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A few minutes later, Legend comes back into the room. He turns off the light and makes his way to his side of the bed. I can hear him rustling around before he, too, slides beneath the covers. I’m lying on my side, facing him. He does the same. There’s just enough light filtering in through the blinds to make out his form.
“Mo?” he whispers.
“Yeah?”
“I’m really glad you’re here.”
My heart skips in my chest at his whispered confession. “Me too.”
We’re both quiet, letting the charged air hang between us. I’m getting ready to turn over to try and put out this invisible fire that burns between us when he moves, and I feel his arms wrap around me.
“Come here,” he says softly. He buries his face in my neck, and I place my hand over his that’s resting just below my breasts. “Night, gorgeous.”
“Night.” I close my eyes, and will myself to fall asleep. I can’t seem to do it. Maybe it’s because of my little nap out on the couch. That’s what it has to be. Surely, it’s not because of the man holding onto me as if I’m precious to him.
It’s not that.
It can’t be that.
I’m certain that if I keep lying to myself, I’ll start to believe it.
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Legend
It’s the second week of October and the perfect weather conditions for a bonfire. Forrest has been talking about it all week. He’s made it clear we’re all expected to be there. Not that any of us would pass it up. We’re a close group, and we prefer each other’s company to anyone else’s.
Although, I’d choose my girlfriend over them. Well, my fake girlfriend. Monroe and I have been faking it for exactly a month this week, and things have been going smoothly. She comes to eat lunch with me on her days off, and I drop her off her favorite drink at least twice a week at her office. We’ve had dinner with her parents and mine a second time, and so far, no one seems to be batting an eye that we’re together.
At least, not after my mother’s initial shock. She’s still apologizing, but she doesn’t need to. I understand her concerns. I could imagine if and when I have kids, I’d feel the same way if my son brought home a much younger woman, but in the grand scheme of things, ten years isn’t all that much. Not really. We’re both legal adults, and we know what we want. Well, we know what we’re supposed to tell people that we want.
We’ve even had a handful of sleepovers before she moved in because that’s what would have been expected, and I didn’t hate having her in my bed. I still don’t. In fact, on the nights when we decided she should stay at my place, I found myself wanting to head home and go to bed just because I knew she was going to be next to me. It’s wrong, and I know I’ll need to get a handle on it, but first, I need to ask my girlfriend to marry me.
We’ve talked a lot over the last month, and we decided a month or so is long enough to date in the open. We want to get engaged and be married so we can start this next year of our lives. The reservations I had are slipping away. The more time I spend with her, the more I’m convinced that we can do this. We can be friends who are married in name only and come out of this on the other side unscathed. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want her. My girl—pretend or not—is sexy as fuck, and the more time we spend together, the more I realize that. The man who gets to call her his for real is one lucky bastard.
Usually, we arrive together, but tonight, I had a stop to make on the way to Forrest’s place. A very important stop, I think as I pull into her parents’ driveway. I promised Monroe that I’d do this the right way, and I’m nothing if not a man of my word. That’s why I called her dad earlier and asked if I could stop by.
Grabbing my keys, I decide to leave my phone in the truck. I don’t need any distractions for this. Climbing out, I tap my right front pocket and can’t help but smile when I confirm the ring box is there.
With each step that carries me to the front door, my nerves start to kick up. What are we going to do if her father doesn’t give me his permission? Will she still go through with it? Will I?
No. I don’t even have to consider my answer.
If her family is not on board with this, then I’m calling it off. I don’t need the money, and it’s bad enough we’re deceiving them. If they can’t tell that she’ll be my world during the time we’re married and accept that, then this is a no go.
My hand is raised to knock when the door swings open. “Legend. Good to see you,” her father greets me. “Come on in.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He smiles. “Eric.” He steps back and allows me to enter the house. He leads me into the living room, and there’s no sign of Monroe’s mom, but that’s okay. I only need one of them here to do this. “What brings you by?”
“I care a great deal about your daughter, sir.” I swallow hard. “I love her.” There is no point in making small talk. I’m here for one reason, and from the look on his face, he understands.
I hold his stare, willing him to believe me. I might not actually love her, as in she owns my heart, but I do care about her. She’s been in my life for a long time, and we’ve grown really close over the last month of dating.
“Does she love you?”
