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He’s gazing into my eyes, not blinking once.
“Colt? Did you hear what I said?”
“Uh huh.” He tucks some hair behind my ear. “You have such pretty eyes.”
“What? Nah, they’re a boring brown.”
“No, they’re beautiful. But I wasn’t only referring to the color. I meant the light in them. The drive and determination.”
I shrug. “The eyes are the window to the soul, right? I guess my soul is driven and determined.” My fingers play with his hair. “Thanks. You have really pretty eyes, too.”
“Thanks.”
I glance at Vanessa again. Forget the blowtorch. She looks like she wants to chop my body into a million pieces and skewer each piece over a fire pit. Maybe make s’mores out of them.
“So…mission is definitely getting accomplished,” I tell him with a laugh. “Vanessa looksextremelyjealous right now. You’re a good actor, Colt. Mia would be proud.”
He presses his cheek to mine, not looking at Vanessa once. His skin is so warm. And the way his arms hold me close…I’ve never felt so protected and cared for. And for some reason, I don’t want him to lower his arms from around me. I don’t want to step away from him. I wish we could remain like this for hours.
“Colt, did you hear what I said about Vanessa?”
“I heard you.”
He’s not looking at her, though. His gaze doesn’t leave my face once.
I don’t get it. Why isn’t he looking at his ex? Didn’t he agree to the fake relationship so he could get her jealous? But he’s making it seem like she doesn’t exist. Like the only person whodoesexist is…me.
“You might have never danced with anyone like this before,” he murmurs in my ear. “But you’re really good at it.”
I freeze, my breath catching in my throat.
“Whoever you end up with will be a lucky guy. But right now? I’m glad I’m lucky enough to be here with you.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Colton
With my arms wrapped around Willow, I continue gazing into her eyes. I’m not sure how long we’ve been like this, staring at each other while swaying to the beat of the slow song. All eyes are on us. They’ve been on us ever since we started fake dating, but it’s different now. We’re in an enclosed space, a more intimate setting. We’re onlycentimetersaway from each other. It’s the closest I’ve been to a girl who’s not Vanessa.
Speaking of my ex, I can still feel her heated eyes on my back. Willow has told me a few times that she keeps glaring at us, but I don’t care. My goal in this fake relationship was to get Vanessa so jealous that she’d want me back. But now, as I get lost in Willow’s gorgeous brown eyes, I can’t remember what was so great about my ex. Why was I so hurt when she broke up with me?
Because when I turned my head earlier and saw the snarl on her face, I was disgusted.Shewas the girl I let break my heart? I was hurt when she threw guys in my face? She didn’t want me and I pined after her as if she wastheonly girl in the world. I didn’t know there were amazing, wonderful, fun, smart, kind, sweet girls out there.
Girls like Willow.
So yes, I went into this fake relationship wanting my ex back, but now I want her to stay as far away from me as possible.
“You’re staring at me,” Willow breaks me from my thoughts.
I grin crookedly. “Pretty sure you’re staring at me.”
Her eyes move to the area behind me, where Vanessa and the guy she’s with are probably tangled in each other’s arms. “Nope. I’m looking at your dream girl.”
She’s not my dream girl. I want to tell that to Willow, but if she knew I don’t care about Vanessa anymore, I know she’d back out of the arrangement. She wouldn’t feel comfortable continuing the charade without my gaining anything from this. And I want to do whatever I can to help her with her app. Not only because she’s my fellow tech geek, but I love seeing her eyes light up when she talks about it or gets a new download. There’s just something about her smile that makes me feel things I never felt with Vanessa.
“I think we’ve created a monster,” Willow tells me as she bends close to my ear. “Won’t be long before she comes out and claws at me and growls at me to keep my palms off her man.”
I unwrap my arms from around her waist and take her hands. “I’myourman right now, so she needs to back off.”
