Page 87 of That Fake Feeling

Hegets off his stool, swivels mine soIface him, and rests his hands on my shoulders.

“Wedon’t have to leave the beach house and wander around for the photographers if we don’t want to.”Hemassages the muscles running up to my neck, squeezing the tension from them with his fingers as much as his words. “Ifthere aren’t any pictures, we could just say they must have missed us.”

Mystomach unclenches with his reassurances and starts to flutter as he cups the back of my head and tips my face up to his.

“Okaythen.”Isigh in frustration at my complete lack of willpower with this man. “Iguess it wouldn’t do any harm to leave apartment hunting till next week.”

Hegrazes his thumb over my bottom lip andIknow that if he started to undress meI’dgive myself to him all over again, right here and now on this stool.Orthe counter.Orthe kitchen table.Actually, anywhere.

“GoodGod,Connor.”Irest my hands on his waist. “It’sa damn good thing this will be over in a few weeks.I’dnever be able to concentrate on a full class load with you around.”

Notthat he would ever want more than a fling with anyone anyway.AndIknow it doesn’t conform to my strict no-relationship rule, butImight have come around to the idea that everyone needs just one summer off from responsibility.

“Don’tspeak too soon.”Heplaces a gentle kiss on the center of my mouth. “Youwere wrong about me once before, remember?”

Myeyes drift shut asIinstantly disappear into the sensation of his lips.Hesucks my bottom lip and slides his tongue against it.Mybelly flips, and desire rises in me all over again asIopen my mouth to meet his tongue with mine in a long, slow, lingering kiss.

Eventually, he peels his lips away achingly slowly and rests his forehead against mine. “I’mstruggling to leave this house, that’s for sure.”

“Youhave to go to work.”Iplayfully tap him on his behind, which looks oh-so-sexy in those made-to-measure suit pants. “AndIneed to get ready for class.”

Heshrugs dramatically. “Well, if you’re trying to get rid of me.”

Hegrabs the jacket from the back of his stool, slides his arms into it, and pulls it over those shoulders that drive me crazy every timeIlook at them.

“Youare unreasonably hot in a suit.”Ipush my bare foot against his thigh. “Getout of here beforeIcan’t help but take it off you.”

Heturns and heads toward the stairs up to the front door.

“Notsure whenI’llbe home.”Helooks at me over his shoulder. “Butif you feel like spending the night in a different bedroom, it would be, you know, totally fine.”

“Yeah,Ipeeked into the yellow room on the third floor.Itdoes look quite cozy.”

Hetosses his scrunched-up napkin at me and hits the end of my nose with perfect aim.

Heskips up the stairs.Firsthis head disappears, then his shoulders, then his back, his butt, his legs, and his feet.Andhe’s gone.

Nothingfake could feel this real.

23

ROSE

Myjaw drops, along with my bags, which fall from my hands and hit the floor with a thud just inside the door of the beach house.

“Oh, my goodness.”

Withouttaking my eyes off the spectacular vision ahead,Ikick off my shoes and walk straight forward, through a vast open-plan living room with a whitewashed vaulted ceiling, and toward the wall of glass that looks out over the ocean.

Rightoutside is a huge deck around a pool.Beyondthat, tall grass and sand dunes slope away to a wide beach and blue waves.

AsIgaze from left to right and absorb the one-hundred-and-eighty-degree view,Connorsteps up behind me and circles his arms around my waist.Hecurls around me, pulls me to him, and nuzzles my neck.

“Likeit?”

“Hell, yes.”

Itseems just minutes ago thatConnorsuggested this idea toSterling.Theweek’s flown by.Iwas busy finishing off the last essay for my summer class, andConnorworked long hours so he could take the weekend off.