Gabe: Operation Get the fuck out of the friend zone.
Gabe: You know…that golden opportunity we talked about?
Gabe: So…progress?
How the hell was I supposed to answer that? Did a fake relationship count as progress? In some ways, yes. But it also felt like two steps back.
Me: It’s complicated.
Gabe: Then un-complicate it.
I clenched my phone, annoyed more with myself than my friend. Though his commentary wasn’t helping matters.
For all my big talk of having no regrets, I clearly still had reservations. Not about Bryn, of course. I was crazy about her.
My heart and body were totally on board, but my mind…my mind wouldn’t fucking shut up. I sighed, thinking of her tattoo. Of everything it symbolized. Seeing it on her wrist had been like being doused with a bucket of ice water.
Derek.
A man who had meant so much to both of us. Whostillmeant so much to us.
Gabe: Stop playing it safe, Fizzy. You want it, you gotta go for it.
Oh, I wanted Bryn, all right. I just wasn’t sure if I should go for it now that we were pretending to be a couple. I was afraid our fake relationship might only confuse things even more and make her question my true feelings.
That said, I was encouraged by last night. By the way Bryn had responded to me both then and when I’d given her the signed copy of the book. The chemistry was certainly there. Even though the situation wasn’t ideal, I thought that maybe I had a real shot at turning this into something genuine.
A glance at my watch told me that it was almost time to go. I brushed my teeth and then
slid my phone into the pocket of my linen pants.
I cracked the bathroom door ajar without peering outside. “Is it safe to come out now?”
“You can come out,” Bryn said.
I opened the door and my jaw dropped. She seemed to have a similar reaction, freezing in place.
She looked fucking phenomenal. I mean…Damn. She was wearing this colorful, patterned dress that wrapped around her waist, snatching it. It hugged her breasts, pushing them up. Then, it had this sexy little cutout that gave the most tantalizingglimpse of her cleavage and made me think she must not be wearing a bra.
It was hard to decide where to look. My eyes kept bouncing from her glossy pink lips to her bare shoulders. Her hair was down in loose waves, and she looked sun-kissed and beautiful.
I strode over to her, admiring the dip of her waist, the expanse of skin revealed by the low back of her dress. It was a good thing everyone thought we were dating because I wasn’t going to be able to take my eyes off her. And as much as I hated our fake relationship, it did have one thing going for it—it finally gave me an excuse to look my fill.
I took Bryn’s hand in mine and gave her a spin before pulling her back in to me. “You…” I kissed her cheek. “Are stunning.”
She dipped her head, cheeks turning an adorable shade of pink. “Thank you. So are you. I mean—” God, seeing her flustered because of me was gratifying. “You look nice. Handsome.”
“Thank you.” I slid my phone from my pocket. “Want to take a picture real quick?”
She looked at me, surprise lighting her features. “You hate being photographed.”
I loved that she knew that. Knew that I endured it for the fans because I appreciated them. But I hated when people took a photo of me without my permission. I knew it was all part of the job, but it was a huge invasion of privacy. I would much rather someone have the balls to ask me for a photo than try to sneak one.
I lifted a shoulder. “Not when I’m with you.”
I wrapped one arm around her then held up the other, phone in hand. The couple staring back at us on the screen was happy and relaxed. I snapped a few shots, hoping Bryn could see what I saw, before lowering my phone.
“Will you send those to me?” she asked.
