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“Don’t you say a word about me walking in heels,” she says.
“Wasn’t going to. I was going to say something I meant to tell you earlier. You look beautiful, Pete.”
Her lips part in surprise, but she quickly shifts her expression, narrowing her eyes. “You’re so full of it, Barnes.”
I’m not though. Not about this.
“Ready to go in?” I murmur, again leaning down to speak right in her ear.
She turns then, probably to read my expression. But I’m still right there, which puts our faces—and our lips—just millimeters apart.
The noise around us becomes static. The flashes of cameras blend into a blur. For what feels like a small eternity, there’s just me and Parker.
Her eyes, trained on my mouth—hungry. My own, I’m sure reflecting the exact same desire.
This is Parker.Pete. But trying to remind myself of this fact has no impact.
The pull between us makes me sway on my feet.
I lean closer, but instead of taking her mouth the way I’d like to, I press a quick kiss to her temple. “Another rule,” I whisper. “Kissing but not on the mouth.”
The moment breaks. Sound returns. There are more shouts than before. More questions. More photos.
Parker gives me a smile, but she still looks dazed. “You’re really going to milk this fake boyfriend thing as much as possible, huh?”
“Hey—I’m just following the rules.”
She shakes her head at me. Keeping her hand in mine, I lead us to the entrance. Men in suits hold the hotel doors open for us without making eye contact.
I’m still catching my breath, still recovering as we walk inside. So, I don’t mind at all when Parker stops outside the restroom and says, “Give me a sec?”
Still. I don’t like watching her walk away.
“Of course.”
I take this time while I’m leaning against the wall, watching the door to text Jeremy:I’m at an event with someone and there were photographers. You might get some calls. Take care of it?
A thumbs up emoji is the only response that I get. Glad I’m paying Jeremy the big bucks.
I probably won’t need to worry about it. What I do need to worry about—and worry alot—is keeping myself in the right frame of mind tonight. The frame of mind that this isn’t even a real date and I’m definitely not Parker’s real boyfriend.
Even if I most definitely enjoy pretending to be.
CHAPTER14
Parker
This isn’t a real date.Logan is not my real boyfriend.
I think this to myself. Then I whisper it. And then, because I’m totally alone in this bathroom, I say it again with force while staring into my own eyes in the mirror.
“This isn’t a real date. Logan is not my real boyfriend. None of this is real.”
Yeah—no. I can say it all I want. But the words are not making a dent in the part of me that feels like this is all very, very real. At least, real tome.
Either way, the truth behind this arrangement is not sinking in. Not even close.
How can it? I mean, when Logan is teasing about the rules, touching me, and whispering in my ear that I’m beautiful … yeah. There is a definite brain to body disconnect happening.
