The Rebound Guy (22 page)

But he wasn’t going to do that. He would take the gift she had given him by making the hard choice. He just needed to get through this weekend, collect the last part of his payment, and get on with his life.

And figure out a way to make sure he never got into this situation again.

“I’m on board,” he answered.

***

The GPS indicated that they were twenty-three miles from their destination. They continued on and less than a half-hour later, turned onto the highway leading to the inn.

A painted wooden sign welcomed them to the Lauryn Lake Inn. Dex drove through the open gate and down the winding dirt road. Soon they came upon a smaller, vinyl sign staked in the ground, with “Rodney and Elizabeth’s Wedding Celebration
”
printed across it.

Around a bend in the road stood a sprawling white, two-story lake house with large windows. An expansive porch surrounded the bottom floor on three sides, and the second story featured several balconies.

“There’s Cortland’s car,” Asia said, gesturing to a gleaming black Mercedes-Benz. Dex drove a few yards past it so he wouldn’t be tempted to key the bastard’s door.

“Are you ready for this?” he asked Asia.

She nodded. “Getting the head’s up from Lizzie makes it easier. Now that I know to expect his proposal to Nina, I should be okay.”

The
this
Dex had meant when he asked whether she was ready was more along the lines of spending an entire weekend in the same room together. He wasn’t ready for it. Having to fight the yearnings that had had his insides twisted into knots since the moment she’d appeared in the lobby of her building this morning would take a strength Dex wasn’t sure he possessed.

He stuffed their empty coffee cups into the bag that had held the bagels and got out of the car. He walked around to the trunk and took out their three pieces of luggage.

“You can let me carry
something
,” Asia said.

He handed her the small bag of trash. “There you go. Get rid of that.”

She rolled her eyes and started for the entrance to the inn. Dexter forced himself to look at the back of her head, not allowing his eyes to drift lower to where the soft material of her tan slacks glided smoothly over the delicate curve of her behind. He would not remember how that firm behind had felt clutched in his hands, or how he would give anything to feel it again.

He shut his eyes for a moment to collect himself. If he couldn’t control these urges there was no way in hell he was making it through this weekend with his sanity intact.

Checking in took less than five minutes. As they made their way to their room, Asia greeted several people who ambled about the lobby. She made introductions and fielded several inappropriate questions regarding her breakup with Cortland.

Damn. Did people have no tact anymore?

Twice Dex had had to stop himself from telling them to mind their own damn business.

When they arrived at their room on the inn’s second floor, there was a white satin welcome bag on the bed filled with several personalized wedding favors—silver picture frames, tins with mints, and wine bottle stoppers. Asia would appreciate that one. On the small round table next to the French doors sat a platter of freshly cut fruit, cheeses, and a note apologizing for brunch, which was being pushed back to one p.m.

Dex set their bags in front of the room’s lone bed and felt his stomach pull tight.

Of course there would be only one bed. They were supposed to be a couple in the throes of passionate new love.

This weekend was going to be torture.

He could tell by Asia’s expression that she thought the same. She stood just inside the door, staring at the bed with a hollow, guarded look, as if it were covered in a radioactive blanket.

She brought her eyes to his, and said, “Let the charade begin.”

***

Asia slowly chewed another melon ball, the only food she had been able to stomach so far at this afternoon’s brunch. Her stomach was too filled with nerves to make room for any of the wide array of sweet and savory dishes offered on the buffet.

The moment Cortland and his new fiancée-to-be had joined the festivities taking place on the inn’s south lawn, her afternoon had gone downhill. Asia hated feeling insecure, fearing that every look another guest shot her way would hold pity.

She would forever be grateful that she had not talked herself out of having Dexter accompany her. Despite the uncomfortable awkwardness that awaited them when they made it back to their room tonight, having him beside her, doing a stellar job as the ever-solicitous companion, had made this ordeal easier to bear.

As the brunch continued, she graduated to cucumber sandwiches and a cold pasta salad, but was disappointed that her appetite wouldn’t allow her to sample anything more. She couldn’t bring herself to enjoy the meal, because as much as Dexter’s presence was a blessing, it took everything she had to sit here and endure this façade of their passionate romance.

A merciless ache weighed heavy in Asia’s chest. Dex’s company should not have been a hardship. Of the men she’d dated, which admittedly had been few, she had never felt a connection deeper than the connection she’d felt with Dexter until Thursday.

Thursday night had changed everything.

Asia had spent more time than she’d care to admit agonizing over what had taken place in her apartment that night, but after much thought she’d come to realize her folly. She had expected Dexter to be as bowled over by their lovemaking as she had been. What she’d failed to remember was that, to him, sex was just part of the job. He had been performing a service. Nothing more.

The thought of him doing the same things he’d done to her with someone else filled her stomach with nausea.

She was foolish. She knew Dexter had been with other women. She had no right to feel anything about any of his past relationships—personal or professional.

But knowing that didn’t change anything. It made her feel raw inside.

Having Gillian Daniels here didn’t help matters.

When Asia had encountered the woman perusing the stone garden just to the right of the main lake house, she had been pummeled by a wave of jealous anger. Dexter had told her that he didn’t sleep with all of his clients, but what if Gillian
was
one of those clients whom he had slept with? What if those looks Gillian had shot Asia’s way were because she knew exactly what Dexter was capable of when the lights went out?

Dexter leaned over from his seat next to her and whispered in her ear. “You’re not doing a good job of playing your part in our happy couple routine.”

Asia’s gaze swung to his. He looked intently at her, as if asking
are you in this or what?

She pasted on a half-smile, hoping it didn’t appear as forced as it felt. Dexter put one arm around her and picked up his mimosa-filled champagne flute with the other, raising it in a toast that Asia hadn’t realized had been taking place. She quickly grabbed her glass and held it up.

Lizzie was standing dead center of the centermost table stretched across the inn’s south lawn. “I want to thank all of you for joining Rodney and me as we celebrate this most important event in both our lives. We have several activities planned this weekend and hope that most of you can join us, but please take time to explore the grounds here at the Lauryn Lake Inn on your own. I’d love to hear that the seeds for another wedding were planted during this weekend.”

“What about the seeds for a baby?” someone called.

Laughter rang out from several people at the tables.

Lizzie’s lips pursed. “Ladies and gentlemen, if you haven’t met my baby brother, Chad, unfortunately, you will before the end of the weekend. He’ll be the one embarrassing me in any way he possibly can.”

She gave her brother another mean look before turning toward Asia and Dex.

“Now, back to what I was about to say before being interrupted. I would be remiss if I did not thank the person who introduced me to the love of my life.” Lizzie held out her palm. “Asia, please get your behind up here right now.”

Asia dabbed at her mouth with her linen napkin and scooted her chair back. She walked over to Lizzie and wrapped her arms around her friend.

“That other bastard isn’t getting mentioned,” Lizzie whispered in her ear.

Asia’s head fell back with her laugh. After giving her friend another affectionate squeeze, she returned to her seat next to Dexter.

After another half hour, the entire wedding party and forty or so guests were called to the east lawn, where large slabs of smooth stones created a pathway from the covered patio to the lake. Groupings of chairs, and blankets with large pillows, had been spread out over the grounds.

Dexter lowered himself onto a blanket and motioned for Asia to join him. She was going to sit beside him, but he caught her by the waist and moved her to sit between his spread legs. Her body instantly relaxed against his solid warmth.

“We’re supposed to be in love, remember?” he whispered against her ear. “Play the part.”

Her back stiffened as his words brought reality crashing down around her. It was all an act. She would do well to remember that.

Asia leaned against his chest, and his arms came around her, pulling her more securely against him. The picture of a perfect couple.

Or a perfect lie.

They listened as the wedding coordinator listed activities scheduled for the weekend. The first event was a game of croquet, which had been set up on the south lawn after the brunch had been cleared away.

Not looking forward to spending any more awkward moments in their room with Dexter than necessary, Asia decided to play, even though she had never played the game before. She soon discovered that croquet was not all the rage in Atlanta, either. Dexter was just as clueless as she was; however, he caught on much quicker.

They were separated into teams and given a few minutes to brush up on their skills. Or, in her case, to try to develop skills. Asia swung at the ball and sent it flying over the edge of the course and into the ankle-high grass that lined the perimeter of the vast grounds.

“You’re swinging too hard,” Dexter said. “Let me show you.”

He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, positioning his hands over hers where she held the mallet.

Asia absolutely hated the way her entire body heated at the feel of his solid front pressed against her, but she couldn’t help it. He settled his chin against the curve of her neck, and Asia heard his deep intake of breath. A shiver of need raced down her spine and blood started to pound in her ears.

“Just ease into the swing,” he told her, guiding the mallet back and then swinging it forward. It gently tapped the ball, sending it skipping along the evenly cut grass. It didn’t reach the arched metal wicket, but came closer than any of the shots she had taken on her own.

Asia glanced over her shoulder to thank him, but stopped short at the heated, intense stare in his eyes. It was filled with need. And something else: regret. In that moment, Asia realized their estrangement was killing him just as much as it was eating away at her. This chasm that had opened between them Thursday night had him in just as much pain. It was written all over his face.

As he continued to stare at her, the regret dissipated, but the heat remain. And intensified. To the point that it nearly singed her skin.

Asia’s breaths escalated as Dexter told her, just with his eyes, everything he still wanted to do to her. And she wanted to let him. God, but she wanted him to do everything his heated stare promised.

“Hmm...it looks as if the two of you may need to continue this in your room.”

Asia jumped at the sound of Lizzie’s musical laughter. She turned, knowing her face must be red with embarrassment. Lizzie confirmed it with another laugh.

“Just look at you,” she said. “You look as if you’ve been caught necking under the bleachers.” Lizzie walked up to Dexter and gave his arm a friendly pat. “You, sir, are very good for her. She needed someone to put that look on her face.”

Dexter glanced briefly toward Asia before returning to Lizzie. “You may not want the best man at your wedding hearing you say that,” he said.

“Let him. It would serve the bastard right.” Lizzie gave them a nonchalant wave and continued on to the next pair of players.

Dexter’s brows lifted in inquiry after she had departed.

Asia said, “Lizzie and Cortland are not the best of friends.”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Why does it seem as if everyone in your life knew that Cortland was the wrong man for you, except you?”

Asia could tolerate his assessing stare for only a moment before having to look away. She struggled to hide the conflicted emotions she knew were evident on her face.

She hated to admit how wrong she had been about Cortland—her
perfect
mate. She hated how blind she had been to his faults, to all the ways he had slowly chipped away at her. She’d stopped doing many of the things she loved, while Cortland had not given up a single thing.

Most of all, Asia hated owning up to a fact she could no longer deny. She had never loved him the way a soon-to-be-bride should love the man she was about to marry. That realization had been the hardest to accept, because it exposed a truth that had shaken her to the depths of her soul: She had been willing to settle, to commit her entire life to someone she’d felt, at the most, fondness for.

She chanced a glance at Dexter to find him still staring at her, his eyes teeming with concern and understanding. She had been foolish to try to hide her emotions from him. The truth of her relationship with Cortland was exactly what he had been trying to get her to face, after all.

Clapping hands captured their attention, directing it to the center of the playing field, where Rodney stood.

“Are we ready to get this game started?” he called.

Fewer than half of the wedding guests had opted to join the game. Some sat along the edges of the field as spectators, while others had headed off in different directions to enjoy the grounds.