“Cheers, ladies.”
I lift my martini glass. “To Kourtney, for coming out and living out all of our bisexual, polyamorous fantasies.”
Kourtney covers her mouth and tries not to spit out the wine she just sipped. “Do you have bisexual fantasies, Aarya?”
I hike a shoulder. “No, but you and Celeste are hot, and I wouldn’t mind watching.”
Celeste grins. “We are pretty damn hot, if I do say so myself.”
Cassidy wraps her arm around Kourtney’s shoulders. “I’m just so happy you felt comfortable enough to come out to us. We would never judge you.”
Kourtney rests her head against Cassidy’s shoulder. “That means the world to me. I wish my father felt the same way.”
Sadness pricks my heart. Kourtney recently came out to her parents and told them that she wants to be with both Jason and Celeste—her husband and their childhood best friend. It shocked all of us, but in the end, her happiness is what matters most to us. Her father, unfortunately, did not share our sentiment. They haven’t spoken since she told him.
“Forget about us.” Celeste waves her hand and turns her attention to me. “Let’s talk about you. I need all the details about what’s happening between you and Krum Cake.”
I spin the stem of the glass. “Well, we have to go on a few dates and make our relationship public. He’ll do a press conference and announce that we’ve been dating for a while, so the world thinks we’re already an established couple, which shouldn’t be too hard of a sell since our best friends married each other. Then I’ll move into his house; we’ll have a short engagement; and we’ll get married.” I hike a shoulder. “We talked it all out on the phone the other day, so we have a plan.”
Celeste blinks at me. “You’re giving me nothing.”
My eyebrows press together. “Those are all the details I know.”
“I want to hear about the tension between you. Give me angst, give me passion, give me longing glances because you both want each other but you don’t want to blur the lines of your agreement.”
I cough out a laugh. “I think you’re reading too many of Cassidy’s books.”
Kourtney nudges Celeste with her elbow. “They haven’t even gone on their first date yet.”
“I don’t care. I’ve seen them in the same room together. I see something there.” Celeste snatches her purse off her chair and digs inside her wallet until she pulls out a fifty-dollar bill, slamming it on the table. “I bet you’re going to fall in love with Alexander Krum before you file for divorce.”
Cassidy squeals. “Me too!”
My mouth flaps open. “Are you kidding me? We’re not falling in love.”
Cassidy pulls out two twenties and a ten. “Ante up, bitch.”
Kourtney shakes her head on a sigh as she reaches for her purse. “Sorry, Aarya. I love love too much to not take this bet.”
I roll my eyes. “You guys are romanticizing this. Nothing about this situation will lead to love. We’re just two friends helping each other out. That’s it.”
“Two friends who are very attracted to each other.” Celeste winks. “I see the way you look at him with those fuck me eyes of yours.”
I grunt. “Yeah, a lot of good they’re doing.”
Cassidy squeezes my shoulder. “But now you know why he turned you down that first night.”
Learning about Giuliana did help heal my bruised ego, understanding why Alexander doesn’t do one-night-stands.
“I don’t know the first thing about kids.” I down the rest of my martini and set the empty glass on the table. “Or being married. This is a disaster waiting to happen.”
“Marriage is whatever you want it to be.” Kourtney laces her fingers with Celeste’s. “I’m with a man and a woman. That’s not traditional marriage, and that’s okay. We make it right for us.”
Celeste nods. “Plus, Alexander has a nanny. I’m sure she’ll be able to help you with anything you need to know. You won’t be alone.”
“I think you’re going to make a great pseudo step-mom.” Cassidy smiles. “Though I have to admit, I’m shocked you’re agreeing to this.”
“I shocked myself.” I lift a shoulder and let it fall. “I don’t know. Something pulled in my chest as I looked at that little girl. I saw myself in her, knowing there’s a parent out there who didn’t want her just like mine didn’t want me.”
The girls reach out and cover my hand with theirs. “Maybe there’s a reason you came into each other’s lives,” Cassidy says.
She knows I don’t believe in any of that meant to be bullshit, but I don’t remind her of that.
Kourtney’s eyes glisten. “You’re going to make a difference in her life, Aarya. You bring so much to the table you’re not giving yourself enough credit for.”
“I don’t know about that. She’s all tutus and Disney princesses, and I don’t mesh with that lifestyle at all. My mother didn’t give me the best example. How will I know what to do?”
“Because you have the biggest heart,” Cassidy says. “You forget I’ve known you for over two decades now. I know who you are, and you are not your mother.”
The waiter stops by our table, eyeing our empty glasses. “Another round?”
“Yes, please.” I hand him my glass. “And keep them coming.”
He arches a brow, amusement shining in his brown eyes. “Are we celebrating something tonight?”
I let my eyes trail up his muscular arms, his skin a smooth, dark-brown. His full lips tip into a smirk when he catches me checking him out.
Cassidy wraps her arm around my shoulders. “She’s getting married.”
Cockblock.
“Damn, that’s a shame.” His eyes rake over me as he shakes his head. “I mean, congrats.”
I grimace as he walks away with our glasses. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to survive a whole year without sex.”
“I don’t think you’ll have to wait too long.” Celeste grins. “Another fifty bucks says you fuck Krum Cake within the first month of living together.”
Cassidy whips out more cash. “Oh, I’m totally getting in on this one.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “The man has willpower made of steel. I literally undressed in front of him on the night of your wedding, and served myself up on a platter.”
“You were drunk,” Kourtney says. “Alexander is too much of a gentleman to take you up on that offer.”
“I feel like he’s not a gentleman in the bedroom.” Celeste waggles her eyebrows. “He gives off Dom vibes.”
“Daddy Alex,” I murmur, and my skin heats at the thought.
God, now I’m imagining his large hand around my throat.
“Makes you wonder how long it’s been since he’s had sex,” Cassidy says. “Giuliana is four-years-old, and I haven’t seen him with anyone since I’ve known him.”
Celeste’s jaw drops. “You think he hasn’t had sex in four years?”
We glance around the table at each other, wondering the same thing.
“I’m marrying a monk.” I groan, and let my head fall against the table. “Figures.”
“You know, they say the man you drunk dial is the man you truly want to be with.”
I roll my eyes. “Good thing I’m not drunk.”
Celeste laughs. “Then why is your left eye closed?”
I flip her off as I lift my phone to my ear. “I’m just calling him because I have some questions about our agreement.”
Kourtney touches my shoulder as we all say goodbye. “Are you sure you don’t want a ride home?”
“No, I’m good.” I wave. “Night, ladies.”
“Love you!” Cassidy calls before getting into the car with Trenton’s driver.
The phone rings until Alexander’s raspy voice comes through the speaker, sending a delicious shiver down my spine. “Hello, spitfire.”
“Hi, Birthday Cake.”
He chuckles. “How was your girl’s night?”
“It was good. I didn’t have sex with the waiter though.”
“Oh? And did you want to have sex with the waiter?”
“He was good-looking, and he was definitely checking me out.” I stifle a yawn. “But if I’m about to be a married woman, I can’t be having sex with random waiters.”
“That’s right. You can’t.”
“Which brings me to the reason for my call.” I heave a dramatic sigh. “When was the last time you had sex?”
“Me?”
“Yeah. We were discussing it at dinner. If Giuliana is four, and you don’t have one-night stands, then was the last time you had sex with Giuliana’s egg donor?”
He coughs out a laugh. “Where are you right now?”
“Walking home from Patrizio’s.”
“But that’s a twenty-minute walk from your apartment.”
“At least.”
“And it’s freezing out.”
“I have a coat.”
“Stay there. I’ll come and get you.”
“No way. You’re all the way out in perfectville. It’ll take you longer to get here than it will for me to walk home.”
“I’m at the stadium. I stayed late to get an extra workout in.” Rustling and movement sound in the background. “Send me your location, and I can be there in five minutes.”
The call ends, but I don’t send Alexander my location. I know it’ll piss him off, and maybe that’s why I do it. Maybe I just want to reiterate that I don’t need anyone to protect me.
I walk until a sleek SUV pulls up to the curb alongside me. Alexander steps out and jogs around the front end to swing open the passenger side door.
My eyes trail the length of his long legs in a pair of gray sweatpants that should be illegal on this man. The matching gray hoodie and damp messy curls he’s sporting give him a cozy yet sexy look. Fresh out of the shower, I bet he smells delicious. I want to bury my nose in the crook of his neck. Slide my hand into his pants and find out what he’s packing.
Alexander points an index finger at me. “Stop looking at me like that.”
“Can’t help it.”
“Is that the same look you gave the waiter?”
“Jealous?”
He steps into my space and tugs on the zipper of my jacket, pulling it all the way up. “Do I need to be?”
“I’d like to see you jealous.” My gaze falls to his lush mouth. “I’d also like to see you on your knees.”
He leans closer, his lips brushing the cusp of my ear. “That makes two of us.”
Heat spreads throughout my entire body despite the cool night air surrounding us.
He places his hand on my lower back and guides me toward his truck. “Come on, let’s get you home.”
“Where’s your bike tonight?”
He arches a brow. “Is that disappointment I hear?”
“No.” Maybe. “I just haven’t seen you on anything other than that crotch rocket.”
“It’s too cold to ride tonight. Besides, I wouldn’t let you ride on the back of my bike if you’re drunk.”
I scrunch my nose. “I’m not drunk.”
“Then why is your left eye closed?”
I slap my hand over my eye. “I’m just tired, okay?”
He grins as he tucks me into the passenger seat and closes the door.
Once he climbs in on the driver’s side, he clips his seatbelt and pulls out into traffic. “Why do you walk everywhere? Do you not have a car?”
“I never needed one living in this city. I work nearby, and my friends live close. Why waste the money?”
“What if it’s raining or snowing?”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“I can get you a driver. He can take you wherever you need to go.”
“That’s ridiculous. I don’t need a driver to take me somewhere I can walk to in ten minutes.”
“If the weather isn’t good, or if it’s late, or I can’t get to you, then I’d like you to use a driver.”
I shake my head. “You’re going to be in trouble when Giuliana gets older, you know. You’re not going to be able to control everything she does.”
He grunts. “Don’t remind me.”
I watch him as he drives, the way his long fingers wrap around the steering wheel; the way his seat is pushed all the way back to accommodate the length of his legs; the way his eyes stay on the road, despite the fact that I wish they were on me.
The way his Adam’s apple bobs in his throat when he swallows and says my name like a warning. “Aarya.”
“You still haven’t answered my question. How long has it been since you’ve had sex?”
“Why does it matter?”
“I’m just curious.”
His jaw works under his skin. “It’s been a long time.”
My eyes widen. “Since Giuliana?”
His curt nod gives me my answer.
“But…why?”
He heaves a sigh as he flicks on his blinker. “I’ve been busy.”
“You’re a man. You’re never too busy for sex.”
“There you go again, with your jaded views on men.” He pauses. “Some women are just as bad, you know. It’s not the gender that makes people assholes.”
My mouth falls open. “Did Alexander Krum just curse? Alert the media.”
He smirks as he side-eyes me. “I curse from time to time.”
“That was the first one I’ve heard come out of your mouth.”
“You curse enough for the both of us.”
“Does that bother you?”
“Not at all. It’s part of your charm.”
I snort.
When we reach my apartment building, Alexander double-parks out front. I reach for the door handle but he presses the lock button, locking all the doors.
“I’ll get it.” He gets out of the truck, makes his way around the front bumper, and unlocks the door with the button on the handle before opening it for me.
So chivalrous.
“Watch your step getting down.”
I ignore his outstretched hand and jump down. “I’m good.”
“I was thinking,” he says, walking me to the building. “We should go on our first official date. Let the media get some pictures of us while we’re out, and get the ball rolling.”
I nod. “Sure.”
“I have a game Friday night, but what about Saturday?”
“Works for me. Where do you want to go?”
“You leave that part up to me.” He grins. “Looks like I’ll get to take you on that date I’ve been asking for after all.”
“Don’t look so smug about it.”
“Why not? I get to take a beautiful woman on a date and get photographed with her for all the world to see. I’m going to be a smug bastard.”
I roll my eyes as I try—and fail—to fight the smile stretching my lips.
He reaches out and brushes his fingers against my cheek. “I like it when I make you smile.”
I give his chest a playful shove, more so to put some distance between us than anything else. “All right, Big Man. Let me know what I should wear on this date of ours once you sort out the details.”
“We’ll take the truck. This way, you don’t have to worry about wearing something conducive to straddling the bike.”
“No, but it’ll be conducive to straddling something else.”
He groans as his head falls back.
I shoot him a wink as I head up the stairs. “Night, Pop Tart.”
