Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 124971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Shag around?” I finished the sentence for him, folding my arms over my chest.
BJ’s chest caved in on a sigh. “He didn’t present it that way, and I didn’t go there thinking I was going to cheat on you or something.”
Like a spontaneous infidelity was less immoral than a planned one.
“Do go on.” I smiled sweetly, cupping my knee.
“Kane asked if I wanted to tag along. He knew that I was getting ready to propose to you and pointed out that I’d never really done the whole bachelor thing. You and I met when we were so young, Duff.”
“Yeah, I know, I was there.” I rolled my eyes. “Believe it or not, BJ, I had urges too. Needs that weren’t fulfilled. Low points. Second thoughts. It’s a part of being human in a serious relationship.”
“You’re right.” He stood up and paced around. “But at the time, I was really stressed. I knew you were the one, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you, but Kane’s idea was so tempting.”
“So you decided to lie to me instead of telling me how you felt,” I concluded, feeling nothing. No rage, no anger, no disappointment, no heartache.
BJ shook his head. “No, no. I mean, yes—I did. I fucked up. I lied. I knew how selfish it sounded, that I needed some time to fulfill the carnal, self-indulgent needs of mine before I could commit. The whole Kathmandu story just sounded better in my head. And then when I got there . . . well, I didn’t wanna talk to you too much because I was scared you’d be onto me. That you’d expose the lie.”
“How unlucky that you were daft enough to do the job for me,” I muttered.
“I was so ashamed I couldn’t even call you to say I’d made it safely,” he said, ignoring my snark.
“My heart bleeds for you.”
“Please, Duffy, please.” He rushed toward me but stopped short when I gave him a look that made it clear that if he touched me, he would lose a finger. “You’re the love of my life. My soulmate. I fucked up, and I own up to that—”
“No.” It was my turn to stand up. Every time he spoke my logic shriveled deeper into itself, feeling personally attacked. “You don’t own up to that, and you’re not holding yourself accountable. You’re just sorry you got caught.”
His face paled. “That’s not true—”
“Anyway.” I spoke over him. “It doesn’t really matter. As I said before, you boarded a flight to Thailand and left me here, visa-less and jobless. I had to take care of business. So I got married.”
The last word exploded between us, and the room was blanketed with silence for a few seconds. He looked shell shocked, like he’d just watched his dog get run over. If he ever had a heart to adopt one. BJ didn’t like pets, and thought that dogs were dumb and high maintenance. What did I ever find in the bloke?
“What do you mean you got married?” he asked, finally.
“What part wasn’t understandable?” I replied tersely. “Don’t you know what marriage means? Or is it the got part that you’re struggling with? I have a dictionary in my room, if you need one.”
Dazed, he looked around, registering the proof that I was indeed with someone else. Riggs’s photography equipment. Clothes. Scent. “I mean . . . when? How? Who?”
“A bit after you left.” I looked down at my nails, bored. “His name is Riggs. You don’t know him. Cheers for the idea, by the way. Of me marrying someone else. Worked well.”
Too well, as it turned out. The line between real and fake had never been so blurred.
“But it’s . . . it’s . . . just for the visa, right?” He looked perplexed. Like he genuinely thought I was a dumb cow who’d wait for him forever.
“Of course.” I smiled politely before delivering the final blow. “Though we did consummate our marriage. Including yesterday. Just to be on the safe side.”
He hung his head between his shoulders. Holy eye roll moment. The man cockblocked me out of an engagement, ran away to the other side of the world, and picked up randoms. At least I’d stumbled into bed with Riggs after knowing of BJ’s indiscretions.
“You slept with him?” He looked up, his eyes wide and haunted, as though he was witnessing a crime against humanity.
I waved a hand between us. “Only once or . . .” I did a quick mental count. “Eighty-six times.” I frowned, remembering that time on the washing machine. “Make that eighty-seven, actually.” Pause. “And a half, I guess.”
I wasn’t even including oral in that.
I could tell there were so many things he wanted to say but couldn’t. It’d be hypocritical of him to chide me for something he’d done himself.