Page 63 of Lease to Love

Not even close.

Just strategy.

Business.

I felt the warmth drain from my face so quickly it was almost dizzying. The moment that had felt suspended a second ago dropped straight back into reality, and I suddenly became painfully aware of the silk against my skin, the gold flowers in my hair, the fact that I'd closed my eyes like a damn dummy.

Roman stepped back.

Smooth. Controlled. Like he hadn't just taken my heart on a three-second roller coaster ride and dropped it off a cliff.

He slid his hands into his pockets.

"I'll stay until you're inside." He gave me that boyfriend smile again. "Optics."

The word landed harder the second time.

"Right." My voice came out clean, thank God, and I turned toward the door and slid my key into the lock with hands that were steadier than I felt.

Behind me, Roman waited.

I opened the door and looked back once… Which I shouldn't have, because he looked the way he'd looked all night.

Pleasant. Warm… But closed. Professional.

"Good night, Roman."

"Good night, Sunshine."

The nickname felt like salt in a very stupid, very self-inflicted wound.

I stepped inside and let the door click shut behind me. For a moment, I just stood there in the dark , my back against the wood, breathing slowly.

The apartment was quiet.

Too quiet.

I could still smell his cologne on my skin. Still feel his hand at my waist, the ghost of his breath against my cheek.

And somehow, after spending the entire night pretending to be his girlfriend, the most humiliating part wasn't that the whole thing had been fake.

It was that for one stupid, glorious, embarrassing second, I'd forgotten it was.

I kicked off the expensive shoes he'd picked for me and stared down at them.

"Fuck."

I walked into my bedroom and caught my reflection in the mirror.

The woman staring back at me still looked beautiful.

The dress still fit perfectly. The gold flowers were still tucked into my hair. My freckles were still hidden beneath makeup.

And somehow, that last part bothered me more than it had before.

I thought about Roman's voice in the car.

You didn't have to do that.