Jules Bennett - Best Friends…To Lovers

“Um...” What was the question? Oh, right. “I guess I’ll be smiling and nodding and hanging on your every word.”

Mac brushed her hair over her shoulders, his fingertips trailing over her bare skin there, then up her neck to her jaw as he framed her face. “No, you’re not that type of woman, Jenna.”

Why was he looking at her like that? Did he give off that “I want to devour you” vibe to his other lovers?

“I’m not?” she whispered.

His thumb brushed along her bottom lip. “No. You’re in control. You don’t even realize it, but any man worth having you would fall under your spell. He’d hang on your every word and you would hold the power.”

Jenna’s breath caught in her throat. She held power? Over whom? Because she might not be experienced in relationships, but she knew she’d never held control over anyone.

“When we go out, I will be the one spellbound. We’ll show this ex exactly what he threw away, because you are worth hanging on to.”

Right. The ex. That’s what all of this was about...right? Why was she having such a difficult time focusing? Oh, yeah. Because Mac had her backed up against an appliance. His body was practically molded against hers and he was looking at her as if she was the main course and dessert all wrapped up in one delectable package.

Jenna couldn’t afford to get tangled up in her emotions. Mac wasn’t good for her; they wanted two very different things in life. But now they were each playing a role and she had to remember it was only for a few more days. Getting swept away by the act of being Mac O’Shea’s lover was only asking for heartache...no matter how much her heart clenched when he looked at her with desire in his eyes.

Reaching up to grip his wrists, Jenna eased his hands away from her face. “There’s a great restaurant here at the resort and normally you need a reservation, but our wedding party has been given full run of the place. They have some amazing local dishes. Let me change and we’ll head out.”

As she stepped aside, the fridge door shut. Just as soon as she moved, Mac blocked her path.

“Am I making you nervous, Jenna?”

Nervous? No. Achy, needy and ready to rip his clothes off? Yes.

“Not at all,” she replied with a wide smile. “I’m worried about pulling this off, especially considering how angry Martin was earlier. He doesn’t like to be told no.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t like the way he talked to you.” Mac looked as if he wanted to say more, but he finally stepped aside and motioned toward the bedroom. “Go get ready. I’ll wait on the deck.”

Jenna rushed to the bedroom and closed the door at her back. They were on the second day of this charade and she only prayed she could make it the final five. Surely this would get easier...it had to, for the sake of her sanity and her heart.

* * *

Lunch was amazing and there were no additional run-ins with Martin the Jerk. Mac hadn’t met the man before today, but just one look was enough to know he wasn’t good enough for Jenna. Mac was actually looking forward to another encounter with him. He’d prefer the next one to be away from Jenna, but whenever the opportunity presented itself, Mac would be prepared. Martin seemed too full of himself to just let Jenna go and be happy. Mac would see to it that Martin would never be able to hurt her again.

“You’re scowling,” she muttered as she looped her arm through his. “People are going to think we’re fighting.”

He patted her hand as he led her down the narrow path toward the beach. “Then we’ll have to kiss and make up in public. I’m fine with that.”

“You just like to kiss.”

Shrugging, he threw her a glance. “You have a great set of lips. Who wouldn’t like to kiss them?”

Jenna reached out to push aside a tropical plant hanging over the walkway. “We’re pretending, no need to start laying on the charm.”

“I wouldn’t lie about something like that,” he replied. As they hit the edge of the sand, he turned to her. “You do believe me, right? I may have to keep secrets from you to protect you and my family but when it comes to other things between us, you’ll only get the full truth from me.”

Jenna stared at him as if he were crazy. “Yeah, sure.”

Before he could stop himself, he snaked his arms around her and pulled her flush against his body. He captured her squeal when he covered her mouth with his.

Mac gripped the back of her dress, fighting the urge to lift it up and whisk it over her head. They were in public, but she was seriously doing a number on his emotions. Mac had originally set out to seduce her, but now he also wanted to dismantle any insecurities she had, so when she moved on to the next guy, she would know her self-worth.

Damn. The next guy. Mac didn’t think any guy would be good enough for Jenna.

When she moaned, Mac lifted his head slightly, nipping at her lips a few more times before pulling back. He’d always been able stay detached from any woman, but Jenna was becoming his drug of choice and he saw no way to break the addiction until he got her into his bed.

“Did you see someone?” she asked, her lids fluttering open.

“I thought I saw your mom down the way.” Okay, so that was a lie and he’d just told her he wouldn’t lie to her, but he wasn’t sorry—he was selfish. Pretending to squint and look in the distance, Mac shrugged. “My mistake.”

Lacing his fingers through hers, Mac guided her down the beach. Jenna leaned against his side and he wondered if she was as turned on as he was from that kiss. Each time he tasted her he wanted more, he wanted to take it to another level. Did she even have those thoughts? She couldn’t moan like that, couldn’t lean so perfectly against his body and not want more. His ego swelled, but more than that, hope filled him because now he knew she would reciprocate his need, this ache that kept bouncing between them.

“My sister asked if you and I were free to have dinner with her and Nathan.”

Water lapping at their bare feet, they strolled down the shoreline. Mac decided he really didn’t want to share his Jenna time with anyone else. This week was about seducing his best friend, finally getting her where he’d wanted her since propositioning her years ago at a party. She’d never let herself respond to him before.

“When did they want to get together?” he asked, stroking the delicate area between her thumb and index finger.

“Well, the only free night is tonight. We have a dinner tomorrow, a party the following night, Friday is the rehearsal and Saturday is the wedding.”

Damn. He’d been warned of all the “outings” this week, but he didn’t realize his time would be so monopolized by wedding events. On the other hand, he could totally play this to his advantage. If they were in public he would have to be in lover mode. Maybe there were some perks to these evening activities, after all. After making Jenna moan, who knew what else he could pull out of her during their remaining time on the island?

“I’ll do whatever you want,” he told her.

A mother and a father were splashing around at the edge of the water with their toddler son. Mac didn’t miss the way Jenna stared at the family, the way her breath caught before a soft smile spread across her face. He’d bet she hadn’t even noticed that she’d squeezed his hand a bit tighter. Mac knew this is what she wanted, a family, children. Everything he couldn’t offer, yet everything she deserved. One of the many reasons this arrangement had to be a temporary thing only. After she was out of his system, he’d have to step aside and allow another man to come into her life.

Best friends. That was the highest relationship status he had to give. Jenna would meet the right man and start the family she wanted. The thought conjured up a whole host of images Mac didn’t appreciate. No man would ever measure up, but that wasn’t his decision to make. Shame, that.