Page 29 of That Fake Feeling

Instinctively,Isuck my finger.Mymouth is now exactly where his was just moments ago.

“Shit,Rose.Iwas just messing around.DidIhurt you?”Heholds out his hands. “Letme see.”

Lordknows what my body would do if he touched me right now.Ican’t let that happen.

Iroll flat on my back and examine my burning finger.

“It’sokay.It’sa little red.Andhas teeth marks in it.Butit’ll be fine.”

“Areyou sure?Christ,Ididn’t mean to hurt you.”Heseems genuinely concerned. “I’mso fucking sorry.”

Isqueeze the finger in the palm of my other hand.Itthrobs under the pressure.

“It’sokay.Iknow you didn’t mean to.Andif someone got a cute picture, it’ll be worth it.”

“Yeah.Ithink we’ve given them plenty of decent stuff.”Helooks around. “Whereverthey might be hiding.”

Helies down on his back beside me and lets out a long sigh. “We’vedefinitely earned a bit of a break.”

He’sso close, the heat from his arm warms mine.It’sthrilling, yet somehow calming and reassuring at the same time.

Asthe silent seconds tick by, a sense of peace descends on me.Thethrobbing in my finger eases.Myheart, while still excited by his proximity, slows and calms.

Ishe asleep?

Assubtly asIcan,Iturn my head the tiniest bit and take a look.

Hiseyes are closed.

Dappledlight dances over his face in time with the gentle shifting of the willow tree’s leaves.Itcatches the occasional fair, almost blond, hairs in his otherwise light brown untamed eyebrows and in the stubble on his chin.Hislips look even more plump and succulent in profile than they do face on—or while wrapped around my finger.

“Yeah,”Iwhisper. “Ididn’t sleep much last night.”

GazingatConnoris not an acceptable activity.Howembarrassing would it be if he opened his eyes and caught me?Iroll my head back to face the sky and let my eyelids drift shut.

“Wasso worried about it going well today.”Myvoice is soft, lazy, consumed by the fatigue of this stressful “date.”

Iloosen my grip on my finger and let my hands fall to my sides, allowing myself to relax completely.

“Itwent okay,” he murmurs.

Thestress fades into tranquility.

Mybreath slows and becomes heavy.

Thesummer light on the other side of my eyelids fades to darkness.

* * *

Myhead drops offConnor’sshoulder and hits the ground as he jerks at the pinging of his phone.

Myhead was on his shoulder?

Inmy sleep?

I’dsnuggled onto his shoulder?

Myheart races in horror.