Page 12 of Faking With You

I notice how the conversation at the other end has ended and can feel the attention of the entire table on Liz and me.

“Liz only told us you went to dinner. Where’d you go? What had you asking her out? Are you going out again?” Hannah throws her questions at me, and I’m more than ready to answer them.

“We went to Ristorante Bellanotte, I asked her out because she makes me curious and I wanted to get to know her better, and yes, I hope that we’re going out again.”

Silence fills the table. That’s probably the most direct answer I’ve given to a personal question. I stop fighting myself and place my arm across the back of Eliza’s chair. She tenses for a second before relaxing back into her seat. All eyes remain on us, and I can feel Eliza retreating into herself as everyone stares.

Wanting to get the attention off us, and seeing the questions in Matt’s eyes, I turn to Caleb and ask, “Are you ready the baby to arrive?”

He smiles, and I remember how that was something he didn’t do a lot of two years ago, but here we are, him married with a daughter and a baby on the way.

“Yeah, we’re ready. Charlie is excited about being a big sister.”

“She’s going to be amazing,” Liv says.

Conversation moves on to both Liv and Bailey’s pregnancies, and Liz mouthsthank youwhen I look at her. I don’t respond, just simply run the back of my fingers across her shoulder and watch as a smaller shutter travels through her. When we’ve all finished eating, we leave the bar. I hang back as Eliza says goodbye to her friends and slip beside her as she begins to make her way to her car.

Once we reach her car, she doesn’t unlock it immediately. She bounces between her feet, and I can see the wheels turning in her head. When I open my mouth to say something, she beats me to it.

“When can we start my part of the deal?” she blurts, the words rushing out of her.

I can’t help the pull at the corner of my lips as I reach out and tuck hair behind her ear, brushing the backs of my fingers across her cheeks and taking a step closer. Her sharp intake of breath is audible.

“Are you asking when I’ll take you to bed?” I ask, my voice low.

She swallows, and I watch her throat work. She looks up at me through her lashes, and it takes everything in me to not lean and take her mouth as I press her into the side of her car.

I lean in closer, letting her feel my breath against the shell of her ear as I say, “We’ll get there. Don’t worry, I plan to follow through with my part of the deal and so much more.”

A nearly inaudible squeak escapes her, causing me to chuckle softly. I reach around her and press the button on her door handle before pulling the door open for her.

“Let me know when you get home safely,” I say before pressing my lips to her cheek. She nods and slips into the car, and I close it as she does her seat belt.

The way that Eliza reacts to me has pride swelling in my chest, and I can’t wait to see how she’ll react when we finallytake that next step. But I’m not going to be rushing into it. I need to build trust with her before we start doing anything that has one or both of us removing clothing. Losing her virginity is her decision, but I’m also not going to be disrespectful wanker about it. I need to make sure she feels safe and comfortable with me before we take that next step.

As I walk in the door of my flat, my phone buzzes and I look down at the text. It’s Eliza telling me she’s home. I’m about to respond when another text comes through. This one isn’t from Eliza, though.

It’s from my father, and my entire body stiffens when I read it, knowing what I’m going to have to do tomorrow.

CHAPTER 10

Eliza

Ididn’t expect to wake up this morning to a text from Mac asking if we could meet today. I figured with a date on Friday and seeing him at the game last night, it would be at least a few days before he texted and wanted to meet. I really don’t want to do anything today. After being out of the house on Friday and Saturday, all I want to do today is curl up on my couch with a blanket and a book and relax for the entire day.

Eliza

Sorry, I can’t today.

Mac

I can make anytime today work, please.

I can bring food and meet you at your place.

The sense of desperation in his pleading and the thought of not having to think about what to feed myself has me giving in.

Eliza