Page 24 of Holiday Hoax

My mind is reeling as I walk down the hall and into my bedroom. I should shower, but tonight the bath is calling my name. As the water heats up, I strip out of my clothes and light a few candles. Once the water hits the perfect temperature, I add epsom salts and some lavender essential oil to the water. I’m going to need all the help I can get to fall asleep tonight.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so thoroughly kissed before in all my life. The dark look in his eyes as he approached was so insanely sexy. It was so convincing I almost thought he was truly feeling jealous and possessive. And my god, he’s a good kisser. The confident sweeps of his tongue against mine, I’m sure it didn’t look like it was the first time we kissed.

I press my fingers to my lips which tingle just remembering the way they felt to be pressed against his. How sad is it that the best kiss of my life was with my fake boyfriend? I shake my head as I lower my body into the steaming water. I need to think about something else.

It’s probably a good thing I won’t see Ian for the next ten days. He’ll be in Singapore and then Tokyo handling some business. Which is good. Distance will provide clarity and remind both of us that it’s just a fake relationship. Because over the past few weeks it’s been feeling more and more real.

The only real thing is the friendship we’re developing. I wouldn’t want to risk that. He’s easy to be around and to talkto. Everything flows between us so naturally. Jeopardizing that because he’s a good kisser would be stupid.

No. We’re just friends helping each other out. I lean back and close my eyes as the water laps around me. Focusing on each breath I work to clear my mind until I hear my phone ring.

I look over and see Nico’s name and hit accept.

“What?” I ask, annoyed he’s interrupting my relaxation time. Normally I wouldn’t have answered, but I know he’d just continue to pester me until I did. Better to get it all out of the way now.

“Don’t ‘what’ me, missy. Are you okay?”

“Yes, I told you I was earlier.”

“But you weren’t alone. How was I supposed to know if you were under duress or something?”

“Nico.” Annoyance surges through my voice. “I’m fine, and you know Ian wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Maybe I’m not worried about himhurtingyou and more worried about something else,” he says pointedly.

“There’s nothing going on between us aside from friendship.”

“When exactly did you start fostering thisfriendship?” he says the final word with a disbelieving emphasis.

“At your wedding. You know he joined me for a day in Italy. Then he was on a date with some woman who knew one of the artists we featured at the gallery. I ran into him at the opening.”

“And he just decided to buy art for his penthouse on a whim? He has the aesthetic of a bowl of oatmeal.”

That makes me laugh because it’s actually kind of true. “And that’s why he’s buying art. To breathe some life into a blank space.” I sit up and send the water sloshing.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking a bath.”

“Eww,” he makes a disgusted sound. “Why did you answer the phone if you’re in the bath?”

“Because you would have kept hounding me until I answered, and I want to relax after a long day.”

He sighs. “Fair enough.”

“I’m going to let you go now.”

“Okay. We’ll be home next week. Pencil me in for lunch.”

“I’ll give you a whole day, how does that sound?”

“Perfect.”

“Give Stella a hug for me.”

We end the call, and I set my phone aside. The men in my life are truly something else. Overbearing and overprotective, which should annoy me but deep down makes me feel safe. I should probably spend some time examining why I always choose to date men who make me feel the opposite. Instead, I close my eyes and clear my mind to spend the rest of the night relaxing.

The days since the last time I saw Ian are slowly creeping by. I hadn’t realized how much of a part of my life he’s become over the past month. I’ve always known that I enjoyed his company, even from our very first time meeting at an extremely tense Thanksgiving at his family’s home. Nico brought me along because our parents were out of town with our sister.

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