Fake It 'Til You Break It

I swear a hint of embarrassment colors his cheeks, but when his eyes shift back to Nico, it’s gone. He clears his throat, crosses through my room and into the next.

I glance at Nico, who now has both arms propped against the door frame staring after his friend with a blank expression.

Slowly, his eyes come back to me.

“Um.” I rub my hands against my thighs as my attention falls to his bare chest, and then to the towel barely hanging on to his waist. “You can go back to your shower now.”

“I was done.”

“Right.” I trail a water droplet as it makes its way down his abs, disappearing into the thin, dark trail that leads to his most practiced tool. “Well, you can go dry off now or you know... something.” I swallow.

When he makes no move to leave, I look up.

His eyes narrow the slightest bit, and he stays put for a few more seconds before finally backing away. Of course, he leaves his door wide open as he moves farther into the room, so I close my side. My hand lingers on the knob a moment before I let it go and get back to what I was doing.

I move into my bathroom to pull off my underwear, smoothing out the edges of the dress so no lines can be detected.

The second I step out, Carley and Macy are walking back in, both dressed and ready to go.

“Is the coast clear?” Macy laughs, dodging the hair tie I flick at her.

“All clear, biatch.”

“I think your comment made Trent feel bad cause they went to his room instead,” Carley says. “For a quickie, I’m sure.”

“Where’s his room?”

Carley smirks. “Her dad assigned him to one on the other side of the hotel.”

“As if that would stop them.” I laugh. “So, do we wait?”

“We should time it,” Macy suggests with a grin.

“Or we could go make sure our seats are saved and meet them there?” Carley laughs.

“Like Krista didn’t tell them where to put us at the table.” Macy rolls her eyes but gives a big fake grin. “Lead the way, oh buzz killer one.”

Carley shoves her and together, the three of us head into the hall.

We get a foot past Nico’s door when it’s whipped open.

I yelp as Nico catches my arm and tugs me inside, the door closing behind us.

He spins me, pushing my back against the wall in one swift move, his large body trapping me there.

“What—”

I cut myself off when he begins to lower his thick lips to mine. At first, my eyes widen in surprise, only to close just as quickly.

A second passes, and then another, and still the pressure of his mouth doesn’t land on me.

His breath, warm and cascading across my skin, has me sucking in a lungful of air. My move has our bottom lips brushing each other’s but only the slightest bit.

Not a second later, the heat of his body vanishes, causing my eyes to peel open.

While I probably look like a wanton Barbie, plastered to the wall with shock and an unexpected thrill coursing through me, Nico appears completely unaffected, his breathing steady as he steps away from me.

“What was... why’d you...”

Why’d he what? Try to kiss me?

Why’d he not kiss me?

What the hell was I about to ask?

“You’re my girlfriend, D,” he says with unmistakable aggravation. “I had to know what to expect when I kiss you in public.” His eyes slide back to mine as he callously adds, “Needs work.”

Dick.

“We didn’t agree to kissing.”

Did I even agree to anything?

He shrugs. “It goes hand in hand with the title. Couples kiss, should have been obvious.”

Right.

Right. Couples also—

No. Not going there.

I eye him as he reaches for the door handle. “You really want to do this, like for reals?”

“We’re already doing it.”

“But we can still pass it off as a one-night stand at this point.”

“I need you for more than a night, D, and I want you all in.”

His voice is so strong, so sure, that I almost misinterpret the meaning.

It makes sense, though. Why pretend to date me if he didn’t?

He has something to gain here, too.

I’m not entirely convinced this will do anything for me other than piss off Nico’s ex and anyone else who might be hoping for a chance with him. Alex already knows me, so it’s not like I’m starting at square one.

Maybe I should ask Alex out now and back away from all this?

I let the superficial part of me inspect Nico.

Dark eyes framed by darker lashes. High cheekbones and pouty lips, lips he chooses that exact moment to run his slick tongue across.

A deep, dark smirk hits next.

I mean, what’s the rush in backing out?

There’s always Monday.“What up?” Trent drops beside me.

“’Sup.” I cut him a quick glance, looking back to the girls.

They’ve just finished their appetizers and are now killing time before the meals are here by taking pictures at the end of the pier.