Blind Reality (31 page)

“Each time the buzzer goes off, check your mailbox. I’ll be back to check with you later.”

“I’m a stay at home dad,” Gary yells, earning a righteous glare from Amanda.

“Can’t imagine that went over well,” I mumble to Joey who hides her snicker.

Cole and Millie walk over to us. Cole is barely able to contain his laughter as he points to Jennifer. Millie elbows him and takes the doll from me.

“What, never seen a man hold a doll before?”

“Just didn’t expect to see you holding one and for her to be pregnant,” Cole says. How he got so lucky in the lack of kids department irritates me. Millie and he have been blissful this entire time. They need some drama.

“Oh yeah, being in a fat suit again is right up my alley.”

I pull Joey to me hoping to take some of the pressure off her back. The suit is heavy and I know it’s a burden for her to wear it.

Overhead dark clouds roll in and it starts to rain. A rarity in California, but likely needed. Everyone starts to scatter, except for Joey. She stands there with her head back, letting the rain pepper her skin. She’s beautiful in every way possible. I can’t believe I was so stupid to tell her that we couldn’t be together.

I tilt her head up and capture her lips with mine. Her fingers push through my damp hair pulling slightly. My hand cups her face as our tongues dance. This kiss isn’t for game play or because we’re on national television. It’s because she’s beautiful and deserves to be kissed. It’s because I want to kiss her like there’s no tomorrow.

The buzzer sounds and the telltale click from doors opening play in the background. Mailboxes open and close, but I don’t stop. I can’t pull away from her. I know, in this moment, that I’ve made the right decision. Being with Joey is going to be the easiest thing I’ve ever done.

When I pull away, her eyes are still closed and raindrops rest on her eyelashes. I want a camera to capture this moment and wish we were anywhere but here. I hate saying this, but I love the thought of the paparazzi taking pictures of us so I can keep them on my phone. The first thing we’re doing once we’re out of here is taking a damn selfie, and yes I’ll be posting it on social media.

“Josh, please pick up your mail,” Linda interrupts us once again. Sighing, I kiss Joey again, but only briefly. I’m going to have to talk to her about foregoing this competition because right now I’d rather be sitting inside the house getting to know her even better.

Pulling the mailbox open, I retrieve the letter. I realize that this is the game of Life, and the only thing missing are the cars that we need to move around the game board.

“We have a leak and a missing child,” I tell Joey. Her eyes go wide and her hand covers her mouth.

“Shit, who has the baby?”

“Millie,” I reply, as Joey turns toward their house. I go into the house and look for the leak. Nothing on the first floor indicates running water, and climbing the stairs I dread where a leak could be. The bathroom and our bedroom show no signs of water, leaving only the baby’s room. When I open the door, I see the rain from outside pelting down onto the crib.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. This is exactly why I’ll never own a home.”

I can’t call a contractor, because according to this game I wouldn’t be able to afford it. So I move the crib out of the way to at least save that stuff.

“Wow,” she exclaims from behind me.

“I know.” I sigh. “What are we supposed to do?”

“I think use our friends. Cole is a contractor.”

“Do you want to quit?” I ask her. “I don’t care about winning right now. This won’t be our life.”

She looks from me to the doll in her hands to the bulging belly. Her nod is slow, but it’s there. I never thought I’d quit any game in my life, but this one has to stop. I barrel down the steps and out the door to find Gary, Cole, and Bronx all heading to the buzzer. I step back in as coyly as I can and whisper for Joey to come downstairs.

“Everyone hates this game,” I say into her ear. “The guys are out there right now pressing the button. Let’s wait five minutes.”

Sure enough the buzzer sounds three times and Patrick is on the loud speaker proclaiming us the winners. I have a distinct feeling this game did not go as they thought. Their idea to beat us down and cause situations that aren’t necessarily going to exist doesn’t make much sense.

I help Joey out of the fat suit, which is a little harder than helping her put on it. I do my best to shield her from the cameras. I really don’t want anyone looking at her body other than me.

“I’m so happy to be out of that thing.”

“I have to say I like this Joey much better. The other was miserable, and it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours yet. Imagine if it were the real thing.”

As soon as the words are out of my mouth I want to take them back. She visibly freezes and avoids eye contact. “Are you ready?”

“Um, yeah,” I say as I walk in front of her. Foot in mouth should be my new name.

When we step outside happy, but exhausted friends greet us. Even Bronx offers us a congratulatory pat on the back. This challenge was hell. I don’t look back at the pretend home that could’ve been my realistic doom as I enter the house. None of our furniture is back, but I don’t care. I’m in need of a shower, or a bath. A nice long bath with my wife sounds pretty amazing right now.

Bringing my hand out of the warm water, I let my finger dangle over her chest. The water trickles down, beading on her skin. Joey’s head rests on my shoulder and her legs are locked under mine. This is one of the most intimate moments of my life and it’s happening during a TV show. The rest of our time here can’t go fast enough. At this point, it doesn’t matter if Joey and I win, I just want to get her alone. I want to be free to explore her body without having to be in the shower or winning a competition. I want to hold her without being interrupted.

First things first, as soon as I see Jason, I’m telling him to tear up the annulment papers. I hope he and Matt won’t be waiting for me, but if either of them is, they need to know that Joey isn’t going anywhere. Jason is going to pop an artery. He’s all about pre-nups, clauses, and amendments. Even if Joey leaves me six months from now, I’ll give her anything she asks for. She’s with me because of me, not my checkbook.

“I’m filming a movie in Alabama a week after the tour is over.”

Joey adjusts slightly, water sloshing around. “You’d think with me being your number one fan, I would know that. I’m off my game.”

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her closer. “I’m thinking that you could head up my fan club. As president, I’d offer you some fringe benefits.” That was corny, but didn’t sound so bad when I was running those words through my head.

She turns in my arms, her breasts on full display and begging for me to touch them. I hold back though because she has a serious look on her face.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

Her statement confuses me. She’s right. I don’t. “You know what, you’re right. We’ve spent all this time together and I haven’t asked you the important questions. You know everything about me, so why don’t we change this tiny tidbit?”

“Tiny?”

I lean forward and slide her over my legs so she’s straddling me. “I say tiny because nothing you tell me now can change the way I feel about you. I know the important things, like what happened with Tony. One thing I don’t know about you is where you’re from or when your birthday is.”

“Okay, well I’m from Springcreek, Oregon and my birthday is September eighth.”

“Hmm,” I say, moving her wet hair behind her shoulder. “So we could be on our honeymoon and celebrating your birthday, huh?”

“Honeymoon?”

Pulling her forward, our lips meet as if they need to touch. The lukewarm water moves around us. Joey shivers and as much as I’d like to think it’s from my awesome make out skills, it’s because we’re cold.

“Do you want to go to bed?” I ask as my lips kiss the flesh behind her ear, trailing my tongue down her neck.

She nods and in a perfect world I can stand and hold her to me, but I can’t. I tap her leg and she stands before me, naked and beautiful. I’ve been waiting for weeks to be in this room with her and now that I have her behind a closed door with no cameras I can finally be with her. I know it won’t be the same as when we’re together on our honeymoon.

Joey walks to the bed, mesmerizing me with the sway of her ass. I can’t watch as she crawls over the comforter. I think my heart stops when she looks at me with bedroom eyes.

“Tell me how things will be when the shows over,” she says as I crawl over the top of her. I kiss a trail starting at her ankle until I’ve reached her lips.

“We’re going to go somewhere warm and private. I want to swim in the ocean with you. I want to make love to you under the stars and I want to rub lotion all over your body. We have a week before I have to go to work.” I pause and look at her. “Will you go to Alabama with me?”

“Under one condition,” she says.

I search her eyes for any sign that she’s about to give me a major ultimatum. I see nothing but love and admiration, both feelings that I intend to shower her with once we’re out of his house.

“What’s that?” I hedge, preparing for the worst.

“We visit the water tower and the beach from
Sweet Home Alabama
?”

I sit up on my hands slightly, unwilling to really disengage from her. “Do you like that movie?”

“It’s my favorite.”

“Of course,” I tell her without hesitation. I’ll do whatever she wants as long as she’s there waiting for me at the end of my shoots.

“Excellent,” I say as I settle myself between her legs. Everything about her is perfect and the fact that she’s so willing to come on location with me makes me happy. In a few short weeks, all of this will be over and we can start our lives. I rub my arousal against her, gauging her reaction. Joey flexes her hips, showing me that she’s ready.

“Condom,” Joey whispers, reminding me that I need to be responsible.

I reach for the bowl and grab the first one I see and tear open the package without looking at the color. If it’s blue, I may have flashbacks of it sticking to my leg. After I’m fully sheathed, I push in and her eyes close.

“Look at me,” I ask as my fingers caress her cheek. When she does, her eyes are lit with desire. We move together in unison, our bodies creating the needed friction we’ve been waiting for. Joey locks her ankles behind my back, giving me less space to move. Everything is tighter, deeper this way. Her hips rock into me while her heels push down on my back urging me to go faster. I bite down on her nipple and her back arches, showing me that she loves what I’m doing.

“Joshua …”

“God, Joey, hearing you say my name …”

She whimpers and starts moving faster. I need to learn her body. I have to know the signs so I can make her feel amazing. My hand slides down between our bodies, giving her the pressure she’s looking for. I groan when her walls clench and lose control.

I fall on her, out of breath and sweaty. Rolling slightly to the side, I pull her to me, unwilling to let her go. She nestles in my arms; her fingers dance over my skin until her lips take their place. She’s going to drive me crazy, but somehow I think that’s her intention. When she pushes me down and climbs on top of me, I have no choice but to submit. With Joey straddling me, all sense is gone.

I’m way overboard and there’s no saving me now.