Page 54 of Never Fake Date the Financier
“Are you seriously critiquing my bouquet-catching technique? Because I don’t see you with any flowers, Mr. Thorne.”
He laughs. “You’re right. Clearly, I should defer to the expert.”
“Kiss her,” someone from the crowd screams, with a few more people joining in as the applause becomes even louder.
“You wouldn’t dare,” I mutter. “In front of all of these people? That might?—”
Before I can complete my sentence, Adrian captures my lips with his, kissing me as the crowd erupts all over again. But they’re quickly silenced as my mind blanks. Fireworks explode, and I completely forget where I am. Who I am. Everything except how exceptional this kiss is.
But unfortunately, it’s over too soon.
Adrian pulls back, leaving me panting, my eyes darting between his lips and eyes. I want to scream. I want to turn into a petulant child, screaming and begging for more, more, more!
“Wh-why-no.”
He brushes my lips with his thumb. “I think we’d both be arrested if we kept going,” he rasps. “If I did what I want to do with you.”
“What do you want to do with me?”
He leans forward, kissing me on my forehead.
“Don’t tempt me.”
“I’m sure we could find an empty room. You could show me”
He thinks I’m kidding. I’m not. If he could feel what I’m feeling right now? Hoooooo boy. My lips are tingling. My entire body is tingling. All I want…urugghghg.
He makes a throaty, animalistic noise. “Soon.”
Not soon enough.
* * *
The wedding’sfinally winding down, and I’m beat. My legs are sore. My feet are dragging. Ithurtsto smile. But the one thing getting me through it all is that man across the room: Adrian. He’s chatting with his brother while his mother hugs Sariah.
I thought being Adrian’s wedding date was going to be much harder, fighting tooth and nail against his family to prove myself. That we were a real couple. But as it turns out, Adrian, along with his family, is not as pretentious or conceited as I thought they might be. The complete opposite. They were lovely and welcomed me completely with hardly any prying questions.
Lillian was the only wild card of the bunch. Thankfully, her maid of honor duties have kept her at bay today, so I’ve only had a few brief interactions with her.
But, even with all that said, it was still mentally and physically draining to keep up the act for so long. I’m looking forward to leaving tomorrow, even though that leaves our status in the air.
“Do you want any? We’re cleaning up.”
I turn, glancing at the woman holding a tray of desserts. They look incredibly appetizing. But, a cardboard box slathered in whipped cream would probably be just as appetizing to me right now.
“I’d love some.”
But my version of some is taking the whole lot. In fact… “I’ll just take the tray. I’m sure they’d like some as well.” I gesture with my head to Adrian and Co.
“Sure…” the woman says, entirely not too sure, before slowly walking away.
I sigh, glancing at my haul, snagging another piece of tiramisu and popping it into my mouth in one giant?—
“Gabs!”
Crap. This was too good to be true. I swallow the cake, somehow managing not to choke as I turn around and try to smile in a way that looks natural and not like I’m painfully constipated.
Unfortunately, I think I come up short with both.
