Wedding Date (Dating #6) - Monica Murphy Page 0,11

over my face, ignoring my stirring dick. “How did we get on this topic again?”

“I said we had to pretend like we’re a couple who can’t get enough. Blowjobs, whatever.” She laughs.

“Right. Okay. We can do that,” I say firmly, hoping I sound like I mean it.

“Of course we can,” she practically scoffs. This woman loves a challenge. “Plus, won’t your family call bullshit if this is the first time they’ve heard of me?”

“Oh, they know about you,” I say.

Her face brightens. “Really? You’ve told them about me? Your brothers?”

I have. They all think she must be hideous if I’m not trying to hit that, and I quote. None of my brothers are believers in being friends with a woman. They think it’s impossible. So she’s either ugly or gives off ice-cold vibes.

Kelsey is neither. She’s warm and sweet and smart. Easy to talk to. And very anti-dating right now. Same as I’m supposed to be.

“Yeah, I’ve mentioned you a time or two,” I say casually, like no big deal. I probably talk about her too much. In fact, I know I do. My mother has asked more than once why I’m not dating this Kelsey person. Another direct quote.

“I think you should bring me around your family before the wedding,” she says.

“Why?” I immediately start to sweat.

“Then it’s more believable that we’re together, Theo. Come on. You bring me to your parents’ house for dinner or some other family event, and there I am. On your arm. By your side. Kissing your cheek. Running my fingers through your hair. Like we’re together, you know?” She tilts her head. “It’ll be more believable that way when we show up at the wedding.”

“And you don’t have a problem with this?”

“Nooo, I think it’ll be fun. Come on, I trust you. You’re not going to make any real moves on me,” she says with a soft laugh.

See, that’s the problem. Lately I don’t mind the idea of making a real move on Kelsey. We’re compatible in almost every single way. Why wouldn’t we be compatible, sexually? I just jerked off to a porn Kelsey lookalike, for Christ’s sake.

“My parents invited me over to their house Saturday afternoon. They’re having a barbecue,” I tell her.

“Really? What’s the occasion?” Kelsey asks.

“There is none. They just—like to barbecue.” At least a couple of times a month Mom is trying to get me to come over for a family meal. If it’s during the weekday, I turn her down. I’m usually too busy with work and they always want to eat early while I’m always working late. But when it’s the weekend, she’s got me.

And she knows it.

“Are you inviting me as your date?” Kelsey asks, her tone teasing.

“I guess I am,” I say with a smile. “Not sure what time, though. I’ll text Mom in the morning and ask her. She wakes up at like five, so I’m sure I’ll have all the details for you when we meet at the beach tomorrow.”

“Okay, great! This should be fun.” She laughs. “I can’t wait.”

“Yeah. Cool.” I nod, feeling like a complete dumbass.

“Oh, and Theo?”

“Yeah?”

“I don’t think it’s gross at all when a man goes down on me. In fact, it’s my favorite part of foreplay. I’m a fan of giving BJs too. Just so you know,” she chirps, just before she ends the call.

Shit.

Five

Kelsey

I’m standing by a cypress tree not too far from the parking lot, stretching my calves, when I spot Theo walking toward me, his arm pointed behind him, keys clutched in his fingers as he hits the remote and locks his car. He’s just far enough away that he can’t tell I’m blatantly checking him out, and so I look my fill with an extra-critical eye.

Studying him as Theo the man versus Theo the comfortable friend.

I wasn’t lying when I told him last night that I’d noticed he was working on his fitness. He’s been working out more, and it shows. The gray T-shirt he’s currently wearing stretches across his broad chest and shoulders in a rather appealing way. Just tight enough to show off his muscles. His legs are strong, his arms defined. Waist and hips trim. He looks good.

A lot better than he did when we first met. Back then, he was a little pale and the slightest bit doughy. Not fat. Not even chubby. Just—a guy who sat at a desk or on a couch all day and night. Someone who didn’t get outside much and worked too much. He