“It has a pamphlet about how to unlock our inner beasts,” he answered dryly, somehow saying it with a straight face. “Roaring is highly encouraged.”
I burst into laughter, and Cade’s lips finally twitched.
Laughing might’ve been a bad idea, because it took my focus off carefully shuffling in my slippers, and I slipped on the smooth floor.
Cade caught my arm before I inadvertently did the splits—something I hadn’t attempted since a middle school pep rally—and he hauled me back up to my feet. A dark brow lifted. “All right there, Darling?”
“Yeah, thanks.” I swallowed and straightened, then snorted a laugh. “I just can’t believe they gave us homework to go have sex. It’s like the exact opposite of high school.”
His lips curved up in a slow, devastating smile, and he let go of my arm long enough to drape his arm over my shoulders. “Well, come on, then. Let’s go set the sheets on fire.”
My laughter grew as I shoved at his side—not hard enough to push him away and lose his warmth, though.
But I had to give the butterflies that swarmed my stomach at Cade’s simple touch a quick lecture to play it cool.
They didn’t quite get the memo that none of this was real.
let’s get it on
. . .
Ellie
Ellie’s Guide toProfessional CuddlingBeing a Fake FiancéeNOT Falling for Your Fake Fiancé, Tip #14: Don’t fantasize about him touching you.
Apparently, “setting the sheets on fire” meant sitting in bed while Cade worked on his laptop and I lectured my cat on manners.
Whiskey had gathered his own little hoard of items since coming aboard, and he’d stashed all of them under his velvet pillow. Four colorful drink umbrellas, two hair ties, a small rope I really hoped wasn’t from something important, and theMkey from Cade’s keyboard.
“What did I say about stealing?” I whispered to the furry thief, lifting him to eye level. Whiskey let his hind legs hang down and peered back at me, unimpressed with my lecture. “It’s wrong, and I didn’t raise you to be a crook.”
Even if he did appear to have a knack for it.
Cade looked up from reattaching theMkey to his laptop. “Are you talking to the cat again?”
I plopped onto the bed with a sigh, settling Whiskey in my lap. “He’s not usually this rebellious. I think he’s acting out because he doesn’t know my relationship with you is fake.”
Cade’s brows drew together. “And that…upsets him?”
“He’s very territorial,” I explained, recalling how Whiskey had once peed on my bed the first time a guy stayed over. I frowned. “Or it could be separation anxiety. Maybe I should spend more time with him in the cabin.”
“That’ll raise too many questions,” Cade dismissed. “You need to be seen doing the activities.”
I sighed, and Whiskey wiggled free before jumping off my lap. He went off to play with his newest obsession—the sex position die Dr. Lovejoy had given us. I let him have his fun, since it wasn’t like Cade and I would be putting it to use.
Grabbing my crochet hook and red yarn, I settled in next to Cade and quickly got to work crocheting a new animal friend for Whiskey. My strategy of spoiling him with so many toys that he didn’t feel the need to steal hadn’t worked so far, but it couldn’t hurt to keep trying.
It was a peaceful and domestic night in, until Whiskey jumped onto the bed with his die and swatted it right between me and Cade.
Cade took his eyes off his screen at the same time I glanced at the position the die had landed on—reverse cowgirl—and my entire face erupted into flames.
“Oh.” I grabbed the die and stuck it in the drawer of my nightstand. “That’s enough of that. Want a new toy, Whiskey? Give me one sec.”
My tongue poked out while I focused. I crocheted the last bit and fastened off the end faster than I’d ever done before—then scooped Whiskey off the bed and carried him to the sitting room.
With a small flourish, I presented the tiny finished orange crab.
Okay, maybe notcompletelyfinished. There hadn’t been time to give him a second claw, but I liked to think it added character.