Fake Engagement, Real Temptation

“This is your fantasy,” Blake reminded her. “This whole trip, it’s yours. To live and feel however you want. If you really want to leave now, fine. But that is no fantasy. And you deserve every part of the fantasy you want.”

Her eyes met his, and there was a renewed ambition in her eyes. That’s the Carrie he liked to see. The strong, tenacious woman who refused to be kept down.

She lifted her chin. “I want my fantasy.” She trailed her eyes over the length of him, leaving him feeling hot and desperate to take her right there. “And that includes my fantasy proposal.”

With a smile, Blake nodded. “Then saddle up, little girl, because I’m going to give you the best fake proposal this island has ever seen.”

...

Blake had just gotten back to the suite when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He motioned for Carrie to go inside. He’d join her in a second.

He took his phone out and found the reminder of why all of this was a fucked-up situation.

“Lane,” Blake said into his phone. “How’s everything going in Colorado?”

Lane exhaled into the phone. “I finally got everyone to chill out. Got that deal taken care of. I owe you big time. I appreciate your text a few days ago about being with Carrie. Honestly, you gave me the peace of mind to finish this deal without worrying whether someone was taking advantage of my sister. I owe you, brother.”

Blake ran a hand through his hair. “Don’t mention it,” he said, unsure of how to begin talking to Lane after what had happened between him and Carrie. He couldn’t lie to him, but he couldn’t tell him the truth, either.

“So what’s happened? Is she getting over the asshole?” Lane said.

“I don’t even know where to start,” he said honestly. At some point he knew he’d have to deal with telling Lane all of this. Tell his best friend that he was seeing his baby sister. Well, he was banging her, which he’d get punched in the face for, rightly so. But everything was spiraling out of control, and Blake didn’t know what the hell he was doing.

“Is she okay?” Lane asked.

“Yes, she’s safe,” Blake said, realizing his main goal was coming true. He was keeping her safe. Carrie felt empowered. Check, check. He just needed to keep his head straight. He’d figure out how to talk to Lane about the rest later. For now, he needed to keep his sights set on what he came to do. Keep Carrie out of trouble and get her home. All without letting Kevin beat her. But he still had to say something to Lane.

“It’s just that her ex is here. With the mistress,” Blake told Lane.

“Jesus fucking Christ. Does that asshole have no shame? I’m glad you’re at least with her, then.”

“Yeah, about that, I just hope me being here is a good thing and not awful.”

“What? Why would it be awful?”

“I just worry about her,” Blake said. He’d seen the light come and go in Carrie’s eyes this week. Seen the moments where she felt better and the moments where she’d been stomped on. Worry was an understatement. He was genuinely afraid he couldn’t help in the

way she needed. But he was trying. The small voice in the back of his head kept flicking him. Maybe he was useless once again to watch a woman he loved suffer while he couldn’t do a thing.

Love?

Not love. Well, not in that way. Of course he loved Carrie. He grew up with her. Cared. But he was not in love. This whole trip was supposed to be her fantasy. He wouldn’t send her screaming for the hills by telling her he had real feelings for her but couldn’t follow through on them. Not the way she needed. Not the way she deserved.

He exhaled loudly before talking to Lane again. “Her self-esteem has been better and there’s a glimpse of her strength, but Kevin is fucking everywhere, and now there’s a rock on his mistress’s finger, and I can’t keep Carrie avoiding him forever.”

Which was why he was going to allow the fake-engagement plan. Hoping someday Lane, if he ever found out, would understand.

Deep down, he was worried that no matter what, Carrie would be hurt. He wouldn’t be the one to do it. And after that little—all too real—chat in the chopper, he was feeling itchy and his chest was aching. This was why he didn’t open his heart. Here he was pretending to care about her, and he’d gone and fucked it up by developing real feelings. The ache of walking away from her would be hard enough, let alone if he actually lost her for good.

“Fuck, thank you for telling me,” Lane said. “I’m so glad you’re there for her. If she was there alone, I can’t imagine how bad she’d feel. Hell, how bad anyone would feel.”

“No shit,” Blake agreed. “She’s faking a lot right now, but this can’t be easy. Kevin basically acting out their honeymoon with someone else.”

Blake left out the part that in doing so, he was now Carrie’s pretend boyfriend doing the same thing. But for different reasons. Kevin was a selfish prick, and Carrie needed support. It was taking everything Blake had not to flee before he could ensure Carrie left the island in one piece.

“Don’t leave her side,” Lane said.

“Haven’t this entire time.”