Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 129323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 517(@250wpm)___ 431(@300wpm)
My heart warms with his words and how good he is to me. He doesn’t have to do this for me at all.
He can’t have you wearing a subpar dress and looking a mess. You’re pretending to be his girlfriend, fool.
My good mood sours instantly at the reminder that this is all a sham.
He reaches across the table, placing his hand on top of mine. “I know this is asking a lot. Are you okay with it? If not, I can make up an excuse for you not to go.”
I shake my head adamantly. “No, I can definitely make this happen. I was just thinking about everything that needs to be done before Sunday. I could kill you for waiting until now.”
He grins. “Lydia is the name of the shopper. She’s wonderful, and Mike trusts her. I’m sure she’d be willing to help set up all the other appointments too. Ask her. I will pay her well.”
I smile, but it’s forced.
His life is so out of my realm. Having people jump through hoops for you isn’t something I’ve ever known. And aside from this time in my life, pretending with Aiden, it likely will never happen for me again.
“I’ll give her my sizes. Please have her arrange for a new tux for me as well. Like I said, I’m sure she’s great considering the recommendation, but I’d like you to oversee what she chooses for me. I trust your judgment more.”
My cheeks heat. “I’m not really sure that I know anything about expensive tuxedos, Aiden.”
He grins. “I know you won’t disappoint.”
My stomach turns, and I plaster on the fakest smile yet.
“I can manage. I’ve got this.”
I jump up from the table, fumbling with my plate, needing to clean up quickly and run through the rituals so I can get started on my large task ahead.
Aiden stands and moves beside me, turning me toward him and getting up in my space.
“Leave it, Cass. I can do this.”
Our eyes meet and hold for several seconds. Aiden’s hand lifts, and he slowly moves a piece of hair over my shoulder, dragging his fingertip across the curve of my neck. I shiver under his touch, eyes closing with a sigh.
Without conscious thought, my body moves closer until our chests are practically touching. I inhale deeply, soaking in a scent all Aiden.
When my eyes open, he’s staring at my lips, eyes dark and turning with something that looks a lot like desire. My lips part, and my chest rises and falls quickly.
“Cassidy.” He says my name like a prayer, and I know without a doubt he’s thinking what I’m thinking.
This is meant to happen.
I lean up on my tiptoes, and everything happens quickly from there. He grabs me around my waist, pulling me taut against him. Our mouths crash together, a tango of teeth and tongues. This is something between the first night and the kiss for the paparazzi. Passionate. Heated. There’s nothing soft about this kiss.
It’s pure need and desire wrapped up in a tiny bomb that’s just detonated, burning us both. The flames lick up my legs and over my belly, up my spine and across my shoulders. I feel his touch everywhere, but it’s not enough.
I claw at his shirt, wanting the thin fabric between us gone. I’m lost in the moment, wholly prepared to throw our agreement to the wind and give myself to him. Fully.
Aiden groans, pulling away slightly. Our breaths mingle, my heart beating out of my chest.
“I…I don’t want to stop, Cass.”
“But we have to.”
He doesn’t need to say it. I know he’s right.
“It’s not like that. It’s not about our agreement. It’s…” He rocks back on his heels, eyes shifting around the room.
At the mess.
His compulsion to clean won’t allow it.
I don’t want to make him feel bad, so I swallow down the disappointment, put on the best fake smile I can manage, and dive into cleaning.
His hand darts out, stopping me again. “No. You should go.”
“Oh…okay, well…you’re probably right. Lots to do,” I say lamely, sounding awkward as hell.
“I’ll see you later.”
It’s all he says before pulling out his phone and firing off some texts. Once he’s done, he gets to cleaning up.
I should pull myself together before heading out, but the need to run outweighs what I look like.
Before I know it, I’m in the elevator, and then once I get to the lobby, I’m rushing outside, gulping in the fresh air, likely looking on the verge of a crisis. And the onlookers thinking that would not be wrong.
A war is brewing inside me. I can’t keep up the lies. It’s not fair to either one of us.
A horn honks, and I realize I’m in the street.
“Hey, lady, you got a death wish or something?”
My hand lifts in apology as I rush back to the sidewalk, the angry taxi driver mumbling obscenities loud enough for everyone around to hear while rolling up his window.