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I cut him off. “I want to come clean and end all this pretending.”
He frowns. “But neither of us have a shot if we do that.”
“It’s better than lying.”
He rubs his forehead, pacing three steps to the left. He drops his hand with a grunt. “I don’t want everyone to know I’m a liar. I’ll be a bigger loser than I am at home.”
“Is it really worth becoming a big shot if it’s all based on a ruse?”
“Don’t make me out to be the bad guy. You thought it was worth it to be with Lewis.”
“Yvette and Lewis are real people with real feelings. We’re messing with them and it’s not cool.”
“They’re a trainwreck together. They want what we have, and what we have is fake.” He huffs, adjusting his T-shirt collar. “They have no idea what they’re doing, because they’re with the wrong people. We’re doing this so they can be happy with us.”
My hands clasp against my chest. “I want them to break up, but I don’t want to be the cause of it.”
“Whatever happens won’t be your fault. They’ll break up because they’re not a good fit.”
“What if they were a good fit but we never gave them a chance?”
Sympathy fills Parker’s expression. “Man, the guilt is really getting to you.”
“How is it not affecting you?”
He winces as he presses a hand into his stomach. “It is when I see the sadness on your face.”
“But what about when you were talking to Lewis? Don’t you feel bad when he says he’s messed things up with Yvie?”
“I didn’t cause that. He’s the one who didn’t pay attention to her. He didn’t comfort her when she needed it.”
“But you would’ve helped him figure this stuff out if you weren’t into her too.”
He tilts his head pensively. “Is that what you did with Yvie? You gave her advice about Lewis because you felt bad?”
“I hate that she’s with him, but I saw another side to her.” I sigh and roll my eyes. “I saw the insecure side you were so sure was there.”
Parker grins. “You should know better than to doubt me.”
I click my tongue. “Whatever.”
He pulls an arm around me. “Just, next time she’s feeling insecure, maybe encourage her to cuddle with me, not him.”
I shiver against him and remember the adrenaline coursing through me when Yvie left the tent. How I was cramped with jealousy at the thought of her making a move on Parker.
Parker rubs my arm. “You have goosebumps.”
I flash a smile and clutch my elbows. “It’s okay. I’m good.”
His eyes search mine. “Are you sure?”
My mouth runs dry. “Uh-huh.”
His arms pull around me in a warm hug, and my back knots with confusion. As I look up at him, my heart begs him to stay close. His hand traces my jaw and his thumb grazes my lower lip.
“I’m sorry if I was harsh,” he whispers. “You were just being caring towards Yvie, even though she drives you nuts. It’s one of the reasons I like you so much.”
My heartbeat pounds in my ears, leaving me overwhelmed. I fixate on the shine of his lips, and when I lift my gaze to his big, brown eyes, my knees weaken.
