Page 48 of (Un)Expected

I shrugged nonchalantly, inspecting the end of my neon purple golf club. “Prove it.”

Cole stepped closer to me, his hands on his hips. “You know you hit me with your club. Admit it.”

“Over my dead body.”

“Guys…” Adam called out, looking at the group forming around us. “Maybe we should call it a night.”

“No way,” Cole and I answered in unison.

Okay, remember when I said that mini-golf was a terrible idea? This would be why. It probably sounded ridiculous, but this game brought out my fierce, competitive streak. Well, that and every other game you could win.

Gracious winner?

Yeah, we don’t know her.

As much as I hated losing, I had to admit that it was kind of fun to play with someone just as competitive as me, especially when we both resorted to dirty tactics to keep the other from winning.

Imighthave knocked Cole’s ball into one of the blue-dyed lakes,but hedefinitelyput my ball in the lap of one of the creepy mannequins. It took almost five whole minutes for me to get up the nerve to go grab it.

However, the biggest distraction of the night? That would be when Cole lifted his shirt up to scratch his abs. I’d never seen that much definition on a man’s torso before. It was unfair. Too busy staring, wishing I could trace my finger along his toned skin, my ball flew into a bush a good ten feet from the hole.

I tried to play it off like I had tripped in my shoe. I thought I’d gotten away with it, but then the damned bastard had to go and smirk at me, like he knew exactly why I missed my shot.

Calla and Adam watched us like exasperated parents all night. Every time one of us pulled a move, they both smiled sheepishly at the employees, as if counting the minutes until we were kicked out.

I glanced over, seeing Mark Fischer watching us with a guilty look on his face.That’s right, fucker, you still owe me. You’re the reason I’m in this whole mess.

Well, that’s not entirely true. Mark might have started the fire when he posted those pictures of Adam and me, but I was the one who let it burn out of control.

Shit.In my need to win, I’d almost forgotten the true purpose of this date. I looked at Adam, trying to convey a silent apology, but he just smiled at me, seemingly unworried about our lack of physical touches. At least, until his eyes narrowed on something over the fence.

Before I could turn to see what caught his attention, Adam came to my side, draping his arm over my shoulder. As he dipped his lips down to my hair, he whispered so only I could hear, “The photographers are over by the parking lot.” When my head whipped to the side, his fingers traced my jaw, keeping my eyes trained on him. “Don’t look. Try to act natural.”

“Easier said than done,” I muttered.

Adam chuckled, continuing our quiet conversation as Calla stepped up to the green. As she wiggled her hips like she wasgolfing on a PGA course, his lowered voice tickled my ear. “One of my old acting coaches told me the key to chemistry is imagination. Pretend you really are in love, and then it’ll feel more natural.”

“Does it work?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes. Try it and see if it does for you.”

I closed my eyes, doubting that this would be the solution. It had been so long since I’d been with someone, I didn’t even remember what it felt like. All my experiences with love were stained with pain, and that was the last thing I wanted to convey in pictures. But then Cole laughed, the sound profound and consuming as it invaded my thoughts. Instantly, everything changed. The person holding me, his fingertips brushing my bare shoulder? It was Cole.

I nestled closer to the hard body at my side, waiting for that familiar hint of leather and spice to invade my senses. Instead, there was only the clean aroma of fresh laundry and summer days. Pleasant, but not the one I wanted to cling to my skin.

Adam laughed, holding me a little closer. “Seems like it’s working well for you. Picturing anyone in particular?”

“Jason Momoa,” I lied.

“Damn,” he smiled. “Hitting a guy where it hurts. That whole tall, dark, and handsome vibe works for you?”

My eyes instinctively met Cole’s, and I shuddered under the intensity of his glare. It was like the world had melted away around us, leaving us alone in our tense stare-down. When Adam squeezed my shoulder, I broke away first, not wanting to acknowledge the moment that passed between us.

It felt like a betrayal to Adam. Despite our arrangement being fake, it still felt wrong to be in his arms while picturing someone else. The guilt snapped the tether between us, and I backed up. Clearing my throat, I gave him a sheepish smile. “Do you think that was enough?”

He nodded. “It’ll be good for now. Keep close in case they want any more shots.”

Sure. Can do.

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