Page 60 of A Chance for Us
“It appears that way.”
She laughs while shaking her head. “I don’t have words for how today made me feel.”
“Oh?”
I follow behind her as she makes her way deeper into the room. “It’s like...a mix of weirdness and comfort. Does that make sense?”
“Not at all.”
She giggles. “I didn’t think it would. All night, I was just so conflicted. We are married, well, depends if Mark can figure that part out, but we never planned to be. But either way, there is no one else in the world I would rather be fake married to.”
I raise my brow, moving even closer. “Why is that?”
A part of me doesn’t want to know because I wasn’t her first choice, but I can’t resist asking.
She watches me, long lashes framing those gorgeous green eyes. “Because . . .”
I step again, watching her breath hitch because we are just a few inches apart. “Because?”
“Because you make me feel safe. I don’t remember ever feeling that way before. I trusted you, and you didn’t let me down. You stood beside me, even in all my craziness.” She looks down, a faint blush painting her cheeks. “I liked it. I needed it.”
I needed it too. I needed to be near her and to make her feel that way. All night, I sought her out, wanted to be sure she was all right. Even now, I want to protect her, keep her safe, hold her close.
I tilt her chin so she’s looking at me. “I don’t know what is happening between us. I can’t figure out if this is real or just a product of what we created, but I know that I like being with you. I like kissing you, touching you, and talking to you. I’m not looking for anything. I gave up on love and relationships because they all end the same way, but I am glad I made you feel safe. It’s what you deserve to feel.”
She smiles softly and then lifts onto her toes. “I like kissing you too.”
My arm moves around her back, and I pull her so her chest is to mine. “Then why don’t I do it again?”
And then I do. Our lips press together, and she opens to me without hesitation. I slide my tongue into her mouth, loving the dance we create. She’s playful, sensual, and sexy as hell. Her hands move up, tangling in my hair as she moans.
I could do this. I could strip her down and take her, make her feel so much more than just safe. I want to, but that would get emotionally messy, and I don’t do messy.
When I pull back, her lips are swollen and her eyes are glazed over. “Why did you stop?”
Because I’m a fucking idiot.
“I just . . . in the spirit of this whole thing, I’m not looking for anything. I gave up on love and relationships because they all end the same way. I have this resort to worry about, and I don’t know if either of us is thinking straight.”
She takes a step back, swallowing but keeping a smile on her face. “Right. I didn’t think that’s what we were doing. I know this was all fake for you—I mean us. And, well, you’re probably right about not thinking straight. We both drank a lot and are probably just caught up in the whole thing, right?”
I nod. “Yeah. I . . .”
“I am so sorry I kissed you.”
“Well, I kissed you first.”
“Kind of. I mean, I leaned up onto my toes, which was when the kiss started.”
I shake my head. “But I said I was going to kiss you.”
“Which you did.”
“Which I did.”
Maren pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, and the urge to kiss her again rises.
Shit.
