Chapter Five

Jules couldn’t quite get her heartbeat under control. She’d hoped she didn’t look like an idiot when she dug down to the bottom of her closet to get the not-approved-for-public-consumption clothes. She hadn’t expected to watch Adam’s eyes go dark or for his voice to drop a full octave when he said…those things. She shivered, staring out the passenger window.

There was no room in her world for wanting Adam Meyer. This was a business arrangement, plain and simple.

It just happened to be a business arrangement where she was having the sudden desire to see if her partner could follow through on the picture he’d painted with his words.

Teach me to dirty talk. Jules almost snorted. That was the most pathetic comeback she’d ever made, but she’d been half a second from kissing him again, and one sexual ambush was more than enough in a lifetime, let alone a week.

I want to create a scandal, but not too much of a scandal. And only when there are people to watch. Because that totally makes sense.

She realized they’d be sitting in silence for entirely too long and turned to face Adam. Might as well own it. “So, when’s my first lesson?”

“I’ll let you know.”

She wilted a little but managed to get a hold of herself. Of course he wasn’t going to start dirty talk lessons in the car on the way to their first fake date. There were a grand total of three restaurants in town, not counting the McDonald’s that no one but teenagers and moms of little kids went to, and the Joint was where people tended to congregate on Saturday night before they wandered down the street to the bar or drove off into the boonies for a bonfire.

That was Devil’s Falls, though. She liked it, no matter that people like Grant and Adam no doubt looked down on the locals—probably the only thing those two had in common. It was nice to know that on any given weekend night, she could walk down the street and find a few of her uncles or cousins playing poker at the bar, or some of the girls from her graduating class having a ladies’ night out at the Joint with classy martinis and cosmos.

But…there was no way she’d be able to walk through the doors of any place in town without running into half a dozen people she knew. Something she hadn’t really thought about when she’d gotten dressed. Crap.

That’s the whole point of this. To prove you’re not a spinster pining after Grant. You’re alive and exciting and dating the town bad boy.

If that wasn’t scandalous, she didn’t know what was.

It sounded great—in theory. In practice, she wasn’t sure she’d survive the embarrassment. “Are you sure I don’t look ridiculous?” Her shorts were so short, they might be illegal. She pulled at the hem, but it didn’t do a single thing to cover her more.

“You look…like a scandal waiting to happen.”

She glanced at him, shocked all over again by the edge in his voice. She wasn’t sure if he sounded mad or turned on. “Are you okay? If you’re not feeling well, we can reschedule for another night.”

“Holy fuck.” Adam laughed harshly and pulled the truck onto the edge of the road. He turned to her, his shoulders filling the space between the steering wheel and the seat, suddenly seeming a whole lot closer. “Sugar, you’re killing me. You’re seducing me without even realizing you’re doing it.”

“I…am?” She realized what she’d said and lifted her chin. “I mean, I am. Good. Right?” She groaned and slouched in her seat. “I’m pretty sure you’re not feeling seduced anymore.”

She expected him to laugh or something, but he just reached across the bench seat and snagged her waist, dragging her toward him. She bit back a yelp when he lifted her to straddle him. “Uh, I’m pretty sure we’re breaking some sort of law right now.”

“Nah. We’re parked and inside my vehicle. You’re covered.”

She twisted enough to look through the windshield. There didn’t seem to be anyone around, but that didn’t mean there weren’t eyes on them.

Which is the freaking point. Get it together, girl.

His hands drifted over her hips, not touching so much as a sliver of bare skin, but she felt branded all the same. Was this guy hiding a forest fire beneath his skin? Adam looked at her with those too-dark eyes, his expression serious and yet somehow savage. “Are you ready to make a scene, sugar?”

She licked her lips. Definitely not a mild-mannered nice guy—more like a lone wolf who’s just as likely to cuddle you as rip your throat out. “Yes. Public display of affection without possibility of arrest. Good thinking.”

He smiled. “I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to. You say the word and I stop. Repeat that back to me.”

Her heart was beating too fast, her tight clothing seeming to become even tighter with each breath. “You’re not going to do anything I don’t want you to.”

“And?”

“I say the word and you stop.” It was harder to get the last part out, mostly because she couldn’t stop staring at his mouth. He’d blown her away with the rushed fake kiss the other night. How much better would it be if he was planning on actually, say, kissing her? Her body broke out in goose bumps at the thought. “Adam—”

One of his hands left her hip to frame her jaw, his thumb tracing over her bottom lip. “Rule number one to making this believable—stop overthinking and worrying about who could be watching. Just focus on me and feel.”

Easier said than done. “I’m really good at overthinking.” Though it was really hard to connect her thoughts with him touching her like that, his thumb coasting back and forth, back and forth.

“I can see that.” His fingers curled around the back of her neck, easing her forward. “What are you thinking about now?”

She was forced to brace her hands on his chest to avoid toppling against him, and the feel of all those muscles beneath his T-shirt made her brain short out. She kneaded her fingers, moving up to his shoulders and then down again. Belatedly, she realized he’d asked her something. “I’m sorry, what?”

“That answers that.” His hand on her hip tightened. “I’m going to kiss you now.”

“Oh…okay.”

“That wasn’t a request, sugar.”

And then he did exactly what he promised he would.

He kept it light, the slightest brushing of his lips on hers, over and over again, until she thought she might go mad with desire. She writhed against him, but he easily held her in place, taking his time, almost as if he was savoring the contact. Then, finally, his tongue coaxed her mouth open and he was kissing her.

Just like that, the spark between them went from campfire to wild blaze, flaring out of control.

One second she was wondering how in God’s name one man could taste so good, and the next she was rubbing against him like he was the best kind of catnip. He groaned against her mouth, his hand on her hip moving to her behind, lining them up. The feel of his hard length against the most sensitive part of her had her going still, but only for a moment. She rolled her hips, moaning at the delicious friction.

Adam took his mouth off hers long enough to curse, long and hard, and then she was on her back on the bench seat, him moving over her, his mouth reclaiming hers. Jules wrapped her legs around his waist, arching up to meet each thrust that dragged him against the seam of her jeans. He kissed down her jaw to her breasts. “Fuck, sugar, you’re one hell of an actress.”

She laughed, but the sound choked off when he yanked down her tank top and sucked her nipple into his mouth. “Oh my God.”

For some reason, that caused him to pause. He rested his forehead against her chest. “Hold on. Give me a second.”

That sounded dangerously close to him saying he wanted to stop. She grabbed his shoulders, digging her nails in. “Adam, I’m three seconds from coming. If you don’t finish what you started…” She couldn’t think of a threat strong enough, so she just made an incoherent sound of frustration. When he didn’t immediately move, she actually whimpered. “Please, Adam. Remember what you said? I’ll let you know when to stop. Well, I don’t know how else to tell you to keep going. Full steam ahead. Green light. Just make me come already.”

His body shook, and it took her a full two seconds to realize he was laughing. “You are something else.”

“As long as I’m something else that will be coming in short order.” Never in her life had she been this forward with anything sexual, but she felt like she might burst apart at the seams if he didn’t answer the beat pulsing through her body.

It was easier to demand it because this was Adam. He wasn’t her boyfriend, no matter what they were pretending. He wasn’t even a friend, really. He was just a seriously sexy guy doing her a favor that might nominate him for sainthood. She gasped when he grabbed her butt, sealing their bodies together. Okay, maybe not sainthood.

“Just this once.”

She wasn’t sure she could handle more than once. “Sure. Whatever you say.” As long as you don’t stop.

He hooked her leg higher and thrust against her, building up to the rhythm that had driven her so crazy. His mouth was on her neck, his words pouring over her. “I lied, sugar. I make you come once, and I don’t think I’m going to be able to stop myself from doing it again. It’s what a good boyfriend would do.”

“Fake…boyfriend.” She could barely get the words out past the pleasure spiking through her. Her orgasm rolled over her, setting her nerves aflame and making her entire body go tight and hot. “Holy crap.”

His laugh was almost a growl against her skin. “A fake boyfriend who gives you real orgasms.” He held her for a few seconds, long enough for her to realize he was still hard as a rock. Adam didn’t give her a chance to comment on it, though. He sat back and adjusted his jeans, leaving her to do the same.

Jules fixed her clothing, feeling like she was having an out-of-body experience. Had she really just dry humped her fake boyfriend in his pickup until he made her come? She had to say something, right now, otherwise they were going to devolve into what might be the most awkward situation of her life. She cleared her throat and looked around. “Oh, wow, this was a good call. I see Sheriff Taylor’s police cruiser down the road. He saw something for sure, and he gossips worse than Mrs. Peterson.”

There was a pause. And then finally, “Yep. That was the plan.”

The words came out flat, and she twisted to look at him. “Are you okay? I’m sorry that I basically just strong-armed you into giving me an orgasm.” Humiliation rolled over her despite her determination to push herself beyond her limits. “You tried to stop and I said no and, oh my God, I’m so sorry.”

Adam turned to face her again. “Sugar, you couldn’t have forced me if you wanted to.” He grabbed her hand and pressed it to the front of his jeans, where it was still blatantly obvious that he was sporting an erection. “Don’t you dare try to take that orgasm from me. It was mine.”

She stared at his lap, not quite having the courage to stroke him despite the fact her palm was plastered there. “I, uh…”

“If it makes you feel better, next time I’ll be the one giving the orders.”

Next time. She blinked up at him. “You really weren’t joking about making this as believable as possible, were you?”

His mouth flattened, but then Adam smiled and she was sure she’d misread the expression. “I never joke about fake relationships.”

“Hilarious.” She realized she was still palming him and yanked her hand back. “But, seriously, you have to stop me when I’m out of line. I know we were just doing it for show but—”

“Sugar, stop. Remember what I said about overthinking? You’re doing it again. Sit back and relax, and let the rumor mill do its job.” Before she could answer, he pulled away from the side of the road, and, two minutes later, they were in the parking lot and he shut off the engine. “Brace yourself. It’s showtime.”