Page 8 of Dating Your Fake Fiance
“I can’t believe I said that,” she says as we head back into the city.
“You were amazing.”
“I don’t know what came over me. I’m never that person in a confrontation that says just the right thing at the moment. It's usually a couple of hours later in the shower or as I'm lying in bed that I think of what I want to say."
“I think a lot of people can relate to feeling that way.”
The smile hasn’t left her face, and I’m finding it harder and harder to keep my eyes focused on the road and not on her. The wind blowing in from the open window is blowing around her dark hair, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering her. It makes her look like she is literally flying and not just metaphorically.
“I can’t thank you enough for coming tonight.” She leans close and kisses my cheek.
The need to keep the car on the road is the only reason I don’t reach over and kiss her back. I need to tell her what I’m feeling. My feelings have only increased with every minute I’ve spent with her. She makes me laugh. I love listening to everything she has to say. And the urge to hold her in my arms isn’t even close to being sated even though I’ve barely taken my hands off her all evening.
I thought I’d have more time with her, but neither one of us wanted to stick around the reunion after Dana removed the stinger of the former queen bee.
“I never thought being a fake fiancé could be so entertaining.”
“Well, if I could ever return the favor,” she says. “You just let me know.”
I want to tell her that she could let me take her out on an actual date, but I suddenly find myself pulling to a stop in front of her house. The hour-long drive back is over before I feel like we’ve even been in the car for more than a few minutes.
“I guess this is it,” she turns to me.
It was so much easier to act confident and sure when I had the ruse of being her fake fiancé. But that moment has passed, and our fictional relationship is back in the real world with all the uncertainty and complications of any other relationship.
“Well, thank you again for everything,” she says, reaching for the door handle.
Don’t let her go without telling her how you feel.
“Dana, I—" I start to say, but the words falter in my mouth. "Hope you had a good night.”
You moron.
There’s a flicker of hesitation in her eyes as she pulls the handle of the door, but I can’t be sure if it’s real or just something I’m projecting on her.
We say our goodnights, and she gets out of the car, and like that, my moment to make anything happen with Dana has passed.
DANA
It’s not the stroke of midnight, but I feel my one magical evening with my Prince Charming is over. I lean against the door, not ready for the night to end. When I go to sleep tomorrow, I will wake up and just be Dana again—single baker Dana.
I listen for Charlie’s engine to drive off down the street, but I only hear the silence of the night. Temptation takes over. I turn around and open the door to find Charlie standing at the bottom of the steps. He spins around, and the look he shoots me is like a bolt of heat that lights up every cell of my body.
“Don’t go,” I tell him.
“Thank god,” he says, taking the steps two at a time up to me.
I step back into the house, and he kicks the door shut behind him. His lips crush against mine in a bruising kiss that I feel everywhere in my body. He pulls me into his arms, but I have to press my hand against his chest to put a bit of space between us.
“I need to ask you something,” I say, trying to catch my breath.
“Anything.”
“Kelsey.”
He shakes his head. “That’s not a question.”
"What's the deal with you two? I mean, I know you said that you are business partners, but is there something else going on with you two?”
