Page 30 of Accidentally Falling for My Fake Wife

“I knew it!” I shout, and everyone in Thanks-A-Latte turns in my direction. A sheepish smile crosses my lips, and heat crawls up my face. I turn back to Adam and place my elbows on the table, leaning toward him. “I was wondering if one of Josh’s teammates was responsible for this. Did you talk to Darius about possible suspects?”

“Possible suspects?” Adam quirks a brow, and his eyes fill with humor. His chest rumbles, and he shakes his head at me. I tilt my head, purse my lips, and give him my best ‘I’m serious stare’ only to have him clear his throat and cough. He shrugs beforegiving me a crooked grin. “Unfortunately, no. We didn’t have time to talk about his list of…um…potential suspects.”

The disappointment that courses through me is eclipsed by the mischievous flicker dancing in his eyes. The air crackles, and everything around us fades. A tingle runs down my spine just as a loud noise from the counter has me jumping out of my skin for the second time in less than an hour. I laugh and stare down at the cup I’m still holding.

When my gaze returns to Adam, he’s still watching me with a warmth that has goosebumps rising all over my body.

“Darn,” I mumble, taking a sip from my now cold latte while I try to regain my composure. It’s becoming painstakingly obvious that I cannot hold it together whenever I’m in this man’s presence.

“I’ll let you know as soon as he does though.” His voice pulls me back to his gaze and I can’t help but smile.

He presses his lips together, attempting to hold back his laughter, making the dimple in his left cheek pop even more. My heart does the smallest stutter.

I clear my throat and change the topic to, hopefully, safer grounds. “So, how are you settling in?”

Chapter Twelve

Adam

My heart is racing.I should’ve listened to that tiny whisper telling me that coming over and talking to Susie Owens was a horrible idea. But where she’s concerned, all rational thought flees, and I find myself acting purely on emotion.

I wonder if this is what Amelia Adams means when her characters talk about a magnetic pull. Every time I see Susie I’m fighting against an almost animal instinct. The urge to be close to her, talk to her is overpowering.

Following a week of keeping my distance, along with a constant reminder that Susie is just a friendandJosh’s sister, yesterday, after the game, I gave in. Now, all parts of me crave being near her.

“Do I have something on my nose?” Susie’s voice snaps through my thoughts as she frantically wipes at her face. I can’t stop the smile that lifts my lips.

Yeah, I’m in trouble.

“Wait.” I reach across the table and gently brush her nose with my finger, removing an imaginary object just so I can touch her.I let my finger linger for a brief second, enjoying the skin-to-skin contact, before pulling away. “Got it.”

“Thank you.” Susie’s green eyes shine and I struggle to drag my gaze from hers. “So, how are you settling in?”

I lift my tea to my lips, hoping the peppermint will calm my racing heart. “I’m happy to report I’m settling in pretty easily. The farmhouse outside of town my agent found for me to lease is perfect.”

“Is the farmhouse on Chestnut Street?” Her eyes widen, and her mouth forms a small O. “The one with the red maple trees lining the driveway?”

“That’s the one. The tree-lined driveway was the first thing I fell in love with, especially this time of year. The red as the sun hits the leaves in the morning is breathtaking. Driving to and from the house is my favorite part of the day. However, raking all those leaves is not.”

“You rake the leaves?” Surprise lifts her voice, and a softness fills her eyes. “My grandfather used to rake those leaves into piles, then let me, Josh, and Brie dive into them.”

“That was your grandparents' house?” My eyebrows shoot up, my pulse quickens knowing that I am living in the house where Susie probably spent a good amount of her childhood. I chuckle as she nods in confirmation.

Of course the house I’m living in would be where her grandparents lived. I think that’s what my favorite author would call fate.

Okay, Daniels, it’s time to start reading mystery suspense or thriller novels. You sound like a besotted dog living in a romance novel.

But Ifeela bit like a besotted dog when it comes to Susie.

“You and Josh will have to come over for a visit sometime.” Even as the words fall from my mouth, I know it’s a mistake, but I can’t stop myself. The desire to have Susie in my houseis suddenly overwhelming. “That is, of course, if you want to. It could be fun to see if the house is the same as you remember.”

My heart starts to pound as I watch surprise cover her face. I get ready to backpedal when my phone buzzes.

Grateful for the disruption, I slide it from my pocket and see my sister’s name.

Liv:You’re coming tonight right?

Heat creeps up my face with Liv’s question about our book club meeting. Amelia’s book is the topic. I glance up at Susie, hoping she can’t read my mind.

---