Page 80 of Best Served Cold

Then I remember Rob between my legs, my hand gripping his messy hair.

I want his dick. I think it’s the win I need tonight.

I gather myself and knock on the door. Otis opens it, releasing a billow of skunk smell.

His eyes widen, either because of my sex hair or because he realizes that I must know what he was doing in there—breaking one of Aunt Penny’s edicts against any kind of smoking in the house.

“I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t tell my grandmother,” he says, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Tell her what?” I ask.

He grins, then glances down the hallway. “Is Rob still here?”

“Uh…I need to ask for a return favor.”

“You want some pot?” he asks, shoving his hand into his pocket. “I’ll give you some, no problem, but it’s not very good. It’s kind of skunky, and?—”

“I need a condom.”

He looks like he’s about to choke on his own spit. And I feel a surge of regret that I’m hoping will dissipate the second I get back to the smoking hot man in my room.

“Uh…are you sure about this? He’s a good guy and all, but you were pretty upset with him earlier. I mean, I figure it’s for you and Rob, but maybe I’m making assumptions. I guess you could have had someone else come over after he left, and?—”

“It’s Rob. But you can’t tell anyone.”

He stares at me silently, and I’m so embarrassed I think I might actually transcend my body. Finally, he says, “I thought Rob was your fake boyfriend. Don’t youwantpeople to think you’re sleeping together?”

When he puts it that way, it does sound like a tangled web. “Yeah, I guess, but you know, maybe don’t make a point of mentioning it to anyone other than Hannah and Briar. I’ll have to tell them.”

“I don’t discuss your sex life with my friends, Soph. But, you know, sure.”

He pops into his room and returns seconds later, dangling a row of brightly colored condoms. There must be fifteen of them.

Oh, thank goodness. It would have been so much worse to make this request and get nothing out of it.

“You know,” he says, handing me the condoms, “I listed your wedding dress earlier.”

“You did?” I say, my heart feeling gooey. He said he was going to do it, of course, but in the past he hasn’t always been great about following through.

“There’s already been some interest, but you know, Soph…”

“Yeah?”

“Be careful. I’ve learned as much about wedding dresses as I care to, so I’d rather not have to sell another.” He pauses, fussing with his hair. “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

Emotion balls in my throat. “Thanks, Otis.” I lift the row of colorful condoms. “And thanks for these. Let’s never, ever talk about it again.”

“Talk about what?” he asks with a goofy grin.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

ROB

I should probably be thinking about what a grave mistake it is to have meaningless rebound sex with a woman I’m starting to have real feelings for. But sheaskedme to fuck her. It would be ungentlemanly to say no.

It would also be impossible.

She deserves to be worshipped in bed. It’s obvious from the way she reacted to me feasting on her that she hasn’t been. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to walk away without giving her everything. It doesn’t need to be awkward or weird. She wants a rebound bang; I’m going to give it to her. If anything, it’ll make our fake-dating act more believable for Nelly, Jonah, and anyone else who needs to buy into it.

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