“I didn’t think it was part of the plan.”
“It has to be,” he said, for his own sanity.
She licked her lips. “Why not tell them the truth?”
“Not happening.” He sat down, and pulling her onto his lap, he felt her stiffen. This wasn’t going to work if he couldn’t even get her to sit happily with him. “Calm down. I told you, we’re going to get through this, no questions asked. We’re fine.”
“Your dad is starting to see the lie.”
“And we’ll show him he’s wrong.” He unscrewed the bottle of water and handed it to her.
She took it, swallowing. “I don’t think I’m going to get used to this.”
“It’s only for another couple of days.”
She nodded but didn’t say anything.
He cupped her hip, becoming equally aware of her curves against his body. His dick was starting to wake up. This wasn’t part of the plan. Wanting her wouldn’t be ideal but he couldn’t deny it either.
They had their drink of waters and he took her hand, leading her to the pool. For the rest of the day, he made his family groan as he made a point of stopping the game just to kiss her. To hold her.
When they all stopped, he had his hands on her, stroking her arm, hip, waist. It wasn’t hard and in fact, it came more naturally to him to just hold her and he craved it. He actually wanted her hands on his body as well. She was beautiful. Really amazing and lovely, and fun.
She fit in with his family.
Don’t go getting any ideas.
This isn’t about making a friend or doing anything real. This is just about satisfying your father and the board.
Still, he wondered what it would be like to come home every night to a woman, or specifically, Lauren. He’d fucked women. Had a regular fuck buddy, but not anymore. He found some women became way too clingy and he wasn’t in the habit of falling for those kinds of women.
Fuck.
What was going on inside his head?
By the end of the day, he was so confused. All she was supposed to be was a bit of fun, nothing serious, nothing with meaning. Yet, Lauren was invading his very thoughts and it was driving him crazy. This was only supposed to be an arrangement. Nothing more, and he was determined to keep it that way even with kisses and touches.
****
“So, you’re a waitress?” William asked.
Lauren looked across the table where William sat. Tonight, his family had placed Caleb right beside her and it was messing with her head. The entire day had been a struggle. When Caleb wasn’t touching her, or looking good in swimming trunks, she could stick to their arrangement. It was easy. His kisses though, and his hands, damn it, he was making this even harder. How dare he look so sexy in swimming trunks. Or kiss so well. It wasn’t acceptable. She was very much aware of him sitting beside her.
With his warnings that his parents didn’t think they were actually together, she was a little nervous.
“No, I’m not a waitress. I’m a cleaner.” She offered a smile, knowing Caleb didn’t like this man and believed him to be a gold digger.
“My William is a primary school teacher,” Cassie said, gripping her husband’s arm.
“Yeah, and he just so happened to meet my sister at the right time, didn’t you, Willy?” Caleb said.
“That’s enough,” Timothy said.
“Was he a complete and total ass to work for?” William asked. “I know from personal experience he demands a high standard from everyone around him, including himself.”
“Are you not used to meeting exacting standards? I’m sure the kids’ parents would take real issue to substandard teaching,” Caleb said.
“He’s a wonderful teacher. The best in the school,” Cassie said. “Stop being a dick at the table. Mom, Dad, tell him.”
“I don’t want fighting between you two. We all know your differences and none of us agree with you, Caleb.”
Lauren didn’t like how the disagreement was turning out. “I don’t mind his exacting standards. In fact, I kind of always saw it as a little competition with myself. I mean, the company I work for warned me he was a hard person to deal with, but once you got past the insults, it was really easy. I like things clean and in a certain way. Caleb—” She stopped to touch his arm and offered him a smile. You don’t need to touch him but you want to, you bad girl. “I got him. I understood him. I mean, life is always so crazy as it is. Why not have your living space exactly the way you like it, where everything has a place? It’s neat, it’s tidy. Not a speck of dust in sight.”
“I’m sure he has you cooking and slaving after you all day long.”
“Actually, I have another company—”