Page 13 of The Fake Girlfriend's Billionaire Match
This was fake dating. What exactly would it be like to actually date Bear West? How would any man ever measure up to this standard from this point on?
Pulling open the container, she broke a piece of a scone off and popped it in her mouth. It was buttery, soft, and had just the right amount of sweetness. “These are so good.”
“My sister-in-law made them for me.” He smiled. “Wait until you have one of her pecan pies. You’ll never eat anyone else’s.”
“I still can’t get over that you remembered.”
Shrugging, he pulled out a sandwich and unwrapped it. “My family knows me. They know what I’d do if I were dating you.”
Were dating. Her heart hit the dirt. Inwardly, she groaned. There was no reason to get upset. They weren’t dating. “I think we need to revisit the reason you needed to hire a girlfriend.”
A small chuckle poured from him. “Aw, I live in the middle of nowhere. I’m simple, laid-back, and I’m not a woman’s idea of fun.”
“Stupid women,” she mumbled to herself.
“What?”
With a cough, she covered the comment. “Oh, nothing, just a bit of scone went down the wrong way.” She smiled and took a bigger bite this time.
“Oh, well, here,” he said, setting his sandwich down and pulling out two thermoses. “One has hot chocolate, and the other has hot water if you’d like some tea. You named a few that you liked, and I brought them.”
If she wasn’t sitting down, her butt would have a bruise from falling on it. He’d even remembered what teas she liked? She uncrossed her legs and lifted up on her knees, looking in the basket. White winter tea, Jasmine Select, Raspberry Darjeeling, and Lemon Mint Reserve. All teas she loved but hadn’t purchased in a year because she was saving every penny and putting it into the restaurant.
Winnie was beside herself. She shoved the basket from between them and threw her arms around his neck. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
Bear wrapped his arms around her. “It’s just tea.”
“Tea I haven’t been able to buy.” She sniffled and leaned back. “Bear, this is…the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
He ran his thumb under her eye, wiping away a tear. “You’re welcome.” He tilted his head. “Just what kind of men have you dated that tea is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?”
She cast her gaze down to his chest, playing with the button on his coat. “I really haven’t dated much. Between law school, taking culinary courses, and working, I didn’t have time.”
“I haven’t either. A little in high school, some while I was working for the cotton gin, and then…” The sentence trailed off, and it was as if he was fighting with himself for the rest of it. “I just didn’t date a whole lot.”
As she lifted her gaze to his, their eyes locked, and the desire to kiss him grew to the point that it hurt not to act on it. If she had her wedding scrapbook, she’d take his picture and paste it in the groom’s spot. He was as close to perfect as she could get.
He was also not in her current plans. If she didn’t open her restaurant, her dad would never let her live it down. She’d spent years listening to him tell her she’d never be able to do it. Every time she’d tried to make him understand, he’d talk over her. Her dad was deaf to her dreams because he believed she was meant to be a lawyer and follow in his footsteps. The only way to prove him wrong was to succeed.
Thatwasher dream, wasn’t it? To be a chef? To own her own restaurant? Would she be holding on as tightly if she wasn’t determined to make her dad eat his words?
“I just…thank you so much for thinking of me.” Slowly, she pulled away before her reasons took a hike and her lips did something she’d be unable to take back.
“Sure.” He picked his sandwich up and began eating again, sounding almost as disappointed as she felt for not kissing him.
It was better this way. Getting hurt would be inevitable if she got attached. Her home, her life, her plans were in San Antonio, not in the middle of the West Texas Plains. Who would eat her food here?
Plus, she didn’t want to hurt him either. He’d been kind to her. She’d hate to make him think there was a chance when there wasn’t. If he even thought that. What was she even thinking? He was the one who wanted a fake girlfriend. If he’d wanted a real one, he wouldn’t be paying Winnie.
Once the sun set, they packed up their picnic and headed back to the house. She’d thought he’d just go to his room, but he was a gentleman all the way to his core. After talking to his family a moment, he walked her to her bedroom door. His family had been kind enough to invite her to join their card game, but she was exhausted.
Standing just inside the room, she turned to him and smiled. “Thank you for the date, the cinnamon scones, and the tea. I had a wonderful time.” Without thinking, she touched her lips to his cheek and froze. He’d kissed her temple and her head. Weren’t cheeks fair game?
Just when she thought he’d pull away, he wrapped an arm around her waist, drew her closer, and pressed his lips to hers, holding them there for a moment.
When his lips began to move against hers, she was certain her bones were melting. This light touch was the gentlest kiss she’d ever shared with a man. No rush. No hurry. Just him and her. It was fireworks and grenades and every other flamey thing she could think of. If she was holding a sparkler, this would be the point when she threw it down because it was burning her fingers.
Circling her arms around his neck, whatever space there was between them, she erased it. Time spent working on the ranch made his body a solid wall of muscle, and she loved the way he felt against her.
