Page 41 of That Kind of Guy

“Yes?” His eyebrows went up, and I could tell he was relieved I didn’t fuck it all up. “Yes?”

I nodded and smiled despite myself. It was fun, playing with Emmett’s sanity and emotions like this. “Yes.”

He slipped the ring on my finger, stood, and before I realized it, stepped into my personal space and put his mouth on mine.

I stopped breathing.

His arms wrapped around me. Emmett was kissing me.

Around us, applause and cheering exploded. Emmett was kissing me. A champagne bottle popped behind the bar. Emmett was kissing me.

His mouth was warm, soft, and I felt the lightest scrape of stubble on my skin, which sent a little shiver all the way down my spine. I could smell his masculine scent, and my hands instinctively came to his chest. I shivered again when his fingers tangled into my hair.

Before my brain could make sense of what was happening, he pulled back and smiled down at me. “Nice work,” he murmured into my hair.

We were immediately surrounded by happy friends and family, wishing us well and congratulating us. Even though we kept getting pulled apart for hugs and handshakes, Emmett stuck by my side like glue, one hand always on me, whether it was my elbow or my hand or my shoulder or the small of my back. It was loud, noisy, and chaotic, and I didn’t have time to think while smiling and thanking people and shrugging with a quick smile when people told me they had no idea.

Finally, after everyone had settled down and gone back to their tables, the staff had gone back to work, I went back to my office and closed the door before sitting down, closing my eyes, and putting my head in my hands.

I let a long breath out. My pulse was finally slowing down, but my mind was still racing. I couldn’t believe we actually did it. We pulled it off.

Elizabeth’s jubilant expression projected in my mind. She had raced over and given me another hug after Emmett proposed, beaming at me with tears in her eyes. She was over the moon about us. Her oldest son was getting married. This was everything she wanted.

Guilt washed through me, and I winced. I didn’t like this feeling, and I didn’t like lying to her. She was a really nice woman, and I could already picture the disappointment on her face when she learned Emmett and I didn’t work out.

But then I thought about what would happen if I didn’t go along with this charade. Emmett wouldn’t cosign on my loan, I’d be out of luck, and Chuck would swoop in and buy the restaurant from Keiko. He’d turn it into a strip club or something.

Was I doing something wrong? Yes. But it was the lesser of two evils, so what choice did I have?

And if the lesser evil meant wearing this ring for a couple months, I was totally on board. It caught the light as I tilted my hand to and fro. Every tiny diamond was placed so carefully, so intentionally. I had never seen a ring quite like it.

“Just gorgeous,” I breathed.

There was a knock at the door before Emmett stuck his head in.

“Good work, Adams,” he said with approval, stepping in, closing the door behind him, and leaning against the filing cabinet.

I stared at him a beat.

He made a face and crossed his arms over his chest. “What? What do you have to be cranky about now? That went better than I could have imagined. That little hesitation before saying yes?” He shook his head with wistful satisfaction. “You’re a natural.Who, me? Marry you? Well, I don’t know…”he mimicked in a high-pitched voice and bit his lip.

“That wasn’t for show. I was actually debating whether buying the restaurant is worth taking a one-way trip to hell with you.”

His mouth hitched, and his gaze settled on me. My skin prickled, remembering the way our eyes met when we were inches apart. “You’re funny. Did you know that?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

He winked. “And modest. Looks like we have that in common.” He straightened up. “Engagement party at my house, Sunday.” He paused and looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “Wear that lipstick you wore to dinner with Miri and Scott.”

He gave me a devilish grin, and I stood, placed my hands on his chest, then gently shoved him out of my office.

“Out,” I told him.

He laughed and put his hands up. “Okay, okay. Goodnight, Adams.”

I closed the door and flopped down in my chair. He was still thinking about that red lipstick, huh? I thought about the way his gaze lingered on my mouth the other night, the way heat flashed in his eyes before he blinked it away, and how it sent electricity straight down to between my legs.

I shook my head to myself and woke up my computer. Emmett was trickling into my thoughts more and more, but it was only because I was spending so much time with the guy. Also, I hadn’t been laid in a while. This was natural. Of course I was thinking about him, he was a handsome man who I was pretending to date. My body didn’t know the difference.

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