Page 31 of Bridesmaid for Hire
I roll my eyes. “Let’s get this done so I can get some sleep and forget about the fact that I have to share a bed with you.”
“Once again, by your doing.” He props his hands behind his head and smiles at me.
“You’re really annoying, you know that?”
“I actually find myself a bit of a delight.”
“Number one,” I snap. “There will be absolutely, and I mean zero sexual interactions between Brody McFadden and Maggie Mitchell.”
“Thank God.” He blows out a heavy breath. “No offense, but you just don’t do it for me.”
What.
An.
Asshole.
I look up at him. “Yes, you made that quite clear at Gary’s wedding.”
And that smug look he was just sporting falters. Guess we’re not as unflappable as we thought we were.
“Maggie—”
“Don’t,” I say, holding up my hand. “I don’t want to hear it. I chalk that night up to a drunken mistake that will never, and I mean,neverhappen again. So, let’s move on.” I hand him the pen and offer the paper to him. “Initial here. No sexual conduct at all.”
He doesn’t initial. Instead I can feel his eyes on me.
Not liking him studying me for too long, I say, “Just initial it, Brody.”
But he doesn’t move and if that isn’t the most infuriating thing…
“But what if we have to be intimate?” he finally asks.
“What do you mean?” I look up at him and, when I meet his soulful brown eyes, I seethatlook. I then recall with such clarity what it felt like when he gently pushed me against the wall before he kissed me. It was so thrilling.
Invigorating.
A feeling I’ve been chasing ever since.
“I mean we have to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend, and that will require a level of intimacy.”
Oh…right.
“Off the clock,” I say. “Nothing sexual. That is your side of the bed, this is mine. Respect it. And also, respect the use of a bathroom door. I don’t need to see you fondling yourself in the shower.”
“Enjoy that, did you?” he asks, that smug look coming back in full force.
“Just initial,” I nearly yell.
Smirking, he initials next to the rule and then I snatch the notepad back. “Moving on. Number two.” I write as I talk out loud. “Under no circumstances whatsoever will either party try to humiliate or embarrass the other on purpose. Including but not limited to, reciting personal stories about one another that might be the least bit embarrassing, attempting to undercut one another in front of the Hopper family, or degrading each other despite the hate they hold for one another.”
“You really think I’d do that?” he asks.
“Yes,” I say as I initial and then hand him the notepad.
“You know way more embarrassing things about me than I know about you.”
“Yes, but Gary knows more about me, and he’s one text away. I don’t need you phoning a friend for material. No embarrassment.”
