Page 39 of Faking It Right
“Unlike Ryker’s ex-girlfriends,” Sawyer added, smirking over her coffee mug. “Remember Lacey? She took him to a tattoo parlor for a ‘surprise birthday gift.’”
I groaned at the memory. “Ugh, don’t remind me.”
“What’s so bad about a tattoo?” Gia asked, looking confused.
“Nothing,” Sawyer explained, “except she had already commissioned the artist to draw her portrait as the design. She wanted it on his chest, right over his heart, after dating for only two weeks.”
The table erupted in laughter as I buried my face in my hands. “I hate all of you.”
“Not all of us,” Harley murmured.
Desperate to escape the awkwardness, I changed topics. “We should probably get going soon if we’re going to make it to the bookstore.”
“After you finish your breakfast,” Mom insisted. “You need to keep up your strength after…well, you know.” She winked at Harley, who grinned like the unrepentant pervert he was.
“Kill me now.” I shoveled pancakes into my mouth as if they were my only means of escape.
“Don’t worry, Jacinta,” Harley said. “I always make sure he gets plenty of protein.”
Sawyer snorted so hard she almost spilled her coffee.
“That’s it.” I stood up fast enough to make my chair scream bloody murder against the floor. “I’m taking a shower so we can go.”
“Want company?” Harley called after me, his voice dripping with innuendo.
“No!” I shouted over my shoulder, ignoring the fresh round of laughter that chased me up the stairs.
Halfway through my shower, the bathroom door creaked open. I peeked around the curtain to see Harley slipping inside and closing the door behind him as if he were entering a secret lair.
“What are you doing?” I clutched the shower curtain to my chest like a scandalized Victorian maiden glimpsing a dangerously attractive rain-soaked gentleman.
He leaned against the sink, arms crossed casually. “Checking on you. You seemed a little flustered down there.”
“Because you and my family are ganging up on me!” I ducked behind the curtain, rinsing the shampoo from my hair as if it would wash away my embarrassment.
“We’re just having fun,” Harley said. The sound of his clothes hitting the floor made me gulp. “Your family loves you.”
“I know that,” I grumbled, jumping when he stepped into the shower with me, as if I hadn’t seen it coming a mile away.
Harley studied me with an unreadable expression as water cascaded around us. “Are you really okay?”
The genuine concern in his voice threw me for a loop, as did the sight of him, wet and gloriously naked. “I guess the teasing hits different when there’s something to tease about.”
“You mean when we’re actually fooling around instead of only pretending?” He took my hand, pulling me closer until our bodies connected. The sensation of his slick skin against mineturned my brain into the soup they served in Hell’s cafeteria when the devil was feeling generous.
“Exactly.” I ran my fingers through my wet hair, sending droplets flying. “It’s making this feel too real.”
“Does the idea of dating me for real bother you?” Harley asked, suddenly serious.
I shrugged. “Honestly? I don’t know what I think right now. I feel like my brain got drunk-dialed by my heart at 3:00 a.m., and now they’re having a screaming match in my skull.”
Harley brushed the wet hair from my forehead. “Let me give you some insight, then.”
Before I could retort, his lips were on mine, gentle but insistent. The warm water fell around us, making everything slick and heated as he deepened the kiss. It was unexpectedly romantic, like kissing in the rain. His hands wandered, roaming down my chest, my stomach, my sides. Each touch left a trail of fire in its wake, making me gasp against his mouth.
“Harley,” I breathed, not sure if I was trying to stop him or encourage him.
“Shh,” he murmured, lips moving to my neck. “Don’t talk. Just feel.”
