Page 32 of The Love Trick

“No, I didn’t,” he cuts me off, shaking his head. “I was just trying to appear like we’re an actual couple, and if we were, that’s how I’d treat you. Though, I definitely would’ve taken it a step further.”

A pang of longing hits me from nowhere.

How freaking lucky would a girl be to have someone treat her like that on the regular?

I brush off the thought. “You shouldn’t have gotten so close to me.”

“I didn’t break any rules,” Blaze quips, staring at the wall of elevator buttons instead of looking at me. The rose-colored flush on his cheeks gives away the fact that he had a bit too much to drink. “If you want your family to think we’re together, we have to act like we’re together.” His tone is flat, unemotional, and all business.

“It just caught me off guard,” I reason, saying it just as much to myself as I am to him. “I wasn’t ready for all that.”

“Sorry.” He’s still not looking at me. “I may have had a little too much to drink. So, that’smybad. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” My voice comes out soft as the doors open on our floor. “I don’t know what I was… I just… I don’t know.”

“You don’t have to say anything more about it.” He finally gazes down at me, his hazel eyes so warm and welcoming. “Maybe that should be a rule—that we don’t talk about these things? I mean, it’s only natural to react to someone when they’re close to you like that.”

I furrow my brow, wondering what he means. We’ve danced together before. “I…” My voice trails off, but he’s already ten feet away, striding quickly toward the room.

I jog to catch up with him, my mind running wild with questions.

Did he feel something being close to me?

Is that what he means?

Was there any truth to the story he told about him having a crush on me in college?

I mean, for a while, Ithoughthe might like me. But I was never able to conjure up enough courage to ask him. I chew on the inside of my cheek.

Blaze opens the door for me, and I step inside, eyeing him. He heads straight for the dresser, pulling out some fresh clothes and then disappearing into the bathroom. I stand there for a few minutes before letting out a sigh and digging out some pajamas. I quickly change into the shorts and T-shirt and then climb into the bed, ensuring I stay on the far side.

It seems likehourspass by, and Blaze is still in the bathroom. I start thinking back to our conversation earlier about how Cam slept in the bathtub to avoid Nila, and just as I get ready to flip the covers back to go check if he’s sleeping in there, the bathroom door opens.

I lay incredibly still as the weight of his body lands on the other side of the mattress. My heart pounds in my chest, and as he shifts, I catch a whiff of his cologne.

“Goodnight, Addy,” he says, his voice soft.

“Night,” I choke out, rolling over onto my side to face away from him. It takes me forever to fall asleep, and when I finally do, it’s to the sound of his deep breathing.

My eyes flutter open, just as the glow of the sun starts peeking out from the horizon. I take a deep breath and slip out from under the covers. I glance over at Blaze, my chest tightening at the sight of him sleeping only inches from where I was. I swallow hard and quickly put on a tank top and running shorts. I pull my hair up into a messy ponytail, brush my teeth, and slide on some sandals.

I need air.

The resort is fairly quiet as I make my way out the double doors and down to the beach. As soon as my feet hit the white sand, I kick off my sandals, feeling the cool grains between my toes.

The sky, painted with soft purples, pinks, and oranges as the sun starts to rise, is a beautiful backdrop to the rippling ocean waves. The palm trees rustle in the gentle ocean breeze.

I take a deep breath, trying to process the weird feelings I suddenly have for Blaze.

I genuinely thought my college crush on him was over.

But apparently not. Because all it took wasonefreaking dance and a lie about how he’s loved me since the day he met me—and here I am, battling those old feelings all over again.

“Hey!” A voice breaks my thoughts, and I spin around to see my sister jogging toward me in a sports bra and a pair of matching running shorts. “Nice outfit. I didn’t know you were into running.” She stops and wipes the sweat from her dainty forehead.

“I’m definitelynotinto running.” I laugh, looking down at my running attire that I wear for comfort. “I was just thinking I’d go for a walk this morning. Seems like the right thing to do when you’re at the beach. Plus, I like the sunrise.”

“Well, you look stressed.” Aurora tilts her head. “Why?”

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