Page 157 of Charming Deception

“Okay.” She gives me a small smile that I don’t deserve and steps out onto the balcony.

I refill our glasses for us, my chest constricting with the fear that all this evading the truth—lying; I’m lying to her, at least by omission—is going to kill our relationship before it even gets started.

Thirteen days.

I just have to usher us around this landmine that I can’t acknowledge for thirteen more days. Then I won’t have to work around this ridiculous secret anymore.

I can finally have sex with my fiancée without my life blowing up. And everything will fall into place.

Chapter 34

Megan

“How does this song never get old?!”

I’m drunk on champagne. Oh yes, I am. Very fine, very French champagne. All my worries have been drowned in heavenly bubbly and music. “Like, it still sounds as good today as it probably did when it came out in the eighties!” I blather on.

Jameson lies on his back on our grand hotel bed in his lounge pants and a T-shirt, freshly showered, legs crossed at the ankles, his bare toes twitching a little and a soft smile on his face as he watches me dance around in my Dirty nightshirt. To INXS’s “Need You Tonight.”

I’m also dramatically lip-syncing the words, tousling my hair and slithering around the bed as I fake serenade him.

“Are you still sticking with this story that Dirty is your favorite band?” he inquires. “Or is that just the cool answer?”

I stop dancing. “What’s your favorite band?” I demand, realizing that I have no idea. He puts on music a lot, but it’s always different stuff. When we work out, he puts on driving heavy metal, but I think that’s just for the adrenaline.

Now that I think about it, he seems like a mood listener.

I usually listen to music in my earbuds so I don’t bother people around me. Maybe he truly has no idea what I listen to.

“If I said Dirty,” he muses, “would you believe me?”

“Hmmm. You promised me you wouldn’t lie to me. So, yes.”

“I do love Dirty. But I’m also partial to the music of Harry Styles and Maroon 5.”

My jaw drops. “Does my brother know this about you?”

“Very few people know this about me. And yes, your brother would be one of them.” He shrugs a shoulder. “I like musical sunshine.” He frowns adorably, like the reason for that is just occurring to him. Maybe he’s drunk, too? “I don’t think I naturally produce a lot of sunshine myself. I need outside infusions.” He gazes at me for a long moment, like I’m pure sunshine beaming down on him right now.

“That’s weird. Because when I met you, I thought you were about as blinding as the sun.”

He blinks at me. “What?”

“You’re right, though. You’re more of a sunny day in a storm. You know, like when the sun breaks through the dark clouds, and it’s epic?”

Now he looks more confused. No, drunk. He definitely looks drunk.

“Never mind.” I shake my head, feeling woozy, and giggle. “So, shiny male pop stars are your jam, huh?”

“Don’t hold it against me, okay?”

“Why would I hold it against you?” I’m so excited about this revelation, it’s making my head spin. “My favorite-favorite bands, besides Dirty, are System of a Down and the Jonas Brothers.”

“Really?”

I crawl onto the bed and up his legs, telling him soberly, “I like metal and boy bands.”

“Are you serious?”

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