Sara´s POV
Matt rushed around the car, and before I could even open the door, he was already there. He helped me out and grabbed my hand, not to let go of it.
“Matt… You sure you…” I hesitated. Of course I remembered everything we said last night, but wasn’t that the heat of the night? I wasn’t really sure what we were now. It felt like we were at least something, an ‘us’, a ‘we’, but what if this had just been sex… again? What if-

I didn’t have time to let my mind go out of control any further, because suddenly I was pushed back against the car, Matt’s angry face looking down on me.
“Are you kidding me?! You backing out already? I had to know this was all too good to be true” He sighed, putting a step back, away from me, his gaze avoiding mine.
“Hey! I didn’t say that” I put my hand on his cheek and finally met those honey colored orbs I could so easily get lost in “I just… wasn’t sure… I didn’t want to..” What the hell was it that made me turn into a stuttering mess whenever he was around?

He moved his face to me and ghosted his lips over mine, before he whispered “You are with me. This is a relationship, I want to call you mine and with that… I hold your hand, kiss you when I want to and pay your food” I opened my mind to protest at the last condition “… And you are not going to complain about it” He crashed his lips on mine, immediately demanding entrance. His hands moved to my butt and he lifted me a little.

I let out a giggle when he moved away, just enough to let me breath “Are we clear?” he groaned, a hint of a smile tugging the corners of his mouth.
“I guess so” I beamed back.

So there we went. His arm around my shoulder, mine around his waist and when we entered the restaurant, not able to walk next to each other anymore, his hand engulfed mine completely, holding on to me as if he was afraid to lose me. And me? I was smiling like an idiot, I loved him being so possessive of me, I never had that before.

“How nice of you two to finally show up!” Brian let out annoyed, while explicitly looking at his watch “Only 30 minutes late, I applaud you”
Matt and I both let out a giggle. I felt like a teenage girl, caught making out behind the bleachers by the strict headmaster.
“We’re sorry” I let out when I sat down on the chair Matt held out for me
“Or not” I heard Matt mutter, he immediately put his hand on my leg, as soon as he sat down, and started making his way up from my knee to my thigh without even hesitation.

Brian rolled his eyes, ordering us to pick what we wanted to eat, because the waiter had been around the table 3 times already. I looked at the two on the opposite of the table. Brian sure held up his edgy demeanor towards Matt and me, but his arm was draped over the back of Amy’s chair, a finger wrapped in a strand of her hair, another one moving over her shoulder. The gesture was kind and loving, and again… it confused me. When my eyes finally moved to Amy’s face, she was just staring at me, wide eyes, smile on her face.
“Sara, maybe we should wash up before lunch is served”
“Maybe that’s a good idea” Matt said, before moving to my ear to whisper “because you sure got all dirty after your shower this morning” His grin was like the devil’s, while my face washed in red.

After we finished our shower this morning, Matt had followed me into the guestroom, plopping down on the bed to watch me get dressed, only to strip me again completely after I finished. To be honest, it really was a miracle we were only 30 minutes late.

“Alright” I turned to Matt “Will you order for me?”
“Sure thing, babe” I pecked his lips and got up to follow Amy to the ladies rooms.

“What. The. Hell. Was. That?” The door hadn’t even completely closed before Amy started. “Was I in a timewarp or something? I really thought only a few hours had passed since we last saw each other” She checked her watch and shook her head “Nope, really only a little under 11 hours ago you were complaining about the man, telling me you wouldn’t give in, no matter how hard he would try” she walked closer to me and put her hands on my cheeks, studying my face “Is it really you in there, Sara, or did some alien take your body as his vessel?” She smirked and let go of me and leaned back on the sink. “Well? Wanna explain what happened?” she raised her brow, a smile on her lips.

I laughed and started blushing heavily. She was so right, it was all a little weird if you put the facts like that.

“First I have to apologize to you, I mean, I know you said it was okay, but it really wasn’t. I was on my own agenda and I kept you from Brian, and I’m sorry for that. Speaking of which, how are you and Brian?”
“Don’t change the subject, I will tell you all about my embarrassing morning when you’ve spilled everything first”
“Okay.. Okay… Matt and I had a fight last night when we came back” Amy raised her brows in question “Yes, I was stupid, told him stuff I didn’t mean, fucked things up, fucked him up, he walked away and I was left alone in tears, my own damn fault” I could barely believe this all happened last night and I was so happy now.

“Oh, honey, why didn’t you call me? You know I’m always there for you?” Amy put a hand on my arm, and I squeezed it shortly.
“I couldn’t, I ruined enough for you two…. And I think I needed to figure this out myself”
“And by the looks of it, you did”
“Yeah… I apologized and… I told him I fell for him and that I was scared he was going to break my heart”
Amy stared at me with open mouth “Wow, you really did go all in. Glad to see it worked out for you.”

My cheeks were heating up again, damn, I was never like this, why did I start now?! “He says we are together, I have no idea how this will work out when I go back to Phoenix or when he needs to go on tour or…” my mind started to work again. I really had no idea how this could work, it would never work, would it? My heart started racing. Why did I begin this? We were heading for heartbreak, both of us, this relationship could never ever succeed. I twisted my hands, suppressing the urge to run out of this bathroom, out of this restaurant, out of what shit I got myself into again.

“Sara, stop it! You want this, Matt wants this, you will find a way. Don’t go shutting it down before it has even started” She smiled encouragingly at me, before she seemed to think of something “You know… At least you don’t have a father in law that walks in on you and your accidental husband almost having sex”
My mouth dropped open “Brian’s dad-“
“Yes, Brian’s dad, he walked into the bedroom unannounced, just as Brian and I….”
“Oh my god”

Amy told me the whole story, her face red as a tomato. Shit, I would have too. Holy fuck. “I never been more embarrassed in my whole life Sara, not even when I fell flat on my face in that conference room at work last year”
“Wow, yeah, I could definitely imagine that. At least Brian handled it well, and his dad was nice?”
A smile came over Amy’s face “Yes, he is, he is funny, crazy, and Brian says he is like that all the time. Brian looks like him. I kinda promised to go and meet his whole family. He has a brother, a sister and I will meet them soon. I’m dying already. But I couldn’t say no. Brian hurt his family by not telling them about the marriage, even though that wasn’t really a choice. My parents would freak out too.”

“You need to tell them Ames, if the press really starts publishing your pictures more and more, now you are out in the open… You can’t let them find out that way”
“I know… I really just don’t know how”
“How are things with you and Brian?” Amy’s eye fell to the ground and she shrugged.
“I don’t know… I mean, our bodies fit perfectly, he is so sweet, but I can’t forget about the fact that it’s all pretend. When I think of it, it all suffocates me. So I decided to not think so much, I have to play the part, I better shut my brain down”

I looked at my friend, deeper in than she was willing to admit, or maybe she was willing, but where was Brian in all of this? Was this just filling up the time for him? Pretending until he could divorce Amy, or was he invested in this like she was? His acts certainly looked like it, but his mouth said differently. There had to be a way to find out more, and I would find it.

Brian’s POV
“What. The. Hell. Was. That?” I looked at Matt with open mouth after I had watched the girls walk away from us.
“What was what?” Matt tried to avoid my gaze. I put on a girlie voice “Will you order for me?” bringing it back a very, very low one “Sure thing, babe”.

“That. Oh… and you being late… you are never late”

Matt’s smile was facewide by now and he shrugged “Nothing much. We are together, I can call her babe whenever, wherever I want and well, yes… I think we are going to be late more often”
“You are together?!?” I know that word should mean something to me, but I was so confused. Matt had been far from successful last night, how were they together now? I shook my head, getting the thoughts out, it was none of my business, it was Matt’s rebound.

“Sooooo, I had a great morning, how about you? What was that thing about you being up for ages?”
I sighed and started to tell Matt the story of my dad, his grin got wider and wider, ending up in laughing loudly, tears on his cheeks and everything.
“I’m happy to entertain you, but could you for once just be a friend? Seriously, it would be great if you could just… I don’t know… Not laugh at me?”

Matt snickered a few last times, before he looked straight at me “Did you tell your dad the whole story?” I nodded “The whole, whole story?” Nodding again.
“What is the whole story, Brian?” I shrugged
“The hell if I know. This is all very…. I don’t know… weird” Matt didn’t say anything, but for once he was waiting for me to continue, without laughing at me, or being his obnoxious solution offering self. I wasn’t very keen on the idea of spreading the word around that I was doubting the whole pretending part and not because of the obvious reasons.

“You continuing or can I say something already?” Ah, there he was again, the man I knew so well. I motioned with my hand for him to continue.
“I have no idea how you are in this at the moment, but you and Amy together, that doesn’t look like pretending anymore, man. I never saw you like this with Michelle. You are possessive, jealous, you watch her like a hawk. You can’t tell me that is only because she is a good lay.”

I balled my hands to fists, I know he was only making a point, but I wanted to punch his face for calling Amy that. I could just hurt him because of being disrespectful about her. Guess he made his point huh?

“She is not. She is amazing, she is beautiful, she is kind, smart, funny and somehow she knows exactly how to be with me perfectly. I don’t know what is going on anymore. All this pretending must have me confused on how I really feel, because I’m not having actual feelings for her, that would be ridiculous” I muttered, more to myself than to Matt, but he just nodded shortly, a knowing smile on his face.
“But maybe it’s not that ridiculous, maybe-“ Matt wanted to say more, but we saw the women coming back to the table and we both knew this conversation was over “Think about it” Matt whispered just before we both pulled out the chairs for the girls to sit down.

“Amy told me you had a plan for today, want to share?” Sara smiled, looking at me expectantly.
“Oh, yes. I thought we could maybe have a BBQ tonight? Just the band, the Berry’s, Dan? I mean, not too many people, but maybe it would be nice to all hang out.”
Matt seemed to think about something “You know… You could always ask Dan to post some of those Instagram pictures. I know he normally doesn’t do it much, but we could ask him?”
I nodded, maybe that wasn’t the worst idea. Just put some stuff of me and Amy out. I was sure the press wouldn’t wait too long to attack again, I was even certain Larry was arranging interviews as we speak.

“Okay… So BBQ at my place? We can do it at the beach behind my house? Sara and I can go booze shopping, will you get everything else?” Matt grinned, that asshole, I was about to propose the opposite, but he was quicker. He hated grocery shopping, just like every one of us.

We finished lunch and both head are own ways.

“Wanna head to the store immediately? Get it over with?”
“Sure, don’t worry, it will be fun” Amy smiled and put her hand over mine “You have never been grocery shopping with me, I make shopping fun!”
I huffed, but smiled anyway, she made me smile, always.

I got lucky and got a parking space not too far from the entrance. I turned to Amy before I got out “You ready for this?”
Amy leaned forward and captured my lips with hers, letting that small meeting of lips evolve in a slow sensual kiss. I groaned into her mouth and put her head between my hands, holding her right where she already was. I needed her, and I was about to break our kiss, start the car and head straight on home.
“Come on, let’s do something really domestic and go grocery shopping. Maybe we should have invited some of your press friends” Amy joked as she got out of the car. I rushed to her side and put my arm around her, pulling her close “Be careful what you wish for, those vultures can be everywhere” she looked up to me, there was no reason for her to, except for what I gave her right away, a kiss.

We got a cart and made our way over to the butcher, ordering steaks, burgers and some chicken. Amy had some ideas on seasoning, so we loaded up on everything she would need for that too.
“Let’s head to the register” I was happy to be done this quick and gently maneuvered Amy towards the register and exit. Amy’s giggle made me look down on her. We were still entangled, pushing the cart forward together. Shopping was not as bad with her this close. “What?”
“We are not done, Brian, really, what kind of BBQ’s did you throw?”
“Just booze, steaks and burgers, nothing wrong with that”

“We need rolls for the burgers, we need some vegetables, at least to make a salad and we definitely need sauces. Come on, I want the full experience, don’t go and cut it short”
I let her lead me away from the exit, all the way to aisle 1. She was serious about the full experience, huh? I was about to protest, but swallowed my words when I looked down on her. She looked like she was having fun, I didn’t want to ruin her fun and even though there were at least twenty ways I could show her fun, this wasn’t too bad either.

We made our way from aisle to aisle, loading up the cart with more stuff than would ever be able to eat and I listened to Amy, telling me about her favorite dishes according to the different products she came across. I was forgetting I was doing one of the things I hated the most, pretty quick. Amy was amazing company and she let me touch her as much as I wanted. I was a happy man, in a grocery store for God’s sake.

“Brian” Amy whispered, leaning into me. Was she enjoying this just as much as I was? I bend down to kiss her once more, but she shook her head, I looked at her confused. What the hell? She put her hand in my neck and pulled me down, her mouth next to my ear “I think that man is following us” she whispered, motioning her head to something behind us. I looked over my shoulder, but the aisle was empty. Hmmm, probably nothing.

I stopped Amy and turned her to me “Probably someone who started the full experience right behind us” I smirked before I leaned down to her to kiss her deeply. Her body formed to mine immediately and I felt her breasts push to my chest. My arms snaked around her waist and I held her close, not interested in breaking our kiss or letting go of her just a tiny bit.

“Here they are!” A yell broke me out of my bliss and the clicking of camera’s put me on high alert immediately. I drew Amy back to my side, pushing her face to my chest, while trying to walk away of the 3, no 4, wait 5 photographers, shit… they were like cockroaches, multiplying by the second. Then I saw the face of the one reporter I wished I never saw again. She was Pitbull. She held on. She never, ever let go. She had put Matt in a bad place after his divorce, she camped in front of my house for days after news got out that Michelle and I broke up. Never any interest for the music, only showing up when something was going on in our personal lives. I was a fool for not thinking about the fact that she would show up.

“Well Amy, enlighten us, how were you able to land yourself a rock star like Synyster Gates? A known playboy, committing to a marriage? Did you get yourself knocked up on purpose?”
Until then I had tried to get Amy and I towards the exit without getting into too much trouble, but that last sentence made me stop right in my tracks and I snapped around to her. Her triumphantly, a man with a video camera right next to her.

Before I knew it, I had bridged the distance between her and me and got up in her face “You need to listen carefully, bitch” I spat the insult, but she didn’t even back away “Stay the fuck out of my life”
“Why, Brian? Got something to hide?” she taunted

I was this close to throw every principle I ever had about hitting women, overboard, when I was stopped.
“Brian, stop!” Amy’s face was in front of me, her hands on my shoulders “Don’t do it, you will give them a field day if you will”
“I don’t fucking care” I groaned “They have no right to talk to you like that! They just need to leave us alone.”

Amy’s soft hand on my cheek brought me back to the here and now “I know, I appreciate you standing up for me, but it’s not worth it” She kissed me briefly, making me lose all my anger instantly “Come on… Let’s get out of here”

Notes

So, what do you guys think? Will Matt and Sara last?
And what about Amy and Brian.... Will they be able to get through all of the charades without getting hurt?

Let us know what you think?
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