Page 76 of Merry Fake Bride

“Not in the slightest.”

“Hmm. Just checking.” With a smile, she pulls a pen from the back pocket of her jeans and quickly scribbles her signature down on both documents right next to my name. Then she slidesone of them toward me while keeping the other. “It’s a pleasure. I can’t wait to be married.”

Then Devon offers me her hand.

My heart skips a beat.

In all the time I’ve known her, other than our drunken fling at the bar, which can only be explained by the copious amounts of alcohol we both consumed, Devon has never openly offered me her touch to be reciprocated like this. She’s briefly touched me in this past week or so, but that’s all been her own choice and never a touch that required anything from me. Except for that all too brief kiss in her home. However, even that was delivered in such a way that my reaction was unnecessary.

But this?

She’s reaching out to me and her smile is open. Gentle. She actually wants me to touch her. In a quiet, polite way, she’s asking and giving me permission all at the same time, and there’s no way I can resist.

Our hands slot together perfectly. Her palm is warm and her fingers soft as she firmly takes my hand with her smile widening. It’s unlike any other handshake I’ve ever had before. Most are firm and brief, but this touch lingers. Her thumb slides into the crevice of my own and strokes once across my forefinger, then her hand flexes and she tightens her grip.

“Thank you, Kairo,” she says softly, her eyes never leaving mine. “I can’t tell you what this means to me. And not just to me, but to my family too. I know you have your own reasons for doing this, but I just…” She shakes her head, and her pinned hair briefly threatens to come loose. “In case you had any doubt, Ireally want you to come to Thanksgiving so we can thank you properly.”

Every muscle in my body tightens with restraint as her hand in mine continues and the contact starts to burn. It’s not unpleasant. In fact, it’s the opposite.

I want this moment to last forever. I want her eyes on me, her hand in mine, and for that smile to beonlyfor me. I want to draw her in, wrap my arm around her waist, and return the kiss she gave to me. I want to lay her down and spread her apart until she’s trembling and shaking and begging me for more. I want my name on her lips like a prayer and her hands in my hair as I drive her to the edge again and again.

I don’t know what this is, or if this contact means the same to me as it does to her, but I will do everything I can to nurture this until this yearning ache inside me finds its home in her heart.

“I am looking forward to it more than I can say,” I reply softly. “And you are so welcome. Please, call me if you need anything.”

Her hand tightens around mine and my stomach drowns in flutters. “Do I have to need something to call you?” she asks softly.

“No,” I reply as confidently as I can. “You don’t need any reason at all.”

“Good.” Her smile widens and then she pulls away, but my hand remains hot, throbbing in time to my heartbeat.

That’s the longest she’s let me touch her, and I’m left craving infinitely more.

Flushed and giddy like a teenager, I say goodbye and hurry from the bakery where even the cold November air isn’t enough tosoothe the warmth burning in my cheeks. Martin gives me a knowing look as I climb into the car.

“Geez, what happened? You look like a love confession just happened.”

Curling my hand into a light fist, I chase the lingering sensation of her touch. “No. Something much more important.”

That lingering warmth stays with me on the drive back to the city until we leave the motorway and my phone lights up with three text messages and then a phone call before I can even read them.

It’s Ryan, my CFO, demanding an emergency meeting.

And he’s pissed.

19

KAIRO

By the time I reach the office, the arguments are in full swing.

“How could they know to do this? Where would someone like her even get the money?”

“Never mind the money, what makes her think she can even win something as frivolous as this?”

“I say we double down. Drain whatever loan she’s managed to acquire until she’s forced to back down!”

Erin, Donald, and Trent argue among themselves as I stride into the office and take my seat.