He was bad news. He was a passing fancy. The excuses I’d used repeatedly to get over him.

  They had to work now.

  “There you are.” My brother’s voice doused me in cold water. I looked back at Charlie. He sauntered out of the hotel doors, followed by the rest of his groomsmen—friends from college. Charlie spotted me and halted. “Uh oh. Hope you two aren’t planning on fighting on the night of my bachelor party. Chloe, you promised you’d keep a civil tongue in your head when Jacob’s around.”

  “A civil tongue, eh?” Jacob asked, and scratched the stubble along his jaw, eyes sparkling. “She’s definitely kept it civil.”

  Seriously?

  “Jacob and I were coming to an agreement, Charlie,” I said. “I promised not to verbally flay him if he promises to keep his distance.”

  Charlie slung an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me tight. “Good, sis. That’s good. I’d hate to have to put you in separate cages for the wedding. It would be a spectacle, sure, but I doubt Addy would approve.”

  “You headed off to your bachelor party?” I asked. “French maid strippers and all of that?”

  “Yes to the party, no to the strippers.”

  One of the groomsmen groaned. “Come on, Charles. You know it would be awesome.”

  “Just not my scene,” Charlie said and kissed me on the temple. “Look out for Addy for me, will you?”

  “Of course.” I patted my brother on the back, then kept on backing up.

  Jacob’s gaze was fixed on me. He nodded once, then joined my brother and headed off down the street.

  I didn’t bother hanging around to watch them. The last thing I needed was for Jacob catch me ogling his ass. I entered the hotel lobby and let out a breath.

  I wanted Jacob, and I didn’t. Confusion wrapped up into a neat package.

  “Chloe!” Addy yelled from the doorway to the restaurant. “Get your butt in here!” She was tipsy. “I need you to stop Trisha from singing. She won’t give anyone else a turn.” Addy hiccupped and beckoned.

  That was my night taken care of.

  It was better like this. Jacob was dangerous, and I’d had my fair share of heartbreak. I was maxed out.

  Seven

  Jacob

  “Oh man,” Charlie burbled, “what a night. You don’t have to do this, my man. We’s all good.” He’d always been a friendly drunk. “You’re such a good friend. You got the rings, right? You got ’em?”

  “I have them,” I said. “They’re safely tucked away in my hotel room. There’s a safe.”

  “Good, that’s good. You’re the best, my man. The best friend.”

  “All right, Charlie,” I said. “Take it easy.”

  “I don’t wanna go home. I mean, to the hotel. It’s too French.”

  The taxi driver cast a disdainful glance at us in the rearview mirror.

  I laughed. I couldn’t help it. My buddy was out-of-his-mind drunk, and that was fine, for once. The minute we’d hit the bar, the groomsmen had started the shots. Tequila one, two, three. Two hours later, and the night was over before it had had a chance to start.

  The guys had faded, and Charlie was too drunk to get back to his room alone.

  Thankfully, I’d opted out of the shots. It had been the guilt that had done it. It felt wrong to celebrate after I’d betrayed Charlie for the third time. Kissing his sister. Wanting her.

  “You know,” Charlie slurred, as Paris blurred by outside the car’s windows. “You’re the best buddy a guy could have.” He hiccupped, burped, pressed a fist to his mouth. “Oh. When did I have corn?”

  “Christ,” I laughed again.

  “Best friend. I think out of all of ’em you’re the one that I trust—uh—most. You’re always good, man.” Charlie’s eyes drifted open and closed. He lay against the car seat, head lolling. He focused on me. “You protect her.”

  “Who? Addy?”

  “No, I got Addy. You protect my little sis, and I love you for that. I think if you weren’t such a hound dog I would like to see you two together.”

  My stomach sank. “Charlie, relax. You don’t need to talk.”

  “No, I’m serious. Oh shit, no, that’s a fucked-up thing to say, isn’t it? You’re not a hound dog. You don’t fuck lots of chicks. It’s just that, you can’t do it. You know. Like there’s a chip missing or your wires are crossed. Like what happened with Carolina.”

  I kept my mouth shut. There would be no confessions from me tonight.

  “Like, you can’t physically do the relationship thing. Because of your fucked-up shit. Yeah, I know. I know it, man. And I get it. But I know that one day you’ll figure it out. It’s OK, man.” His eyes drifted closed again.

  I exhaled in the moment of respite.

  “You keep your promises,” Charlie said.

  And moment of respite over. “Charlie, you’re drunk.”

  “And you’re a good man.” He reached over and patted me on the arm. “A good man.”

  Except that I wasn’t. And I hadn’t kept my promise to him, all those years ago. A promise to stay away from his sister, because he’d seen how I’d looked at her the first time we’d met. He’d realized that I wasn’t good enough and made me promise. And I’d been the dumbass who’d done it.

  Finally, the car halted outside the hotel, and I helped Charlie toward it. I paid the driver and got him inside before he stumbled again. I looped my arm under his and lifted him up. “All right, I got you. Up the stairs we go.”

  One of the receptionists raised their nose at the sight of Charlie’s drunkenness, but I ignored it and carted him to the elevator. I hit the button and waited for the doors to open.

  “Where’s Addy?” Charlie asked.

  “Probably fast asleep in her room. Or singing karaoke.”

  “I miss her. We haven’t slept in the same room in weeks. This wedding thing ain’t it.” They’d agreed to save themselves for the month before the wedding so that the wedding night would be special.

  Sounded to me like a good way to bust a nut too fast on a very important night.

  “Well, good thing you’re getting married soon.”

  The elevator doors opened, and I groaned inwardly.

  Chloe stood inside it, wearing that hot red dress. Her hair was slightly messy, but she was as gorgeous as ever. “That was quick.”

  “Two hours,” I said, “is not qui
ck when you’re stuck with drunk dudes in a crowded bar full of more drunk dudes.”

  “Fair enough. Uh, do you need some help?”

  Charlie made a noise that sounded suspiciously like retching. “Yeah, that would be great.” I carried him into the elevator, and Chloe grabbed her brother’s other arm and slung it around her neck. “Thanks,” I said. “He just needs to sleep it off.”

  “Did you do this to him?” Chloe asked.

  “I wish I could claim credit, but no. This was the work of one of your cousins.”

  “Timothy,” Chloe growled. “That asshole.”

  “He is an asshole!” Charlie said, surprisingly lucid for a second. He lifted his head and smiled at his sister. “Is Addy OK?”

  “I got her into bed. She’s fine, just going to wake up with a searing headache. Looks like that’s something you’ll share tomorrow.”

  “Oh good,” Charlie said and hung his head. Snores emerged from him almost immediately, and I was left with silence and Chloe for company.

  “I’ll get the button. He’s on the floor above ours.” Chloe hit the 6 button, then shifted her grip on her brother’s arm.

  I had most of the weight, but it was good to have her here. Likely, Charlie wouldn’t have gone to bed without first hearing Addison was fine. Every now and again, my gaze met Chloe’s, and she’d look away fast. Like she was scared the heat between us would explode again, regardless of Charlie’s presence.

  I didn’t blame her. Goddamn, it was difficult to cling to my mind when she was around. All the years of resisting my attraction to her and pushing her away had built up. And now, when I had the most complications and I could least afford to be with her…they’d all come to a head.

  The doors slid open, and we carried Charlie down the hall and to his room. I swiped the card, the door opened, and we were in. We dropped him on the bed, and he promptly rolled over and groaned.

  “It’s not time to get up,” he said.

  “You’re right about that.” I grabbed his shoes and tugged them off, then dropped them at the foot of the bed.

  Chloe undid the buttons on Charlie’s suit jacket. Together, we rolled him onto his side. Chloe grabbed an ice bucket and placed it next to the bed. I opened the mini-fridge and got a bottle of water for the morning. She fished aspirin out of her purse.

  “We make quite the team.” I grinned.

  But she didn’t return the smile. Finally, we exited Charlie’s room and walked for the elevator again. The box that would surely lead to more heat, more tension, and making out.

  We entered it together. Chloe hit the button for our floor then turned to me, a frown creasing her brow. “Why’d you let that happen?” she asked.

  “What?”

  “Charlie. He’s royally drunk. That’s the worst I’ve seen him in a long time.”

  I snort-laughed. “Get real. You clearly didn’t spend that much time with him in college.”

  “No, I didn’t. Unfortunately.” She was stiff again. “I didn’t have the chance to hang around and have fun with you guys. Or with him. You know, that’s kind of your fault.”

  “Hello, this should be interesting.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Chloe asked, as the doors rolled open.

  “Oh, I don’t know, maybe that you’re desperate to find a reason to hate me right now.”

  “Whatever.” Chloe down the hall, toward her door.

  “Yeah, sure, whatever,” I replied, shrugging, and strode past her to mine, drawing the key card out of my pocket.

  “It’s just so easy for you. Always. Everything.”

  “Huh?”

  She spun toward me, wielding her card like a weapon. “Everything. It’s always easy for you. With you, it’s like…you want a car, you get a car. You want a business, you build a business. You want to kiss me, you kiss me. You want to leave, you leave. Easy.”

  “I’m missing something here.”

  “No,” she said. “You’re not. And that’s the point. You always get what you want.”

  “I do.” I unlocked my door and opened it but didn’t enter. She had something to say, and I’d let her say it. It was a bonus that she was absolutely stunning when she was angry. Her curls bouncing as she turned her head this way and that, trying to make sense of me or her. Fuck, who knew at this point?

  “Yeah, you do. What’s that like?”

  “It’s life, Chloe. What do you want me to say? That it’s easy? No, it’s not easy. I get what I want because I make it that way. I work for it, and I get it. Simple.”

  “You’re saying I don’t work for it?”

  “I’d love to answer that question, but I don’t know what the fuck we’re talking about,” I replied, folding my arms and leaning against the jamb. “Like I said, I get the feeling you want to vent. You want to hate.”

  “And why’s that?”

  “Because you can’t stand the fact that you want me,” I replied. “After all these years, likely thinking I was a shithead, and you still want me.”

  “You were a shithead.”

  “I’m not disputing that. I’m saying, I get it. I get it.”

  Chloe let out a low growl, more like a purr, and strode up the hall. She stopped with her chest nearly touching mine and glared up into my eyes. “You think you know me so well, but you don’t. You never have, and that’s the problem.”

  “That was never the problem.” My friendship with Charlie had been the problem. My loyalty to him. My fear of wanting Chloe. Those had all been problems. Not how well I knew her.

  “You were the problem,” she snapped, and jabbed me in the chest. “You were the problem, all the time. You and your perfect hair and your jaw and that weird chin dimple thing you’ve got going on. You were the problem, and I can’t get rid of you. It’s been twelve years, and you’re still around, and you always will be.”

  “That’s right. I always will be.”

  Chloe’s lips pressed into a thin line and released, slowly. “How am I supposed to deal with that?”

  “With what?”

  “With you? With the weird…this.” She pointed to herself and then to me and back again. “With that. That thing between us.”

  “I can think of a few ways.” I winked.

  “Be serious.”

  I wish I wasn’t. “Fine. You want to be serious? Seriously, you should go to your room, and I should go to mine. We should pretend we don’t want this. We should spend the rest of our lives pretending, because we both know nothing will ever come of this. I will always run. You will always hate me for it. That’s all there is to it.”

  Chloe ran her hands over her arms.

  “But we both know that’s not going to happen.”

  She turned to me again, and the light was there in her eyes, the need for me. “So what do we do?”

  “Not what you’re thinking,” I said, pointing at her. “You wipe that sexiness off your face right now, missy.”

  “Make me.” Her smile was empty. She sighed and glanced back, then frowned. “Weird.”

  “What?”

  “Nothing. I just could’ve sworn… It’s nothing,” she said, again.

  “Tell me, Chloe.” Her demeanor had changed from wanting me to what might have been fear? “Chloe.”

  “I saw someone standing at the end of the hall, that’s all. No big deal. And earlier, I felt strange. It’s because we’re in a different country. I’m not used to it here.” Chloe put a little distance between us. “I’m not like you. I don’t get to travel the world.”

  Alarm bells sounded in my mind. Someone watching? Fuck, and I hadn’t heard from Smith in a while. What the hell did that mean?

  “Come on,” I said. “Come into my room.”

  “I thought the sexiness off the table.”

  “They are.” I cocked a grin, forcing it for once. “But you know what might be on the table?”

  “What?”

  “Pizza. There’s got to be a place somewhere around here that delivers.
It can’t be all French food in France,” I said.

  “That does sound good. I haven’t eaten anything all night. The food at the party was…fancy.”

  “And you’re not into fancy?”

  “Not when I can’t identify what I’m eating. Or pronounce it.”

  “We’re on the same page when it comes to that.” I herded her into my room, peering up and down the hall after she was inside. This was why I should’ve avoided her in the first place. But it was too late now.

  I’d promised myself that I’d never let anything bad happen to my best friend’s sister. And that would never change. Even if it meant risking everything else to see it through.

  Eight

  Chloe

  I took a bite of the slice and chewed, relishing the flavors, the crispiness of the crust. This wasn’t like any pizza I’d had before, but it was damn good.

  “You like it?” Jacob asked.

  “It’s great. Better than LA pizza.”

  “Anything is better than LA pizza. Goddamn, I can’t stand that stuff. Vegan, non-gluten crusts with cheese made from almonds and shit.”

  “You’re exaggerating.” I laughed anyway and took another bite. The tension was still there between us, but it was better now.

  “I’m not far off, though, and that’s alarming.” Jacob leaned against the sofa in the suite’s “living room” area, easy as always. His jacket was off, the top buttons of his shirt undone, so that I could make out the tattoos peering out from underneath. Tan skin. He’d tasted so good, earlier.

  I shook my head. I’d agreed to this so that we could figure something out here. Something that didn’t involve us making out or hating each other. We had to find the in-between.

  “So,” Jacob said, and took another bite of pizza, “tell me about what happened.”

  “What happened?”

  “Oh come on, you were going to tell me earlier, but then you freaked out and threw your mouth at mine.”

  “Sure,” I said, “that’s what happened.”