Page 72 of Gracefully Yours

“Yeah. You two were so oblivious,” Angelina said with a smirk. “I just want to know what changed that led to this.” She laughed off the last statement, like she didn’t actually expect us to answer.

Charlotte and I locked eyes, and I wondered if she was thinking about the same moment I had. The one where we’d both saidfuck it,and I’d pinned her against our hotel room door the second it was closed and kissed her.

Maybe Charlotte and Ihadbeen the only two who were so blind to what was between us. I’d always cared for her, but this summer had opened my eyes. I’d known then that I couldn’t live with her beingjustmy best friend. Couldn’t watch her fall in love and get married to someone else.

“I just woke up one day and realized I couldn’t live without her,” I said, truthfully. “And the rest is history.”

I squeezed her hand under the table.

Even if this whole charade was just a farce, at least I had her on my side.

Fake or not.

And tomorrow… Tomorrow would be real.

CHAPTER17

Charlotte

Iwas getting ready for bed when I heard a rap against my door.

“Charlotte.” His deep, husky voice seemed to almost drift through the wood, stopping me in my tracks.

God, did he even know what he did to me? How much he affected my body? I didn’t think anyone else had ever flipped a switch in me like he did. Fortunately, it wasn’t always like this. If I had to endure the last nine years of our friendship with an uncontrollable desire to touch and kiss him, I wouldn’t have made it.

Certainly not with my heart intact. Because while Daniel wanted to marry me, I also knew that I was his backup plan. I was the last-case-scenario, and I had to remember that.

Pacing over to the door, I tightened my robe over myself, even though he’d already seen all of me. Twice. Something we’d both, apparently, decided not to talk about. How I’d watched him in the shower until I hadn’t been able to take it anymore. How much I’d liked it when he’d treated me roughly, sparking things inside of me I hadn’t even known existed.

Did I want a repeat?Yes.But also… this was different. We were at his dad’s house.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered through the door. “You know we’re not supposed to spend the night together before our wedding day.”

“Are you telling me you actually believe in that?” He murmured back as I cracked it open.

Daniel was wearing a pair of sweats, hung loose on his hips, and a sweatshirt pulled on top. At least he’d remembered myno-walking-around-shirtlessrule. Sure, we’d already broken the other ones, but who was I to complain? Shirtless Daniel was my kryptonite, and at least if he’d covered up, I could make it through tonight without pouncing on him.

Maybe.

Daniel leaned against the doorway, practically resting against his arm and hip, just watching me. I had a hard time keeping the heat from rushing to my body just from his stare alone. He looked me up and down, taking in my appearance, even though I’d simply tossed my hair into a messy bun and wore my preferred pink, cozy robe. I’d worn the same thing dozens of times at his house. Somehow, it still didn’t quite feel like home. Maybe it was because we were still sharing separate bedrooms, and he’d slip out each night after wringing every drop of pleasure from my body.

What had we been talking about again?

Oh, right.Our wedding. I cleared my throat, refocusing my attention on him.

“We talked about this. I don’t want us to have bad luck. That’s no way to start off a fake marriage.”Fake. Like I had to remind myself of the fact as well.That if I didn’t remember it, I’d let myself hope for things that wouldn’t happen.

“Well, I wanted to show you something.”

“And it couldn’t have waited until tomorrow?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Nope.” Grinning, he walked into the room, heading straight for the enormous windows that overlooked the yard.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting you to look out the window,” he said with a smirk, drawing back the curtains so I could see outside. “Seems like you got your wish, huh?”

It was snowing; the ground dusted in a white blanket, clear in the moonlight that streamed through my windows. Falling from the sky were those thick, fluffy flakes that promised to stick.

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