Page 100 of Temporary Vows

For a moment, neither of us moves. Another breath passes between us, then he pulls back to look at me.

Breathlessly, I gaze up at him, wondering if it’s over, if we’ve pandered enough to whoever was watching.

Dorian gazes back at me for a heartbeat, then he leans in again, his hand shifting to my waist.

“Come here,” he whispers over my lips.

Before I can overthink it, I move back to him. Then we’re kissing again, and God help me, something in the way he touches me shifts, and it doesn’t feel like a performance anymore.

Then again, it never really did.

The pressure deepens, blurring the lines between us that much more. My fingers curl into his shirt before I can stop myself. I never want him to stop kissing me.

Loud voices and laughter cut into the moment.

The spell breaks, and he pulls back first.

His gaze flicks past me. I look, too. A group of people is approaching with bottles of liquor.

“Let’s head back,” he murmurs.

My lips part, but nothing comes out. My mind is still reeling. I manage a nod.

Dorian glances over his shoulder, looking at nothing in particular, but I realize he’s focused on something—or someone—I can’t see.

He takes my hand and leads me back down the deck.

And just like that, we’re back to pretending.

I steal a glance at him as we walk by.

The kiss.

It was the third kind. The mindfuck.

He was right. You can’t come back from that.

I don’t think I will.

Chapter 23

Elodie

It’s after midnight by the time we get home. Dorian and I step out of the car and make our way up the steps to the front door.

I watch him quietly out of the corner of my eye. He’s been watching me, too. I caught him stealing glances on the way here.

We rode back in silence, but it wasn’t the awkward kind. It was the kind that gave you a moment to breathe in the spaces between decisions. Or actions.

My mind was still spinning from that kiss, like I was falling into a bottomless void. The very thought of the way he kissed me spiked my blood. I knew I should try to stop thinking about it, but I didn’t know how.

After it happened, I found myself torn between wanting more of our supposed fake kisses and wishing the night away. Then, when he didn’t kiss me again and it came time to leave, I didn’t want to go.

It was madness, and I was acting like I’d lost my damn mind. Maybe the whole arrangement is awakening parts of the old me who used to have feelings for him. But no good will come of going back there.

I walked that jagged path before. Nothing happened between us to set my feelings straight, but I was sensible enough to getmy head out of the clouds. It’s a pity I can’t seem to gather that ability now.

Dorian opens the door and holds it open for me to go inside.