Page 26 of Faking Summer
"Why did you do that?" I whispered, my voice barely steady—caught somewhere between confusion and curiosity. His unsolicited rescue couldn’t have been better timed. But why?
Reese's hand slid lower down my back, sending shivers up my spine that had nothing to do with the large ceiling fans above us. "Figured you needed the save," he said, simply. "And selfishly figured if I help you, you’d help me."
"Should have known there was a motive. Help you how?"
In that moment, as his eyes held mine captive in a way that felt like falling off a cliff, I knew I was in dangerous territory. Still, here I was, drawn to him, finally giving him all my attention—an inch away from doing anything he wanted. My senses were heightened, aware of every point of contact, every brush of his breath against my cheek.
"I'll be your date to that wedding," he growled into my ear. "Be your fake boyfriend until the big day is over." I felt the brush of his calloused thumb against the small of my back. "In exchange," he continued, "you help my sister."
The idea of pretending to be with Reese Carrington, of all people, was absurd. And still part of me was intrigued by the thought of defying expectations and watching the world react.
As we continued to move to the music together in a way that almost felt too natural, a reckless part of me wanted to say yes, to dive headfirst into the unknown for a chance at pulling the idea of this off.
"You want to fake date me," I thought out loud, "and in return, all I have to do is get your sister on the cheer team?"
“That simple,” he said, but it wasn’t simple at all. My mind spun with the implications, the power plays hidden beneath the surface ofhis casual assurance. Could I really do something like this, and do it with him?
I could easily get lost in those green eyes if I wasn't careful. I could tell he was trying to read every one of my thoughts. I could see the darkness lurking in his eyes, a challenge he didn't need to voice. There was only one thing I could do, make a safe decision—I couldn’t trust him.
"We can't do this," I whispered. "No one would buy it—not for a second. My mom..." I cut off the sentence. My mom knew who he was, how powerful he was, that his family is in a tax bracket we’d never even dream about. She would never believe that he’d date me.
His hand shifted, not leaving its place but pulling me in a little closer, holding me in this dance of deception. "Think about it and get back to me."
“I’m telling you we could never get away with it.” I said, not quite understanding how he could be so casual about this.
His eyes were focused on something past my shoulder. "From the looks of it, she already believes it," he smirked, turning me enough to see my sister's jaw still on the floor, still frozen in place where we left her.
"Honestly? I’d pay someone good money right now for a picture of her face—framed and mounted, right on my bedroom wall." I snickered, turning away to hide my grin.
When I looked back up at him, his expression had turned serious. "If you were really mine, I’d never let anyone speak to you that way," he said, matter-of-factly. "And you shouldn't either."
My heart skipped a beat, not from the proximity of him but from the unexpected protectiveness in his words.
“I only allow family to speak to me that way, it’s just the way we are.”
"Even with family," he replied, like what I’d said was useless information, "you need to draw your boundaries. And I can tell you this… when I'm around, no one will talk to you that way. I don't care if that is your sister."
I should have recoiled at his words, at the brazen implication that he could, or would, step into my life with such audacity. He didn’t know me, and he didn’t know my family. But somehow what he said was oddly charming. I wasn't used to anyone standing up for me—especially not when it came to my sister or mother. In fact, the only person who ever had was Cooper.
"So," he continued, "you might want to take that into consideration before you make your decision."
I laid my head on his shoulder as we finished the dance. Giving my sister one last show. I loathed myself for loving the way I felt in his arms, for the warmth that spread through my veins, the electricity that danced along my skin where he held me close.
I was actually considering his offer—his ridiculous idea. Not for the allure of being Reese Carrington's girlfriend, but for the leverage it granted. Just the thought of shocking my family and causing the same reaction in them that Reese had on my sister was almost too tempting to resist. But the real question was, could I actually do this? Could I bury the grudge I had against him until my sister's wedding? At the end of the day, it would just be a business arrangement, nothing more.
twelve
Reese
"Where do you want this?" the man at my door asked, looking down at the keg on his dolly.
"The bar area is fine," I grumbled, pointing toward the family room where the bar was set up. He nodded and maneuvered past me.
"Okay, cool. I have three more coming in," he called over his shoulder.
"Are you having a party?" my sister asked, standing behind me with her hands on her hips. "Is this what you do when we're gone for summer?"
"Yes," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "Don't you have a best friend's house you can stay at tonight?"
