Chapter 34
STEPHANIE
“So, now what?” I wring my hands, trying to keep my fingers busy doing something other than reaching up to touch my still tingling lips.
“I guess we go inside and keep pretending?” His dark eyebrows slide up, asking if I agree.
“Yeah.” My response is slow. I’m trying to lower my heart rate before I see anyone else. Until I do, I’m afraid I’ll have a neon sign above my head that reads, “She kissed Cooper Mallory, and she really, really liked it.”
As we walk inside The Whitmore, I don’t know what to do. I’ve never had a good poker face or been good at acting—in fact, I have no skills that will make this believable.
Alyssa and McKay are already in the lobby and casually chatting with Chase, who has his back to us.
The lobby is unmistakably Austin—polished, but not too pretentious.
Dark-wood paneling runs from the white marble floor to the high, glass ceilings, oversized leather chairs and couches are arranged in loose circles around the edges, and the wall behind the reception desk is a continuous sheet of living greenery that extends to the balcony above.
“Hi, my name is Esther. Looks like you two are the last to arrive.” A pleasant woman greets us, then turns to address everyone. “Welcome to The Whitmore. I’ll be showing you around the venue and answering any questions. Is there anything in particular you want to see?”
McKay takes charge. “Let’s begin with a general tour first, then go into the ballroom, where we can go over lighting and sound needs. After that, we’ll see if anyone has questions.”
There are general nods of consent, and we get started.
Though Esther is lovely, I find I can’t concentrate on anything she’s saying. My mind drifts over the conversation with Chase, the kiss that still has heat coursing through me, and everything else about the morning.
Cooper laces his fingers through mine and pulls me close. His strong hand against mine sends my heart racing.
“If you were my real girlfriend,” he whispers in my ear, “you would never look so serious. I’d make sure of it.”
My heart rate skips and stutters at the mere thought. “What would I look like?”
“You’d be so deliriously happy that you’d probably float on air or gain the ability to talk to animals or something equally impressive. But right now, you simply look like you need to go to the bathroom.” Everything about him is very casual and nonchalant—except his eyes. His eyes are smiling.
So much tension drains out of me. Once again, Cooper’s words are my medicine. I step away from him, and our hands slide apart.
Wait! How did my thoughts relabel him from Mallory to Cooper in such a short window of time?
Was it because of the kiss? My eyes betray me and wander up to his mouth, lingering as I remember how they tasted, the sensation of his arms around me, and the pull of his fingers twisting in my hair. I involuntarily lick my lips.
The edge of his mouth slides up. “Wanting another kiss? Because you have a terrible poker face, and it seems like you want to go back to the parking garage.”
Crap. Do I just concede and say what I’m thinking? Yes, please. I’d love to do that! “I was wondering how long you’ve had your beard.”
“Liar.” His smirk breaks me, and I smile.
“Oh, are you going to use the ‘pants on fire’ argument here?” I throw the words he used against me last week back in his face.
He stops walking as a full laugh escapes. I count this as a personal victory and decide I like making Cooper Mallory laugh.
I don’t know that I would have cared—or even noticed—his laugh a week ago, but I’m noticing now, and it does something strange and unfamiliar inside my chest.
“That was perfect.” His grin is huge as he slings a casual arm around my shoulders, and we start moving again. “You know you’re usually terrible at banter like that, right?”
“I am not!” My arm reaches up and wraps around his waist. Only because it’s easier to walk like this when his arm is around my shoulders.
“Yes, you are. You’re not only terrible at banter, but you’re also not very threatening or scary.
Your glares make you look like an adorable little puppy.
” He gives a ridiculously overdone impression of me glaring at him.
“But my favorite is when you try to throw little barbs my way. You’re not good at it at all—you’re too nice. ”
“Come on! I thought I had some really good comebacks when we were out with your family for dinner.”
“You did!” His face lights up, and I love the smile lines around his dark eyes almost as much as I love that I made them appear. “I was actually very proud of you that night.”
I stare up at him, and we stop moving. Something shifts. It’s not fire and sparks. I can’t define it, but it’s warm and slow.
I twist out from under his arm and start to walk away, but his fingers reach out and catch mine, and we keep walking. How is it that my fingers tangled in his makes so much sense?
I see Chase watching us.
Chase.
I had forgotten about him.
I had forgotten that all of this was for his benefit. To make him believe I had a somebody.
I think back over the conversation he might have just overheard, and I realize that Cooper and I sounded like we were each other’s somebody. We talked about a history of barbs and teases, dinner with his family, and things that a couple would.
Could I do this with Cooper? Do I dare? Would he be interested in this for real—for more than just today—at least to see where it could go? Right now, I can’t help but think that the answer is yes.
We pass a table with a vase of roses, and Cooper picks out a peach-colored one and gives it to me. I raise it to my nose and inhale. Nothing. I hold it out and realize it’s fake. “You gave me an artificial flower?”
“Don’t judge me.” Cooper leans in to whisper in my ear, and his mock-offended tone makes me smile. “I’m a new pretend boyfriend and didn’t have enough time to get you proper flowers, so I’m doing the best I can here.”
“The good news for you is that this,” I swat him with the rose, “is a tacky boyfriend move, so as far as expectations go, you’ve set the bar incredibly low. You have nowhere to go but up.”
He pulls us to a stop, not releasing my hand, and checks to make sure we’re alone. “Next time you need me to be your boyfriend, you need to give me more warning. It was cruel of you to not give me more time to prepare.”
“If I would have known in advance that I needed a fake boyfriend, I would’ve called someone else.”
“You wound me.” The corner of his mouth ticks upward in an almost smile. “In what ways have I lacked?”
“Other than this flower?” I swat his chest with it again, then set it on the small table next to us.
He keeps his voice low. “I’ve been your boyfriend for less than ten minutes and have only had a few opportunities to persuade you that I’m the best man for the job.
” He cuts the distance between us by a few inches.
“So are you insinuating that my performance in the parking garage was lacking? Because as far as stand-in girlfriends go, I thought your performance was spectacular.” His eyes drop to my lips, and the edges of his mouth slide up even higher, making my heart burn inside my chest. “I’d give you a solid eight out of ten. ” His smirk is playful and challenging.
“Eight? An eight? Considering I didn’t even know it was going to happen until it had already started, I think a nine would be more fair.” I step back as my head tilts in contemplation. “I’d probably give you a six.”
“Liar.” The heat in his eyes and rolling off his body tell me that we both know it was nowhere near a six. In fact, if kissing were an Olympic event, I’d give him the gold, silver, and bronze.
“Fine, maybe an eight.”
He takes a step toward me, and I take one back.
“I’ll take an eight. It gives me room for improvement.
” His eyes are dark and stormy, and I think my heart is going to beat out of my chest. Why is he doing this?
Everyone else has gone ahead, and no one can see us.
“I’d welcome any constructive criticism for next time. So I can get higher marks.”
“Next time?” My voice is shaky and weak.
“You never know when it might be needed, and I want to be prepared. And now that I think about it—” he takes another step toward me. I retreat, and my back hits the wall. Cooper smiles. “I’d probably only give you a seven.”
My competitive side surfaces. “What? How did I go down? What was wrong with it?” I stand up straighter, as if I’m offended—which I might be.
I haven’t decided yet. I move to leave, but his arm quickly comes up and blocks me.
I try the other side, but his other arm is already there.
I’m bracketed in place as Cooper closes the distance between us even more.
His look has me completely undone. Is he going to kiss me again? Right here? This would most definitely not be for Chase. “Cooper—” my voice is a whisper.
He temporarily freezes in place before his eyes sparkle with delight. “That’s the first time you’ve called me Cooper.” He moves in closer and whispers back. “I like it.”
“No it isn’t.” It totally is. “I’ve called you Cooper before.” I absolutely have not.
“You haven’t. I’ve been paying attention.” He slides an inch closer, leaving very little space between us.
“You’ve been paying attention to what I call you for over a year and a half?”
He slowly nods his head and looks directly at my lips.
“Are you going to kiss me?” My voice is small as I place my hands on his chest.
“Do you want me to?” He’s so, so close. He tilts his head as he lowers his perfect mouth to mine.
I can’t resist this anymore, and I arch up to meet him.