Page 60 of The Heir's Bargain

I brushed my hair back, my other hand still resting on the wall. "All right, not nothing exactly. I wanted to let you know that it seems to be working so far. Moris and Sylvia seem to be buying the act. Most of the villagers, too. But. . ." I hesitated.

Eyes squeezing shut, she rubbed her right temple with two fingers. "Just say it."

"Say what?"

"We're going to have to kiss at some point, aren't we?"

I cocked my head to the side and stared down at Dani. Nervous amusement rose in my throat, and without thinking, I chuckled.

Dani shoved me in the chest. "Don't laugh!"

"What?" I asked. "I know it's only logical, but we don't have to if you don't want to. Rule number three: only necessary touches."

Dani shook her head. "No. Like you said, we need to take this seriously. If there is even a sliver of doubt in my mother's mind when we inevitably see her, she will dismantle this entire scheme in the blink of an eye."

"I've always said that the Ferrios women are too smart for their own good."

Dani rolled her eyes, and I grinned. But then my smile faltered when worry creased her forehead once again.

"It's just kissing, Dani."

"Right." She nodded. "We're friends. It doesn't mean anything."

"Exactly."

"You're like a brother, after all."

I nodded. "And you're like a sister to me."

Dani continued, rambling on. "There's nothing to it, really. It's the logical thing to do. It doesn't?—"

Enough.

I grabbed Dani's chin and tilted it up. Without thinking about it or debating the logic of it, I kissed her.

It wasn't long.

It wasn't explorative.

It was quick and straight to the point.

When I leaned away, Dani's eyes were wide. "Wh-what was that?"

"Might as well get it over with," I said with a shrug.

Dani nodded. "Right. Good idea." She raised her hand to her lips, but I snatched her wrist, stopping her. "What are you?—"

I peered down at her, arching a brow. "They're still watching, remember? Would you wipe your mouth if you had just kissed the man you were truly courting?"

"I mean, no, but?—"

"But nothing," I said, weaving my fingers between hers and guiding her hand back down.

Silence thickened the air, awkward and unyielding, as her hand remained in my grip.

Perhaps kissing her had been a mistake.

After a long, quiet moment, Dani leaned forward, her voice barely above a whisper as she asked, "Did they believe it?"

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