Page 144 of Pucking Daddy

“Dead serious.”

“You can’t just say something like that like it’s a normal sentence.”

“Feels pretty normal to me.”

“It absolutely does not feel normal to me.”

I smile, even though my heart is pounding now.

Zara keeps staring at me like I’ve started speaking another language.

Then she lets out a small, disbelieving laugh and takes a step back, her hand still pressed to her chest.

“You really mean that,” she says.

“Yes.”

She exhales, shaky and quiet, glancing down for a second before looking back at me.

“But how?” she blurts out.

That almost makes me smile again. “How what?”

“How is this possible?” She gestures between us, still half incredulous. “I’m your fake wife. You don’t just start falling in love with people you’re fake married to. There were supposed to be boundaries. Logic. All of that.” Her voice softens. “And now you’re standing here telling me you love me.”

I shrug lightly. “Yeah.”

She gives me a look that’s equal parts exasperated and overwhelmed. “You’re being way too calm about this.”

“I’m not calm.”

“No?”

“No.” I take a small step closer. “I’m sure.”

That quiets her.

For a moment, she just looks at me. Really looks.

“Oh my God,” she whispers.

“What?”

“You really love me.”

I nod once. “Pretty much.”

“I don’t know what to do with that.”

“You don’t have to do anything.”

“No?”

I shake my head. “I’m not telling you so you’ll say it back. I’m telling you because it’s true, and because you deserve to know.”

She takes a deep breath. “It suddenly feels really warm in here, don’t you think?” She fans herself with her hands, her face definitely flushed.

God, I could watch that forever.