BENNETT #2
Two hours later, we’ve made it all the way through Merritt’s neighborhood and the one next to hers. Lucky for me, I somehow got designated the candy bucket carrier, which means that Merritt and I have made a sizable dent in what they’ve got left to bring home.
I’m going to have to skate for three hours to burn off the amount of chocolate I’ve put down tonight. Worth it because I’ve gotten to spend time with Merritt, and it’s not working on the project.
She’s funny as fuck. She’s sassy, and sarcastic, and sharp-tongued.
I can’t even remember the last time I laughed this much or had so much fun.
I’m seeing her in a different light than her normal sarcastic demeanor. She’s more laid-back and less worried, and honestly, I just want to see her like this more.
See her eyes shining and her cheeks flushed from laughter. She’s stunning when she laughs, and suddenly, I want to be the funniest guy in the fucking world. Just for her.
“Thank you for letting me tag along with you tonight. Elliott’s a really cool kid,” I say to Merritt, her shoulder brushing against mine as we trail a short distance behind him.
He ran into a kid he knows from school about halfway through the neighborhood, and they’ve been running ahead, leaving just the two of us.
Not that I’m complaining.
I’ll take whatever time I can get from her.
Merritt’s pinky has brushed against mine more than once tonight, and I feel like a little fucking schoolgirl about it.
For fuck’s sake.
My stomach’s been doing that flip-flopping thing every time she looks at me, and I’m very much aware that I should get this little crush I have on her under control.
It would be the smart thing to do.
Having a crush on my fake girlfriend is a recipe for fucking disaster, but I can’t seem to turn it off.
Especially when it’s clear that even though she’s attracted to me, she’s not interested in actually exploring shit outside of the arrangement we have. She’s made that abundantly clear.
And I’m kinda worried because I’m fucking into her. So into her.
Not fake, but for real.
I think I probably have been since I got on my knees in the study room the very first time I laid eyes on her.
It’s just a little crush… that makes my heart race and my hands feel clammy like I’m a goddamn teenager.
No big deal.
Which is even more of a reason for me to keep the promise that I made to myself. I’ve spent my entire life jumping into physical relationship after physical relationship, and this time… I just want to take it a little slower and make sure I’m not making the same mistake again.
That I’m not only feeling this way about her because I’m insanely attracted to her.
So that means that I have to be strong, even when I feel like breaking, until I know without a shadow of a doubt that this is it.
That she’s it.
Because I don’t want to fuck this up.
Merritt nods with a soft smile, her gaze shifting back to her brother. “He is a great kid. The best kid, actually. And he’s…” She trails off, and I watch her throat move as she swallows. “He’s not always had it the easiest, but he’s resilient, and smart, and funny.”
“I can tell. It’s obvious that even though he might give you shit, it’s just because he’s your little brother.
You can tell how much he loves and respects you.
Not something preteen boys give easily. Been there.
” I study her as we walk, the full moon above us bathing her pale skin in moonlight.
It’s impossible to look anywhere else. I drag my eyes along her high cheekbones, the spot in her cheek that makes an adorable-as-fuck dimple when she flashes a rare full-blown smile.
Most of them tonight have been aimed at her brother.
“Yeah. He’s got my humor, for sure. I worry about him a lot because of how much time he spends alone. My dad’s always working, and I’m constantly back and forth to campus with class and studying. I just wish it was easier for him to make friends. He’s kind of guarded… like me.”
I chuckle lowly. “Yeah? You don’t say?”
“Shut up,” she mutters, bumping against my arm. “He’s just… protective of himself, that’s all.”
And by him, she also means her.
I hear what she doesn’t say, not only what she does.
That’s the thing about me.
People assume that just because I’m fun, and outgoing, and carefree, that I don’t pay attention to things.
They’re wrong.
We come to a stop at one of the last houses on the street that has a haunted house, and Elliott runs up straight to Merritt. “Can I go, Mer? Please? I’ll stay with Gavin, I swear.”
After a second, her daze darts to mine, and I shrug, and then she looks back at her brother. “Fine. But I’m staying out here. You know I don’t do haunted houses. Meet us back out here when you’re done.”
He nods and then dashes back off with his friends.
I slide my hands into the pockets of my sweats and look back at Merritt. “You don’t have to answer this if you don’t want to.”
She eyes me hesitantly, her dark eyes gleaming with wariness, but I gave her the out if she wants it, and if there’s anything I’ve learned about Merritt, it’s that she’s never going to hold her tongue about anything.
“Is your mom not around? I just noticed at your house earlier that she wasn’t in any of your family photos, and you’ve never really mentioned her.”
Her throat bobs as she runs her tongue along her teeth before shaking her head. “She passed away when Elliot was a baby. All of the photos we have with her are from before he was born. He doesn’t really remember her. Which I don’t know is a good or a bad thing.”
I nod in understanding. “I’m sorry, Merritt. I’m sorry for bringing it up.”
“No, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” Merritt says quickly, a ghost of a smile turning her plump lip up, and I feel slightly less of an asshole for asking about her dead mother.
She pulls her leather jacket tighter around her, burrowing into the fabric.
“You want my hoodie?” I ask.
Her deep brown eyes widen. “And leave you without a jacket so I can have two?”
I shrug. “I run hot.”
In too many fucking ways when she’s around.
I start to pull it off when she reaches out to stop me by wrapping her fingers around my wrist.
“Fucking hell, Merritt. Your hands are goddamn freezing.”
Her nose scrunches. “Sorry. Not all of us can have fifty pounds of muscle to keep us warm, big guy.”
“Well, good thing I’m your man, then, huh? You get to reap all the benefits,” I murmur as I reach for her, ignoring her thinly veiled protests and wrapping her in my arms. She’s like a block of fucking ice. “Put your hands in my hoodie pocket.”
She tries to pull back. “You don’t have to d—”
“Merritt. Stop fighting me for five damn seconds, and let me warm you up. You can argue with me once you’re no longer a fucking popsicle.” My chin rests on the top of her head, and after a second of silently wrestling with herself, she gives in and melts against me.
Instead of putting her hands in the front pocket of my hoodie, I feel her hands slip beneath the fabric along my back, and she presses her icy fingers against my bare skin.
I suck in a breath. “Christ, woman.”
She wiggles her fingers. “There. Muuuuuch better.”
“Yeah, I bet so.”
I can feel the heat of her breath, literally the only fucking warm thing on her entire body, as it seeps into the front of my hoodie where her face is pressed into my chest.
This is Merritt putting down her armor, giving me the smallest semblance of trust when it’s clear she doesn’t bestow it onto many.
And it’s just a fucking hug.
“Thanks for being my personal heater,” she murmurs, and I laugh, tightening my arms around her.
“Mhm. Anytime, Mer Bear.”
We stay just like this for a few minutes until she pulls back and stares up at me, one dark brow arched. “What happened to pictures for socials?”
Oh yeah.
Night’s nearly over, so I guess we should probably do that, but honestly, I forgot about it.
Which is probably a red flag for me, but one that I’m going to worry about when I don’t have Merritt in my arms, her sweet cherry vanilla scent of her surrounding me.
Forgetting this is “fake” is a problem for future Bennett.
I fish my phone out of the pocket of my pants and hold it up, dangling it between my fingers. “Perfect timing, huh? I don’t want to blow your cover or anything, but you in my arms and actually enjoying it? Might harm your whole anti-me thing you’ve got going on.”
“Pretty sure the fact that I’m dating you ruined that.” Her brown eyes are shining with amusement in the moonlight, and I smirk. “Fake dating,” she quickly adds, clearing her throat. “But no one knows that, so I think that my reputation is probably safe.”
“Good.”
I tap the camera icon on my screen and hold my phone up, pulling her flush to me as I lean down and press my lips to hers.
There’s a squeak of surprise that tumbles out of her, a single moment of hesitation, but then she relaxes.
Her body melts against mine as she reaches up and fists the front of my hoodie, fingers tightening in the fabric.
I slip my tongue past her lips and stroke hers, pulling the tiniest little whine out of her.
Satisfaction blooms in my chest, and I kiss her the way I’ve wanted to since we were at the arena.
Her hands slide up to trace my jaw, then around to my nape, where she threads her fingers into my hair, tightening there as if she’s holding me in place.
That’s when I take the picture.
The flash causes her to jump, and she pulls back the tiniest amount, just enough that I can see those pretty fucking eyes heavy-lidded from my kiss. Her pupils are wide and her parted lips deliciously swollen and red as she stares up at me.
“Think that was convincing enough?” I murmur against her mouth.
Even though I know we both already know the answer.