Pretend You're Mine (Inked Hearts 3)

He takes my hand as he leads me into the hallway, around the corner, to the third door on the right.

He slides the keycard into the lock.

The door flashes green. Ryan turns the handle and motions after you.

I step inside.

The room is gorgeous. And huge.

An orange and teal pineapple print comforter adorns the massive king bed. A matching blanket hangs over the teal sofa. Sheer white curtains fall over the sliding doors to the balcony.

I kick off my sandals. Sink into the scratchy carpet.

It’s half a dozen steps to the balcony. I pull the curtain aside, unlock the door, push it open.

Warm, sticky air greets me. Bright blue sky bleeds into the cerulean Pacific. The hotel pool is to the right. The freeway and the town beyond it are to the left.

It’s like something out of a postcard.

Hello from paradise.

Ryan’s footsteps move closer. He slides his arms around my waist. Brings his lips to my neck. “You look fucking adorable all contemplative.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He mumbles into my skin. “But it’s worrying me.”

“I’m just thinking.”

“About?”

Things I want to forget. “It’s beautiful here.”

“Paradise.”

“It really is. When it’s just the two of us and the rest of the world is far away, everything is perfect. I want that.”

“It is just the two of us.”

It is.

But the world isn’t far away.

It’s infecting my thoughts.

I press my lips together. There’s nothing to say. He’s been forthright about his feelings. It’s just, his feelings aren’t moving fast enough for me.

How can I be upset about that?

He warned me his head was a mess.

I knew his head was a mess.

The whole point of this exercise is bringing him closure.

We’re almost there. Three days, and we’ll be there. He’ll be mine. Or he’ll still be hers.

But I’ll know for sure.