“This is a nice hotel.”
“The waiter probably didn’t even notice.”
“The waiter probably told everyone in the back that the poor hungover girl forgot to take her eye patches off and looks like a washed-up suburban housewife whose husband just left her,” I countered.
“That’s aggressive. Calm down.”
“Why didn’t you say anything when you walked in?”
He shrugged. “Because I don’t care if you have gold eye patches on or a brown paper bag. You’re beautiful.”
I let out a deep breath. “You’re very good at not breaking character. Are you sure you’re not a professional actor?”
“Who said I’m acting?” he asked, locking his blue eyes on me.
A sheath of vulnerability spread over every inch of my skin.
“Can I get you anything?” the server said, directing her question to Isaac.
He cleared his throat. “Could I get the All-American with pancakes and sausage?”
The server nodded and then disappeared. Isaac inched closer. He had this way about him, slowly consuming my space in gestures and in words. He also had this way about him that made me want him to consume more than just my space and my time. I had only known him eighteen hours, but it felt like eighteen years.
He tucked my hair behind my ear and whispered, “I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but you need to pretend like you like me.”
“I think you’re misunderstanding why my guard is up.”
A sly, mischievous grin danced across his face, and he looked far less like a high school teacher and reminded me more of a villain from the books I love that you’re supposed to hate but don’t.
His smile dipped with his gaze and then returned to me. “I appreciate that, but what I meant was, I’m fairly certain the women at the table to your seven o’clock know you, and they’re wondering all about me.”
My eyes widened. Of course, someone who knew me... or my sister at the very least would be at breakfast. The hotel offered a special rate for her wedding guests.
“Relax,” he whispered, running his fingers under my jaw and tilting my chin toward his face. I held my breath, waiting for him to kiss me. “You’re mine today, remember?”
I restrained a smile. I couldn’t understand how this wildly attractive man could send me a goofball text and command my entire presence with one word I usually hate to hear. Because, let’s be honest, being told to relax typically has the opposite effect.
Then he kissed me.
I kept my eyes open like a weirdo because I was nervous, and my attempt to relax failed miserably.
He laughed. “Come on, Anna, you look like a deer in headlights.”
I shook my head. “Right, right. No, I got this. I can kiss you. I can pretend. I can—” I didn’t finish my sentence because I went in for a kiss too aggressively. It was not the same kiss as the previous night. This one more or less was like head-butting him with my mouth.
He drew back, cradling his face. “Did you bite me?”
I winced. “Sorry. I got excited.”
He let out another low laugh and wet his lips. “Where’s the girl I met last night?”
“The girl you met last night is terrified we won’t pull this off, and I will become an even bigger joke than I am.”
The honesty felt good to admit, but I was also sure it made me even more pathetic.
He sat back as the server arrived with his meal, and my phone vibrated loudly on the table. Marie’s name lit up the screen.
“Oh shit,” I muttered. “I need to go upstairs and get my hair and makeup done. I’m five minutes late.”
