Page 47 of Never Fake Date the Financier

“By what?” she asks before taking a sip of water.

“That weird comment about—never mind, it doesn’t matter.”

But it does. The mood has shifted. I can feel it.

“It’s a real shame,” she says after a few moments.

“What?” My heart is hammering.

“That you don’t dance.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. Maybe I had it wrong. It’s all in my head.

“I’m always willing to renegotiate.”

Do anything for you.

She smiles. “I’m glad. Because I can’t remember the last time I danced and, what can I say, I’m with Max on this one.”

She starts mouthing the lyrics, awkwardly moving backwards as she shakes her arms.

“If that’s how you dance, I guess I’m in good company.”

“Pffft.You haven’t seen anything yet.”

She whips out the sprinkler before transitioning into…

“Is that The Frug?”

“Call it whatever you want,” she says before pretending to lasso me, tugging on the invisible rope. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

But I’ve seen enough to know that Ella Bridges is the only one for me.

13

ELLA

“I’ve never seenAdrian dance like that before,” Sariah says as we leave the warm, humid air and blaring music behind us.

That was a blast, but my feet arekillingme. I’ve been on them all day, and after that marathon dance session, I’m going to need that foot rub I declined from Adrian yesterday.

“The man can bust a move. Who’d have thought he could be so nimble in a tailored suit?”

Sariah laughs as we finally make it outside. The fresh, cool air feels soothing on my skin, but I’m still burning up. And even more when I think about our last dance. Slow and sensual. His hands on me.Whew.

“Now that I think about it,” Sariah says slowly, “I don’t think I’ve seen him dance before.”

“Really?” I ask, unsure how I feel about that. Sariah was the one in a real relationship with Adrian.

We find two chairs that overlook the water. The water’s a deep slate, stippled white from the moonlight.

Sariah lets out a satisfied moan as she slips out of her shoes. “Seriously.”

“He’s full of surprises.”

She laughs, turning to me. “Adrian? Full of surprises? Are we talking about the same man?”

I have no idea if we’re talking about the same man because I don’t know Adrian. Not really. Not in the same way Sariah does. I can fake it with everyone else, but Sariah can cut through my bullshit. She lived with him. I think? I don’t even know if they moved in together. Hell, I hardly know anything about their relationship besides what Adrian told me.