“Layla, love. You look fucking gorgeous.”
Strong hands wrap around my waist, pulling me into him. The strong tea and lemon scent wafts over me. It sends butterflies exploding in my belly. My core clenches at the thought of getting to be wrapped up in this man all night long.
One of the last few nights with him.
I push that thought away, not wanting to focus on it right now.
“You, Mr. Belvy, look pretty damn good yourself.”
“Yeah?” He tips my chin up to meet his gaze. “Not as good as you.”
He drags a single finger down my chest, pulling ever so gently at the bunching of the fabric under my breasts.
“Yes, well, it’d be hard for you to pull off a dress like this.”
Simon’s smile is downright sinful as he pulls me close. His breath ghosts over my lips.
“It’ll be damn easy to pull this dress off you later tonight.”
His lips capture mine in a fiery kiss.My fingers dig into his chest, wanting to keep this man as close as possible to me.
“We need to go,” Simon growls, pulling back.
“Go where?” It’s like Simon has taken every thought and swirled it around. I can’t think clearly when he’s around.
“To the rehearsal dinner.”
“Right.” I shake my head, trying to clear the fog this man has been inducing for the last month any time he’s near me. “Dinner. Then we can go back to your place.”
“My place?” Simon wipes his thumb under my lips. No doubt wiping away any evidence of that kiss.
I nod. “It’s a short walk as opposed to a thirty minute ride through town. And I want to have my way with you tonight. While I still can.”
“Right.”
A bucket of ice is thrown over us. I hate that I pulled us back to the present.
We’ve been living in our own little bubble.
I don’t know when this fake thing turned into something real. But it’s more real than anything I’ve ever experienced.
“We better get going.”
Simon links his hand with mine and pulls me out the door behind him. Downtown Dixon is bustling with tourists as Simon helps me into the truck and we head toward the ranch.
The ride over is quiet. It seems both of us are lost in our thoughts.
Back when this whole thing started, I figured it’d be easy to play off our broken engagement. Simon in London and me here with the distance too hard to overcome.
Now, it seems an impossible wall to climb over.
My entire life is in Dixon. My store, my family. Everything.
And Simon? Simon’s entire life is in London. Thousands of miles apart and I have no idea how this could even begin to work.
Before I know it, Simon is pulling the truck into the ranch. It’s buzzing with excitement.
“Ready?” Simon asks as he opens my door.
