Holy shit. “Where? Who said that?”
“You didn’t hear?”
“Corinne and I were busy last night.”
After our airport run, we settled back at my place for a pizza and a bottle of wine. She’d planned to work, but I persuaded her we needed an early turn-in. I did my best to keep my cock out of her, but I slipped up once. My tongue, however, was another story…
She was sleeping too peacefully this morning for me to wake her up so I could go to pound town. I was hard as fuck until I got to the office and focused on work, but I can live with that. I was just glad to wake up beside her.
If that doesn’t sound like a guy in love, I have no idea what does.
“You’re not even married yet and already acting like newlyweds,” she jokes.
“You can’t tell me you and Noah weren’t busy before you said I do.”
“We totally were. That’s why I was already pregnant when we exchanged vows. But he still gets a kick out of knocking me up.”
“Really…that’s just so much TMI.”
“Oops,” she murmurs without sounding contrite at all. “Anyway, the reporters who attended your engagement party put out the word. People are talking.”
Shit. I didn’t see that coming. “But their beat is sports.”
“Doesn’t matter. You two are big news.”
I sigh, hoping like hell Corinne is prepared for her brother’s BS, because it’s coming. Then again… “If it’s in the sports pages, Parker won’t see it.” He’s not a jock by any definition. “So that’s a plus.”
“You really are out of the loop. The guys who came on Saturday didn’t report it to their fans. None of them would have given a crap, especially with college football season about to kick off. But they passed the info on to celeb and pop culture peeps. The possibility that Parker isn’t that innocent made TMZ. Lots of speculation out there now…”
He won’t take that lying down. “Damn it.”
“Sorry. If it’s any consolation, Noah called the reporters early this morning and laid into them for not running the story past him first.” She pauses. “He figured if you weren’t spilling your past with Hadley—was that her name?—to the public, there was a reason.”
Yes. Too bad that doesn’t help. “Tell him I appreciate him trying.”
“What are you going to do? What’s your move?”
Good question. If it was merely a feud between Parker and me, I would hunt the motherfucker down and confront him with the video Lisa took of the asshole admitting he fucked my former fiancé. I’d threaten to spread it everywhere unless he shut the hell up and left me alone. But with Corinne in the picture, that’s not an option. I may be spit-balling here, but I doubt she’d be okay with airing all her dirty laundry to the world. And the things Parker said to her were filthy. Horrible. Demeaning. Despite her brother being the bad guy in this scenario, he’s still her brother. She doesn’t want to hurt him, just get him to release her money from his controlling fist.
“I’m working on it.” But Corinne and I clearly need to talk more.
It’s my bad that I kept her too busy last night for anything resembling conversation. We especially haven’t talked more about what’s happening between us. The minute we were alone again, I kissed her and we both went up in flames. Other than breaks for food and showers, last night was a repeat of Saturday.
Which reminds me… I’ve blown through my condom stash. I’ll need to stop at the store or Corinne will be pregnant in two point two seconds.
That notion gets me instantly hard—and not for the first time. Admittedly, the idea has primal appeal. We’re supposed to be temporary, but no part of my body is acting that way, especially my heart.
“If you intend to change the narrative, figure it out fast. You don’t have a lot of time. Hollywood loves to build someone up only to tear them down, and Parker is especially vulnerable since the movie wasn’t as warmly received as the book. To a bunch of the filmgoers, he came off like a whining bastard. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes score reflects that.”
It’s more accurate to say he’s a narcissistic asshole, but I’m splitting hairs. “Thanks for the heads-up.”
“Sure. If you need any help, let me know. Of all your siblings, I’m the most devious.”
“I think Maxon and Griff could give you a run for your money.” Evan is too straightforward, Bethany isn’t the underhanded type, and our youngest sibling, Oliver, is only five, so the verdict is still out on him.
“Pfft. They’re amateurs.”
Not true, but I laugh. “Thanks for helping Corinne.”
“It was a pleasure. We’re happy to pitch in again if it keeps her sane.”
“I’m sure she appreciated it.”
“It’s none of my business, but is there a reason you don’t want the press to denigrate Parker? If you can discredit your adversary and not have to do any of the bad-mouthing yourself, I’d call that a win-win.”