Lie to Me Read online

  I'm sure my face is bright red.

  "You imagined how I'd taste?" I ask.

  "Daily. Tell me you haven't."

  "Kent, will you stop harassing her?" Heidi says, peering around me to glare at her brother.

  "I'm not harassing her. I'm making conversation."

  What kind of conversation was that?

  Sure, the best kind, but still.

  "You'd better not. I know what you're like." She narrows her eyes at him.

  "Savannah," Kent says so smoothly, it sends a bolt of electricity straight down south, "have I been anything but a gentleman today?"

  I swallow. It's really hot and dry in here. Where's my other shot? "He's been fine, Heidi. Nothing I can't handle."

  "Apparently," Kent mutters behind his hand as he rubs his lips with the finger he just had inside me.

  He's going to have to stop doing that.

  Over the years, I've perfected lying. I've always hated that trait, but once I ditched my old life, I had to lie. So, Heidi doesn't even blink when I look back at her.

  "All right, but I'm watching you," she says, pointing at Kent.

  Yeah, so am I.

  12

  Kent

  I can't concentrate, not on a single thing. There is stuff I need to do, like walk and breathe and contribute to the conversation, but none of that even registers when I can still feel Savannah's heat, see the pink shade of her cheeks, and hear the deepness of her breath.

  That was singularly the hottest thing that has ever happened to me, and I want to do it again--right now.

  But I can't because we have finished lunch and paid the bill. Now, we're outside, walking along the stalls. I feel like I'm in some alternate universe. Never in a million fucking years did I think Savannah would let me get her off in the middle of a restaurant.

  I knew I was pushing my luck, and I expected her to kick me or something, not open her legs wider to let me in.

  Fuck.

  "Oh my gosh, that smells amazing," Savannah says, pointing to some stall that must sell food or something else fragrant.

  I don't give a fuck.

  The festival is huge. Dozens of streets take part, and every year I've made the most of sampling food and booze from almost all of them. This year, I'm pissed off with how big it all is, and I just want to get her home. I don't even care whose home it is.

  Savannah and Heidi are walking in front of me, and all I can focus on are Savannah's legs in that short yellow dress. It sits teasingly mid-thigh, driving me insane. I know how those legs feel beneath my hands, but now, I want to feel them around my waist.

  "Ooh, we need to get crepes for dessert!" Brooke says, tugging Freddy off to a stall up ahead.

  Heidi drops her arm from Savannah's and dashes after them. "I want Nutella!"

  I'm alone--sort of, as there's a shitload of people around--with the girl occupying my mind again. "You okay?" I ask.

  Folding her arms, she peeks up at me through her lashes. "What were you thinking back there?"

  "You didn't like it?" I arch my eyebrow. "You seemed to like it."

  "That's hardly the point, Kent."

  "You could have stopped me at any point. I didn't hear much protesting."

  She stops walking, planting her feet in the ground, and cocks her eyebrow. "That's not going to happen again. I don't sleep around; I told you that."

  "Keep telling yourself that." I step closer, getting in her personal space. "Whatever rules you've made for yourself, they're slipping."

  "You don't know that. We haven't had sex."

  "I do know that. I'm doing it myself, letting my own rules slip. Get out of your head, Savannah, and let yourself go with the flow."

  "Go with the flow? If I did that, we would be in my apartment right now." She snaps her mouth closed, not meaning for that to be spoken aloud.

  Her eyes stay focused on mine though, and I love that she's not backing down anymore.

  "You're preventing that, torturing us both, because you don't want no-strings sex?"

  "It's a good reason, Kent. I wouldn't expect you to understand."

  "I understand." I'm not an idiot. My mouth opens to offer her strings attached, lots of strings, really big ones, all woven together. But, thankfully, I realise what I'm about to do before I say anything.

  I wouldn't even know how to do anything more than sex. Freya was a long time ago, and I was younger. I'm pretty sure women don't like exclusive dates to McDonald's and the local bowling alley.

  I've now established that Savannah isn't stuck up, but that doesn't mean she's going to want to slum it on a date.

  And why am I even considering dating again? Getting involved with my sister's friend and employee also adds another level of no to the equation.

  "Good. I'm glad you understand where I'm at."

  "You still want to watch me come on to another woman?"

  "You still want me to watch you come on to another woman?"

  Grinning, I reply, "Well, I am curious."

  "Well, maybe you should come out with us tonight then."

  God, I love these games with her.

  "You're on."

  "Kent?" she breathes.

  "Yeah?"

  "You're not going to tell anyone about what happened back there, are you?"

  "As much as my boys would love to hear about how I got you off in a restaurant, a gentleman never tells."

  She blinks. Then, she asks, "So, you never talk about conquests to your friends?"

  "All the time." My heart quickens. "You're different."

  "Oh." She takes a step back and looks around. Either she doesn't know what to say or she's looking for Heidi.

  She shouldn't be different, but I can't lie to myself anymore. The whole time I was hating Savannah, I was really hating Freya. Savannah's reluctance to be anything other than a robot made me think she was hiding something the way Freya had.

  They're not the same person, and I happen to like the person standing in front of me.

  Savannah lifts her eyes and whispers, "Well, thanks." She really can't take a compliment.

  Rather than act like a dick and call her out again, I say, "Want to get a crepe before Heidi makes you paint your face?"

  "Sure."

  After we all split, I meet up with Max and Toby. They would absolutely love to hear about today. Max and Toby would probably give me some sort of medal. Max would definitely give me some sort of medal. He would also do it in front of Savannah.

  I'm meeting her and Heidi again tonight, but I need to start early with the guys because I know I'll go crazy if I'm home alone.

  When we got outside the restaurant, Savannah put the walls up again. All of a sudden, she was listening to her head. I couldn't imagine not acting on emotion. It'd be a boring, cold way of living if you never handed yourself over to something you wanted.

  But, after telling her that she was different, she spent the rest of the afternoon flirting ... at a safe distance. About two minutes after we dropped her off at her apartment, I sent her a text.

  I don't know what happened to playing it cool, but I've been very uncool and probably a bit desperate.

  She replied straightaway though, so maybe a bit desperate is just our thing.

  "He has girl trouble," Toby says, cautiously eyeing me.

  "He does," Max agrees, resting his elbow on the arm of the chair and rubbing his chin. "But he's not pacing and swearing like he did with Freya, so this Savannah chick hasn't lied to him or stolen his money."

  I raise my hands. "I'm right fucking here."

  They're so aggravating when they talk about me like I'm someplace else.

  "Then, you do the talking. What's up your arse?" Toby picks up his pint and tilts it toward me. "Open up to your buddies."

  "I hate you both. Nothing is wrong. We always drink on Saturdays."

  "Not usually at four in the afternoon though, mate," Max replies.

  "Fucking hell, can we not have an earlier session without it meaning so
mething?"

  They look at each other and frown.

  "Toby, what do you think? I'm voting no."

  Toby nods. "I'm voting no, too. There's definitely something wrong."

  I need new friends.

  "What's she done, Kent?" Toby asks.

  Sighing into my beer, I start to question what I actually like about these dickheads. "She hasn't done anything."

  Max points at me. "And there is the problem. We knew it. We've said this before; you want the blonde."

  "How do you know she's blonde?"

  He rolls his eyes. "They're always blonde."

  "That's not ..." My sentence dies off when I realise that is actually true.

  I have a type. Savannah physically fits my type, and after this afternoon, there's no part of her that I think doesn't fit.

  I honestly thought she would push me away. It was such a turn-on to watch her internal battle before she gave herself over to me.

  I won that battle, but the war is still up for grabs. And I don't intend to lose.

  Toby grins. "You like the fairer hair. I do, too."

  "You like all the hair, mate," I reply.

  Toby isn't fussy.

  "That's true. Heidi is dark brunette."

  Taking a breath, I glare at the fucker. Sisters are left out of shit. Unfortunately, Toby didn't get the memo.

  Max grips his heart. "If you marry Heidi, Kent will be your brother, and there will be no time left for me."

  I roll my eyes. "Dude, have you been taking oestrogen pills?"

  "Fuck off, Kent."

  "Do you like her?" Toby asks, cutting through the bullshit.

  "I didn't," I reply.

  He deadpans. "So, you do now."

  "Not how you think. I want to fuck her, and I no longer think she's a stuck-up bitch. You know I'm not interested in getting into anything."

  Am I? I was willing to offer her strings before. I didn't even think about it. I just almost blurted it out. We talk all the time--well, flirt over text--and I can honestly say that, each time we're messaging, it's the best part of my day.

  "Dude, you were nineteen when you said that, and the whore had just fucked you over. If you spend the rest of your life alone because of her, she wins."

  I know all that. For the longest time, I've been okay with being alone because I'm young and hot, I have a successful business and my own apartment, and I have plenty of sex, but the further down the road I look, the more that doesn't seem like enough.

  That's not to say that Savannah is the one or any shit like that, but the way we are together, the banter and bickering, yeah, it makes me miss being more than a shag.

  Fucking woman is royally screwing my life.

  "Toby's right; don't let that bitch Freya win. I fucking hate her with a burning passion. Her mum should have swallowed."

  "Lovely, Max," I reply, but I can't disagree. I wish I had never met Freya. "I need whiskey."

  Max stands. "Yeah, ya do."

  Toby waits until Max is at the bar. "When can we meet her?"

  Fuck. "Tonight."

  He sits up straighter and smiles. "Yeah?"

  "We're going to a club."

  "Mate, you can't take me and Max on your date."

  "It's not a date, dipshit. Heidi is going, too."

  "Hell yeah!"

  "Stay away from my sister."

  Chuckling, he reclines in the armchair. "Don't worry; I'm only teasing."

  "You'd better be. I know where you've been, and Heidi doesn't need someone to walk out on her."

  "Ouch, bro!" He shrugs. "You're right though; I'm definitely not down for the relationship thing yet. Did you know you could get married at eighteen?"

  Rolling my eyes, I reply, "Of course I knew that."

  He looks me dead in the eye, nose scrunched in disgust. "Why would you want that? You're practically still a kid."

  "No, you were practically still a kid."

  "Oh, right. I forgot I couldn't count on you to agree with bull like this anymore, not now that you're pining for Savannah."

  "I am not pining for anyone."

  Or maybe I am. I miss her. I damn well miss her.

  "Yeah, all right. I can't wait to meet her tonight." He laughs darkly. "What are you going to do if she likes me or Max more than you?"

  I give him a look. "Have a word with yourself, Toby."

  That's never going to happen.

  "I'm just saying, buddy, it's not a guarantee just because you're hung up on her."

  His smile widens, and he kicks one foot up on the low table in the middle of the four armchairs. I turn away because he's smug as fuck and pissing me off.

  I am not hung up on her. Much.

  13

  Savannah

  I drag my light-pink Mac lipstick across my lips and press them together. I'm half-drunk, thanks to two large glasses of pink gin and tonic, which isn't normally part of my going-out routine--mostly because I don't really go out--but Kent will be there tonight, and things got a little weird after lunch at the Mexican restaurant.

  Then, things got a bit hot over text.

  Heidi rings my doorbell. I know it's her because she jams her finger into it for, like, five solid seconds. Don't I regret telling her the keycode for the communal front door!

  Where's the bloody fire, Heidi?

  Jogging from my bedroom to the front door--which, to be fair, doesn't take long since my apartment is small--I tug the door open. "What is wrong with you, woman?"

  She laughs and raises her arms in the air. "I'm here!"

  "I've noticed," I reply dryly.

  Her arms drop. "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing." I smile, shaking my head. "Come in. I have a bottle of gin waiting."

  "Predrinks, Dean? I like it."

  I close the door, and Heidi heads to the kitchen area in the corner of my open-plan living area. She's wearing a gorgeous emerald-green dress, clinging to all the right places, and her hair is sleek and straight.

  "I think predrinks are necessary."

  Tomorrow is Heidi's birthday barbeque at her parents' house, and I plan on having predrinks before that as well because Kent will be there.

  She spins on her toes, eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Why?"

  Because I like your brother, and him texting, telling me he wants his mouth on me next time, has made me rather bloody horny!

  There. I'll admit it to myself. I like him, and I'd like to know more.

  "Isn't that part of doing your twenties right? Shouldn't you be half-drunk before you even leave?"

  Silence hangs in the air. She suspects my drink is because of Kent. Of course she does; she's not stupid. I've seen her watching us. Thankfully, she wasn't looking too hard in the Mexican restaurant.

  "I guess," she replies, pouring herself a glass. "No other reason you need alcohol before we go out drinking?"

  "No," I reply, my heart racing at the lie. I shake my good hand and pick up my drink.

  You would think lies could roll off my tongue without a second thought now. After all, I've been hiding the truth from Heidi for years now. But I never enjoy it. To be honest, it's exhausting, and I hate lying to people I care about.

  "Hmm," she murmurs, bringing her glass to her lips.

  "We should have just enough time to drink these and then go to meet Kent and his friends."

  Light-blue eyes peek at me as she takes a sip of gin.

  I feel like I'm under interrogation. Her gaze comes thick with speculation.

  "Okay, just get it all out, Heidi."

  She lowers her glass and blows out a puff of air. "All right. What's going on between you and my brother?"

  "Nothing. We've just decided not to hate each other. It makes situations, like tonight, much easier on everyone."

  "Really?"

  "Yes. Nothing is going on."

  Her eyes narrow, like she doesn't believe me. I'm sure as hell not telling her about the Mexican-restaurant incident and the fact that we text multiple times a day. Sh
e doesn't need to know that anything has happened between us.

  "It would be okay, you know."

  I hesitate before answering, "What would?"

  Sighing like she's frustrated with me, she replies, "You and Kent. It wouldn't bother me. After Freya, I didn't think he would find someone he liked until he was in his fifties or something dramatic like that. He tends to hold grudges, so I thought he would be too stubborn to let anyone in."

  "Heidi, you're reading into things a bit too much. Just because we decided to get along doesn't mean that he likes me beyond a friend." Or beyond getting me off in a restaurant. That was just him proving that he could.

  "Uh-huh." She lifts her manicured eyebrow and takes a sip.

  "Okay, drink up. We're going," I say, frowning.

  She had better not be like this all night.

  "I've always wanted a sister," she teases.

  "You have a sister."

  "Not a younger one."

  I roll my eyes. "Don't say shit like this tonight," I whine.

  "Oh, please, I know my brother."

  What does that mean?

  You know what? For the first time in forever, I'm not going to overthink this.

  I tip the rest of the gin down my neck and put the glass down on the countertop. "Let's go."

  Heidi follows suit, and we head out of my apartment. Arm in arm, we walk the ten minutes deeper into the city, to the club that Kent suggested. Obviously, being a hermit, I haven't been before.

  There's no queue, so we head straight inside.

  Although it's dark, my eyes immediately seek Kent. It takes me seconds to find him. He's by the bar with two other guys, laughing. He's easily the best-looking man in here. Hell, he's easily the best-looking man on the planet. Shame he's a massive womaniser and allergic to relationships.

  Not that I want a relationship with him.

  You definitely do not, Savannah!

  "Over there!" Heidi says, pointing to Kent and his friends.

  "Oh, yeah," I reply with a smile, pretending like I haven't already seen him.

  We weave through the crowd, and my heart beats harder with every step closer to him I take. Heidi is practically bouncing; her steps are animated, like a child out trick-or-treating. She's looking forward to tonight. I was until I got here. Now, I have butterflies in my stomach.

  "Hey," Heidi says as we reach the guys.

  Three pairs of eyes turn to us. Kent's instantly snap to mine. He straightens his back, eyes widening a fraction and nostrils flaring. Usually, I'd think that look is down to him liking what he sees, but with Kent, I can never be sure.