Free Just A Step Away (Closer) by Flora Roberts

“I’m getting married! Can you believe it? Well, of course you can. I mean, it is me getting married, after all. So, did you bring your boyfriend?”
                  I watched Jasmine’s brow raise and her eyes scan the living room. She pursed her lips out before a small grin formed in the corner of her mouth.
    She didn’t believe it. Didn’t believe I could have a boyfriend.
    I’d show her. As soon as she saw Sparky, I would so show her.
                  “I don’t see anyone here but doofus over there,” Jasmine said, nodding her head toward Willard, who was sitting in a corner recliner eating jerky.
                  “Watch your tongue, Jas! Or Mitchell might find his woman with one less tit on your honeymoon.” My brother flipped Jasmine the bird and flinched when he saw our mother raise her hand—only to stuff her mouth with one of those pink puffy cakes she loved so much. Willard flipped Jasmine one more bird when he realized that he was in the clear, right before yelling out, “Get your ass down here, Hoss! We ain’t waitin’ all damn night! I could eat the ass end of a skunk right now!”
                  “Who the hell is Hoss?” Jasmine asked.
                  Footfalls landed heavily on the stairs as Lucas made his way down. I sucked in a deep breath because I wasn’t ready to see him after what had happened between us just moments earlier.
    I saw his shoes before I saw the rest of him, but I heard the breath leave Jasmine’s mouth. Apparently she already caught sight of my pretend boyfriend.
                  My eyes traveled from her shocked expression and landed on Lucas. His jeans hung low on his hips and the t-shirt he was wearing was a couple inches too small around his biceps. I heard a whimper escape Jasmine as Lucas raised his arms and slowly ran his fingers through his hair.
    There went the sparks, flying out of Jasmine’s vagina. Even as I shuddered at the thought, I had to admit that she wasn’t the only one.              
    “Holy hell, who is that?”
                  I inwardly smiled when Jasmine gripped my forearm and nearly fell over sideways.
                  “Um...my…um boyfriend, Lucas,” I said as butterflies socked me in the gut. The next words that flew out of my mouth shocked even me. “Fine piece of ass, and he’s a machine in the sack.”
                  What the hell? Oh my God, I was so gloating !
                  “That is not your man,” she deadpanned, looking over at me. When I raised my brows and gave her a cocky grin, Jasmine’s jaw hit the floor. “ That’s your man?”
                  “Like I said, he’s a fucking machine.” And my smile grew even wider, horrible person that I was.
                  I felt Lucas’ eyes on me. His scorching gaze was penetrating and downright lethal. I felt every molecule in my body rise to attention. I was sure that if given the opportunity he’d want to continue where we left off upstairs. It was obvious in the way he was staring at me.
    I couldn’t figure out how things had changed so quickly between us. Did I miss something? Had he always been interested in me and I just never saw it? Was I always kinda interested in him, on a physical level? Maybe he was just trying to get into character.
    And if that was what he was doing, the man should’ve been an actor. That shit was Oscar-worthy.
                  Lucas walked up behind me again, making me tense. “Hey, baby.” My eyes automatically closed when I felt his hands slither around my waist and his lips land right under my earlobe. “Mmm...You smell so good. You smell like...you know, earlier. Me .”
                  My heart about gave out at his words. But what struck me more was the deep jealousy I felt when I looked at Jasmine and saw a deep blush on her cheeks.
    Bitch