A fool in love

"Become your girlfriend?" I gasp. I can't believe this.

He nods. "Yes. Is that a problem? Or should I say, pretend to date me?"

I scoff again. "Pretend to date you?"

"You'd be killing two birds with one stone if you did this. Your boyfriend hates me, so the mere sight of us together will really irritate him and make him possessive of you," he explains.

I pause again as my mind flashes back to what I saw earlier. How Dave's face flashed with anger and how he glared at Blackwood. There's some truth to this man's words. But wouldn't dating Blackwood make Dave hate me?

I don't wish to break up with him yet. I just want him to stop taking me for granted.

"What? Won't you take my offer?"

I return my gaze to him. "I'm not sure... I... I don't want him to hate me," I mumble.

"Why would he hate you? Didn't you see the way he stared at us earlier? He was literally burning with jealousy. I'd say this is a good opportunity for you to make him like you," he explains.

"You're right. This might be a good opportunity for me, but what about you? What do you get out of this? I don't think pretending to date you would benefit you in any way," I say thoughtfully.

"You don't need to know about the benefits I'd gain, but I'll gain a lot. It's a promise," he says with a smile.

"You won't tell me?"

He shakes his head. "You might find out along the line. So, how long are we doing this? Two months? Or until Dave falls crazily in love with you? I'd pick the latter."

"Hold on... You're moving too fast," I chuckle. "I don't even know who you are."

"Didn't you hear them calling my name? I'm not some dangerous guy trying to hurt you," he retorts.

"I know. I don't mean that." I roll my eyes. "I just mean..." I stop speaking and let out a sigh.

"Can I ask who you really are?"

"Why?"

"It's just that I've never seen the fans act so crazy around someone who's not Dave. And more, they seem to like you better. Who are you? And may I ask if you're returning to hockey?"

"About that... You'll slowly come to learn about me the more we interact. Hand me your phone, and I'll text you the details of our next meeting." He extends his hand for my phone.

I reluctantly reach into my pocket and take it out. I unlock it and hand it to him. He types his number into my phone, then calls his own phone. After saving our contacts, he returns the phone to me.

"Alright, we're taking option two. Pretend to date until Dave becomes addicted to you." He offers me a smile as he slowly walks toward the entrance. Then I watch the Ravens team members surround him again.

They all look happy to see him, and two of them are shedding tears.

I'm still watching them when my phone lights up with a text. Looking at the sender, I see it's Dave.

A smile appears on my face as I read the text.

'Where are you? Why aren't you here yet?'

Oh my! I forgot. He must be waiting for me at our usual meeting point.

'I'll be there in three minutes,' I reply before hurrying out of the building. As I walk past the Ravens team members, I make eye contact with Blackwood again before leaving.

I didn't even get his first name.

And he didn't ask for mine either.

Really nice.

I hurry to the studio room, and through the opening in the door, I see Dave pacing around the room. He looks anxious.

This means he needs me.

I smile at the thought and open the door, but the moment I step inside, I see a face that causes my smile to drop.

Ivy.

His blonde friend.

Beautiful. Tall. Curves in all the right places. Soft-spoken with seductive eyes. And on top of that, she's a model.

My confidence drops the second we make eye contact. It's become a usual occurrence now. I lose my mind every time I see her.

"Where the fuck were you, and what were you doing beside him?" Dave yells the moment he sees me.

But my focus is on his friend.

He comes to me and holds both my hands. Then he sits me down on a chair and squats before me.

"Hey, Camila, why did you go close to him? Do you want to give me a heart attack? Don't... Don't ever... I don't ever want to see you near that man. Do you understand me?"

He shakes as he speaks, but my focus remains on Ivy.

I can't stop staring at her beautiful face. She has little makeup on, but she looks stunning as always.

Her lips twist into a smile.

"You're doing too much. Jason is not out to get you. He's just returning to hockey," she says as she slowly rises to her feet.

"I don't care. I don't want to know. I don't ever want to see her near him."

"Do you understand me?" He shakes my shoulder when I don't respond.

And I nod.

Unconsciously.

My full attention is still on Ivy.

She strolls to the door and stops there.

"Hey, are you leaving?"

The moment Dave lets me go, I grab his hand, but he pulls away from me and goes to her.

"Yes. I kept my promise. I came to your game. I watched it, and I pretended to be your girlfriend. I'm pretty sure you're the talk of the town now."

Wait...

Dave asked her to pretend to be his girlfriend? For what reason? But he has me.

Why didn't he...?

My heart sinks as I rise to my feet.

He goes to her and wraps an arm around her waist.

"Perks of having a gorgeous model as a friend," he says.

They chuckle.

Then he kisses her on the forehead, then on the cheek, and then on the nose.

He's about to kiss her on the chin, dangerously close to her lips, when I clear my throat.

He stops.

They both freeze. Then Ivy leaves.

"See you later."

I don't miss the way she winks at him or how he bites his lower lip as he watches her leave.

Are friends meant to act this way?

My thoughts are interrupted when he sits on the only sofa in the room and beckons me over.

Like a fool. I am a fool in love.

I go to him happily.

Then I straddle him.

He kisses me on the lips. His kisses are rushed, and within seconds, he's on my neck, leaving hot bites that will definitely leave marks later.

He moves to my chest. He lifts my top and takes it off, cupping my breast through my bra. 

"Fuck, these massive beauties! They're why I can't let you go," he speaks into my breasts before putting his face in it. I giggle as he runs his hand to my jeans.

He unhooks my palazzo jeans, then slips his hand into my panties. His hand goes to my wet folds, and he starts to rub me there.

A moan slips from my lips, and my head falls back as I rock against the swelling starting to press against me from beneath.

He flips our position, lays me on the sofa, and comes on top of me. He doesn't unhook my bra, but he doesn't keep his mouth away from my breast either.

While kissing the curves of my chest, he rolls down my trousers and panties, then he comes face to face with my wetness. He's about to undo his trousers when we hear voices.

Footsteps.

It sounds like people are coming.

We both pause.

Then he starts dressing himself.

"Get up. It's time for our meeting. My team members are here," he announces.

I hurry off the sofa and start fixing everything he'd undone. I manage to finish before they reach us.

His closest friend from the Ravens team is the first to enter the room. But I don't wait for the rest of the team members and quickly rush out.

While heading out of the building, I receive a text from him.

'Let's finish up at my place tonight. 9:00 p.m.'

A smile comes to my face when I see the message.

He doesn't hate me as Blackwood suggested.

Yes.

He might not be so in love with me, but...

Fuck. What am I saying?

While waiting to get a taxi, I see Ivy again.

And this time, she's not alone.

She's with two girls.

I don't know what got into me, but I suddenly feel the urge to speak to her, so I do. I hurry to their car and stop them.

"Hi, Ivy... Can I speak to you?" I ask.

She pauses, and so do her two friends.

"Who is she?" They ask.

"Dave's girlfriend," she whispers to them.

"Oh, the girl he's just using for sex? The one who thinks they're actually a thing?" One of them whispers in response.

They laugh.

"Shut up. She's listening," Ivy replies, and they laugh again.

When Ivy finally turns her attention to me, I become completely lost for words.

Dave is using me for sex?

Did I... Did I hear her right?

Or are they just making it up?

My lips quiver, and my breathing slows as I stare at them.

Are they deliberately saying this to hurt me, or do they mean those words?

"Do you... Do you mean that?" I ask before I can stop myself.

Maybe I'm desperate.

Maybe I'm being foolish.

But I don't care.

I love Dave, and I want him to love me back.

"What part?" Ivy replies. "Oh, the part where he's pretending to date you because of your body?" She asks with a laugh.

"So... so..."

"You heard it right, girl. What true boyfriend acts that way with another girl when his girlfriend is watching? You need to be smart."

She laughs again, and her friends laugh with her.

They get into their vehicle, and before I can comprehend her words, they're gone.

Gone.

But they leave me with a lesson. A reminder that Dave doesn't actually love me.

He just pretends to. 

This time, I don't pause. I don't hesitate as I retrieve my phone.

I don't slow down as I type a message to Blackwood.

'Can we meet tonight? We need to finish our discussion.'

His reply comes almost immediately.

'What time?'

'9:00 p.m. At my place.'