Page 13 of Lost in You (Flirting with Forever 1)

He gets my attention with gentle pressure from his hand. “Not that I minded you all in there. It was interesting, especially the discu

ssion on penis size.” I can see his tongue tucked in his cheek from here.

I press my lips together, trying not to laugh. A blush rises on my cheeks, and I just know they are bright pink like the color of cotton candy. I can’t hold it in, I burst out laughing and cover my mouth with my hand. “I—uh … Our conversations do tend to devolve pretty quickly sometimes.”

He lets out a low whistle. “You can say that again. Because, damn. When I heard—I think it was Piper?—spell out C-O-C-K, I had to go into the back to hide from you all. I was just dying back there.”

That’s all it takes for me to absolutely lose it. I choke with laughter as my chest heaves. Shawn lets go of my hand and pulls open a compartment in the center console, passing me a small bottle of water.

“You are a Boy Scout, aren’t you?”

“I’ll always be prepared for you, girlfriend.” He winks at me and my insides melt, all warm and gooey. I’m enjoying this conversation, we’re getting along just fine, and now I wonder—would he talk to me like this if he wasn’t studying up on me for our weekend? Is this all part of the fake boyfriend deal, or is he genuinely interested in the things he’s been asking me about?

Chapter 6

Shawn

One time, way back in high school, I’d been seated close enough to Madison that when she turned her head, the scent of fresh raspberries and cream floated right over to me, and I’d had a fleeting thought to nuzzle my face in her hair. She’d never even looked my way—I was just a quiet guy with a guitar back then.

That same fruity scent floats across the cab of the truck to me, invading my senses and driving me half-insane with lust. Only about an hour more of being trapped in here with her. She’s damned intoxicating.

Fuck. I’m supposed to be her fake boyfriend, who most certainly isn’t supposed to be having these thoughts about my former best friend’s girl. Yet, she’s here and I’m here and my head is full of indecent thoughts of things I’d like to do with her, to her. The first of my Madison discoveries would be finding out if the scent of raspberries and cream is just in her hair or if she smells like that everywhere. I want to run my lips over her skin, use my tongue, taste every inch of her. Visions of her spread out on a bed assault me from all sides—that gloriously long, curly hair fanned out over a pillow; miles of perfect, pale, creamy skin; dangerous curves; the scent of her overwhelming me. I wouldn’t be able to do anything else at that point but claim her, drive myself into her tight, wet heat over and over until I’m enveloped by the madness. All I’d see, feel, and hear would be her. Because this girl? She’s so much more than I remember, and I can’t wait until I know every last piece of her.

I blow out a breath and mentally slap myself. We’ve barely started the weekend and this is how it’s going? I have a raging hard-on just listening to her talk and laugh. How the hell am I going to be her fake boyfriend—touch her, hug her, pretend to love her—and then be able to rein myself in when we are alone? This game we’re playing may prove to be more dangerous than either of us anticipates. I’m terrified I’m going to do something wrong because just the touch of her hand and the smile she offers me have my insides all twisted up like a pretzel—contorted and curled in on itself—and it’s like nothing I’ve felt in my whole life.

“Shawn? Did you hear me?”

I glance over at her, the bottle of water still in her hands. I keep both of my hands on the wheel, and I drum my thumbs to the beat of the music. I’m not sure I can handle taking her hand again right now. “Sorry, I got lost in the music for a second. What’d you ask me?”

Her brow quirks, and she eyes me carefully, like she’s wondering what the heck I was thinking about just then, but there’s no way I’m telling her. “I said, speaking of the girl talk you caught wind of, I’d have thought you’d heard it all, working in a bar like you do.”

“Pfft. Are you kidding? It’s quiet in there most of the time. It’s not like a college bar. We cater to a more calm, peaceful crowd.” I steal a peek and find her body gently moving to the music. I groan internally and shift around in my seat in an attempt to alleviate the situation in my jeans, but it doesn’t help. “You all were entertaining, though. You can come back any time.”

“Careful what you wish for. It’s my turn to choose the location of the next book club meeting.” She turns a bit in her seat. “So, speaking of, why did you decide to work as a bartender? I mean, that’s supposed to be the side gig, right?” I glance at her, and she shrugs. “Just trying to get to know my boyfriend. This is like a two-hour speed date to a fully-developed relationship.”

I snort. “Yeah. Well, first and foremost, the bar manager gig came with the apartment. I actually wrangle the schedule and am responsible for keeping the place running smoothly in addition to the shifts I work. And well, I guess I like listening to people talk about their problems. Sometimes it’s easier than thinking about my own.”

She doesn’t say anything to that, just nods like she’s taking me all in. I get the sudden idea that maybe this is a girl who gets me. I don’t fully understand why, but I feel like she does. Her tongue darts out to wet her lower lip, and she clears her throat. “I think we should talk about our ‘relationship’ for a little bit.”

My gaze flicks to her and then back to the road. “Oh, right. You mean some information about how we met and all. But, I mean, who is really going to ask us anything? Who’ll be there that I’d even know?”

She purses her lips, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “Well, obviously my parents and my older brother will have questions. Those are the big ones, but it’s my cousin’s wedding, so there will be plenty of curious—"

“Nosy,” I grit out. I hate how when she thinks about these people watching her, her whole body tenses up and her eyes go wide, like a deer in headlights.

“Right. There will be plenty of nosy extended family members and old friends there.”

What I really need to know is how far she wants me to take this ruse. I mean, am I supposed to hold her hand and kiss her cheek or am I making out with her on the dance floor? My jeans tighten uncomfortably again at the thought. Get your mind off of her sweet body and kissable lips, Shawn. I inhale, filling my lungs, and then let the air out steadily to calm myself. “Okay, so I guess we should figure this out. We originally met in high school. But how’d we come to be together?”

Her face pales and her lips part as she thinks about it. “Oh, um.”

I know she’s thinking about the fact that I’m her ex’s best friend … or I was, anyway. Perhaps not the ideal situation we’re putting ourselves in, but it is what it is. “They’re going to ask, Madison. We can just say we met again through my brother and Sophia. Because that’s the closest thing to the truth, right?”

“Well, I guess that’s what they say about lying, right? Keep it as close to the actual truth as you can and you are less likely to get tripped up in your lie.”

“Exactly. So, how familiar do you want me to be with you?”

Her jaw clamps shut and her teeth grind together as she peers over at me, a blush stealing over her cheeks before it deepens into a full-on fiery red. It only makes her prettier, but I’m sure she doesn’t realize that. “Pretty familiar, I guess? Is that okay?”

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