Page 27 of Fake Out Forever

The edges of his lips pull up. “Now?”

“Now.” I get on my feet and start stripping off my sweater. “Unless you want to wait…”

“Hell, no, woman.” He pounds across the floor, tosses me over his shoulder, and charges for the stairs.

“Where are we going?” I laugh through the words.

“My room.”

“We can have sex right here.”

“We’ll come back. Right now, I want you in my bed. Then the shower. Then back to the bed again. Maybe we’ll get back to the living room. I don’t know.”

I’m giggling like a schoolgirl as he bounds up the steps. But on the inside, I’m crying.

When the sun rises, I’m going to have to leave.

14

MAYA

I walk into the kitchen to find Cade pacing back and forth, swiping a hand over his face and mumbling to himself.

“My ride will be here soon.” I set my purse on the counter.

He paces past me and glares. “I wish you would let me drive you.”

“I can’t.”

“Why?” He growls.

“Because it will just make it harder to leave.”

“Good.” Cade starts to move toward me. “I don’t want you to leave.”

I throw my hand up. “Please. Don’t come any closer. This is hard enough as it is.”

“It doesn’t have to be.” He stops dead in his tracks. “We have something good here. Really good.”

“We’ve had amazing sex.” I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from crying. “But that doesn’t mean we have something good.”

What we have is more than good; it’s magical. I want to tell him that. I don’t want to lie. But I have to. I have to fake everything to protect him.

His cheeks burned bright red. “I don’t understand why you’re doing this.”

“I’m not doing anything.” I lie. My phone pings. “My ride’s here.”

I swallow past the lump forming in my throat. “Thank you, Cade. Thank you for everything. I will never forget this Christmas.”

“I should throw you over my shoulder and march your fine ass upstairs, duchess.”

“You won’t.” I grab my purse. “I hope life is good to you, Cade. You deserve to be happy.” I walk past him, then quickly turn around to kiss him.

“You’re a good man.” I’m running for the door when his words stop me dead in my tracks.

“You’re afraid. That’s why you’re leaving. You’re afraid to be happy, Maya.”

The way he says my name sends shivers down my spine.

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