Page 11 of Bargain Match

She turns on her heel and starts walking up the staircase. When I remain frozen in place, Hadley gives my chest a slight pinch.

“Ouch.” I wince and instinctively cover the offending spot. “What was that for?”

“Snap out of it.” She glares at me. “Remember, we have a deal. We’re supposed to be a new couple in love. Start acting like it.”

That’s easy for her to say. She’s just playing a part.

For me… it’s no act. It’s as real as it gets. But she’s right about one thing. I’m supposed to be sweeping Hadley off of her feet and proving I’m the man for her.

So far, on this trip of ours, all I’ve done is complain about the lack of legroom on our flight and in our rental car. And now I’m acting as if the thought of sharing a bed with her for the next couple of weeks will be torture.

Well, in a way it will be. But the very sweetest kind of torture.

Straightening my back, I slide an arm around her waist. “Come on, honey. Let’s see our room.”

Nodding in approval, Hadley starts up the stairs. I stick close to her side. Close enough that I can smell the sweet floral scent of the stuff she puts in her to keep the curls so bouncy.

I give into the urge to tug on one of the curls with my free hand.

She casts me a curious glance.

“Just admiring your hair, honey.”

I can see her struggling not to roll her eyes, which makes me chuckle.

“What?” I tug on another curl. “Can’t a man compliment the woman he’s crazy about?”

“You’ve certainly got the crazy part down,” she mutters.

I chuckle again, and Glynis smiles herself as she turns in front of a pair of double doors.

“Here’s yer room.” With a flourish, she pushes the doors open. “I have no doubt the pair of ye will put it to good use.”

The laughter slips away as I take in the sight before us. It’s a decent-sized room for an inn of this size. While the furniture and decor are clearly old, they’re well cared for.

There’s a loveseat and rug in front of a large fireplace, already roaring. There’s a blue and white tea set arranged around a table for two, along with a bottle of champagne on ice.

And there, in the center of the room is an ancient, four-poster bed, with a pile of rose petals in the shape of a heart.

A sudden vision of Hadley lying in the middle of that bed, wearing nothing but those petals pops into my head.

I swallow. Hard. And I release my hold on Hadley’s waist.

“Isn’t it charming, honey?” Hadley moves toward me, but I take a step back. Her eyes narrow. “Is everything okay?”

“Fine,” I practically croak. “I just, um, need to use the bathroom.”

Then I disappear into the attached room. I either need a cold shower or a date with my hand to ease if I’m going to get through the rest of the day without embarrassing myself or jumping the gun.

Hell, I’ll probably need both.

Like my cock, this plan of mine is harder than I ever could have imagined.

SIX

HADLEY

I have to admit, pretending to be head over heels in love with Burke is more fun than I expected.

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