‘I don’t have a better one in mind,’ I say with a sigh. ‘Babe it is.’
‘Alright. Then let’s add another rule,’ Jake suggests.
‘Go on,’ I prompt him.
‘Absolute honesty at all times,’ he says.
‘We’re faking a relationship,’ I remind him.
‘I mean between us,’ he says. ‘We stay honest with each other. That way, no one is uncomfortable, no one gets hurt.’
‘Okay, yeah, that makes sense,’ I reply. ‘Absolute honesty.’
I mean, obviously I don’t have to mention my feelings for Andy to him. They’re just by the by; not the reason we’re doing this. I’m in it for the book deal, Jake is in it to buy part of Rosewood, and that’s that.
‘So, how do we look engaged?’ I ask, immediately hating how the question sounds. ‘Do we hold hands while we walk?’
‘I’ve never been engaged before, but sure, we can do that,’ he says as he reaches out to take my hand in his.
Our bodies naturally drift closer, now that we’re walking holding hands. He’s close enough that I can smell his aftershave and, wow, he smells delicious.
We head back out of the orchard, standing in the gateway for a moment.
‘Okay,’ Jake says. ‘If we’re engaged, we’re comfortable. You don’t stand like you’re about to bolt.’
‘I’m not about to bolt,’ I protest. ‘I’m not a horse, you know that, right?’
‘This would be a lot easier if you were,’ he jokes. ‘Ma— babe. If you lean away any more, folks’ll think you’re doing this under duress.’
I kinda am.
‘I am not leaning away on purpose,’ I insist.
Jake gently places his hand at my waist – barely there, a light touch – and guides me a fraction closer. My entire body reacts like he’s just jabbed me with a cattle prod. Not because it feels bad, because it feels good. Because I haven’t been touched by a man like this in a long time. It feels safe, comforting, and so sexy.
Jake’s hand stays at my waist.
‘Better,’ he murmurs.
‘Better,’ I reply.
‘Okay, now we can walk back to the house.’
His fingers curl gently around mine so we can walk hand in hand.
‘This isn’t so hard,’ he says with a laugh.
It kind of is, though, for me at least. It weirdly feels like I’m betraying Andy, even though Andy is literally about to marry someone else.
‘Why does it feel like everyone is staring?’ I say. ‘People are watching us.’
Jake’s thumb strokes the back of my hand, in an almost reassuring way.
‘Then we give ’em somethin’ worth watchin’,’ he replies.
He stops, takes me in his arms again, our faces only inches apart.
‘Whit?’
