Her words thrust his dream aside, his present, Lena, shifting to the forefront. He wasn’t ready to let her go. “Yeah. It worked,” he said. “How about we celebrate over pizza?”
She smiled and her hand fell away from the dog. Yeah, he had a hunch she wasn’t ready to walk away from their deal yet either.
“We wouldn’t want everyone to think you’d fallen into your old habits as soon as you found a copilot,” she said.
“Not when we’ve come this far.”
Lena nodded, glancing at the window.
“We can grab a pie to go,” he said, knowing it would be too dark by the time they reached A Slice of Independence to sit outside. And a crowded restaurant might be too much for one day. “Cheese, pepperoni, or the special.”
“Put on your pants, Chad.” She nodded to his clothes. “And then we’ll negotiate.”
He obeyed, pulling on his clothes. “I like it better when you tell me to take them off.”
“Me too,” she said. “Me too.”
Chad followed her out the door and down to his pickup. She was still his. But someday their little game would end.
Chapter 15
“HOW LONG DO you think we can keep this up?” Chad asked, his stride slow and lazy despite her rushed steps down Independence Falls’s Main Street.
After seven days helicopter logging at a remote job site, her pretend boyfriend had returned home ready to kick back and relax. Lena had the day off, her work schedule still limited to the Friday through Monday overnight security shifts, but she also had plans.
“As long as we need to.” Lena glanced at her watch. Georgia and Katie would be at the nail salon right now. They could get started without her. Lena had no intention of parting with her hard-earned dollars for a coat of polish delivered by a nosy stranger. But she’d promised she’d meet them there to talk about Georgia’s wedding plans.
“It’s been three weeks,” Chad said. “You’re not tired of me yet?”
“I haven’t seen you in seven nights.”
“You’re right. I think it might take a while longer.” He stopped in front of Ariel’s Salon, wrapping his arm around her waist and drawing her close. He touched his lips to hers, stealing a quick kiss.
But she wanted more, so much more. She ran her fingers through his hair, capturing his mouth, her tongue touching his as she deepened the kiss.
“Lena,” he said, breaking away. “We’re on Main Street.”
“Hmm.” She brushed his lips over his again. “Georgia and Katie might be peeking through the salon window. I wouldn’t want them to think you found someone else while you were away.”
“There’s no one else, Lena.”
“I’m glad I’m your only fake girlfriend,” she teased, resting her forehead against his.
“Lena—”
“I should go in,” she said, breaking free from his hold. At some point they needed to talk about how to end the charade, but not yet. “They’re waiting for me.”
“Are you ready for our road trip Thursday?” he asked.
She nodded. He’d scheduled three days off to drive her down to the medal ceremony. She’d done the same, knowing she’d lose two nights’ pay to make the trip. But the medal had helped her land the job. And her family would be there. Plus the vice president and the media . . . Hero pressed close as if sensing her rising panic.
“We’re meeting my parents and my brother for dinner Thursday night,” she said, focusing on the concrete details. “So we’ll need to leave early. They picked a Chinese restaurant not far from the motel. The Red Dragon.”
“Sounds great, Lena.”
She blinked. It sounded like hell to her. But Chad hadn’t met her family yet.
“I look forward to meeting them,” he added.