Page 66 of The Love Hoax
Adam appears to be holding back a grin. “As I recall, at some point in the middle of the night you mumbled something about needing the bathroom. When you came back you were wearing . . . less. Then you snuggled up to me.”
I’m mortified. I make a mental note to toss out the remaining pills.
Adam says, “In fairness, I guess I scooted myself during the night. Sorry.”
He looks anything but sorry.
“And the kiss?”
“What can I say? There is a beautiful woman in bed with me, suddenly awake, her lips a millimeter from mine. I am human, after all. Again, sorry.”
This time, I hold back a smile. “Okay, the interrogation is over. Thanks for, you know, not?—”
Adam frowns. “I would never?—”
“I know,” I whisper.
We stare at each other for a beat. The pull to go back to our previous lip-locked position is intense. That half-awake kiss was one for the books. If I don’t get out of the bed, we’re likely to stay here all day.
“Can you turn around please?” I ask. A silly request given he’s seen me in my underwear twice, the first time, floating in his pool. But he does as I ask.
I locate my bag, find what I seek and scramble to the bathroom for a much-needed shower and toothbrushing. I wish I’d done those things in my delirium in the middle of the night.
When I emerge, Adam takes his turn washing up. After leaving the room, we grab breakfast in the hotel dining room, an elegantspace with gloved waiters. Omelets are served on fine china, fresh-squeezed juice in crystal stemware.
Adam is quite the conundrum. A mountain man with champagne tastes.
It’s not yet eight a.m. when we hit the road once more, two to-go cups of steaming hot coffee in the holders between us.
Adam fires up the Honda’s engine. “Next state, Colorado.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Adam
Traffic flows smoothly along the countless miles of highway. The last car I saw was at least five minutes ago, speeding in the opposite direction. We’re making good time and will arrive in Breckenridge before sundown. But I don’t care if the highway never ends. I have Evie by my side.
I feel ready for the big hoax and believe Evie is as well. If we’re lucky, my parents and Steph will be otherwise occupied when we arrive at the hotel.
Evie is looking out her window, lost in her own thoughts. I hum along with Journey’sDon’t Stop Believin’set low on the radio.
It’s a miracle I can keep my eyes open. Thanks heavens for the extra-strength energy drink I downed at our first pit stop. How they fit all that caffeine into such a tiny bottle is beyond me. My heart is palpitating from the eye-popping boost, my mind on overdrive.
From the moment I decided to get into the bed with Evie, I have barely slept. Particularly after she exited the bathroom in her lacytank top. At first, I thought I was dreaming or maybe hallucinating. Spectacularly feminine with those toned arms and legs, and wild, loose waves, reaching just past her shoulders, Evie was a vision.
Her eyes had been at half-mast. Like a sleepwalker, she silently got into the bed beside me, snuggling close. I was nearly out of my mind with desire. But something was glaringly off.
It was as though Evie was under the influence of something. Had she downed a bottle of vodka when I wasn’t looking? Once again, Evie was unconscious in seconds. Yet, each time I managed to slide to the edge of the bed, she scuttled closer as if her body had taken over while she slept. When I nearly fell out, I stayed put, even when Evie rested her head on my chest, accepting my fate of a night of no sleep.
The remaining wee hours were split between staring at the ceiling, trying to distract my mind with work problems and the occasional doze-off. When Evie finally stirred awake and turned to face me, the surprised expression on her face told me I’d acted wisely by not following my impulses.
She met my gaze with those incredible, dreamy eyes of hers, her words coherent. Even if they were used to question me about how we ended up in bed together. Her newfound lucidity served to cut away my self-imposed restraints.
Which is when it happened.
The kiss.
The moment our lips met, a veil was lifted, everything became vividly clear. Different than our first mind-blowing kiss in my kitchen. That one, as spectacular as it was, was a performance. This time, it was genuine. What began as a ruse to fool my family turned real.
