Page 33 of My Fake Lover

»We’re getting to know each other, but yes, it’s as serious as it could be.«

»Oh, really?« She gently ran her fingers over my arm, but my body didn’t respond to her touch in the same way it did to Ivy’s. Damn it. Ivy, Ivy, Ivy, were there no other thoughts left in my head? »Maybe I just imagined it.«

I furrowed my brows. Chloe let go of me and ran her fingers through her hair. »Imagined what? What are you talking about?«

»Forget it,« she chirped, leaned forward, and pressed a kiss on my cheek. »I’m happy if you’re happy, Max,« she whispered in my ear, let go of me, and walked past me with swaying hips. Did she suspect something? Had she overheard something Ivy and I had talked about? That couldn’t be, and even if she had, she had no evidence to back up any accusations.

I filed this encounter under unimportant. What mattered now was finding Ivy and picking up where we had left off, exhausted, in the early hours of dawn.

I continued, weaving my way through people and past tables until I finally spotted her near the buffet. Ian and Lizzy stood with her, and Ivy was scribbling something on a small, torn piece of paper.

As I approached, she lifted her head, and a radiant smile illuminated her features, one I couldn’t resist. Suddenly, the other people around us didn’t matter. It was her gaze that drew me in like magic. When I reached her, I pulled her to me by her waist and pressed a long kiss to her lips that left her gasping for air. Only when I felt her beautiful body soften in my arms did I let her go and turn to the others.

»Ian, Lizzy,« I said with a nod. Suddenly, my brother narrowed his eyes and rubbed his own cheek as if trying to tell me something. I had no clue and turned to Ivy and Lizzy, who stood side by side. Both widened their eyes as well.

»Do I have something on my face? What’s wrong?« I asked. Ivy’s smitten look from our kiss suddenly turned angry. As if storm clouds had swept across the sun in mere seconds.

»Yes, you do. Right there!« She poked my cheek, and I ran my flat hand over the spot. »I thought you were going to sleep in, but maybe I was mistaken.«

Damn, it dawned on me then. »That was Chloe,« I said. Ivy gasped, and Ian cleared his throat loudly. »Not like you think! She ambushed me!«

Ivy’s eyebrows shot up, practically reaching her hairline. »Ambushed?« she squeaked.

»I just ran into her on my way here. She wanted to give me some sort of message, and then she pressed a theatrical farewell kiss on my cheek as a parting gesture. If there’s lipstick there, it means absolutely nothing!«

Ian stifled a laugh, and Lizzy slapped him on the upper arm.

»Ow! What’s that for?«

»Stay out of it!« she hissed at him.

»It’s just, I’ve never seen my big brother so embarrassed before.« This time he really laughed, and I would have liked nothing more than to wring his neck. »Ivy, I’ve seen Max in many situations, but he’s completely different with you. Believe me...« He leaned towards her. »He’s really serious about you! Max never lies; it’s one of his less annoying habits.« Even though my brother’s statement pierced me like a hot sting – since technically, I had lied to Ian for the first time ever – Ivy’s anger seemed to dissipate a little as she looked at me uncertainly. Would it actually bother her if she thought of me and another woman? In that moment, our connection felt so real, truly. More genuine than anything else I’d ever had in my life. »Besides, he could have had Chloe already if he wanted to, but he didn’t want that.« Lizzy slapped him again. »Ow! Come on! What’s that for?«

»You are the most insensitive man in the world.« She grabbed his arm and pulled him aside. »Thank you, Ivy, for everything. We’ll talk more later!« She smiled at her and dragged Ian behind her, who burst into uproarious laughter.

My gaze searched for a sign of how Ivy was feeling, but her face was rigid. »I’m sorry if I upset you,« I said, taking a step towards her. She swallowed and bit her lower lip. »Do you want to talk about it...« I began, but Ivy’s gaze shifted behind me, and anger flared on her face again.

Slowly, I turned around. Chloe stood with a few other people I didn’t know, some distance away, watching us. As we both looked at her, she raised her hand and smiled at us.

»There was really nothing to it,« I said dryly before turning back to Ivy. She put the note in her shoulder bag, grabbed my hand, and pulled me past the tent, away from the others.

»Come with me,« she said curtly. I had never experienced her so short-tempered, and I wondered if I had really messed up now and she would tell me she wanted to break off the entire deal. A pang shot through my pride at the thought.

»Ivy, let’s talk about it.«

»Not here, with that witch watching us,« she snapped through clenched teeth. I relented and let her lead me until we arrived at the showers. She looked around briefly and pulled me into the room—the only one that could be locked here, which she did immediately. I might have been almost amused, but my thoughts immediately pushed in another direction. She wanted to leave.

Once inside, Ivy made sure we were alone, because I assumed we wanted to talk about the lipstick mark, which I could now clearly see in the mirror. Even though our relationship was only pretend, I could understand why Ivy was upset.

I walked over to a sink and washed my face.

»Is it true what Ian said?« she whispered. I dried myself off and turned slowly to face her. »That you never lie.«

»That’s correct,« I replied. Ivy sighed once and suddenly seemed uncertain. »I have no interest in Chloe.« I moved slowly towards her. Instantly, I felt the fierce pounding beneath my skin, craving her touch. »Or any other woman who isn’t you.«

»What did you say?« she whispered, looking completely taken aback.

»I don’t like to repeat myself.«

---