Fake Engagement, Real Temptation

Hell, wanted to just see her smile every hour of every day.

But now she was gone. Again. And he couldn’t go after her. He’d lost that right.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me that fucking prick was here until the other day. And now Carrie is gone.”

“It’s an island; she didn’t go far,” Blake said, getting annoyed with Lane. He really didn’t give her much credit. Then again, neither did Blake. Always trying to tell her how she needed saving. Maybe his own issue of wanting to save her. Maybe he’d stayed in the fantasy too long.

And now I lost her.

All that shit aside, he couldn’t bear the look on her face when he’d ratted them out. To everyone. Including Kevin.

He’d crushed her.

Saw it written on her face.

He’d thought at the time it was the right thing to say. He was mad she’d said no to him. To a fake proposal. But when she’d said no, it had felt like someone reached through his ribs and yanked his heart out, one fleshy piece at a time. He’d been…disappointed. Hurt. Which was crazy, since it was his plan.

But somehow, it was painful to hear. To get caught up in the fantasy and have reality come crashing in.

He hadn’t meant to. Between the tension of the moment and his own bullshit of being scared, Blake just opened his mouth and out came the truth. Or was it? Not a damn thing about the past week felt fake with Carrie. But it had to be. He could never love her. He was too scared it’d break him.

But that didn’t change the facts.

That everything between him and Carrie was real. From the fear, to the love, to the way he’d just really hurt her. All of it was real.

Time he started admitting that. Out loud, and to himself.

“I have to be straight with you,” Blake said to Lane. “I came here to make sure she was okay. Keep her safe, but the fake relationship…it was real.”

Blake could hear Lane’s frown. “But you just said it was a ruse.”

“It started that way. We ran into Kevin and his mistress and Carrie just looked shocked.”

“So Carrie set this up. This sounds like something she’d do,” Lane mumbled.

“No, I started it.” He defended Carrie. Because he did start it in the plane when he upgraded them to first class. He’d felt it then. He may not have acted on it, but he’d felt it.

Lane clearly got his gist by the calm “mmm-hmm” sigh he gave. “You were there with her the whole time. What sick kind of game is this?”

“No game, not anymore,” Blake said firmly. “And Carrie can handle more than you think.”

“I should hit you,” Lane said. And Blake couldn’t disagree. “First thing when you get back to Colorado, I’ll be waiting to deck you.”

“I’d deserved that for sleeping with your sister.”

“That’s not for sleeping with her,” Lane said around a frown Blake could hear, and he knew Lane must be flexing his hand like he was picturing Blake’s cheek. “It’s for being a fucking jackass.”

Now it was Blake’s turn to frown. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“You said this is real? You liked it? Not sorry? Well she is probably sorry, considering you just called the whole thing fake. You’re the one playing games, Blake. Only you have your own rule set so you can never lose. Never risk too much. Only your life, body, and well-being. But never your heart. You’ll chase after massive mammals with fangs and claws and yet run from someone like Carrie? You need to start taking a risk with your fuckin’ soul, otherwise I’ll keep punching you.”

Lane was right.

And now Blake needed to make this right.

To make this real.

Once and for all.