Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98321 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 492(@200wpm)___ 393(@250wpm)___ 328(@300wpm)
“So what was that kiss out there?”
The roses in my cheeks deepened their hue, but I turned to face her, meeting her eyes. That kiss. That kiss. That kiss. “That was for show.”
“Looked real to me.”
“That’s because I’m a good actress. Let’s get back to the table.” Shouldering past her, I pushed open the door, and she followed close on my heels.
“You know, you’re really not that good an actress,” she said, her tone amused. “Just saying.”
I was about to argue with her when Enzo looked up from the table, and our eyes locked. My stomach went weightless, and I nearly tripped over my feet. Damn, that asshole was gorgeous. I had to admit, it really wasn’t hard to fake an attraction to him.
But it was fake.
Wasn’t it?
“What the hell was that?” Enzo exploded as soon as we were alone in his car.
“That was our engagement dinner. I thought it went well, by the way,” I said, buckling my seatbelt.
“I meant that kiss. What the fuck was up with that?” He started the engine, glaring at me in the dark.
I shrugged, while inside all I could think was, That kiss. That kiss. That kiss. “Kissing is something a real couple would do at their engagement dinner, don’t you think? I was trying to be authentic.”
He backed out of the parking spot and swerved out of the lot. His right hand was gripping the steering wheel tightly. His left hand was clenched into a fist in his lap. “You were the one who said no kissing allowed, and I agreed.”
“Sorry,” I said with a shrug. “I didn’t realize it would bother you so much.”
“It’s not that it bothered me. I was just . . . unprepared. I think we need to agree on that stuff ahead of time.”
Amused by how rattled he was—at least I wasn’t alone—I looked over at him. “Enzo, if we’re going to fake being in love, we’re going to have to do things couples in love do when we’re in front of other people. It’s part of the act. I mean, we’re going to have to kiss at the ceremony, right?”
“That’s different,” he argued. “That’s expected. This was unexpected. And it threw me.”
“Okay, okay. Sheesh.” I reached over and poked his leg. “I’ll give you a warning next time, how’s that?”
“I don’t need a warning, Bianca. Now that I know that kissing is approved, I’ll be fine.” He glanced at me sideways. “I didn’t realize you’d have such a hard time controlling yourself around me.”
My jaw dropped. “I don’t have a hard time controlling myself around you, Enzo. I told you, I was playing the game.”
“Right,” he said knowingly. “The game.”
I felt my hackles go up like a kite. “Speaking of unapproved moves, what was all that BS about me crying tears of joy when you proposed?”
He shrugged. “That’s what girls are supposed to do when they’re happy, isn’t it? I was just trying to be authentic,” he said, tossing my words back at me.
“You weren’t being authentic, you were being obnoxious. My prickly surface?”
“Listen, you weren’t any better, telling them I begged you to be my wife.” He made a noise from the back of his throat. “Please. I’ve never begged a woman to do anything in my life.”
“That was before. Now that you’re in love with me, everything is different. You definitely begged.”
He muttered something I didn’t quite catch, but I’m pretty sure it involved me, where I could go, and what I could do with myself when I got there.
“Listen, let’s not fight,” I said. “We’ve got issues to deal with. Do you think your dad can really get the judge to give us a wedding date by the end of the week?”
“Probably. My dad can be very persuasive.” He glanced over at me. “So we should be prepared to move fast.”
“Okay.”
He must have heard the slight quiver in my voice. “If you’re going to back out, Bianca, do it now. Last chance.”
Shaking my head, I sat up taller in his front seat. “If you’re still in, I’m still in.”
“I’m still in. We should talk about where we’re going to live,” Enzo said. “My place or yours.”
“Oh yeah. I guess one of us has to move, huh?”
Enzo laughed. “Uh, yes. I don’t think it would be too convincing if we lived separately.”
I thought for a moment about my nine-hundred-square foot condo and his three-bedroom house, which wasn’t huge, but definitely offered more space than my place. “Your place is bigger. I suppose it makes more sense. But I hate to give up my condo . . . eventually I’m going to need it back.”
“So keep it,” he said. “Let JJ live there.”
I winced at the thought. “I guess. But I’ll have to kick him out when I need to move back in. I don’t want to live with him or be stuck with nowhere to go.”