Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 98021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98021 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Adam nods you are.
"Pretending it's all about sex. You don't ask someone to marry you because of sex," she says.
"Really? 'Cause I know this artist who will make you reconsider that stance." He pulls out his cell. "Maybe you've seen her photos. Goes by Broken Beauty. Believe her real name is Danielle Bellamy." He throws out the bait.
She bites immediately. "They're not about sex. They're about honesty, intimacy, vulnerability. What you reveal to other people."
"What you reveal?" Liam raises a brow.
"Emotionally," she says.
"And physically."
"It's a metaphor! The pictures in lingerie, sure, that's sexual. But nudity isn't always sexual. We're born naked. We shower naked. We swim naked."
"You swim naked?" Liam looks to Adam. "And you're not taking her to Tahiti right now?"
Adam returns Liam's look. Some mix of curiosity, brotherly concern, skepticism.
Danielle wants to believe we're in love. She's wanted to believe it since she met us.
Adam knows his brother well. Well enough to doubt his ability to commit.
He isn't buying our story. Not yet.
We need something to convince him. Something more. Something better.
Liam ignores his brother's doubt. Turns to me, like this is any other Saturday night. "Do you swim naked too?"
"Only in private," I say.
"So if I rent a private beach…" He raises a brow.
"I'll consider it," I say.
"What about our pool?" he asks.
"It's spring," I say.
"I can wait until summer," he says.
"The pool at the mansion?" Danielle asks. "Have you seen it?"
"Only pictures," I say.
"Really?" Danielle whispers something in Adam's ear. When he nods, she turns to us with a smile. "Then you two have to stay over one weekend. Or wait until the wedding. We're hosting the rehearsal dinner. Everyone is going to be there."
"Everyone? Meaning Simon and the rest of the bridal party?" Liam asks.
"He doesn't mind," Adam says.
"And you believe him?" Liam asks.
Danielle looks to her fiancé for a clue.
"The bride's sister is Simon's ex-girlfriend," Adam says.
"The one who crushed his heart?" Danielle asks.
"One woman hurts him and he never loves again." Liam rolls his eyes. "It's been a decade. Get over it."
"Are you the expert now?" Adam asks.
"Isn't Briar your first girlfriend?" Danielle asks. "Wait, if it's been six months—"
"Five," Adam corrects.
"Then you've been together the whole time I knew you." Danielle's eyes light up.
"It was just sex at first," Liam says. "She was trying to keep it that way. But the skills… she had to nail that down."
Danielle laughs. "Of course."
"Plus the money," Liam says. "You know what it's like. Mr. Rich Broodypants over here is loaded."
She swats the air. "Tech billionaires are a dime a dozen in this city."
"I'm not the first rich man to fall in love with you." Adam's words are loaded with history. A history I don't know.
He's secretive.
Maybe that's all it is. People who keep secrets, who lie, who hide their feelings believe everyone else does the same.
The same way honest people believe other people are honest.
"It's like Marylin Monroe says in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," Danielle says.
"Isn't that from the fifties?" Liam asks.
"It's still true. Money for men is like beauty for women. It's not the only reason you marry someone, but it doesn't hurt," she says.
"You're a babe. He's loaded. Story checks out," Liam says. "What do you think, Briar? You like what's in my pants?"
"Not if you mean your wallet." I shrug as if I can't help admitting the truth.
"Oh?" Danielle asks.
"You were right before," I say. "It's sex."
"Told you." Liam turns to me with a smile. "To knowing your partner."
It's true. We're partners now. Not in love, sure, but in business. And that's as intimate as any relationship. "To knowing your partner."
We toast. Sip. Smile. Slip into our usual rapport.
As if this is any other Saturday night dinner. And it just happens to be the Saturday night after we got engaged. And we just happen to be ready to go public with our relationship.
We're the same Briar and Liam. That's the story. But it's not true.
I still see my annoying boss when I look at Liam. But I see something else too, a man I really, really want to kiss again.
Chapter Nine
Liam
Briar steps inside my apartment.
I follow her, close the door, take her coat.
My usual routine. Manners I've practiced my entire life.
But this isn't usual.
She's in my space.
My apartment. My home. My life.
My heart beats faster. My limbs grow lighter.
I invite plenty of women home. Why not? This is a fantastic apartment.
Amazing view. Enormous bed. Soft sheets.
Then there are all the other places to fuck: The leather couch in the main room. The long dining table on its left. The clean white wall behind the TV.
The kitchen counters on our right.
The shower in the hallway bathroom. The tub in the master.
And those are the places I've used. There must be another dozen I haven't touched.
There have been a lot of women in this apartment. Too many, probably.