The Sweetheart Hoax Read online

  “Well, obviously. Your dad and I really like Margot.”

  The mention of her name, the pretense of what brought them to Cash, slapped him in the face. He wasn’t any better than his mother, lying to her about Margot and the nature of their relationship. But could he admit they weren’t a couple when he had her over the ropes? They weren’t a couple, of course, but they weren’t exactly just friends, either. “I’ll bring women home to meet you when and only when I’m ready. I don’t appreciate being bullied into bringing someone home simply because you’re too stubborn to ask who I’m dating.”

  “Would you have told me?”

  Probably not, he admitted to himself. “Of course I would,” he lied. “I’m not a social hermit. And despite what all of Cash thinks, I’m not gay.”

  “I’m sorry, Phil. It was wrong for me to lie to you and I feel terrible that it got out. But if it makes you feel any better, I think people don’t believe it anymore after seeing you and Margot together. You really do make a lovely couple.”

  “Yeah, we’re just lovely.” He carried the glass to the sink. “I’m going to take a shower,” he said. “And, Mom?”

  She looked at him with pleading eyes.

  “Your waffles are burning.”

  ***

  Margot reluctantly turned off the water. She couldn’t hide out in the shower all day long. She dried off, applied her scented moisturizer, and reached for her clothes, only to realize she’d left her bra and underwear in the room. “Great,” she murmured and wrapped the plush cotton towel around her body while her hair dripped in her eyes. She scooped her clothes from the counter and tip toed across the hall to the guest room.

  She sucked in her breath when she entered the room and Phil stood by the bed in running shorts, sopping his brow with the shirt he’d just whipped off. His chiseled chest gleamed in the bright morning sun.

  “Hey,” he said when he saw her. He eyed the towel she held against her body and then quickly looked away. “Any hot water left?”

  “Plenty.” She eased past him to where her suitcase sat atop the luggage rack. Her bra and panties were on top of the bed right where she’d left them, right next to where Phil stood. “How was it?”

  “What?” he asked without looking up.

  “The run. How was your run?”

  “Good.” He gathered a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved golf shirt from his bag and walked to the door. “You can go ahead and get dressed. I’m going to catch a shower.”

  “Okay,” she said to his retreating back. Thankfully he closed the door behind him. She slumped against the wall and let out the breath she’d been holding. “Wow.” She’d almost dropped the towel at the sight of him standing bare-chested by the bed where they’d almost made love. Just when she thought she couldn’t get any more attracted to him, she had to walk in and see his goods. “One more night,” she told herself. “Only one more night.”

  Chapter 15

  “What’s wrong with you?” Dev asked Phil after Sheryl and his mom had left to decorate the Legion for the night’s party. Phil rubbed his stuffed belly and eyed the mountain of dishes Margot was washing across the kitchen.

  “Nothing.”

  “I knew it,” Dev said. “I knew you wouldn’t have the guts to nail your girlfriend with mom and dad in the next room.”

  “Shut up, Dev.”

  Devon looked over his shoulder at Margot. “I don’t know how you managed to keep your hands off that sweet little thing. I’d have made a dent in the wall.”

  Phil punched Dev in the shoulder. Hard. “Eyes forward, Fuckwad.”

  Dev rubbed his shoulder. “That hurt.”

  “Good.” Did Margot’s hips have to sway back and forth in her not-too-tight, not-too-loose jeans as she scrubbed bacon grease from the griddle? He’d been at half-mast since she’d walked into the bedroom wearing only a towel and smelling like almonds. He loved the smell of almonds. “Quit looking at her ass.”

  “Make me,” Dev said and shoved back from the table just in time to miss Phil’s fist. “I know how to rectify the situation. You can thank me later.”

  Phil watched as Devon walked over to lean against the counter where Margot had begun loading the dishwasher. “Margot, have you ever seen horses breed?”

  Oh no. He wouldn’t.

  “Um, no,” Margot said. She shoved her hair out of her eyes with her wrist and only managed to get soap bubbles in her hair.

  “You’re in luck, little lady.” He looked at his watch. “You and Philly come on over to my place at three this afternoon. I’m breeding my prize stud. It’s a sight you’ll never forget.”

  Margot looked back at Phil with a question in her eyes. “I’ve really got to study this afternoon, Devon, but thanks for the offer.”

  “Now, listen,” Dev continued as if Margot hadn’t already turned him down. “When will you ever get the chance to experience this again? I’m going to have to insist. In fact, I’ll be personally insulted if you and Phil don’t come over.” He pushed away from the counter and scooped his keys off the table. “Three o’clock, sharp. Don’t be late.”

  ***

  Margot slid into the rental car at ten ‘til three with a nervous flutter in her belly. Phil had avoided her all day, which was good because she’d gotten a lot of studying done when she hadn’t been obsessing about where he was and what he was doing. At a quarter to three, she’d found him in the parlor, pacing back and forth in front of the fireplace.

  “Are we going to Dev’s?” she asked.

  He glanced up at the clock on the mantle. “Uh, I don’t think it’s a very good idea.”

  “He seemed really adamant about us going, and to be honest, I could use a break.” She stretched her aching back. “There’re only so many arterial gas and blood loss calculations I can handle in one afternoon.”

  He eyed her warily. “Are you sure you want to go? We could get some ice cream or take a walk or something.”

  She shrugged. Ice cream and walks sounded a little too intimate to her. The less time they spent alone, the better. “I’d kinda like to see the horses.”

  “Margot,” Phil said, drawing her attention back to the present. They drove through town and out past the high school to where buildings gave way to acres of crops. “Horse breeding is kind of physical.”

  “Well, yeah. I’m almost a nurse, Phil. I know the technicalities of breeding.”

  “What I mean is,” he continued after clearing his throat. Margot noticed his hands fisting the wheel as if he were driving a stock car race. “Sometimes the horses get a little wild. If you’re not used to it, the sight can be a little intimidating.”

  “What am I, a wimp? You’re only making me want to see it more. Besides, Dev would be personally insulted if we didn’t show up.” She looked out the window as they passed a large piece of farm equipment along the road. “Is your brother always so dramatic?”

  “Unfortunately, yes.”

  He turned into a drive marked by a sign that said, “Williams Breeding” with a picture of a large stallion. “What kind of horses does he breed?”

  “Mostly Morabs. There’s a therapy facility in the area that prefers that breed.”

  “I don’t know much about horses, but I’ve never heard of Morabs.”

  “It’s a mix between an Arabian and a Morgan. They’re good horses.”

  They found Dev in a corral next to a large barn behind his modest home. He held the lead on a large brown horse that danced excitedly around the pen.

  “There you are,” Dev shouted as they approached. “I started to think you weren’t coming.”

  “Where’s the mare?” Phil asked.

  “In the barn. We’ve had her under lights since the days have gotten shorter.”

  “What does that mean?” Margot asked.

  “Horses usual breeding season is spring or summer when the days are longer,” Phil answered.

  “When we want to breed off-season, we keep the mares inside with the lights on to
stimulate the season and get them to ovulate,” Dev explained as he brought the fidgeting stallion to the gate. “You ready for the show?”

  Margot glanced at Phil. He looked like he was heading into a funeral. “Yep,” she said when he didn’t answer.

  “You two go on ahead into the barn, but stay back near the corner out of the way. This guy’s gonna get real excited when he gets inside and knows what’s coming.”

  Phil led Margot into the well-lit barn. A man in jeans, a t-shirt, and ball cap held a beautiful gray horse in the corner. Her tail had been braided and her mane appeared neatly groomed. The cement floor looked neat and sterile. The scene reminded Margot of an operating room with the smell of chemicals in the air.

  “Why does it smell like cleaner in here?” she asked.

  “Dev’s hand has already cleaned the mare.” He pointed to the drain in the corner where the floor looked freshly wet. “It cuts down on infection during conception.”

  The sound of hoofs on the floor drew Margot’s attention as the stallion pranced into the barn, his head high, and went straight to the gray horse. Margot watched as the brown horse sniffed the gray horse in the face and then began nipping along her mane. When the stallion swung around, Margot caught her first glimpse of his organ. “Oh, my,” she said. “He’s rather well endowed.”

  Phil chuckled beside her. “Yes, they do tend to put us humans to shame.”

  The stallion went behind the gray, who seemed to bristle at the poking and nipping. Dev’s helper held tight to the lead, keeping her in place. The gray lifted her tail and the stallion poked her privates with his nose, drinking in her scent.

  “He’s checking to make sure she’s ready,” Phil explained.

  “Always a good idea.” Margot couldn’t take her eyes off the stallion. Her heart beat in her chest and her muscles went lax. The smell of sex was overwhelming. She took a step back when the stallion reared up to mount the gray. The feel of Phil’s hand on her back was like setting a match to kindling. “Oh...”

  The stallion entered the gray. After a handful of valiant thrusts, he rested his head against her mid-section as if reveling in the afterglow. He pulled out and Margot gasped. The end of his member was hugely engorged. Dev led the horse to the cleaning area and tossed some water from a cleaning bucket onto the stallion’s shrinking organ and then back toward the entrance where Phil and Margot stood.

  “What’d ya think?”

  Margot could barely think through the sexual haze. Was it wrong to be turned on by watching horses mate? When she turned to look at Phil, he gave her one long stare. His pupils were huge. Good Lord, he was as turned on as she was. “Um, it was quicker than I thought it would be.”

  Dev laughed. “No fuss, no muss with these guys.” He slapped Phil on the shoulder. “I’ve got to see to the big stud here. I’ll see you guys tonight at the party.”

  Phil waved to Dev’s helper and led Margot out to the rental. She felt loose and tingly and if he touched her in the small confines of the car, she was liable to go off like a firecracker. Now she understood Phil’s reluctance. He opened her door and she slid inside, hoping the smell of sex hadn’t followed along with them. He walked around the back of the car and got in beside her.

  “You up for some ice cream now?” he asked.

  There hadn’t been anyone at home when they’d left and she felt sure he was reluctant to go home to an empty house. “Ice cream sounds good.”

  ***

  Phil kept his eyes on the road and tried to calculate the miles from Cash to Echo if they had driven, the miles from Cash to Los Angeles, the miles from Cash to Chicago, anything to get his mind off of Margot and the way she’d looked at him after watching the horses mate. He shouldn’t have brought her, he should have insisted they go for a walk or go into town or do anything other than go to Dev’s. Hell, he may as well have suggested they watch a little porn together. Cash to Indianapolis, he ordered himself to calculate.

  “Where are we going?” Margot asked. Was it his imagination or did her voice sound different? Throaty and sexy as hell. He kept his eyes on the road.

  “The Dairy Barn.”

  “We just passed it, Phil, unless there’s another one closer to home.”

  “Shit,” he mumbled and put on his signal to turn around at the grocery store.

  There were only a few cars in the parking lot and a smattering of people in the restaurant. Phil ordered two soft serve cones and led Margot to a booth along the window. After watching her take the first lick, he realized he should have gotten them both a sundae. He forced his eyes away from her tongue and looked around the Dairy Barn.

  “Did you hang out here as a kid?” Margot asked.

  “Oh, yeah. This place was a staple of my diet for eighteen years.”

  “It’s good,” she said. He tortured himself and watched her lick the cone into a phallic shape. She hadn’t put on lots of makeup today and her corkscrew hair rained across her shoulders. She looked like Margot, the real Margot. He liked the way her freckles dotted the bridge of her nose and the crazy mass of her hair. He couldn’t remember what he’d ever found so unappealing about her looks. She stopped licking when she realized he was staring at her. “Your ice cream is melting.”

  “What?”

  “Your ice cream.” She pointed to his cone, dripping over his hands and onto the table.

  “Oh.”

  She hopped up and brought a stack of napkins back to the table, taking a seat next to him on the small booth. “Give me your cone,” she ordered.

  He handed it to her and began wiping his hands. His cone continued to melt over Margot’s hand. He reached for his cone at the same time she licked the ice cream from her fingers. When her tongue touched his thumb, he jolted in the seat. “I’ll take it now,” he said. “As a matter of fact, let’s finish these in the car. We’d better get back so we can get ready for the party. Mom’s probably going to need some help.”

  “Okay, sure.” She scooted out of the booth and tossed the napkins in the trash receptacle next to their table. He was eye-level with her bottom and nearly groaned. How in the hell was he going to keep his hands off her tonight?

  The only thing he knew for sure was that Devon was going to pay for this later.

  Chapter 16

  Judy watched Phil and Margot enter the Legion Hall together and felt the corners of her lips twitch into a smile. What a stunning couple they made, him in his dark gray suit and her in a ruby-red, belted strapless chiffon dress. She’d pulled her hair up in a twist. Phil looked uncomfortable as he searched the room she and Sheryl had spent all day decorating with streamers, balloons, and a huge banner that said, “Congratulations, Bo.” She walked between the tables set around the dance floor to catch their attention.

  “Phil,” she called. “You two look wonderful. Margot, I just love your dress.”

  “Thank you, Judy. You look beautiful,” the girl said, clutching her wrap and the small black purse she carried.

  “I’ve got the family sitting at the head table. Why don’t you drop your things and Phil can get you a drink?”

  “Can I get you anything, Mom?” Phil asked.

  “I’d love a glass of wine, honey, if you don’t mind. I’ve just got to fuss with the centerpiece one more time before everyone gets here.”

  “You and Sheryl really outdid yourselves. Everything looks great.”

  She smiled up at her son. “Thanks, honey. You two enjoy yourselves. You make sure you introduce Margot around. I got lots of questions about your pretty girlfriend after last night’s game.”

  She slipped away and made a mental note to ask the DJ to play lots of slow songs. She wanted to see her son and his girl on the dance floor later.

  ***

  “You didn’t tell your mom we’re not dating?” Margot asked.

  Phil glanced around the room, from the decorated six foot tables to the bar in back corner of the room. He’d barely looked at her since she’d come down the stairs feeling awkward i
n the strapless dress and three inch platform pumps Kate had picked out for her to wear. She’d nearly stumbled when she’d seen Phil in the foyer wearing a suit as dark as his mood.

  “No. I should have, but I didn’t want to make her feel any worse about what she’d done.”

  If his mom thought they were still dating, there was no way they’d get out of sharing the bed that night. She’d barely been able to look at the bed after their afternoon spent watching the horses and their uncomfortable outing to the Dairy Barn.

  They walked to the table where Margot left her purse and wrap and made their way to the bar. Phil introduced her to the man serving drinks before ordering a beer and two glasses of white wine. The room began to fill with people of all ages. Margot grabbed the wine glass like a lifeline and took a hearty gulp. She followed him around the room, from one set of folks to another. He’d introduce her, talk about the old times with his friends and acquaintances, and ignore her completely. Not once did he touch her or look her in the eye. When she couldn’t stand it any longer, she excused herself, got another glass of wine from the bar, and sat down at their empty table where she could rest her feet and watch him from a distance.

  Did he have to be the most handsome man in the room? With his height, she couldn’t help but stare. Why wouldn’t he look at her? Why did she get the feeling in his stony expression that she’d somehow made him mad? She felt relieved when Devon’s wife Sheryl took the seat next to her and huffed out a loud breath.

  “Lord have mercy, I’m tired. And this party’s just getting started.”

  “Everything looks wonderful. You and Judy did a great job decorating.”

  Sheryl looked around. “It does look nice, if I do say so myself.” She poured a glass of water from the table’s pitcher and took a long sip. “Bo won’t even notice, though. He hates to be the center of attention.”

  Margot spied Devon in a large group of men. All eyes were on him as he told some story with his hands flailing and his dimples shining. “Devon sure doesn’t take after his dad in that regard.”

  Sheryl snorted. “Hell no, he doesn’t. Wait ‘til the music starts and he hits the dance floor.”