Page 40 of Fake It For Glory

“Hattie made me learn a few years ago,” I replied. “She wanted me to blend in with these people.”

“Then I would love to,” she said, smiling.

I led her out onto the dance floor, my confidence growing as I remembered the steps to the simple waltz. As we glided together, her eyes sparkled with delight, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in having made her evening a little more enjoyable.

The night was young, and the music had changed to a more upbeat tempo. “That’s my cue,” I said.

“Your cue for what?” she asked with a laugh.

“I can waltz, but I’m not much of a dancer.”

“I’ll lead you,” she said, smiling. “Dance with me.”

I was helpless to deny her. She wasn’t even my girlfriend and I was unable to resist her.

“Fair warning,” I said and pulled her back into my arms. “If I stomp all over your feet, I’m sorry.”

“I don’t mind,” she said. “I just want to dance. It’s been too long since I’ve gotten to dance.”

The look on her face was way too much for me to resist. I wanted to see that pretty glow. Her smile lit up the room. Being with her made me feel drunk. I’d been sipping champagne most of the night but it was not going to my head. She was.

As the music started, I followed her lead, and we began to sway to the rhythm. The way she moved was entrancing, and I found myself lost in the moment. Her body pressed against mine, and I could feel the heat rising between us. It was as if we were the only two people in the room, and nothing else mattered.

I twirled Merida around, her dress flaring out gracefully. She giggled, her cheeks flushed with excitement. I couldn’t help but notice the way her body moved so effortlessly, the way she fit perfectly in my arms. It was as if we were meant to dance together.

As the song came to an end, I pulled her closer to me, my hand resting on the small of her back. She looked up at me with those mesmerizing green eyes, and I knew that I wanted her. I wanted her in a way that went beyond just dancing.

“I need to get a drink,” I said and stepped away from her.

For a moment, I had gotten caught up in the moment. I had forgotten all of this was fake. She was just a woman having a good time with me.

“Do you want something?” I asked.

“Um, maybe a wine spritzer,” she said, smiling.

As I walked toward the bar, my thoughts began to race. I couldn’t shake the way Merida had made me feel on the dance floor. I wanted her so badly it hurt. I could feel the ache in my groin as I thought about her, and I knew that I couldn’t just let her slip away. I had to have her.

I ordered the drinks and leaned against the bar, watching as she made her way over to me. She took the wine spritzer from my hand and took a sip, her eyes never leaving mine.

“You’re a really good dancer,” she said, her voice low and sultry.

A shiver ran down my spine as I looked at her. “So are you,” I replied, my eyes flickering over her body. The curves she hid in the bulky clothes were on full display. I had known they were going to be good, but damn, I couldn’t have guessed just how sexy she was. I liked a woman with some meat on her bones. The curves, the boobs, all of it was driving me crazy.

There was a moment of silence between us, the tension building with each passing second. I had to do something to get my mind off the idea of being with her. It couldn’t happen.

I took my glass of scotch and downed it in one gulp, trying to calm myself down. But it was no use. The alcohol only made my desire for her stronger. I was pretty sure there were rules about sleeping with the woman I was pretending to be dating. That might actually cross into prostitution territory. I didn’t want to do that to her or myself.

Whatever I was feeling, I had to push it down and forget about it. It was just a momentary lapse in judgment, nothing more.

“Incoming,” Merida said with her glass to her lips to shield them from view.

I stood up straight, understanding her message. Another investor reached out, slapping me on the shoulder while giving me a hearty handshake. “Jensen Loxley! You’ve done it. You’ve really done it!”

I smiled, trying to appear as confident and happy as possible. But my mind kept drifting back to the woman beside me. I couldn’t stop thinking about her full lips, her curves, and the way her eyes twinkled when she smiled. It was like she was playing a game with me, and I didn’t know if I was winning or losing.

“Who is this stunning woman?” the man asked.

“This is my girlfriend, Merida,” I said with a proud smile.

I had said it so many times, I was beginning to believe it. Every time I introduced her as my girlfriend, the lie became easier to say. It felt natural. That was dangerous. When she and I inevitably “broke up” I wasn’t sure what I was going to say. I had a feeling I was actually going to be disappointed. Sad, really.

As the night went on, I found myself drawn to her more and more. We laughed and danced together, and I couldn’t help but feel a spark between us. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn’t help the way I felt.