THEO
“Okay,” Nora said after we’d both emptied our luggage into the dresser and bathroom drawers. “We should probably figure out the story of how we started dating before we go back downstairs and start winging it in front of everyone.”
“That would probably be smart,” I agreed.
Because as much as I’d acted like I had everything under control in the kitchen… I hadn’t thought this all the way through.
Not even close.
She turned slightly, leaning her hip against the dresser as she crossed her arms. “I think the easiest way to keep things straight is if we just keep it as close to the truth as possible.”
“That’s a good idea,” I said, nodding. “Less to keep track of that way.”
“Exactly.” Her eyes held mine for a second longer than necessary.
“So, if anyone asks how we got together…?” I prompted, shifting my weight.
“We tell them we’ve been friends for a while,” she said, her lips curving slightly. “And that even though neither of us ever did anything about it… there’s always been a spark.”
“Okay,” I said, my gaze dropping briefly to her mouth before I caught myself. “That sounds accurate.”
More accurate than I should probably admit.
“And then,” she went on, still watching me, “when I moved in after you saved me from burning to a crisp in that fire… that’s when things really started to change.”
“Life and death situations always help put things into perspective,” I said, her story hitting a lot closer to my version of the truth than she probably realized. “Makes you realize how precious life is and that you shouldn’t miss out on being happy just because you’re scared.”
“Yes.”
And when she seemed to be searching my eyes, I searched hers as well, trying to decipher just how much of this might be true for her, too.
If the moment I’d almost lost her had woken her up as much as it had me.
“We tried to keep things professional, of course,” she added, her voice softening. “But eventually we just couldn’t ignore it anymore.”
“It’s hard to ignore something when you’re around it all the time,” I said.
For me, it had been impossible not to notice her.
The way she laughed.
The way she looked at me.
The way I wanted to hold her and kiss her and explore more of this connection that didn’t make complete sense yet… it was all too real for me.
Had she thought about those things, too?
Was it possible that I wasn’t the only one who wanted this ever-present spark we’d been tiptoeing around to actually grow into something real?
I licked my lips. “And when should we say that we became official?”
“I was thinking we could say that we became boyfriend and girlfriend about a week ago,” she said, her eyes darting between mine as if looking for confirmation that it fit.
“We could say the hot air balloon ride changed things,” I offered.
She nodded. “Yes. I think that would be very believable.” She looked out the window toward the beach. “Plus, it would explain why our friends and family didn’t know about our relationship until today.”
“Exactly.” I rubbed a hand along my forearm. “So, we’re just in the early stages then.”
“Yeah.”
And I should’ve left it at that. Finished the conversation and headed downstairs to put the plan into motion.
But instead of making my way to the door, I found myself asking, “So if we’re just a week into this thing… how exactly do you want me to act around you?”
“What do you mean?” she asked, her brows lifting.
“I mean…” I gestured vaguely between us. “If it’s early stages, does that mean we’re going to be acting more shy around each other? Or should we be one of those couples that is drunk on the infatuation and can’t keep our hands off each other?”
Because there was a pretty big difference between the two.
And even though I’d been reserved with women over the past two years, I definitely wouldn’t mind having an excuse to act differently with Nora this weekend.
An excuse to really break down the walls and see what could happen.
See if the fireworks I’d been imagining were even better in real life.
“If we’re going to play this similar to how I’ve been in past relationships,” she said, her eyes steady on mine, “then it will probably be somewhere in the middle. Nothing too crazy, but if it’s going to look believable to Diego, then the PDA should definitely be there.”
“Okay,” I said. “So believable, but not over the top.”
“Exactly.”
“Well, now that that’s settled…” I nodded once more, then glanced toward the door. “I guess we should probably go before people start wondering where we are.”
“Since when do you and Nora hold hands?” Lucy asked under her breath an hour later, stepping up beside me as the waves crashed along the shore behind us.
“Since about an hour ago,” I whispered back, glancing across the sandy beach to the table where Nora had just stepped away to grab another drink with Alessi.
“And how exactly did that come about?” Lucy’s brows lifted, clearly intrigued by this new development.
I shifted my weight on the sand, watching Nora as she laughed at something Alessi said, the setting sunlight catching in her curly hair.
“She needed a fake boyfriend for the weekend.” I shrugged, deciding to just go with the truth. “And I offered to fill the position.”
“You just offered?” Lucy asked, her blue eyes skeptical. “So this has nothing to do with the fact that I suggested you try putting yourself out there a little more?”
“Maybe I decided to take your advice,” I admitted.
“Well, good.” She smiled then. “Because I’m actually kind of proud of you.”
“You say that as if it’s a big deal.” I chuckled, shaking my head slightly.
“That’s because it is,” she said lightly. “You voluntarily stepped into a fake relationship with a girl you’re interested in, knowing that PDA would be part of the equation. That’s major progress.”
I didn’t respond to that.
Mostly because I knew she was right.
So instead of denying the big steps I’d taken this week, I followed my sister’s gaze back to Nora. She was walking toward us now, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she laughed at something Alessi said.
Her eyes moved over the group of us standing around the tables and chairs that had been set up for tonight’s barbecue, offering smiles to the various people until they landed on me.
And when her smile broadened, her eyes glittering with happiness, my chest tightened with anticipation.
“Yeah,” Lucy murmured, making a quiet tutting sound beside me. “You’ve got it bad for my best friend.”
“Shh,” I said, worried Nora might overhear.
But Lucy just laughed, clearly entertained.
And before I could say anything else, Nora stepped up beside me, her fingers slipping into mine like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Like she didn’t even have to think about it.
But I did.
I couldn’t help but notice the way her hand fit in mine.
Revel in the way her thumb brushed over my knuckles.
Lucy’s smile widened when she noticed it. Then leaning closer, she said, “I’m going to go find Owen before I say something I shouldn’t.”
“Good plan,” I muttered.
She gave Nora a quick hug as she passed. “We’re going to talk about this little arrangement you and my brother have going on later, okay?”
“Definitely,” Nora said.
And then it was just us again.
The fire crackled behind us, music playing softly from Ky’s speaker, voices overlapping as people talked and laughed.
“You having fun?” I asked, glancing down at Nora.
“I am,” she said, her smile easy as she leaned her head on my shoulder. “This is really nice.”
I nodded, my grip on her hand tightening just slightly. “Agreed.”
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the fire in the homemade fire pit had been built up enough that everyone started dragging chairs into a loose circle.
Miles tossed another log on, sparks lifting into the darkening sky as laughter carried across the beach.
Couples paired off without much thought.
Owen pulled Lucy down beside him, her legs tucked over his. Bash had Alessi practically folded into his side. Even Ky had a girl leaning into him like it was the most natural thing in the world.
And then there was Nora. Standing just beside me, brushing sand off her hands, glancing toward the open chairs like she was about to pick one.
But since I wanted to take my fake-boyfriend duties seriously, I grabbed a chair of my own, sat down, and then reached for her.
“Come here,” I said, hooking my arm around her waist as I guided her toward me.
She looked surprised for half a second, her eyes flicking to mine before she stepped closer and let me pull her down onto my lap.
She settled into me, her back fitting perfectly against my chest. Just like it had on the balloon ride a week ago.
I adjusted slightly, one arm wrapping around her waist, the other resting along her thigh as the firelight flickered across the group.
To anyone watching, it probably looked like I’d pulled her onto my lap a hundred times before.
But even though I was trying to appear completely confident and cool, I was hyperaware of every little thing.
The weight of her on my lap.
The steady rhythm of her breathing.
The way her hair brushed my jaw when she shifted.
I was just inhaling her sweet scent when I caught movement across the fire. And when my eyes focused on the figure across the way, I found Diego watching us.
And he wasn’t trying to be subtle about it, either.
Good.
I let my hand slide along Nora’s side, my fingers tracing a slow path over the fabric of her shirt before settling more firmly at her waist.
“Diego’s watching us now,” I murmured, my mouth close to her ear.
“He is?” she asked, her breath catching just enough for me to notice.
“Yeah.” I hesitated for half a second, my pulse picking up. Then I asked, “Should we give him a good show?”
She turned to face me a little better. After studying me for a moment, her heated eyes just inches from mine, she said, “Yes, please.”
And that was all I needed to pull her even closer, my thumb brushing slow, steady circles along her side, before drifting across her stomach.
She relaxed into me, and when she exhaled a soft breath, my body became even more attuned to every point of contact between us.
And when I noticed Diego’s stare, I had to fight the smug smile that tugged at my lips. Because even though I knew this was all just for show, it almost felt like I’d won something.
I lowered my chin near her cheek. With my lips close to her ear, I whispered, “You’re doing a really good job,” hoping it looked to anyone watching like I was murmuring sweet nothings.
She let out a soft, contented sigh before saying, “So are you.”
And hearing that made it even harder to remember this was supposed to be an act.
She shifted again, turning more fully toward me.
“I should probably kiss your cheek,” she said, her breath brushing against my skin, sending a delicious heat down my spine. “Just to really sell it.”
“That’s a good idea,” I mumbled, my voice coming out rougher than I meant it to.
And when her lips pressed softly against my cheek, warm and sweet, my skin suddenly became hot and flushed. It felt way too good. Like a flame igniting dry tinder.
But she didn’t stop there.
Her lips moved along my jaw next, slow and unhurried, like she wanted to take her time.
Really draw it out.
When she reached my neck and let the tip of her nose draw a line from the hollow at the base of my throat and up, it almost undid me.
I exhaled as she nuzzled closer, her voice soft near my collar as she whispered, “You smell really good.”
“I’m glad you think so,” I said, my voice rough and gravelly.
She settled against me more fully then, fitting into me way too perfectly.
And then I let my hand trace slow, lazy lines down her back, sliding up along her side again, before brushing just beneath the hem of her shirt.
She felt so good. Her skin was warm.
Soft.
And when she shivered with pleasure, I asked, “Is this still okay?”
She just nodded against me and breathed out a simple, “Yes.”
Which was all the encouragement I needed to keep going.
I let my hand move again, slower this time. More deliberate.
Down over her hip. Along her outer thigh.
Testing the waters. Learning how she felt. Taking in every small shift.
Every breath.
Cataloging the way she leaned into my touch instead of pulling away.
When my fingers brushed along the small of her back, she let out a soft moan.
“That feels so good,” she said. And just the way she said it—low and unfiltered—hit me straight in the chest before settling lower and tightening everything.
For a second, I forgot where we were.
Forgot about the fire. The people around us. The whole reason we were doing this in the first place.
All I could think about was her.
About what it would be like to get her alone.
To see just how far she’d let me take this.
To really take my time.
My grip tightened at her waist as the thought took hold.
Because if I stood up right now…
If I told her to meet me back in our room—
Would she go with me?
“Uh, hey.” Ky’s voice cut through my wandering thoughts, his hand landing on my shoulder. “I don’t know what’s been going on between you two since Nora moved in, but you’re kind of in public right now. And there’s only so much PDA that’s socially acceptable.”
I blinked, the weight of everything crashing back in as I became very aware of exactly where we were.
Of how intimately I was holding her.
“Uh—yeah. Sorry,” I said, clearing my throat as I loosened my hold on his sister.
But instead of apologizing, Nora shifted in my lap, turned her head toward Ky and said, “Way to ruin the moment, bro.”
And being the protective but playful big brother that he was, Ky just gave her a smirk and said, “That’s what brothers are for.”