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FIVE
Courtney
I’ve changed my outfit four times. I’ve reached for my phone just as many times to call my sister to ask her thoughts. It’s a stark reminder that I can’t call her. She can’t know Merrick and I are pretending. I could call Jordyn, but although I think of her as a friend, she’s my boss and Merrick’s sister-in-law. I’m on my own to make this decision, and unfortunately, I’m out of time. Merrick will be here any minute.
Glancing in the mirror, I take in my final outfit. A pair of dark skinny jeans and a fitted long-sleeve T-shirt. I plan to wear my tennis shoes. I don’t want it to look as though I’m trying too hard, but I don’t want to look like a slob either.
A loud knock sounds, and I know my time is up. Turning off the bedroom light, I rush toward the front door. My ponytail swings with the fast effort of my walk. I pause to take a deep, soothing breath, and exhale before pulling open the door.
My breath hitches. Merrick is standing there in a pair of well-worn jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt as well. It clings to his muscles as if it were a second skin. I swallow down my reaction to him and offer him a kind smile.
“Come on in. I just need to put on my shoes.” I lean over and grab them from where they’re sitting by the door when a sound that can only be described as a growl falls from Merrick’s lips. Standing to my full height, I face him. He’s biting down on his bottom lip.
“That’s fine,” he finally says, releasing his lip from the torture of his teeth.
I don’t comment on the growl, because after seeing his face, I’m certain that’s what I heard, but it doesn’t make sense. Is he mad that I’m not ready? He doesn’t look mad. He looks... turned on. Could that be it? Surely not.
Shaking out of my thoughts, I sit on the couch and get to work putting on my shoes. Once I’m finished, I grab my phone and purse and allow my eyes to meet Merrick’s. He’s smiling at me. “What?”
His answer is to smile wider. “You ready?”
“Let’s do it.” I move to walk past him, but he stops me, holding his hand out for me to take. “It’s just us,” I remind him. There’s a quiver in my voice that causes my face to heat. I cannot let this—attraction—my attraction to him get in the way of this little plan we have set in motion.
“Yes, but we need practice.” Reaching down, he takes my hand in his and laces our fingers together, leading me out of the house. He pauses to allow me to make sure the door’s locked before leading me to his truck.
“I can drive,” I offer.
“Maybe next time,” he says, reaching in front of me and pulling open the passenger door. I nod, and I climb into his truck. “Buckle up,” he says and shuts the door. I watch as he walks around the front of the truck and climbs behind the wheel. I shake out of my stupor when he leans over and grabs my seat belt, pulling it across my body and locking it into place. “Safety first,” he says huskily before settling back into his seat and doing the same with his belt.
“Th-Thank you.”
“Gotta take care of my girl.” He winks.
That shouldn’t have a single effect on me. None whatsoever; however, that’s not the case. I feel that wink between my thighs, and I know that I’m in trouble. The next three months are going to consist of me being turned on by him and trying with everything I am to hide it. That would definitely make this situation more complicated.
“Where are we going?” I ask, pretending as if he didn’t just melt me into a puddle with his comment.
“I thought we’d just go to Dorothy’s Diner. It’s in town, so people will see us together.”
“Right.” I nod. “Good plan.”
Merrick reaches over the console and places his hand on my thigh, giving it a gentle squeeze. “We’ve got this, Court. It’s all going to be fine.”
“I know. It’s just... different, I guess. I don’t exactly go around pretending to date the most eligible bachelor in town.”
His roar of laughter fills the cab of the truck. “That’s a stretch.”
“Hardly.”
He shakes his head, a smile playing on his lips as he keeps his eyes on the road. His dark hair is styled back, and he has a slight shadow of stubble on his face. It’s sexy, just like the man who wears it. All nine of the brothers are lookers. I’m kicking myself in the ass for blurting his name, of all the names I could have said. Why the sexy, most eligible bachelor in Willow River, Merrick Kincaid? Why could I not have said Joey, who works at the gas station at the edge of town? We graduated together, and who cares if he smells like moldy cheese? I could have sold it.
Maybe. Possibly.
I shudder at the thought.
Probably not.
“You cold?” Merrick asks.
