Page 54 of Faking it with the Damaged Protector

“A little,” I admit meekly. “She’s very nice, though, and Leo is happy. Only thing is…” I step closer and whisper, “Leo sort of let slip about last night’s… sleeping situation.”

Heat creeps out of the collar of Roman’s blazer. His throat bobs as he pulls away. “Well, that’s… disconcerting.”

“I’ll say. I’m humiliated!” I bat the embarrassment away before I blush again. “Anyway, how did it go with Brandon?” I’ve been worrying about their little meeting all day, especially since Brandon texted me shortly after I got home with just two words: be careful. I can’t imagine that he’s happy about our little arrangement.

As expected, Roman winces. “Not great. He did another of his ‘protective big brother’ speeches.” His thick brows knit together, his gaze moving past me to nothing in particular. It’s the first time I’ve seen him look truly worried. “He thinks I’m no good for you, Madison.”

I can’t help but roll my eyes. “And yet he basically forced you to give me this job.”

“That was before. Perhaps we’re not as good at hiding this as we think.”

My stomach flips with nerves, but I shrug. I can’t worry about Brandon right now. We’ve barely figured this out ourselves, and until we get through with this fake marriage thing, there’s no use in overcomplicating matters. “I’m not going to stop on his behalf. Are you?”

He eyes me for a long, immeasurable moment, his irises darkening as he licks his bottom lip. “No. No, I’m not.” He moves closer. “In all honesty, I’m not sure I can.”

Slowly, his fingers trail down the side of my arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Heat begins to build within me. Hunger. I wish the rest of the world would fall away so that I could have all of him, here and now.

But I hear Leo laughing in the other room, and I pull back. “I should go change, too. If you’re paying, I’m assuming I need to look slightly less hungover.”

His cheek dimples with a smirk. “You’re gorgeous as you are, but I won’t complain if you wear another one of those backless dresses.” Another touch, this one along the curve of my ass. I twitch against him. “It will be an effort to keep my hands off you all night.”

“Well, just think of your mother sitting opposite. That will solve all your problems.” With a playful pat to his chest, I walk away, his groan following me out the door.

For him, though, I do decide on a sleek black dress that hopefully will look wonderful on his bedroom floor later tonight.

CHAPTER21

Roman

o o o

My mother opts for an upscale Italian restaurant on Madison Avenue, which isn’t all that exciting to me. I’d much prefer a steakhouse.

“Madison on Madison Avenue!” Mom jests as we sit down with our menus, to which Madison offers a forced laugh beside me. It’s clear she’s uncomfortable, though she seemed fine before we decided on the place. She seems to shrink in her chair despite being the most beautiful woman in the room, wearing a black velvet dress that hugs her perfect body.

“Are you okay?” I whisper as we peruse the menu.

She offers only a strained smile, which does nothing to calm my worry. Is it me she’s upset with, or something else?

It’s clear she has no intention of telling me, so I try to move past it, instead searching for a meal that Leo will enjoy, too. He’s at the fussy age where he loves chicken nuggets but not chicken goujons. He won’t touch the spiral-shaped pasta but is fine with penne. It’s hard enough to figure out what to feed him at home, never mind at a place whose dishes I can’t even pronounce.

“Ooh, Leo, how about some charred octopus?” Madison waggles her brows as though reading my mind.

Predictably, Leo pulls a face. “Ew, Madison!”

“Fine, no tentacles. How about spaghetti?”

Relief runs through me. Spaghetti, he can manage.

Leo lifts his brows. “Like how you make it? Your beluga is the bestest.”

She giggles at his attempt to say bolognese. “Well, it will be a little better here, I bet.”

“Spaghetti sounds lovely.” Mom folds her menu and then smooths her fingers over the corners of her napkin. “You know, if I didn’t know any better, I would have thought you’d been nannying Leo since he was born. He’s already so fond of you.”

Madison’s cheeks glow a rosy pink at the compliment, and I can’t help but hide my proud smile. “Well, Leo is easy to get to know.”

“And Madison loves me!” Leo announces confidently.

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