The Weekend Girlfriend (6 page)

***

The flight was uneventful, Kyle sleeping through most of it. I held tight to his hand as we soared above the clouds, afraid to let go lest he might disappear and I wake up from this dream. I was worried, so worried, about what I was experiencing and the hurt that was going to follow. It was only a matter of time before this fairytale ended and I was gorging myself on cookie dough and sappy romance novels. He and I, we just didn’t mix in the real world, apart from this farce that we insisted on playing out. God, why had I slept with him?

Sighing, Kyle woke in time to depart, his roguish smile drawing out some of the turmoil that was currently going on inside of me. “I got a rental so we wouldn’t have that awkward ride,” he said as we collected our bags and headed into the sun. “And so we could make a quick exit if need be.”

“Oh, it’s not going to be that bad,” I said as he led us to a sleek four-door vehicle in the rental lot. “I’m sure your family will be happy to see you.”

Kyle stopped and looked at me, his mouth showing the strain of this reunion. “Don’t think this is going to turn out roses and chocolate, Jess,” he said, his fingers running through his hair. “My family will tolerate me and you because they have to. Then we will go our separate ways until the next wedding or funeral, whichever comes first. This isn’t going to be a warm, cozy welcome.”

He then let out a breath, his grin sliding back into place as I had seen it done numerous times before. “I’m glad you are agreeing to do this. It will make this week much more enjoyable.”

“Yeah well, we will be sick of each other by then,” I said lightly. “Don’t worry, I will be by your side.”

Kyle really smiled then, one that seemed to light up those beautiful eyes of his as he leaned down, dropping a kiss on my lips. “Thank you.”

“No problem,” I answered as he popped open the trunk and put our bags in. We climbed in and Kyle maneuvered the car onto the road with ease. The city soon faded in the distance as we passed through small, quaint towns, the kind that if you blinked, you missed it. We fell into a long silence, the tension in Kyle’s body evident the farther we drove. I wanted to console him, but kept my hands to myself, instead looking out of the window for the most part.

At the next quaint little town, Kyle took a series of turns and I felt the tension build in the car as we ended up in a residential neighborhood with large colonial-style houses on the tree-lined street. It was the ideal American dream, and as we turned into a long, curved driveway, I couldn’t help but think how our childhoods had differed. My parents, God bless them, were both government workers, civilians whose jobs caused us to move around a lot. Though they were loving and able to provide for me, we never really settled down in one place until I was much older. There hadn’t been a childhood home such as this to go back to, there hadn’t been lifelong friends to grow up with. I was not bitter in the least, yet wondered if Kyle realized how lucky he truly had been to have a permanent residence.

Pulling up behind an expensive-looking SUV, Kyle cut the engine and took a deep breath, his expression unreadable behind his sunglasses. “Listen, don’t let them get to you,” he said softly, his hands gripping the wheel. “Just be yourself and hope that this goes by fast.”

Quelling my nervousness, I reached over and covered my hand with his, hoping that I could provide some comfort. “I will be here for you, Kyle. Don’t worry, I got your back.”

Kyle didn’t answer as he pulled open the door and climbed out, coming around the front to open my door as well. Giving him the best smile I could, I climbed out, accepting his proffered arm.

“Come on,” I said gently, looking at the imposing house in front of us with some trepidation. “Let’s get this over with.”

Kyle moved my hand down to his, interlacing our fingers and giving me a squeeze. “Let’s go.”

We started up the brick stairs to the double oak doors, pushing one of them open to gain entrance into a cool foyer. I fought the urge to smile as I noticed the same out of a magazine décor Kyle had in his home, wondering if they truly realized a house was to be cozy, not sterile. A large open living room was off to one side, the furniture light colored and not a piece of anything out of place.

“Kyle, you finally made it.” A slim woman stood behind a wingback chair, her hair the same color as Kyle’s. She had a cool expression on her perfectly sculpted features, her lips drawn into a flat line as she acknowledged our presence. I took in her straight out of J.Crew catalog clothing and suppressed the urge to tuck tail and run, realizing exactly what Kyle was trying to warn me about. There was nothing warm about this woman, nothing at all.

“Mother,” Kyle said coolly, pulling me more into the room. “You are looking well.”

“Is this her?” his mother replied, ignoring him as she gazed at me.

“This is Jessica,” Kyle said, pulling me into the crook of his arm. “Jessica, this is my mother, Julia.” I was grateful for his touch as his mother came closer, her mouth growing flatter by the moment as she took in my attire. It was obvious I was not the woman she would pick out.

“Well, welcome to our home, Jessica. I trust you will have a pleasant stay here.” Not I hope, but I trust, which was no doubt the way she ran her household. I was growing more worried by the moment. “Your father should be home in a few hours,” she continued, turning back to her son. “Your sister is coming for dinner at six. I put you in your bedroom. I trust you staying in the same room won’t be a problem?”

“Not at all,” Kyle replied, dropping his arm to grab my hand. “We will go get ready then.”

Without another word, he dragged me out of the room and up a grand staircase to the second floor, where a long hallway full of doors greeted us, our footsteps making marks in the plush carpeting. I followed him helplessly as he pushed open one of the doors and propelled us inside, shutting the door firmly behind us.

“Wow,” I breathed as he let go of my hand. “I have never seen something make you haul tail before.”

“Sorry,” he shrugged, his hands on his hips. “You have to take my mother in small doses. The longer you are in her company, the worse she tends to be.”

“She seemed… nice,” I forced out, looking around the room. It was a large bedroom, decorated like the rest of the house in mundane color palettes. A four-poster king bed dominated much of the room, with matching armoire and dresser completing the suite. An open door lay opposite of the bed, revealing a moderate-sized en suite bathroom.

“Looks like mother decided to redecorate,” he replied as he took in the bedroom as well. “I bet my junk is in the basement.”

“When is the last time you visited?” I asked, pulling the curtains aside to view a well-manicured backyard.

“Not since I graduated college,” he replied, stunning me. Though we lived in separate states, I at least saw my family two times a year regardless. That had to be at least ten years given the fact I knew he was approaching thirty-five.

I heard him come up behind me, his hands sliding around my waist and pulling me against his body, immediately surrounding me in warmth. “You know there is a hot tub down there,” he said softly, nibbling on my earlobe. “And I plan to enjoy it at some point this weekend, with you.”

“I think your mother would object,” I replied softly, gasping as his tongue traced the outer shell of my ear.

“I don’t give a damn,” he growled. His hands pulled my shirt out of my skirt, his fingers touching my bare skin, caressing my stomach before inching upward, brushing my already taunt nipples as his hands covered my breasts.

“Kyle,” I breathed as molten lava coursed through my veins at his touch, the way he was trailing hot kisses down my neck.

“I want you,” he breathed into my ear. “So fucking bad.” He pushed himself against me, his arousal evident as I arched against him. I was wet, my body alive with painful need. Kyle growled low in his throat as he removed his hands, wrenching my skirt up around my hips and forcing me to step out of my panties. “Grab the windowsill.”

Shaking, I grabbed the thin piece of wood at the bottom of the window as I heard the telltale sound of his belt unbuckling, his zipper sliding down before he entered me from behind in one full thrust. “Dear God,” I moaned as he stretched and filled me, forcing me to grip the windowsill as my legs buckled.

“Yes,” he echoed as he pulled back and thrust again, shattering my very core. The orgasm was overwhelming as Kyle picked up the tempo, me rocking back to match his thrusts. “That’s it, Jess,” Kyle coached, his voice strained. “Beautiful.”

I moaned again as the orgasms started to build, one right after the other in waves. I squelched a scream as an explosion of light flashed before my eyes, followed by Kyle’s convulsion inside me as we collapsed in a heap on the floor. I breathed in the fresh scent of clean carpet under my nose, my breath coming in short gasps as Kyle’s weight shifted off of me. He flopped down on the floor next to me.

“Damn.”

I couldn’t find my voice to agree with his wording as I pushed myself up off the floor, my legs still wobbly from the aftershocks. Kyle reached out and gripped my ankle, his large hands sliding up my calf deliciously. “Where do you think you are going?”

An hour later I straightened my skirt and slid on my flats, walking across the room where Kyle was buttoning up his shirt over that gorgeous chest of his. “Let me,” I said softly, pushing his hands away. “I was beginning to think we weren’t going to make dinner.”

“If I knew we could get away with it, I would be taking that skirt off,” he replied as I pushed the buttons through the holes, a shiver slicing through me as he cupped my cheek.

“Come on, bad boy,” I smiled, removing his hand to place it in mine. “It’s showtime.” I turned toward the door and Kyle pulled me back against him, taking my hands in his.

“Listen, Jess,” he began, his eyes growing soft as he searched mine. “I just wanted to thank you for doing this with me. I can’t think of anyone else that could handle it as well as you are nor would I want anyone else by my side.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, giving him a soft kiss on the lips. “I won’t embarrass you. I’ve been dealing with you for years. Your family won’t be that difficult.” Kyle let out a strangled laugh and released me, pulling me toward the door.

I rolled my eyes as I allowed him to drag me down the stairs, my heart giddy in my chest. He had given me slow, sweet torture on the floor, the bed, and in the shower since we had arrived in his bedroom a few hours ago, so much that I knew I would ache in the morning from all of this extracurricular activity. There had been no words yet I could feel through his touch, knowing I was losing every inch of my heart with each one. We had explored each other lazily during that time and I felt comfortable under his intense gaze, no secrets left between us. I knew him more intimately than anyone else and even so, I knew he wouldn’t be mine in the long run.

Kyle guided us to the dining room, where a long table laden with delicate china was already set up. Everyone was already seated when we entered, rising as Kyle drew up short.

“Son,” a large, bulky man with salt and pepper hair acknowledged Kyle from the head of the table.

“Father,” Kyle said evenly, pulling me into the enclosure of his arms. I could feel the tension in his grasp and tried to put on the bravest smile I could muster. “This is Jessica. Jessica, this is my father Brent, my sister Nicole, and her fiancé Reese.”

I smiled at the dark-haired woman who resembled Kyle with her features, sitting next to a man who could be described as an all American football type jock with slick blond hair and a warm expression  that immediately made me feel at least like I had an ally in the room. Kyle’s sister nodded in my direction, a small smile on her face as she looked me over in the circle of her brother’s arms.

“And you remember Danielle, Kyle.” His mother smiled, nodding to the redhead at the end of the table.

Kyle’s arms dropped immediately as I felt him stiffen, then my own body react jealousy as I recognized her as being the same woman I had seen him with a few days prior. It was like a cold dunking when you least expected it.

“Kyle,” she purred, her cultured voice matching the perfection of her makeup and clothing. “So good to see you again.”

“Danielle,” Kyle said flatly.

“Danielle is staying with us for the wedding,” Julia replied, looking at the woman warmly. “She is between assignments right now.”

“I am a flight attendant,” Danielle explained, apparently to just me since everyone else in the room must be aware of her job. “My next turn is in Europe next week.”

Kyle said nothing as he motioned for us to sit, me beside his sister and he beside Danielle. I tried my best to keep my smile as I noted the seating arrangement and the exchange passed between Kyle’s parents as they viewed their son and Danielle together. It was obvious she was their choice for their son. Hell, I wasn’t who I would have chosen for their son. The question was still up in the air on why they had been together just a few days ago, given his reaction to her.

Thankfully, the food came out just as we sat down, which limited conversation. “So what do you do, Jessica?” Nicole asked as we delved into our salads.

“I, uh, work in Kyle’s office,” I choked out, receiving an arched eyebrow from Julia in the process.

“Interdepartmental relationship, huh,” Brent barked out, his fork hovering near his mouth. “I am surprised you allow that, son.”

“Kyle is a wonderful lawyer,” I interrupted, feeling the need to stick up for him. “I am very blessed to be working for such a talented person.”

“Thank you,” Nicole said softly enough for my ears only. Surprised, I looked up to find her gazing at her brother adoringly, seeing her in a new light. It appeared not everyone in the family thought the same.

“You can’t stop true love,” Kyle finally answered, his warm gaze on me. “Jess is a valuable asset not only in my office, but in my life as well. I don’t know what I would do without her.”

I blushed at his comments, knowing that I shouldn’t let them affect me too deeply. After all, we were putting on an act, regardless of what we were doing on the side.

“Bravo,” Danielle remarked, giving two soft claps as she held up her wineglass. “Here’s to true love and wedded bliss. May I be lucky enough to find it one day.” I held up my glass and tipped it, careful to only take a small sip of the sweet wine, remembering my embarrassment with Kyle over too much wine. I had no desire to have a repeat performance of that night.

The rest of the dinner was surprisingly quiet and before long, we were retiring to the backyard, where Julia was showing off the area where her daughter would wed.

“You know this isn’t my preferred place to do this,” Nicole remarked as we stood on the patio, watching from above. “I wanted to do the beach, but mother wouldn’t hear of it.”

“It’s your wedding,” I replied, my thoughts straying to crazy ideas of Kyle and me barefooted on the beach. “Why not do what you want to do?”

“You can’t do that with mother,” Nicole sighed, clasping her hands in front of her. “I’m sure Kyle has told you. Mother likes it her way and her way only. That is why he hasn’t been back to this house in so long. He was able to escape, I wasn’t.” She then turned toward me, taking my hands in hers. “I really, really hope you love my brother,” she said softly, her eyes reminiscent of the ones I now adored. “I hope you can provide what he hasn’t gotten from our family. He seems happy, happier than I have ever seen him.”

I gave her a small smile, my heart in torment over what this girl was thinking and what was truly going on between her brother and me. I knew what I was feeling and what I had felt over the last few chaotic days. I was falling hard for the man that had turned my life upside down, the man that I wanted to stick up for, the man I wanted to selfishly keep as my own. It wasn’t possible. No, there would be one-sided feelings on this.

Sighing, I watched as he carried on a conversation with Reese, a little more relaxed as they shared a laugh. “Get him away from this place,” Nicole added, dropping my hands. “You already protect him, I can’t ask for much more.”