Page 74 of Never With You
We started with an hour-long bus ride so we could board a train to the Maeklong Railway Market. I strategically sat at the back of the bus, away from Nate, which was easy to do since I’d struck up a conversation with one of the executive's wives as we got on the bus. I asked her about her five children, and the homesick woman was more than happy to tell me about every single one of her kids, complete with pictures. I had to follow her to the back of the bus just to keep the conversation going.
Nate stayed up front by the microphone and dazzled the crowd with his wit. And I’m not even saying that sarcastically. He dazzled. He asked our driver questions and then played off his answers with humor and charisma. Fine, he was charming. I’ll admit it. It’s annoying how quickly he can win people over when I have to work hard to convince people I’m the tiniest bit of fun.
He won me over—briefly.
Which can’t happen again.
I underestimated the power of Nate’s acting skills last night. And the worst part is that heknowsit. He knows he affected me. That’s the result he wanted, the reason he did it. Getting under my skin is a game to him. But it won’t happen again. I spent the better part of my night, when I should’ve been sleeping, counting all the reasons I dislike Nate to avoid thinking about why I might like him. I’ve got a running list in my mind to help stave him off.
I’m impenetrable.
From now on, everything between us happens on my terms. Just like the elevator. What’s the point of being named a control freak if I can’t even control my fake boyfriend?
We do this fake relationship my way.
With that as my mantra, imagine my disappointment when Nate plops down beside me on the train to the market.
“Miss me?”
“Not in the slightest.” I turn my gaze to the window, watching as green fields and apartments whip by.
“Well, too bad.” He leans closer, tickling my ear with his hot breath. “People noticed we’ve been apart all morning.”
I lift my shoulder to my ear, blocking his whisper advances. “I doubt anyone has noticed.”
“They think we’re fighting.”
“We are fighting. It’s what we do best.” I turn my head with a tight smile. I’ve seen Nate all morning, but there’s something about his close proximity that brings his features to life and gets my heart pumping. It could be that his lips are inches from mine again, or it could be his strong jawline, the dark stubble, the backward hat, the sunglasses, the shorts, the Voyager Travel t-shirt (that somehow looks good on him), the tennis shoes, or his all-encompassing smile.
There are a lot of physical things about Nate to notice.
Things would be so much easier if he were terminally unattractive.
He shakes his head, clicking his tongue. “Trouble in paradise is bad for optics.”
“Stop trying to sound intelligent by using that word all the time. It’s annoying.”
“No, annoying is my fake girlfriend refusing to put on a show.”
“I’m not refusing to put on a show. We just haven’t connected yet today.”
“Are we going toconnectlike we did last night?” His voice is laced with flirtation.
“No, I already met my quota.” My eyes lock onto his with defiance. “And you said if I kissed you, we wouldn’t have to do that again.”
“Yeah, but we still have to keep up appearances. Kissing may get thrown in there again. Who knows?”
“I wouldn’t have kissed you if I knew that. I only did it once so I didn’t have to do it again.”
“Yeah, right.” He laughs. “Say it a little louder for the people in the back. Maybe they’ll believe you. But…” He discreetly points ahead a few rows, where Isaac sits in a chair facing us. His sunglasses are on, so it’s impossible to tell where his gaze is, but he has an easy view of us whenever he wants. “If you want that kiss to mean something, you better change that pretty little frown of yours into a smile.” Nate’s index finger trails across my jawline and then bops the tip of my chin. “Unless you want your boyfriend to know you made the whole thing up. Might be kind of embarrassing, though.”
Instead of smiling, my glare hardens. “He’s not my boyfriend.”
“Right. I am. So act like it.” There’s a challenge in his eyes, daring me to play the part I signed up for, which I will because I agreed to this lie.
I went as long as I could this morning without touching Nate. But my time has run out. From now on, I’ll control the physical touch. I twist my body, scooting back into him so that I’m facing the window.
“That’s better.” He lifts his arm, putting it around my shoulder so my back can rest easily against his chest.
