Page 5 of The Wedding Ruse

Get it together.She spun away from the door, trying to forget what was going on in the next room. Her eyes caught her camera bag and she carried it into the front room which was the kitchen and living area.

There was one small sofa, more of an oversized chair really, and a small table with two chairs. Other than that, there was a small kitchen area, no electronics outside of the lights and microwave. It just might be a long weekend with nothing to distract herself from him.

She heard Tristan open the door and turned towards the sound. She had not pictured him looking as hot as he did in jeans and a plain t-shirt. She licked her lips in reaction and immediately dropped her gaze to the floor. He had to have seen her looking him over. She could feel the heat creeping up her face, again. She was going to spend this entire weekend mortified at this rate.

He had muscles, very defined ones, that the shirt hugged them perfectly. That vision was stuck in her head forever and she wasn’t the least bit mad about it. And the man in jeans? She’d never seen that before and was definitely here for it.

“What do you think?”

Grace only just managed to pull her eyes off the floor to look at him, only to see him put a nice black felt cowboy hat on his head. She was spellbound. Couldn’t pull her eyes away, even as she felt her mouth fall open.

Her eyes landed on his and she saw something change. There was a heat there, an intensity that she hadn’t seen before today. Then again, she rarely made eye contact with him. Slowly a proud smile spread across his face and he tipped the hat at her.

Spinning around she grabbed her bag. “Lunch?”

“Sounds good to me.”

The ride to pick up food was short, but she had to give him credit, he hadn’t mentioned that he caught her staring at him like he was the last cookie in the package and she was coming off of a week long fast. She caught him out of the corner of her eye looking at her now and then as they ate, but he didn’t mention anything.

They ate their burgers and fries at a small restaurant, and he refused to let her pay for hers. As they rose to leave, he took her hand to help her stand. Completely unnecessary, but not unwelcome. She smiled at him and went to take her hand back after she stood, only to find a strong grip on the other end.

She didn’t say a word. Didn’t know what this was about but would enjoy it while it lasted anyway. Even if it never happened again. They walked together to the car and he didn’t let go until he had opened the door and she was getting into the car.

Smiling, she buckled her seat belt as he shut her door and climbed in behind the wheel. She still didn’t have the nerve to really look up at him, but through her lashes, she could see a smug smile on his face too. That knowledge only made hers grow.

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