The Spanish Love Deception

I chuckled. “Oh, prima, if you only knew.”

Stepping away from my red-haired relative, I was startled by the contact of Aaron’s palm on the small of my back.

I jumped back, right into his front.

Aaron looked down at me, a question in his gaze. “Go ahead to our room and start unpacking. I’ll take care of this mess for your cousin.”

That was … so very thoughtful. I had forgotten about it. Apparently, leaving my cousin to deal with a broken twin bed wasn’t high on my priority list.

“Uy, no, no.” Charo intervened before I could apologize. “I will call Tío Javi,” she said, referring to my dad as Uncle Javi. “You two go and settle in. I’m sure you are exhausted from the trip. Just make sure not to break the other bed too.” She accompanied that with a cackle. “I can take the blame for this one but yours? That would be an awkward conversation with your dad.” Then, she winked.

Without more than a thank-you, we shuffled back to what would be our room.

Our room, which we had to share now.

Dammit.

We’d better unpack and try to get comfortable. If that had been any indication of what was ahead of us during the upcoming days, my fake boyfriend and I were in for a messy ride.

Suitcases almost empty and all wedding attire already hanging in the closet, I sent a sideways glance at the bed in our room. I had been doing that for the last fifteen minutes.

I’

ll be waiting here, it seemed to sing, making me wish it would magically crumble down and disappear too.

“Stop worrying. I can sleep on the floor if it makes you that uncomfortable.” Aaron looked at me, eyebrows creased.

“I’m not worried,” I lied.

Sharing a bed with Aaron was something I hadn’t expected. Or planned for. My parents had said only we would be staying in the apartment. Most of the guests were from the region, and the ones who weren’t would be arriving only for the big day.

“We are adults, and we have known each other for almost two years now. We can be civil and share the bed. At least it’s a double. And it’s standing up.”

“I’ll tell your parents that I will take care of the other one. I’ll pay for the damages.” There was something in his voice. He sounded pensive and almost … embarrassed?

“You don’t have to, Aaron.” And I meant it. “It wasn’t your fault. The bed had lasted more than it should have, really. These things … happen.”

Grabbing a couple of shirts off my suitcase and unfolding them, I pondered my own words. Never in my life had I witnessed that firsthand, but hey, these things did happen. Maybe to Aaron they had. Maybe he had destroyed dozens of beds. Reducing them to a mess of wood and springs. He was a large man, one who was built too. Beds could very well give out and burst under his weight. Maybe if he moved around too much. Or if he dropped his body on them with certain force. Or if he engaged in activities that tested the resistance of the frame and springs and—

No, no, no. I kicked out of my head that image of a sweaty and naked Aaron doing—

No.

“Okay,” Aaron said, zipping closed his emptied suitcase. “And if you are sure we can share the bed, then we will. With a little luck, this one won’t shatter too.”

A whole new mental image ambushed me. One very similar but that now included me and—

Nope. I needed to stop this nonsense.

“It’s settled then,” I said, getting rid of those unwanted thoughts and ideas. “No sleeping on the floor. We can’t risk getting caught, having Charo around. Couples share beds.”

“And we would get caught exactly how? Does your cousin go around, entering bedrooms she doesn’t sleep in?”

“Well, Aaron, I really wish I could tell you she didn’t, but I would be lying.”

Years had taught me that Charo was unpredictable.

“So”—I changed the subject—“in a couple of hours, we will be meeting the youngest members of the Martín clan for phase one of the bachelor-slash-bachelorette party.”