Pretending She's His: A Hard Feelings Novella (5 page)

His dad was dying. He had terminal cancer; an inoperable tumor in his brain. Some days he wasn’t even his dad. He was just gone, like he’d slipped into another world, another realm of thought that he and his mother couldn’t reach. To watch the man who raised him, the man who taught him how to throw a football, shoot a rifle, and drink a beer; to watch him wither into a man he barely recognized was shredding a piece of him every day.

Trevor was the exact replica of his father. They had the same square shoulders, the same ashy brown hair; the same steel gray eyes. But his father was so fucking calm. Nothing had ever seemed to stir him or piss him off. He’d let things roll off his shoulders and kept a smile on his face doing it. He wasn’t what you would picture a one-star general to be. He wasn’t this rigid, uptight, by-the-book leader. He was approachable, relatable, and understanding.

His dad always had a way with the women too, and they’d flocked to him, wherever they were. But his dad only had eyes for his mom. She was his everything.

How was he supposed to live up to the man his father was? He wasn’t even in the same fucking category. And there wasn’t a whole lot of time to figure it out.

Trevor cleared his throat. “Excuse me,” he said, needing to get away from that conversation. He turned, but Don called out his name, stopping him. He spun back around, fighting the burn that was pricking in his eyes.

“Your dad’s a great man. He was an outstanding commander, but he’s an even better father—and husband. I’m so sorry for you and your family.”

Nodding, he tightly pressed his lips together until he could feel the pain from his teeth biting into his lips.

An arm slipped through his and a small hand gave him a gentle squeeze. Meagan. He didn’t know how that woman seemed to know exactly when he needed her—but she did, even if she didn’t realize it.

He smiled at her, then nodded at Reed and Luke who were behind her. “What you boys talking about?” she asked. There was such joy in her voice, such ease. He not only wanted to protect her from the hurt he knew she would feel bringing up his dad, but he also didn’t want to ruin that sweet sound. That perfect paradise her mind was relaxing on. He couldn’t take that away from her.

“Just how I would give your dad the first swing, but I would get to finish Reed off if he ever even thought about hurting you,” he teased, making sure to send Reed a look that very well told him that he may be teasing Meagan, but he was serious as shit. Reed nodded, a faint smile tugging up—almost a challenge. And Trevor could appreciate it. The only man who would ever be worthy of Meagan was a man willing to fight him for her. Reed had already proved that he was willing and ready.

Her blue eyes rolled toward the back of her head. “Seriously? I thought we covered this already.”

Pressing his palm to the back of her head, he gently pushed until the top of her head connected with his lips. “Covered,” he reassured her. He’d taken it upon himself to have that conversation with Reed the second he found out Meagan was marrying him. He’d needed to make sure she wouldn’t get hurt. But he wasn’t worried about that anymore. Reed was a good guy, and he loved Meagan. No doubt about it.

“Hey, baby, can I talk to you for a quick second?” Eva said from behind. He recognized her voice, but it lacked that confidence it usually carried. She sounded nervous. Her words didn’t register—he didn’t realize she was speaking to him until he felt her hand on his biceps. He turned around to face her and Meagan did the same.

Meagan’s eyes widened as she looked from him to Eva, the same confusion he was feeling was inscribed on Meagan’s expression, but the look in Eva’s eyes warned him from asking what the hell was going on.

“Sure,” he said cautiously. Dropping his arm from Meagan, he followed Eva.

He was enjoying the view from behind as she quickly made her way down the slight decline toward the dock. The now-setting sun saturated her body, her hair soaking up the golden rays as the light reflected in the fiery strands that were blowing in the faint breeze.

She hopped up onto the large dock, the boards creaking under their feet as he followed her to the edge.

“Dammit,” she basically shouted, like she was cursing the water in front of her for flowing. Trevor wanted to reach out and touch her, but the way she wrapped her arms around her stomach as she sat down, dangling her feet into the cool water, made him resist. He just stood behind her, letting her work through whatever had her riled. When she was ready, she would tell him, and he would help her figure out whatever it was. He had this woman shit figured out solid. At least he thought he did, but the next words out of Eva’s mouth shocked the hell out of him.

“I fucked up Trev. Real bad.”

Eva admitting that she did something wrong sent the first wave of confusion his way. This woman wouldn’t admit her shit stank. “Can you give me a little bit more insight than that?”

She rolled her head back, closing her eyes as her face lifted toward the sky. An audible sigh laced with a frustrated growl hummed from her lips. He took that as his cue to sit. He slipped off his shoes and socks and lowered himself next to her, dunking his feet into the lake.

Dropping her head, she turned to face him. She was embarrassed. He didn’t see this emotion cross over her face often, but he fucking loved it when he did. Her smooth, porcelain skin that had only a hint of a sun-kissed glow had a transparent flush—a rosy tint that clashed with her golden-red hair—and it was sexy. “I told Luke we were together,” she muttered almost shyly, which was another emotion that wasn’t one she typically harbored.

And he laughed. He laughed deep in his chest until his back was damn near forced down against the dock. He laughed hard enough to the point where no sound was hitting his ears—silent laughter.

“It’s not fucking funny,” she whined, slapping his chest hard.

“Oh, it’s funny,” he said attempting to catch his breath.

She grimaced and shook her head. “Well, what am I supposed to do now?”

Winking, he laid on his thickest grin—one that would hopefully make her laugh, or make her call him some foul name—anything to remove the oh-shit look from her face. “We act like we are together.”

Her face contorted, her brows angling toward her nose, her lips tightening into a firm line.

“Oh, come on”—his hand gently slapped her knee and he grasped it, giving it a squeeze—“it won’t be that bad.”

“Easy for you to say, you’re a walking erection.”

So she thought he was a joke, not a complete surprise, but it didn’t sit well with him. “Look, you want to tell Luke the truth, I’ll back you up. You want to continue with this little lie, I’ll back you up. The ball’s in your court, Red.”

Her eyes shifted to him, and he saw a vulnerable side that was unlike anything he had ever seen in her before. She was always so sure of herself, so confident, and strong. Seeing her feel almost helpless tugged at him.

She collected a puff of air in her cheeks, held it in, then blew it out in an aggravated sigh. “Fuuck,” she said, dragging the word out in a long deflated breath. “You sure you are up for this?” She angled her body toward him, pulling her foot out of the water and sliding her ankle under her thigh.

Trevor laughed once. She had no idea what she was asking. Was he okay pretending that this little spitfire was his? Was he okay getting the opportunity to touch her in ways he had been itching to touch her since she first told him to fuck off? Hell yes he was up for this. He was always up for a good challenge—and she’d just thrown out the mother lode.

“I’m happy to help,” he said, bushing it off like it was no big deal.

“Okay, we need some ground rules.”

“All right,” he replied, amused.

“Keep the physical affection PG. No ass groping or wandering hands. Hand holding, hugging and other small embraces are okay. Kisses are okay, just no tongue.”

Trevor arched his brows at her. How did she expect him to kiss that mouth of hers without slipping in for a taste? This might be fucking harder than he thought.

“I mean it, Trev,” she admonished.

Throwing his hands up in surrender and smiling he said, “Fine, fine. But I hope you know you are taking all the fun out of this for me.”

She rolled her eyes and he couldn’t help laughing. “Ugh, I can’t believe we are doing this,” she said.

“Is the idea of being with me really that repulsive?” he asked, although he knew the answer. She shot him down every chance she could, and was the only woman who had ever done so so adamantly.

“It’s not that you’re repulsive, you’re just Trevor. You’re a slut. You’re cocky and arrogant and quite possibly the—”

“Sexiest man you’ve ever seen?” he interrupted, throwing his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into him. She relaxed against his side and nestled her head on his chest.

“See, I rest my case,” she sighed, defeated.

***

They walked back from the dock hand in hand, which was extremely awkward for Eva but if they were going to play the part, they might as well start now. She would have to explain everything to Meagan because there was no way in hell she would ever believe for a second that she and Trevor were together. Not after four years of tormenting the shit out of him every chance she got about his playboy ways.

“You know, if we’re going to pull this off, you need to relax a little, Red,” he whispered, leaning in close to her ear and squeezing her hand.

“Kiss my ass, Trev.”

“Bend over, baby.”

“Oh God, it’s starting already,” she said, withholding the laugh that was forming in her throat. She would not give Trevor the satisfaction.

As soon as they stepped onto the thick grass and started toward the drink table, Meagan’s big, round eyes instantly found hers. Eva gave her another don’t-fucking-ask look and Meagan just raised her brows and shook her head—she’d more than likely deduced her little scheme. Or was it Trevor’s? Hell, at this point it didn’t matter.

Picking up the chilled chardonnay from the pewter ice bucket, Eva poured herself a glass, filling it to the brim.

“Easy, woman,” Trevor warned, from beside her. She whipped her head to him and narrowed her eyes, picked up the glass in one hand and the bottle in the other, and headed to one of the tables under the tent.

It didn’t take Meagan long to find her way to Eva’s table, stopping only briefly to greet someone or chat quickly with a guest. She sat down in the chair next to Eva and propped her feet up on the empty chair beside her.

“Spill it, babe.”

“I would rather not,” Eva grumbled. She wasn’t a pouter or a Debbie-downer but this whole Luke thing knocked her for a loop. Dammit, it would’ve been so much easier if her stupid conscience had just shut the fuck up and let her send him on his merry little way—hurt feelings and all.

“I’m going to play the it’s-my-wedding-and-I’m-pregnant card. So start talking.”

“You’re such a bitch when you want to be, you know that?” She sighed. “I told Luke I was dating Trevor.”

Meagan choked on the bite of wedding cake she had just shoveled into her mouth. “Why the hell would you do that?” she asked incredulously.

“Because Trevor came up with the little idea—”

“Well, no shit he did. Only Trevor would suggest something like that. He’s been looking for an opportunity to get you in his bed—naked, I might add—for as long as I can remember.”

“It’s not going to change anything. He’s not getting me naked, Meggy. Luke followed me to the cabin and told me he still cares about me.”

Meagan’s brows lifted. She was as shocked as Eva was, and Meagan adored Luke. He was Reed’s best friend. Eva would have thought that maybe Meagan knew about Luke’s change of heart, that she’d have been able to give her a heads-up, but apparently not. “Why this weekend is he all of a sudden wanting to tell me how he feels?”

“I don’t know, babe. Maybe it’s the whole wedding thing. Maybe he’s truly never gotten over you and he’s finally got the balls to tell you—hell, I don’t know how his mind works.”

“Well, it worked.”

“It worked?” Meagan asked, confused.

“I wasn’t going to go along with Trevor’s little plan, but I panicked,” she explained, downing the contents of her wineglass in a few long pulls. “Luke believed it.”

It was the easy way out, it was the cowardly way out. Should she have just told him the truth again and dealt with it like the strong woman she thought she was? Ab-so-fucking-lutely. But it was too late, what’s done was done. She couldn’t go back on what she said now: she would look like an even bigger ass. She’d already dug a hole.

Just then, Trevor made his way into the tent. He was also wearing his dress uniform like the other men. She was a complete and total sucker for a soldier in his dress uniform with his ribbons, awards, and medals pinned to his chest. There was just something about a man in uniform—period. A man who fought for his country, was an M-4 sharpshooter, and wore that beautiful, little metal company combat pin on his right breast pocket, did it for her. Every. Single. Time. There was nothing,
nothing
, sexier than a soldier. Trevor included.

His jacket was off and the sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows. The hem of his shirt was tucked in nice and tight, showing off his hard physique that gave way to his narrow hips that in turn led to his thick thighs. Eva noticed Trevor. She had always noticed Trevor. Looking at him was one of her favorite things about their friendship, especially when he was half naked in a pair of his tight gray boxer briefs. But the way he looked at her when he entered the tent suddenly made her nervous. He had a glint in his eye as he smiled at her—like they shared some intimate secret. Okay, so they
did
share a secret, but this look was different. It was seductive and intense, and it sent chills across her heated skin.

He stopped behind her chair. She couldn’t see him but she was strangely completely aware of him. “Hey, baby, I got you some cake,” he said, a slight slink to his words, a silken purr. Then he set the small piece of red velvet cake in front of her and leaned down, his head moving close to hers before he pressed his lips the side of her neck.