Charming Deception

by Jaine Diamond

“What? I had a thing that ran late.” Harlan grunts. He reclines in a wingback chair with his feet up on the coffee table, dress shoes and all. In theory, I have three brothers and a sister, but in actuality I have two brothers, a sister, and what appears to be a male human sibling but is probably some sort of demon. “Lemme guess,” Harlan drawls. “The blow job took longer than you expected.” “It did, actually.”

“I’ll see you on the other side of forty-seven days, Jamie. In the meantime, have fun with your hand.” “Yeah. Have fun with your hollowed-out graveyard bones or whatever it is you fuck.”

Passions should be celebrated, not kept secret. Be proud of yourself for what you’ve accomplished.”

The feeling that rises up in me, setting fire to my senses and stopping my breath, is unnamable. It’s as confusing as it is unexpected. Later, I’ll be able to look back and understand what I felt when I first heard that Megan was gone. In the moment, it feels like a sudden and all-consuming madness, which isn’t far off.

A muscle slides along his jaw. “I’m not one to back down from something I want, Megan.” Oh, boy. I tell myself not to get tingles over those words. I want. He doesn’t want me. Just a fake fiancée. But too late. The tingles are rising, spreading across my skin as he informs me, “I’m looking at what I want right now. And, fair warning, I will try to get it.”

Jameson leans on the table, closing the space between us. The sleeves of his elegant shirt are casually rolled up, and the arm porn alone, along with his forearm tattoos, are enough to break me. God, I’m so thirsty. Be strong, Megan. Just because it looks delicious doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat.

Look around you. This is the big city. There are beautiful women all over the place. Beautiful, hungry women who would be quick to get naked with that man and try to lock him down. And yet he’s laser focused on you.” “Because of my brother.” “Honey. No guy cares that much about his best friend’s sister unless he wants to rail her.”

Another part is pretty sure I’ve got a crush on Megan Hudson that doesn’t really fit anywhere in my life. And there’s a tiny, possibly insane part that wonders, in the heart-pounding silence just after I ejaculate, if fucking her would be worth losing everything anyway. If it would be worth trading every dollar I have just to touch her.

“When… when did you do that?” “When I got out of the shower. While you were waiting for me in my office.” “You knew I was here to say yes?” I mean, I brought all my things with me, but still. “I had some time to think about it. In the shower.” “Well, that was… presumptuous.” “Optimistic,” he corrects me.

I mean, I could at least go get my stuff, right? Then explain to him politely that there’s no ever-loving way I’m sleeping in his bed next to his glorious body and not licking him all over.

“I like you,” he breathes. “I like you, too,” I say instantly. No game. Silence stretches between us. “Um… so, if you change your mind about that thing you said… about us not having sex, for now…” I take a breath, letting that dangle in the dark between us for a long moment. In case he feels the need to interject. He doesn’t. “That’s okay with me,” I continue. “I just want you to know that. I guess what I’m saying is I’d like first dibs, please. If you decide to have sex with someone. You know, me or someone else. You said we’d discuss it first. So, I’m discussing it. And I’d like first dibs.” I take another breath and let the words flow that I just need to put out there. “You can touch me if you decide you want to.” He doesn’t respond right away. Then he swears again. “Jesus Christ, Megan. You really need to stop saying exactly what you’re thinking.” “I didn’t. I was thinking much more than that.” “Holy fuck.” He mutters the words under his breath and rolls onto his back, then tosses his arms over his eyes and lies still.

“Have you ever really looked at what’s between your legs?” Her silence is my answer. “Because you should. You should touch yourself and watch, over and over again.” “Why would I do that?” “Because you should know what you like, before someone else decides for you.”

“I still can’t believe I made any kind of positive impression on Graysen,” I tell him. “Why not?” “Well, I flung mud on your sofa. I made a scene, and quit my job in a very unprofessional way. I reamed you out in front of him.” The crooked smile he gives me is fucking adorable. “I believe that’s the part he enjoyed the most.”

“Look, I don’t mean to sound insecure or anything,” I tell him. “I think I’m all right. But you’ll have to excuse me if I just never saw myself as the kind of woman who’d attract the attention of a billionaire.” “Do you mean my brother or me?” The corner of his mouth twitches. He’s teasing me, maybe. “I guess… both of you.” “Then maybe the way you see yourself is not the full picture.” He adds casually, “Maybe, Megan Hudson, you don’t know how rare you are.”

“It’s all right. It’s a fair question. And it’s easy enough to answer.” Megan’s cheeks grow pink as I speak. “She’s got a big, warm heart. She cares about people, even people she’s just met. And people she’s never met,” I add, thinking of Romeo’s wife. “She’s sweet and thoughtful. She has strong core values and she lives by them. She’s so goddamn beautiful. And every time she smiles, it’s the best thing that happened to my day.”

“Why would I do that?” “Fear. You can’t lead with your heart when your first priority is to protect it at all costs.”

“What happens in book three?” He starts babbling again, like he’s spilling to a therapist, and I have to bite my lip to keep from giggling. “I mean, book one ended on a cliff-hanger too but they were okay. There were those two men who tried to attack Rowan in the woods but then Wolf saved her and you could’ve stopped right there and I’d be happy that they were together and they were safe. But then you just kept writing and now I need them to be okay. You know. Together.” He finishes, staring at the ceiling, like he’s still reliving it all in his head. “Jameson?” “Yeah?” He blinks at me, like I’ve just yanked him back to reality. “You know what this means, right?” “What?” “You’re a romantic.” He groans, like it’s a loathsome curse to bear. “Don’t tell my brothers.”

“And how about some French wine? The good stuff.” “Now you’re speaking my language.” “Oh, yeah?” Jameson lifts an eyebrow, and as we settle into the limo, he says, “Alors allons te saouler, ma douce.”

“Tu es la plus belle femme de tout Paris.” “Stop that.” * * * “You are the most beautiful woman in all of Paris.”

“I just realized why I may be having such a hard time envisioning a happy ending for my book series.” “Yeah?” I take a breath. “I’ve never seen a happy ending play out in real life.” He considers that for a moment, then admits, “Neither have I.”

I tremble, burying my fingers in his hair. “Can I… can I sit down?” “No.” He wraps his hands around me, cupping my ass cheeks and squeezing my flesh. He inhales my scent as my grip tightens in his hair. “You’re a queen.” He looks up into my eyes. “You stand, and I worship you.”

“I had no idea you were such a germaphobe.” “It’s not a phobia. Just common sense and self-respect.” “Even if we put aside that the alcohol probably kills the germs anyway⁠—” “Maybe.” “—you are ruining bar nights for me.” “Then I’ve succeeded.” “You don’t want me going to bars?” “No. I want you home on my dick, where you belong.” She laughs and smacks my arm like I’m kidding.