I chase the thought from my head as fast as it popped in. He’s a good friend who looks out for people. That’s all he’s doing.
I close my eyes and pull myself together. I’m flying out in a couple of hours to face my ex! I don’t have the emotionalbandwidth to get all starry-eyed over my thoughtful fake husband!
He’s not fake, a voice in my mind whispers.You’re legally married. It’s as real and binding as anything would have been with Aldridge.
Except I always wished Aldridge would look for an out.
The idea of Sean wanting one—even after only two days—hurts like a bruise.
That’s enough,I tell myself.You have a crush on your husband.Don’t be so dramatic.
I hold my head high, shake out my hair, and smile to pump myself up.
“Good morning!”
Sean jumps like a cat. “Shoot, you scared me,” he says when he whips around. He angles his body so it’s hiding the blender and smoothie.
I grin seeing him so startled. “You’re adorable when you’re spooked. You know that?”
“I wasn’t spooked.”
I lean against the counter, folding my arms. “Oh, right. My mistake. You said ‘scared,’ not spooked.”
Sean drops his head. I love how he’s so quietly expressive, so playful but not annoyed.
Never annoyed.
“I’m sorry I can’t go with you today,” he says. He grabs the tumbler behind him without looking and walks the few steps toward me.
He stops close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating from him.
And I can feel my body lean forward, like he’s steel and I’m a magnet.
“I wish I could stay,” I say.
“I got you a going away present,” he says, pulling the tumbler out from behind his back.
I gasp like I didn’t already see it. “When did you get this? How?”
He grabs my hands and puts the tumbler into them. But the way he curls my hands around it makes me wonder if he’s really looking for an excuse to cup his hands around mine. “I hope it doesn’t spoil the romance, but I had Amazon overnight it.”
I laugh and look down at our hands covering the travel mug. “Love in the time of Amazon. Still romantic.”
We stay like that for one … two … three seconds. Until I risk looking up at him—and see him looking down at me.
And holy heavens, do I ever want to kiss him.
It’s an urge as strong as I’ve ever felt.
I’m married to him. Of course I’m allowed to kiss him. We’ve flirted enough that it’s not like it would be unwelcome.
Would it?
Do it. Just kiss him.
Yes. That’s exactly what I’m going to do. Excitement crackles through me like static, making every nerve in my body feel alive as I rise up on my tiptoes and lean in ever so slightly, as my face nears his?—
VVVT VVVT VVVT
