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“Of course I did,” I say without hesitation. “Caress, you’re not just my assistant. You’re…” I trail off, not sure how to finish that sentence without revealing too much. My friend? The woman I can’t stop thinking about? The one person who makes me want to be a better man?
She raises an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. “I’m what, exactly?”
I take a deep breath, deciding to go with honesty. “You’re important to me. And I’ll always have your back, no matter what.”
Something shifts in Caress’s expression, a softening around her eyes that makes my heart skip a beat. “I know,” she says quietly. “That goes both ways, you know. I’ve got your back too.”
The sincerity in her voice catches me off guard. For all our banter and professional rapport, we’ve never really addressedthe deeper connection between us. But sitting here now, the weight of unspoken words and suppressed emotions seem to bear down heavier.
We eat in companionable silence for a while, stealing glances at each other over pieces of sushi. It’s oddly domestic, this shared meal in the privacy of my cabin. If I let myself, I could almost pretend this is real. Pretend that Caress and I are actually together, enjoying a romantic dinner on our cruise vacation.
But we’re not. This is all for show, a charade to keep Trevor at bay and salvage our business deal. I can’t let myself forget that, no matter how much I might wish otherwise.
“So,” Caress says, breaking into my thoughts. “What’s the game plan for tomorrow? We should probably strategize how we’re going to handle this whole… couple thing.”
“Right. Edward may want answers.” I nod, trying to slip back into professional mode. “Good point. We should establish some good responses, at least figure out our backstory.”
“Exactly,” she agrees. “Like, how long have we been together? How did it start?”
I consider for a moment. “Well, we’ve known each other for years through Joel. Maybe we reconnected at the company Christmas party last year?”
Caress nods, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Ooh, office romance. Scandalous. I like it.”
I can’t help but chuckle. “Hey, you’re the one who showed up in that dress. If anyone’s being scandalous here, it’s you.”
The words slip out before I can stop them, and I immediately tense, worried I’ve crossed a line. But to my relief, Caress just laughs.
“Fair point,” she says, gesturing down at herself. “Though I didn’t exactly expect a private fashion show from you either, Mr. Carter.”
And just like that, the tension from earlier dissipates. We fall into our usual easy banter, tossing ideas back and forth about our fictional relationship. It’s almost too easy to imagine this alternate reality where Caress and I found our way to each other.
As the evening wears on, I find myself relaxing more than I have in months. There’s something about Caress that puts me at ease, that makes me feel like I can just be myself. No pretenses, no walls – just Dylan.
It’s concerning, this comfort. Because the more time I spend with her like this, the harder it becomes to remember why we can’t be together for real.
As if reading my thoughts, Caress’s smile fades slightly. “Dylan,” she says, her voice soft. “What are we doing here?”
The question hangs in the air between us, laden with meaning. I know she’s not just talking about the fake relationship or the marketing campaign.
I meet her gaze, seeing my own conflicted emotions reflected back at me. “I don’t know,” I admit quietly, an unseen force pulling our heads closer together. “But I think… I think we might be in trouble here, Caress.”
Her eyes flick from my gaze to my lips, then back again before she nods. She swallows. “I think we might be.”
Time slows as I lean in to close the space between us. Caress’s eyes flutter closed, and I lick my lips in anticipation, but before our lips meet, a loud knock at the door breaks the moment.
“I - I should probably get going anyway,” Caress says, pulling back and avoiding my eyes.
Fuck.I should just pull her closer and finish what we started. I should tell whoever it is at the door to bugger off. I should tell her that what I feel for her is so much more than pretend or merely a friend. I should, but I don’t.
Instead, I stand, taking her hand so she can stand with me. “I understand.” I didn’t mean to cross a boundary. Thank you for having dinner with me.”
Caress still doesn’t meet my eyes. Nodding, she smiles and then hurries to the adjoining door without uttering a word.
Chapter Five
Caress
The adjoining door slams behind me, my heart thundering as I lean against it. Dylan’s scent lingers on my skin. Teasing me, reminding me of how close we came to crossing that line. My lips still tingle from his breath, so near yet cruelly interrupted.
