Page 46 of My Fake Fiancé

“Hi, honey! I’m home!”

“Hey! There you are. What have you been up to?” Kurt smiles at me from the kitchen. He’s washing dishes and it looks like he had a few guests over. I come into the kitchen, kiss his cheek without hesitation, and then go set my purse down before setting the bag of food on the counter. I grab a few dishes and help him finish up, standing side by side as we work.

“Whew,” I breathe out. “That was a long day. Your mother surprised me with a girls’ trip to a dress shop. A wedding dress shop,” I add in case he didn’t see the big deal.

“Oh. Oh, wow.” Kurt hands me dishes to stack in the dishwasher when he finishes rinsing them. We work together as a team and finish in a few minutes.

“I know! It was quite shocking,” I admit when our focus shifts to the food I brought home for dinner. I pull out plates for us and set our food on the plates. Kurt watches me with a smile and waits patiently until I hand him his plate. “Although we spent most of the time on the bridesmaid dresses which Tatyana hated, Merrin loved.”

I chuckle but Kurt still hasn’t said anything as we bring our plates to the kitchen table to sit and eat together. I take a few bites and look at him nervously.

“Don’t worry, though. I know it isn’t real. We didn’t actually purchase anything. It was just fun going out with everyone and playing dress up,” I say with a giggle and Kurt offers another warm smile. “So, what did you get up to while we were all there?”

“Ah, football. Both of our dads and your grandpa came over to watch the game. That’s why I had so many dishes to wash,” Kurt explains and I nod. “It was a good day.”

“It was,” I agree with him.

We chat while we eat our food, mostly talking about our days. I tell him about dress shopping but I hesitate to tell him about the interaction with Callum. When I pause, Kurt narrows his eyes at me.

“What are you not telling me?”

“Well,” I start. Kurt raises his eyebrows at me and gestures for me to continue. I sigh. “Okay, so don’t freak out.”

“Why would I freak out?” Kurt asks, trying to hide the fact that he is starting to freak out.

“See, I can tell you’re starting to get worked up and worried about what I am about to say. But before you do, I will just let you know that I was fine. I handled the situation and then Tatyana pummeled the situation.” I look at him to see his reaction and now his eyes are narrowed at me.

“What does that mean, exactly?” Kurt tries to remain calm and arranges the features on his face to appear neutral. I stare at him for a few seconds, a touch weirded out about it but I can see how he would be an excellent lawyer, remaining calm under pressure in court.

“Okay, so… The dress situation was a bit stressful so I stepped outside,” I tell him and his eyebrows knit in concern but that isn’t even the part of the day I am worried about telling him. “And I ran into Callum. He was a little aggressive and kind of trapped me and I don’t think he would have done anything but he didn’t get a chance to because Tatyana came out and basically kicked his ass and saved me. So, yeah, that is all that happened. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you sooner.”

I rush through the story, trying to tell it quickly and make it not as dramatic as possible without lying about what happened. Kurt sits back and looks at me for a few seconds, I wait patiently for him to say something.

“Wow,” Kurt finally says. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah. I’m okay. You know, I am used to him and his antics,” I admit and Kurt’s forehead pinches in frustration and further concern.

“That’s not good, Juliana. You shouldn’t be used to that. He shouldn’t be acting like that, around you or anyone else,” Kurt says but I think he can tell that I am not in the place for a lecture so he stops short. “I’m glad Tatyana was there when you needed her,” Kurt says, changing his concerns into appreciation.

“Yeah, me too. She is an amazing friend.”

Our conversation trails off and I ask him about the football game. I can tell he wants to say something more about the interaction with Callum but instead, he lets me change the subject and acts like a willing participant.

We finish the night by cuddling on the couch and watching TV. Well, we’re not exactly cuddling but we sit close to each other and Kurt has his arm over the back of the couch. I keep sneaking glances at him but he’s staring straight ahead at the TV.

I reach up and touch his chin lightly. Only then does he turn to look at me. “What’s going on in your head?” I ask quietly, worried he’s freaked out about the dress shopping.

Kurt stares down at me and I try to read his expression and the look in his eyes but I can’t tell what he is thinking. “Are you sure you’re okay?” Kurt answers my question with a question of his own.

I nod, snuggling into his side, pleased that he is worried about my safety and not freaked out. His arm drops from the couch to settle onto my back. We’re still looking at each other and I don’t want the connection to stop. I tilt my head back, opening up to him. His eyes flash as his emotions shift. A small smile appears on his face, indicating that he understood the implication of my movement.

“Are you sure?” Kurt asks as he slowly leans down, getting closer to my lips.

“I’m sure,” I whisper, almost breathless with anticipation.

Kurt’s lips touch mine lightly, barely brushing against mine. He’s waiting for me to let him know I’m okay. As a response, I slide my hand behind his head and push gently while pressing my lips firmer against his. Our mouths crash together and the kissing turns fervent. Kurt pulls me into his lap and I feel him against my thigh. I feel my cheeks heating up, turning red, and I am glad Kurt cannot see the innocent nerves.

Chapter 41

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