Page 23 of Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend (Catching Feelings #1)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

KAYLA

I shower and get ready as quietly as I can the next morning, and I write up a quick note in my room—Sean’s room—before I sneak out.

But when I leave the bedroom and go into the main room, it’s to find Sean’s bed is already folded back into the couch.

I follow the sound of the blender into the kitchen and stop when I see his back to me. He takes a sip from the blender, nods, and then pours a pretty green smoothie into one of my small pink tumblers.

Except that isn’t one of my tumblers. I don’t have one in that shade or size.

Did he buy me a tumbler? For smoothies?

This is what love looks like.

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 emotional bandwidth 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

The vibration of my phone is soft, yet impossibly loud against the kitchen counter. I lean back, cursing Piper for arriving with the car at this exact moment.

A small, pained sob dies in my throat when Sean drops my hands. But then he pulls me into his arms and kisses my temple. Is it a show of affection or simple friendliness?

“Have a safe trip, Boss. I’ll see you Sunday when you get home.”

I hold him tight, wishing I could stay here all day. “Thanks, Captain. See you soon.”

Sean waves at me from the landing as I climb into the back of the sleek black town car, where Scottie’s already sitting, latte in hand. I wave at Sean as the car pulls out, even though I know he can’t see me.

“You look flushed. Did your husband give you a nice kiss goodbye?”

“Hush,” I tell her and hold up my tumbler. “He made me a smoothie.”

“He packed you lunch? That man is smitten.”

“You and I both know that man is a helper.”

“You’re hardly a damsel in distress.”

“I’m the ultimate damsel in distress. A fish out of water in his town? Get the man his white armor,” I say, although it’s not how I really feel.

Is it?

“You don’t believe that,” Scottie says.

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Because you two are crushing on each other. Hard,” she says. I take a drink from my smoothie, and she smirks. “Exhibit A.”

“I repeat: hush.”

We’re about to turn on the freeway when I see a sports store, and an idea hits me.

“Hey, Scottie, I need a jersey waiting for me in Nashville. Think you can make it happen?”

I tell her exactly what I’m thinking, and she smiles.

“I’ll make sure of it.”