“My truck could handle anything. I just need to get this cake out of the car. Have a good night, Carla.”
“Same to you both,” she said, stopping to give us one last glance and shifting toward the house.
“I’ve had this dress for a while. I had a gala to attend for a company I freelanced for a few years ago, but it still fits.” Olivia took her hand off my arm and twirled around. “I think this saystrophy date.”
“Trophy?” A chuckle slipped out of me. “What crazy contest did I win?”
“The one where you get to tell everyone to fuck off.” She adjusted her purse on her arm, and I followed the way her body moved under that dress. I couldn’t tell where the zipper was, but if given the chance I’d happily search for it.
The minute the thought barreled into my head, I clenched my eyes shut. I couldn’t go there tonight, no matter how blinding the temptation.
Olivia climbed into the cab, giving me one more tease of her thigh when the slit opened. She shut the door before I could close it for her, and for a reason I couldn’t explain, it bothered me.
I jogged back to the driver’s seat and started the car, stilling before I put it in Drive.
“What?” she asked, her brows knit together. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?”
“No,” I replied, shifting in my seat to face her. “I have a suggestion for tonight.”
“Okay,” she said, scrutinizing me through her long lashes. “What’s that?”
“Could we just be two people on a date at a wedding and not the two kids who were at each other’s throats for most of their lives?” I took in a deep breath and continued. “No arguments, no dwelling on the past, just be Tyler and Olivia. A guy bringing a beautiful woman to a wedding to spite half the guests.”
“So Iambeautiful?” Her eyes lit up, and the strain of not kissing her almost popped a vein in my forehead.
“So youarefishing?”
“I thought you said no arguments?” Her dark eyes narrowed.
“That’s not arguing, it’s bickering. Different. That we probably wouldn’t be able to stop.”
“True,” she said with a slow nod. “Sounds good to me. Ready?” She jutted her chin toward the road. “We have precious cargo in the back.”
I nodded and pulled out of the spot, unable to shake the feeling that whatever happened tonight, I was sure as hellnotready for any of it.
NINE
OLIVIA
Morgan was right—the fucker looked great in a suit. The jacket had stretched across his torso while he unloaded the cake from the cargo area. Watching the simple act of lifting something and putting it down shouldn’t have soaked my panties, but my reactions to Tyler were never normal. When he picked me up and I caught his gaze raking up and down my body when we first saw each other, I flushed hot all over and welcomed the relief from his ice-cold car.
“Sorry we’re here so early,” Tyler said after handing off the cake to the restaurant manager. He flicked his wrist to glance at his watch, and the gesture shouldn’t have sent a shiver up my spine.
Yes, I was a fake date only here to distract Tyler from seeing Amy and maybe create a barrier from his asshole cousins, but it seemed like more. Or maybe that was just my silly hope. I’d waited a long time for Tyler to not act like he hated me, even though that was mostly my doing. He had been chiding me a little when he said I was gorgeous, but warmth had flooded through my chest anyway.
I guessed swooning like a jackass over him all night could be key to this mission we were trying to pull off.
“I have nowhere to be but here with you,” I said in the breathiest tone I could manage and threw him a wink.
“You don’t have to lay it on so thick without witnesses.” His mouth curved into a wry grin, his hazel eyes twinkling just a bit if I wasn’t mistaken. “But that sounded good. Believable.”
If he’d only known how believable it was.
“I wouldn’t mind a drink at the bar. It’s still empty.” I slid my palm against his, tugging him to follow me, but he wouldn’t move.
He’d said he just wanted to be Tyler and Olivia, but other than the panty-melting kiss we shared or an uncomfortable hug to appease our parents, we didn’t touch. And that was not going to work tonight. I shook off the sting of his slight rejection and leaned in to whisper in his ear.
“It’s okay to hold hands since we’ve already had our tongues down each other’s throats. This night could be fun or awkward as hell, and that’s up to you.” I pulled back to meet his eyes. “So relax and play ball, Bennett.”
