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“Sure,” I say, handing him some roses to arrange.
We work in silence for a few moments, but every time his knuckles brush against me, my heart races.
“How is this?” he asks, his voice a whisper in my ear.
I turn to face him, and before I know it, we’re kissing. His lips are soft and warm, and I can't help but melt into him. It feels like the world around us disappears, and all that matters is this moment.
But then reality comes crashing back in, and I pull away, my heart racing.
“It’s good,” I say, pleasantly surprised at his skill. Maybe May’s lessons did rub off on him.
“Thank you,” he says, his eyes locked on me, a new warmth shining in their depths.
I need to shift attention before I kiss him. “Let's get back to work,” I say.
We finish arranging the flowers in silence, but every time our hands brush, or he moves past me, his hands grazing my lower back, or he talks in that low, soothing voice, I feel the crackle of electricity between us.
When the last customer leaves for the day, he’s already sweeping up the floor. May excuses herself and I work to close up shop, aware of him every second.
On the drive home, I sit in the passenger seat, staring out the window, lost in thought. The silence between us is suffocating.
“Talk to me,” he says, his voice gentle.
“I don’t know what to say.” I honestly don’t. It feels like, since he proposed and made this charade real, that everything has changed. And not for the better.
He glances at me, his forehead creasing with concern. “I did mess things up.”
I lift both shoulders. “I think the reality just hit me.”
He exhales, his hand finding mine and our fingers threading together. “What happens when all this is over? When we go our separate ways?”
He takes a deep breath. “I don't know. But right now, we have to keep up the act.”
“Why?” Maybe if I knew the stakes, this wouldn’t be so hard.
He doesn't answer and I pull my hand away, my heart heavy.
“My brother isn’t fooled.” My words hang between us for a moment.
“What do you want to do about that?”
What options do I have?
“Look, there’s something between us,” he says.
“Attraction. Chemistry. Call it what you like, but Alex sees right through us.”
Before I can even process what's happening, he pulls his car to the curb, leans over and kisses me. His lips are rough and demanding, his hand curling around the side of my neck, his thumb stroking my throat as he pulls me closer.
I try to resist, but my body betrays me. My hands tangle in his hair, pulling him even closer as we lose ourselves in the moment.
But as quickly as it started, it ends. He pulls away, his eyes dark with desire.
“Just attraction? Just chemistry?” he asks.
I nod, the single action breaking my heart... but not as much as the hurt that flashes in his eyes before his walls come down.
Chapter Nineteen
