Page 19 of That Fake Feeling

Hechuckles and looks up at the ceiling with its beautiful crown molding and art deco-style sparkling glass light. “Oh,Idon’t want you here at all.AndImeanat all.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Don’tget me wrong, you might be very nice.ButIhave no desire to spend the next three months of my life pretending to be in love with you.”Heleans his elbow on the carved wood post at the bottom of the stairs and crosses his ankles, making his underwear bulge more bulgy. “Ipromise you, there is no part of this that’s my idea.”

“Thisisn’t exactly howI’denvisioned spending my summer either.”Igive the case another heave. “Somaybe we actually are a real match made in heaven.”Thena quick tug. “BecauseI’malso only here becauseIhave no choice.”

Finally, the case rolls up onto the next step.Andright onto the big toe of my non-flip-flopped foot.

“Ow.Shit.Ow-shitting-ow.”Idrop to my backside and clutch my toe.

Connorstarts up the stairs. “Aren’tyou a potty mouth for someone who’s supposed to be helping me clean up my image.”

Ithrust out my palm, and he stops in his tracks. “I’mfine.Idon’t need help.Butif you think being in special ed automatically meansI’ma prude who never cusses and is shocked by the barely concealed contents of an almost-naked man’s underwear, someone didn’t do their research properly.”

Ipoint at him and wave my finger up and down between his head and his feet. “Andyou’ve been breaking my ‘fully clothed’ clause for quite some time since you signed it.”

Hesmirks and slowly backs down the stairs. “There’snothingI’dlike more than to get dressed, but my clothes are all on the other side of you.AndIcan’t get by.”

Oncehe’s at the bottom, he disappears around the corner, toward the room we were just in.

Ialways knew that pretending to be madly in love with a complete stranger was going to be hard.Butif he’s not into the plan and this is all being controlled by the irritatingPRguy, it’s going to be even more difficult.AndIonly get that life-changing check if this works.

Connorreappears with a plaid blanket wrapped around his waist.

“Thisbetter?”

Heholds out his arms and gives me a twirl.Ican’t deny it is one fine chest.Andback.Andpair of shoulders.Andholding his arms out reveals muscle definitionIhadn’t noticed before.

Thenow-hidden legs were pretty damn good too.

Igive my toe a hard rub.

There’sabsolutely no harm in admiring a good-looking man.Evenif he is a complete mess who spends too much of his time falling out of clubs in the small hours draped around random women.

Heyanks the blanket tighter around his waist and tucks the end in at the base of theVthat points the way to his boxers.

“Finally,” he says. “Ause for this thing that’s been draped over the corner of the sofa for months.”

“It’sdefinitely a bit more decent.”

Thefeeling is coming back to my toe.Iget to my feet, and with one almighty effort and a loudargh,Ilug the case up the next step, and use the momentum to help me get it up onto the landing.

“Welldone.”Connorapplauds as he makes his way back up toward me, but stops partway to hitch up his blanket skirt to avoid tripping on it. “Hopefullyyou’ll make it all the way to your room in time for bed.Today.”

Thehairs on his naked arm brush against mine as he squeezes by.

Hekeeps going along the hallway, which, like the stairs, is lined with pictures.Theplaid of the blanket stretches across his round backside.Andthose shoulders look even better—squarer—from behind.IfIwere in the market for shoulders,I’dbe browsing for ones exactly like those.Justnot attached to a waste of life like him.

ButIam most definitely not shopping.Thelast timeIhad a boyfriend was in my first year of undergrad.Ifell hard.Hewas my sexual awakening, and allIwanted to do was spend all day in bed with him.Heshowed me a dimension to lifeIhadn’t known existed.Iallowed it to consume me, to get in the way of real life.Andit didn’t go well.

Lessonlearned.

Neveragain.

I’vefocused entirely on studying and earning a living ever since.

Rightnow,Ihave a master’s to finish and aPhDapplication to work on.AndConnorDashwoodholds the ticket to me getting through them without three jobs on the side.