Fake Engagement, Real Temptation

With that, she unbuckled and stepped out of the helicopter and back onto the island ground. And Blake knew that everything had shifted, he just didn’t know in which direction.

He would make sure it went the right direction. Especially for what he was set to propose. Literally, propose.

He watched her walk along the path and felt the need to go after her. To pull her into his arms and beg her to say that again. That he made her feel safe. Instead he yelled, in the most unromantic way he could muster.

“I want you to marry me!”

She stopped ten yards away and turned to face him. “What?

He cleared his throat. “I’m going to propose to you.”

Though there was distance between them, he saw her eyebrows furrow hard. “Explain.”

She started slowly walking his way, and he slowly walked hers.

“I have to tell you something, but I don’t want you to be hurt, or to cry, so just hear me out. I have a plan so that you’ll be happy.”

“Oh yeah? So you just plan everything in this covert way so you can babysit my feelings?” There was a snap in her voice, and she hustled her stride until she was face-to-face with him and he was staring down two angry, confused, dark eyes. “Tell me what is going on right now, Blake. No more of this preemptively sparing my feelings or whatever it is you’re doing. Just shoot me straight.”

Fine. He would.

“Kevin proposed to Wendy last night. They’re getting married.”

Carrie’s lips parted, and those brows that were so heavyset a moment ago, lifted just enough to showcase vulnerability and shock all over her beautiful face.

Shit, it was the look he was afraid of. The kind where he could see the pain shoot from her heart to her eyes. And he hated Kevin. Hated himself for telling her. Hated that he still hadn’t mastered how to protect her.

“How… I mean…” Her words were a whisper, and she frowned at the ground as if she were looking for answers. “How do you know this?” she finally asked.

Blake took the smallest step until their toes touched. “I ran into them earlier. They told me.”

Carrie nodded absently.

Blake cupped her shoulders. “I’m sorry,” he said softly. “But I have a plan,” he offered.

That made her raise her head and look him in the eyes. “Plan? Does it involve luring Kevin out to a pool of sharks?”

He smiled. “That was my first thought. But I kind of like this plan B that I came up with better.”

She waited for him to explain, and he took a deep breath.

“We’re in this fake relationship to show Kevin you’re okay. And if it’s okay with you, I’d like to take our fake relationship to the next level.”

“What does that mean? You want to adopt a fake dog and raise him together at our fake house?”

“I want to fake propose to you…in front of everyone. But mostly in front of Kevin.”

Her mouth opened. “You want to one-up him?”

Blake shrugged. “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing? And enjoying?”

That got a smile out of her, and she even bit her lip when she nodded her head. “Parts have been enjoyable,” she said.

“And I want to give you those parts for the rest of our trip.”

She giggled, and Blake had to laugh, too.

“Well, I’m okay enjoying your parts for the rest of our trip, too. But maybe we should just…leave early,” she said with defeat in her voice. Which was what Blake was afraid of. He didn’t want all the progress Carrie had made to be for nothing. She was getting over the pain Kevin had left her with. He wouldn’t let this last-ditch effort of that douchebag wreck her and undo all the progress she had made.