"Because Maura wasn't going to let it go. Boyfriend wasn't enough. Would never be enough for her. You know it. She'd have picked at it all weekend."
"So you made it bigger."
"Yes." I pause and search her features. "I'm sorry. I should have asked first."
"No. Yes. No." She looks at the ring. "You're right. She would have made it hell." She moves her head in several directions atonce, her eyes follow in opposite directions, "Yes, but this is one hell of an escalation, Dean."
"This ... this gives you a shield. She can't mock you for being single when you're engaged."
"To you."
"To me."
"Okay, okay. We're going to need rules. Rule one: We maintain this through the wedding weekend."
"And then?"
"Go home. Figure it out. Break it off quietly."
"Mutual breakup. Amicable. Stay friends."
Liz's gaze softens. "We'll always stay friends. Rule two: Keep our story straight. Four months of dating, quietly because of your schedule."
"Which means we started..."
"Early December."
"Your birthday weekend. My turn. Rule three: Physical stuff."
She raises an eyebrow, and her eyes are on the move again. "Define physical stuff."
"Hand-holding. Hugging. Occasional kiss on the cheek."
"People will expect more, though. We're supposedly engaged."
"What are you suggesting? Online streaming?"
She shudders. Her eyes close tight.
"Couples kiss. If we want this to look real, we'll need to kiss. Actually kiss."
My pulse kicks up, my cock begins rising to attention. Hell yeah.
She's talking about kissing me like she's listing it down, like it's a logistical problem. Like it won't wreck me to kiss her and know it means nothing. Like, it's something I haven't thought about for roughly a thousand times.
I look at her mouth—full lips, bottom one slightly fuller—and wonder how long I can do this.
"Kissing." I keep my voice composed, even when the front of my pants gets uncomfortably tight. "Sure."
"Only when people are watching."
Right. Only when people are watching.
Because it's fake.
Because I don't actually have feelings for her.
Because I haven't been in love with her for eight years.
