Page 89 of Lucky Haven

He tightens his arms around me.

I rub his chest. “Your heart is racing.”

“I don’t like the idea that I’ve put you in danger.”

“Well, same. I didn’t like that I was dragging you into my problems.”

“Your problems are my problems, though.” He growls, visibly frustrated. “Fuck.”

“It’s okay.” I push myself up, kissing his chest, right above his heart, and then his mouth. “You don’t think I feel the same way? Your problems are my problems as well!”

“That’s not how this should work.”

“Why not? I love you.”

It just slips out.

As soon as I say it, I know it’s a mistake.

He goes still, and his gaze turns soft in that agonizing way when he’s trying to figure out how to let me know that I’m too innocent, too sweet for life, whatever. How many times have I seen this expression on Cash’s face?

Deep down, I knew that loving him was a secret I needed to keep to myself, that it would ruin everything if I said the words out loud.

Because he doesn’t love me back.

This has never been that for him. I knew that. It’s why I wanted to pre-plan the end of our fake relationship. But somewhere along the way, I forgot about the relationship rules I wrote down. I haven’t even looked at my notebook in a week.

I let myself get carried away in my own feelings, the joy of being his, and forgot why I’m his right now.

He cares for me.

He likes me so, so much.

But this was supposed to be transactional, him helping me out, with the thinnest veneer of a reciprocal benefit in that he needs a date for his brother’s wedding.

Which is just three days away.

I couldn’t have chosen a worse moment to say too much.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Cash

Fuck.

I can see the hurt on her face, I know I’m letting her down, and I still say nothing.

I love you.

Why would she say that?

How can she think that?

“Haven—”

“You don’t have to say anything,” she says brightly, scrambling to her knees. Her back goes super straight, perfect posture, as she pulls herself behind her polite librarian persona, even though she’s just wearing one of my t-shirts and a pair of panties I was hoping to pull off her at some point.

Not gonna happen now.