His brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I mean,” I said, shrugging, “there’s a difference between holding hands, cuddling, kissing… and making it look like you actuallywantto do those things.”
“I understand that.”
But did he really?
Because I might have been going through a major dry spell this past year, but that hadn’t always been the case. And eventhough Diego and I had kept things quiet from everyone else on tour… when it was just the two of us, I definitely hadn’t been shy about showing him exactly how into him I was.
If anything, the whole secret, forbidden aspect had made everything more intense.
So if Diego picked up on even the slightest hesitation between Theo and me, he’d know something was off.
“I just don’t want Diego to think that kissing me is some kind of chore for you,” I said.
And for a moment, Theo just looked at me—his gaze dropping to my lips before slowly lifting back to my eyes. “You don’t need to worry about that.”
The husky tone in his voice, paired with the way his eyes held mine, sent a rush of anticipation through me.
Because the thought of him actually following through on that promise…
Well… That did all kinds of things to my insides—making them swirl and swoop and fly.
“Okay,” I said, trying to sound more composed than I felt. “That’s good.”
Then, lifting my chin slightly, I added, “And just so we’re clear… I’m also confident in my ability to make it look like I’m into you.”
“Perfect.” And when his eyes suddenly became heated, I had a feeling that this weekend was about to be a lot more complicated and fun than I’d planned.
46
THEO
“Okay,”Nora said after we’d both emptied our luggage into the dresser and bathroom drawers. “We should probably figure out the story of how we started dating before we go back downstairs and start winging it in front of everyone.”
“That would probably be smart,” I agreed.
Because as much as I’d acted like I had everything under control in the kitchen… I hadn’t thought this all the way through.
Not even close.
She turned slightly, leaning her hip against the dresser as she crossed her arms. “I think the easiest way to keep things straight is if we just keep it as close to the truth as possible.”
“That’s a good idea,” I said, nodding. “Less to keep track of that way.”
“Exactly.” Her eyes held mine for a second longer than necessary.
“So, if anyone asks how we got together…?” I prompted, shifting my weight.
“We tell them we’ve been friends for a while,” she said, herlips curving slightly. “And that even though neither of us ever did anything about it… there’s always been a spark.”
“Okay,” I said, my gaze dropping briefly to her mouth before I caught myself. “That sounds accurate.”
More accurate than I should probably admit.
“And then,” she went on, still watching me, “when I moved in after you saved me from burning to a crisp in that fire… that’s when things really started to change.”
“Life and death situations always help put things into perspective,” I said, her story hitting a lot closer to my version of the truth than she probably realized. “Makes you realize how precious life is and that you shouldn’t miss out on being happy just because you’re scared.”