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He surprises me when he lifts his hand and cradles my cheek. “Breathe, Courtney.”
I pull in a sharp breath. “Sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. I agreed to help you, and I’m a man of my word. I don’t need an out. You need to relax or we’re never going to pull this off.”
“She’s watching us.”
“I assumed she would be.” He grins.
“I don’t know how I’m ever going to repay you for this.”
“Easy. You’re going to help me decorate my house. I need furniture to fill it up and curtains and dishes and all that stuff. I could have my mom or my sisters-in-law, or my cousin, Ramsey, help me, but it’s something I want to do on my own. Well, outside of my family.” He smiles at me. “When you’re a twin, you don’t get much of your own time, your own thoughts, and this is that for me. I want to create my home on my own. Without leaning on my family.” He offers me a quirky grin. “So, I’m just going to lean on you. I’ll need a woman’s touch.”
I can’t help but smile back at him. “That I can do. Thank you again, so much.”
“You’re welcome, Court. Now, give me your hand, and let me be the kick-ass boyfriend I am and walk my girl to her car.” He winks, drops his hand from my cheek, and laces his fingers with mine.
He leads me to the front of the restaurant, where my mother meets us. “I look forward to dinner,” he says politely. “Can I walk you to your car?” he offers, never letting go of my hand.
“Oh, heavens no. You kids say your goodbyes. Courtney, I’ll call you to make plans.” She leans in for a hug.
I try to pull away from Merrick, but he just holds my hand tighter, preventing me from doing so.
“Love you,” Mom says. I can hear the excitement in her voice.
“Love you too.”
She practically skips out of Pizza Town.
“You made her night,” I tell Merrick, watching through the glass door as my mother climbs into her car and pulls out of her parking spot.
“Yeah? What about yours?”
I peer up at him. “You saved me. Again.”
A slow, sexy grin tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Come on, let’s get you to your car.” Pushing open the door, my hand still firmly in his, he leads us outside and to my vehicle. I unlock the door, and he pulls it open for me.
“You know, we really have to sell this if we want people to believe us.”
“There is no one around to sell it to.”
He chuckles. “Courtney, if you think for one second this entire town isn’t going to be talking about the two of us, you’re mistaken. You grew up in Willow River. You know that word travels fast.”
“Yeah, but not yet.”
He shrugs. “I guess we need to give them something to talk about, then.” Before I can decipher his meaning, he’s leaning in and pressing his lips to mine. It’s a chaste kiss as far as kisses go, but the heat of his touch, the firm press of his lips against mine has my body craving more.
More kisses.
More of him.
This is bad.
“Text me when you make it home,” he says, pulling away.
“You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll make it home just fine.”
“You’re my girl now, Court. It’s my job to worry about you. Text me when you get home.”
