Page 62 of Love Beyond the Illusion
I let my head fall back, breathless and cursing with heat.
From the corner of my eye, I see Piper curl into her side and face me with a smile on her face. “Thank you,” she says, then wraps herself in a sheet, climbs off the bed, and sprints into the small kitchen.
When she’s out of view, I quickly wipe myself off and yank up my pants. I can’t believe we did that—like we actually watched each other get off. Fully aware of what I was doing before we even started, I suddenly get hit with a ping of guilt. If we start messing around outside of cuddling, everything will be much more difficult when I no longer need her. I’m paying her to be here with me. Who knows if she’d be with me if no money were involved?
If we give in to our urges again, I don’t know how I could stop, and I can’t let my focus falter. We need this to remain professional. We must maintain the illusion of love, or this whole plan could blow up in my face. If that happens, I’ll lose so much more than a woman I have the hots for.
Piper enters the room a few minutes later with an apple in one hand and a cup of water in the other. The mental pep talk I gave myself practically out the window. Getting a taste of her is something I no longer want. It’s something I need.
Unsure how we should act after what just happened, Piper and I stand uncomfortably, our eyes fixed on the floor beneath our feet.
“I don’t think that should happen again," I say, being the first to break the thick silence. Then, I head into the bathroom to get ready for the day.
“I agree,” I hear her mumble from behind the closed door.
I take a much-needed hot shower, replaying every one of her movements and heavenly sounds in my head. I was surprised at how little she fought with me when I told her that I was going to watch. There are so many dirty things I can do to her, and she’s so ready and willing.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Jack
Iwalkintothelarge meeting room to see my mother and our lawyer, Tom, on one side of the oversized cherry wood table and my dad’s best friend Steve, his son Preston, and their lawyer on the other. I forget their lawyer’s name. I only know him from the horrible hair plugs haphazardly placed across the top of his bald head. After avoiding the calls and emails from Tom, the hair plug guy, who represents my parents’ oldest friends, could finally schedule this meeting.
Preston and Steve stand to shake my hand. “How are you?”
“Fine, thank you.” I nod, giving them a cold greeting. They don’t deserve my respect after everything that’s happened in the last few months. And even more now that they’ve been telling community members that they’ll take over my dad’s winery before anything is final.
I may not have wanted this when I was younger, but this is my family’s legacy, and I will do everything possible to protect it. If my dad knew what these two would plan once he wasn’t around, I’m sure he would have cut ties long ago.
“So, you have officially moved back?” Preston asks, only to make small talk and not genuine curiosity.
“Yeah, I have. I’ll close on my house at the end of the month,” I tell them.
“And your girlfriend, will she be moving here as well?” Preston presses me for information on Piper. Based on what Piper told me about the interaction she had with Sophia a few weeks ago, I know he knows more than he’s letting on.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business, is it?”
“Is that the way this is going to be? I’m trying to be nice and ask you about your new girlfriend. Take a fucking chill,” Preston barks, still standing, although his dad and lawyer have taken their seats. This is just a power struggle for him.
“Are you worried that with me being back, that I’ll try to fuck Sophia? Because you can be assured, I have higher standards than that.”
“Jack!” my mom exclaims at my inappropriate language in such a formal setting, but I don’t care and continue to bait the asshole on the other side of the table.
“She apparently does now too,” he spits back at my expense.
“You think so?” I lower my eyes. “I got rid of her once, never wanting to see her again, and yet, here we are. Did she tell you how she got all alpha female with my girlfriend at the pool a few weeks ago? Too bad for her, Piper is beautiful and a bit of a smart ass, so it didn’t go so well for Sophia.”
“Fuck you. You’ve always thought you were better than everyone in this town.”
“Alright, enough!” Steve demands in a clipped tone, slamming his palm on the top of the table.
His dramatic display does nothing to faze me as I continue. “I am, since you’re marrying my high school girlfriend—who was grossly obsessed with me and is now trying to help you take away my family’s business. Just like when we were teenagers—get off my balls, dude.”
Our lawyer has had enough of our remarks and rises from the table. “Look, there are some strong emotions and past baggage between your two families. It happens often. Now, if you two gentlemen don’t mind, I would like to get down to the reason why we’re conducting this meeting today. Is that alright with you?”
“Let’s get started then,” I say, refusing to make eye contact with them.
Preston nods, aggressively clicking the blue pen in his hand.
