Her Reluctant Husband by Erica Marselas (summer beach reads txt) 📗

My eyes linger on the sway of her hips and the unmistakable site of the dragonfly tramp stamp tattoo on her back. My cock twitches as I’m hit with the memory of her naked body next to mine, kissing over that very tattoo before I tasted how good her cunt was for the first time when she rode my face.

Fuck! Why do I keep thinking of her like that?

Maybe because it's my last good memory of her. And it was of her in this very room that’s bringing it all back.

“Mr. Wilks, you still there?” Greg calls into the phone and I shake off the thought of June naked on top of me. I close my bedroom door and bang my head against it.

"Greg, I'm going to have to call you back."

"Alright, boss."

I make my way downstairs and Maggie is sitting on the high stool talking to June, playing with her hair. “I still think you should go back to being a blonde. I hear they have more fun.” Maggie chuckles and June shakes her head.

Maggie Lawrence was Liz's best friend and our neighbor, though she lived five miles down the road. She was over all the time bringing food and Kathleen and I considered her family.

“We both know that isn’t true,” June mumbles, and the smile slips from Maggie's lips.

“Oh, sweetie.” Maggie touches her cheek and I snarl at what is happening between them. Again, she has another person, who I care for, wrapped around her finger, when they know…

“I don't mean to break up the pow-wow, but I heard there’s lasagna.”

Maggie turns to me and grins. She steps off the stool, walking over to me to gather me in her arms. “Oh, Alex, it's so good to see you.” She pulls back from my arms and looks me over. “You've gotten so…big." She pats my chest and looks at June with a smirk. "You used to be such a skinny thing growing up."

"I work out a lot, it helps with the stress." I eye June over Maggie's shoulder, but she ignores me completely as she places some vegetables on a serving dish. “I play a lot of basketball after work too.”

"I feel awful we didn't get to talk at the funeral. How are you doing?"

I didn’t talk to anyone after the funeral. After the service, I escaped to work just so I could get away from the tears and the reality of Liz being gone. I’m no good at death and I’m not good at people telling me how sorry they are for my loss. At least at work, I could pretend she was still around, and I was still away and avoiding.

"It's been rough. The house seems so empty without her."

“It does…but…a birdie told me it won't be empty for long. I heard you two are getting married.”

“News travels fast,” June says, and I hear the panic in her voice. What's that about?

“Mr. Kelley told me this morning. He figured you two might need a home cooked meal tonight.” Maggie squeezes June’s hand. “Now, don't worry, only the people who need to know, know. I promise.”

“It's not like we'll be able to hide it forever.” June laughs nervously and moves to the fridge. She flings the door open and buries her head inside.

“I also came over to help you plan what you want for the wedding. Location, guests, a dress—”

“You do know this isn't real,” I cut Maggie off. I might have to get married, but I'm not doing some over the top shenanigans to try and make my bride happy.

“Oh, hush.” Maggie waves me off. “You two used to be the cutest things together. She’s the only girl in the world that could handle your mouth.”

“We could get married next to the pond," June says as she slams the fridge closed and starts to unscrew the lid to her water bottle.

“Why don’t we just get married here in the kitchen, so afterward you can make me dinner." I smirk as both women glare at me. June slams a water bottle down in front of me, and I feel the heat of her anger radiating off her.

I never thought riling up June could be so much fun.

"So, pond it is," June snarks back and I chuckle.

I hate to admit how much I like it when she bites back.

"Now, besides me and Ms. Gandy, of course, is there anyone else you want to invite?”

I pop a cherry tomato into my mouth and know instantly how to rev up June bug here.

"Well, I was talking to my PA Whitney, and I think I should invite her and maybe a few others from my work. I’m sure they would love to see the tortuous event."

"Whitney?

“Yeah, Whitney Fieldman. You remember her, don't you?"

June's face scrunches in disgust. "No, definitely not. I never liked her."

I know. 

"Well, I like her just fine," I say smoothly and pop a mushroom into my mouth.

June's lips twitch with a snarl. "I’m sure you do." She turns around and moves to the sink taking the un-chopped pepper and knife with her. "Some things never change," I hear her mumble softly as she turns on the faucet.

This coming from the girl that was doing god knows what with Bradly Vaughn in a bathroom at his house party just an hour before she drove her car off the road. With my sister.

After I thought we were finally…she was mine. My jaw twitches, not able to ignore the memories flashing through my head. Getting that phone call from Deacon, telling me my sister was gone and it was all because of June drinking at the party when she told me she wouldn’t. I went to the scene, saw the tangled up metal of the car wrapped around the tree.