Page 11 of Pretend You're Mine

"What are you talking about?"

I scoffed. "I mean, I'm not going to go out of my way to prove to your family that we're partners. Holding my hand and touching me as boyfriends do isn't on the table. I don't want any of that bullshit physical intimacy."

Avery flinched as if he'd just been hit. "We won’t do anything that makes you uncomfortable."

The tension in the air was palpable. I glanced sideways at him and noticed the cords in my fake boyfriend's neck standing out. At this point, Avery had to resent me and I couldn't fault him for that.

All through our drive, I had relentlessly played the role of an asshole, without letting up for a second.

It wasn't like I was homophobic, God knew I'd suspected a few of my comrades in the military were gay. It wasn't that I didn't respect their identity, but it triggered some deeply ingrained insecurities within myself.

Growing up with a strict, traditional father had instilled in me the need to always portray strength and masculinity. But now, faced with this predicament I found myself in—fake dating aman—I felt like I was failing at both of those things.

“Is there anything you need to know about me?” I wavered between genuine curiosity and a forced attempt to maintain a tough exterior, and couldn't help but wonder if this internal struggle would ever truly go away.

Avery kept his eyes on the road. "I don't want to pry." He glanced briefly at me. "Just tell me what you're comfortable sharing, and we'll work from there." He navigated a sharp turn. He paused, taking a deep breath before adding, "No need to make things more awkward than they already are.”

“Creed O'Brien. Former military personnel. Got discharged and was in between jobs for awhile but now, I act the role of a fake boyfriend, lie about my sexuality to strangers and get paid for it." I smirked.

“It would be in our best interests not to bring up that last part this weekend." The uncertainty in Avery's voice annoyed me to no end.

"I'm not stupid. I was just clowning around. You should give me more credit. There is no way I would stare your family in their eyes and say that all of this is fake," I countered defensively.

A deep exhale escaped Avery's lips as he took in my comment. Then he went on, unperturbed, in the same level tone he had maintained the whole day.

"Do you have any allergies? What's your favorite snack? Tea or coffee? How do you like your eggs? I guess these are things couples are expected to know about each other?”

"No allergies, or at least none that I know of. It's never too late to find out. I prefer my coffee black. Scrambled eggs are fine, I'm not choosy so I'll eat them any other way too."

Avery's lips tugged into a small smile.

“I guess that's something we both share. Not being choosy about our eggs. I prefer coffee everyday, but if I have to pretend to like tea, then there has to be more than enough cream and sugar in it."

“What's the story behind our relationship? How did we meet?” I asked.

"I think we should just stick to the truth. We met in the coffee shop. We talked and exchanged numbers. We stayed in touch with each other until staying apart became increasingly difficult and so we started dating. The story is plausible."

I blinked, surprised at how fast Avery had been able to furnish me with the details of our relationship. It seemed as if he had the whole thing already planned out in his head.

"I like this angle. Leaves no holes in the story unless you are asked why no one knew about our relationship earlier if it had gotten this serious."

Avery's smile widened.

"That's a no-brainer. There is no need to get worked up. I've got it covered." As we continued driving through the winding road, surrounded by towering trees and the scent of pine lingering in the air, Avery's response piqued my curiosity. My eyes flickered towards his steady hands as they grasped the steering wheel at the 9 and 3 positions, then trailed up to his honey-gold orbs.

"I'd tell them there's a reason why no one knew about us earlier," he began, his voice steady and assured. "You see, before we started dating, I was living a life of solitude. Didn't want to get attached to anyone." He glanced at me before focusing on the road again. "At least that part is the truth." With a grin, he continued. "It wasn't until I met you that everything changed," he said softly. "Our connection was undeniable, and it scared me. But not anymore. I'm proud to live my life out loud, loving you."

It was like Avery had waited his entire life to be able to say this. The entire scenario seemed to have played out too many times in his head for him not to know what the perfect response would be.

Avery's hand left the wheel to rest on mine.

My glance lowered to our entwined fingers.

I realized that the first and possibly most important boundary had just been crossed. But it felt good, so I didn't move. Choosing instead to look the other way and pretend it wasn't happening.

All the tension between us had faded to the background. At least for a while.

"So what's the story behind your name?" Avery released my hand and returned it to the steering wheel. I felt bereft of its warmth. My fingers tingled with the need to grab onto his hand and hold it tightly. "Earth to Creed."

---