My first reaction is,hell yes.
But then I replay the words in my head.
If you want…
“Do you want me to?” I pull back to gauge her reaction.
She bites her bottom lip like she does when she’s trying to hold back some strong emotion. The problem is, I don’t know which one it happens to be—anticipation? Nervousness? Anxiousness?
All three?
“If it helps,” she says, her gaze briefly darting over my shoulder in the direction of her brother and his dance partner.
My heart sinks, and I reach up and tip her chin back to face me. “That’s not what I asked,” I emphasize. “Do you want to kiss me, Pres?”
I can see the indecision in her eyes, and I already have my answer. I lean in, making sure she can hear me. I swear she shivers as I curl my hand around her waist. “I’m happy to play the part of a loving couple for your family, Pres, but I can’t kiss you.” She starts to pull back, but I hold her, needing to finish. “Not like this.”
She jerks back to look at me, so I have to raise my voice for her to hear the next part. “The next time we kiss, it won’t be for show, Pres. And there will be nothing platonic about it.”
As confident as my words may sound, all I can think in that moment is…please, let there be a next time.
Chapter Twenty-Four
PRESLEY
Cash
Is there a reason I don’t have access to the bar’s financials?
I’ve been staring at this text from Cash for twenty minutes, trying to figure out how to respond.
Yeah, because we’re royally fucked, and I’m trying to figure out how to get us un-fucked, so I removed the bar’s financial records from the server before you could find them.
Also, could you stop being such a snoop and maybe obsess over something else? Thanks.
Somehow, I don’t think that will go over with my super anal, super grumpy older brother.
Me
Uh, I don’t know. Maybe something is wrong with the interwebs?
Interwebs—a term used by people who don’t know shit about technology. It’s also good for diverting snobby older brothers who think they know everything about everything.
He’s probably rolling his eyes right now, mumbling under his breath about how awful his life is that he has to deal with crap like this.
Cash
I can send out someone from IT to look at your computer and modem.
Fuck. I didn’t think about that.
Me
No need. I’ll have Hollis take a look.
Cash
Still blissfully happy, then?
