Page 36 of Real Fake Husband

As soon as the words leave my mouth, I realize I meant to say them in my head.

Definitely not out loud.

Shit. Shit.Shit.

The expression on his face only annoys me further. He breaks out into a wide grin and crosses his arms, leaning against the wall.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” he teases. “You want to run that by me again?”

Briefly, I think about backtracking or running away to the bathroom and locking the door. It isn’t against the terms of the deal for me to live out of the bathroom for the rest of the month, right? I can make that work.

There’s air. There’s water. There’s—

“I’m all ears,” he presses.

“I may have had a brief,briefthought about kissing you, but trust me, it was a momentary lapse of judgment. Don’t read anything into it. It definitely won’t happen.”

He looks so damn smug.

Annoyance creeps up in me as I stare in his handsomesmugface.

My gaze lands on his lips.

“I don’t blame you,” he says with a shrug. “I’m a catch. I’m an attractive man.” He waits until our eyes meet, and his voice grows darker. “You’re a magnificent woman. We’re only human.”

Hold up. Wait a minute.

Did he just say that I’m magnificent?

First, he said I was beautiful. Now, I’m magnificent. Where are all these compliments coming from all of a sudden?

Wait.Does that mean hefindsme magnificent or justthinksI’m magnificent—because there’s a difference.

I clear my throat, and ask, “Have you had those thoughts about me?”

He’s not even a little embarrassed when he nods. “I woke up in the middle of the night with a woman lying on me in a thin nightie,” he rumbles. “Of course I thought about it.”

Oh, boy. “Well, stop thinking about it because it’s not going to happen.”

To my surprise, he pushes off the wall and takes a step forward.

The hallway isn’t big, so there’s nowhere for me to go. At least, that’s what I tell myself when I don’t immediately back up. In reality, the heat from his body prevents me from stepping away. He smells like musk and his cedar aftershave.

It’s an intoxicating combination that just screams “man.”

It’s been so long since I’ve been with a guy. It’s been so long since I’ve shared closeness and intimacy with a beautiful, strong man. That’s gotta be why I want to run my hands under that shirt and feel his sculpted abs.

“Look me in the eye,” he says, leaning in, his lips almost brushing my ear, “and tell me you don’t feel any kind of attraction to me.”

I hate that I have to swallow past a lump in my throat. I hate that my nipples instantly grow hard at his proximity and words alone. Is he reading my mind?

No, of course not, that’s dumb. He can’t read minds.

Quick, Josie.

Lie. Lie through your teeth!

“I don’t feelanyattraction to you.” Dammit, why do I sound breathless? Why is my voice shaking? Shit, evenIdon’t believe me.

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