“I’ve read a few,” I admit. All eight of them, but she doesn’t need to know that. “You’re an outstanding author. And I’ve read enough to know I’ve got ample ammo to fire at you within the flirting range. You seem to like it when men do certainthings.”
This snaps her attention back on me. Her lips part slightly in a moment of shock. Or is it horror? Then she asks, “Like what?”
“For starters, shoving the heroine against a wall and claiming her as his own, which I effectively accomplished last week. I guess you’ll be finding out the rest soon enough,baby girl.”
She blushes but doesn’t respond. Instead, she redirects. “Let’s go ahead and set ground rules and boundaries.”
“Boundaries like… I’m free to kiss and touch you? I’m very much a physical touch man, Lucy May. You know that.” I step towards her and run a finger alongside her jawline, hovering just above her freckled skin. Heat radiates from the proximity.
“N-no,” she stutters, her face flushing harder. “Only in front of people. To sell our relationship. No lips or hands in private. We can’t have a repeat of Dasher Valley.”
I pout my bottom lip. “But what about when we are back in Dasher Valley?”
“No,” she says, but a hint of a smile appears. She quickly schools her expression and points to the chair across from her desk. “Sit down over there. I don’t like you hovering over me.”
I do as she says while she pulls a small notebook and pen from her rounded white purse that looks more like a mini backpack. “I’m going to write these down, so remember, if it goes on the list, it mustbe abided by.”
She opens the phone-sized notebook as a smile plays at her lips with each flip of the page. Curiosity gets the best of me.
“What’s the notebook for? Besides signing me to my ultimate doom by implementing,” I feign a gag, “rules.”
She shakes her head, unamused. “It’s my Idea notebook. For when I get story ideas on the go.”
“Can I see it?”
Lucy hugs the book to her chest with a shocked expression. “You never ask an author to see her ramblings.Never.It’s a chaotic place and would make zero sense to you. It’s Wonderland.”
“My bad.” I hold up my hands. “Was just thinking it would allow me insight into who you are. You know, to sell this fake relationship thing. Besides, I’ve told you once and I’ll say it again: I can handle your rabbit hole of a brain.”
She shakes her head, her unruly curls flying around with the motion. I might be a little obsessed with her hair in its natural state. I want to run my fingers through it just to get them stuck. Then, I would tug, tilting her chin up to me. Her lips would slightly part, and I’d…
Nope.
Keep your mind PG-13, dude. Lord knows you’ll never manage PG.
“We will sell it well enough,” she mumbles under her breath, setting the notebook back down and glancing away as she sips from her bottle of water.
“If you’re talking about our chemistry, that is a correct assessment.”
She raises her eyebrows and nods as she picks up her pen. Satisfied, I lean back in the chair and wait for her to continue listing her rules. She begins writing, and after a moment, she meets my eyes. “Okay. So number one, no touching or kissing in private. Only in front of people and only when necessary.”
I grin, already planning for loads of time in front of people. “I agree.”
“Number two. No getting involved with other people while we’re together.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, sweet cheeks.” She must really think I’m a rake. I date a lot, sure, but I would never two-time a girl. Even if our relationship is for falsified purposes.
“Ack.” She fakes a gag, pointing her finger to her opened mouth. “And that’s number three. No gross couple names. If we adopt couple names, the other must approve of it.”
She scribbles down the rules as I throw a list of names her way. “Honey bun? Snookums? Luce Goose?”
“That last one is reserved for my best friend, Hadley,” she states with a pointed glare. “She’ll hunt you down herself, pregnant and all, if you try to use it.”
“Noted,” I say. “Then how about sugar pie?”
She glares at me as I crack up.
“Fine, fine. I’ll stick to Little Lion.”
