Page 76 of As They Are
If I’d had time to get another flower for Wren, I would have. But Madison expected me at the library at five on the dot, so I had to make my way over without a gift in hand.
Wren had shed a layer. She was only in a tank top and shorts now, and her long hair was tied up in a bun. She looked incredible after a long day of work. Dimly, I wondered if she needed another massage, then I shoved it out of my mind. That was an excuse to touch her again and I didn’t need to be thinking that way.
When I saw her, I did the same thing I had this morning. Pulled her in for a kiss, ignored the way my body insisted I let it go on for far too long, and then moved away.
“Wait!” Madison called. “We don’t have your mic on.”
I resisted the urge to tense. The mic had been a nuisance when I wore it.
“Madison, chill.” Wren said, glaring over my shoulder. “You don’t need to hear what’s going on here!”
“I absolutely do!” Madison said. “Henry, come over here. We’ll redo the kiss when I’m done. Wren, freshen up. We want you to look good on camera.”
“Is it a bad thing for me to look like I’m working?” she muttered.
My eyes followed her as she walked away, tracing the freckles on her shoulder. She didn’t need to do a damn thing.
After my mic was on, Wren walked out of a makeshift trailer. Her hair was brushed and fell over her shoulders, and her skin was patted dry of any sweat.
She was still in the tank top. I wasn’t sure if that was a good or a bad thing.
“All right, redo time!” Madison called.
Wren rolled her shoulders and her eyes met mine.
Then she ran at me.
I had to brace myself when she ran into my arms. This time, instead of being shocked by my kiss like she had been this morning, she was ready. Her lips pressed against mine, but instead of keeping it chaste, she immediately moved to capture my bottom lip between hers.
The very few things I saw on fake dating told me to keep it as respectable as possible, but there was no way to once she was all over me like this. I put my hand on her cheek and returned the favor, but this time, my teeth caught her lip. My other hand gripped her hip and I pressed her closer to me.
“Really?” Madison yelled. “That’s so overboard!”
Wren pulled away. “You’re the one who said you wanted every bit of this!”
Madison rolled her eyes, muttering about them hopefully being able to use something. I came back into myself. Was that kiss just to make Madison regret redoing it?
I must have gotten caught up again.
No matter what everyone said about us, Wren wasn’t into me. She was sweet, she was kind, but she was still out of my league. She trusted me to do this, and I needed to stick to my rules rather than get caught up in my own head.
“Is it time for the tour?” I asked. “I want to see what Wren worked on today.”
My hand trailed down her arm to grab hers. I was the perfect boyfriend. That’s all I needed to be until this was over.
“Yes!” Wren said. “Wait until you see the wall where the shelves were. I found the coolest old wallpaper.”
She dragged me inside, with Madison following us to tell us to slow down for the cameras.
Wren did no such thing, and I only had seconds to take in the state of the first floor. Some of the older furniture was cleared out. The faded tiles were still there, but they would be replaced soon.
We went through the kids’ section and then up the stairs. The second floor was completely different. More open and inviting. I didn’t know someone could work so fast.
“Look at this,” Wren said, showing me where the tan plaster had fallen. Under it was green and white striped wallpaper.
“Whoa,” I said. “That has to be from the seventies.”
“Groovy, right?” Jude said. I’d forgotten he was following us to stay included. It was hard to remember he existed when he only talked to the camera and never to us.
