Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 27022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27022 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
It was unlikely, but I shook my fist as if it bothered me that they were winning.
“What’s her favorite song?”
Ryan scribbled quickly, surprising me. There was no way he could know the answer.
I fixed my gaze on the crowd, bracing myself for disappointment.
“Well, Torey, is that right?”
With no choice, I turned to see what he’d written: “Kiss Me.” My favorite song. The one everyone teased me about. “Yep, it’s right.” My voice was stiff, and I ignored the warmth that slid through me at the realization that Ryan knew the answer.
How did he know?
I tried to shake off the shock, but it was impossible with every question he answered correctly. Slowly, the tension floated off my shoulders, and my chilled skin heated. Damn it, I could feel myself softening toward the sexy, infuriating jerk. This was a mistake. I repeated the words to myself every time my body leaned closer to his, every time that dashing smile disarmed me. This was a mistake. I told myself that again when he knew what my dream job was as a kid.
“Firefighting ballerina.”
My heart thudded as I gave a reluctant nod, confirming his answer was right. Again.
It wasn’t hard to answer questions about him, either. We’d grown up together, and his sister was my best friend, so I’d picked up plenty of secondhand information over the years. “Handyman,” I answered when asked who his best friend was, shocking the hell out of him.
“That’s an interesting name,” Mayor Stevens said, squinting as if it were made up.
Ryan opened his mouth, but I smiled and laid a hand on his thigh. “It’s because there’s nothing he can’t fix—from a tank engine to a microwave to a smartphone. He’s a handy guy.” I flashed a satisfied smile at Ryan, letting him know he wasn’t the only one who could play this game.
“She’s absolutely correct. The guy’s a godsend out in the field,” Ryan added with a laugh.
In the end, it wasn’t enough.
“Well, folks, that was an exciting start to our Valentine’s celebration, don’t you think?” The mayor grinned as she announced the first-place finishers—not us. “Perhaps Ryan needs to spend a little more time here in Holiday Grove before he and Torey forget everything about each other.”
The crowd chuckled, and I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Still, I was grateful to Mayor Stevens. Her words were the reminder I needed—not that Ryan’s this was a mistake speech wasn’t enough—to remember this wasn’t real. It was fake.
Even the sex, the really amazing sex, was fake.
Faker than a night in with me and my vibrator.
The mayor finished her remarks, and I maintained my bland smile as I congratulated the winners, who received a gift certificate to Mistletoe Pizza.
I loved that place. Dammit, it would have been nice if we had won that gift card.
With the prize handed out, there was nothing else to do but get the hell out of dodge before I broke down—or worse, snapped. My legs moved quickly, but I felt him behind me, his presence big and hovering, his long strides easily keeping pace.
“Torey.”
I shook my head and walked faster, though I knew I couldn’t outrun him. His legs were longer, stronger. Still, I tried.
“Torey,” he called again, this time punctuating the request by placing a firm hand on my shoulder.
I shook off his touch and turned to face him, my expression carefully blank. “Yes?”
His shoulders sagged. “Can we go somewhere?”
I opened my mouth to tell him absolutely not, but we were interrupted by my best friend and her new love. “Hey, guys!” Nix practically bounced on her toes. “Are you going out for drinks with the other couples?” Hope swam in her eyes, but this time, it had no sway over me.
“No,” I answered easily.
“Yep,” Ryan said at the same time.
Nix frowned. Lee smirked.
“You guys go ahead, I have some work to do.” It wasn’t exactly a lie—there was always something that needed doing.
Ryan wrapped an arm around me, and my body betrayed me by leaning into his warmth. “Come on, babe. One drink, and I’ll make sure you’re tucked into bed afterward.”
“Whatever.” I shook off his touch again and stalked toward Ol’ St. Nick’s Pub.
Ryan caught up quickly. “Can we talk afterwards?”
“There’s nothing to talk about,” I said, my voice falsely bright. “Let’s get this over with.”
Chapter 10
Ryan
Iwas a fucking idiot. First, for telling Torey that the most mind-blowing sex of my life was a mistake. And second, for saying it while we were both still naked and catching our breath. I made so many mistakes in that single moment—mistakes I couldn’t undo, no matter how much I wanted to.
Torey was visibly pissed at me, and anyone watching would know we weren’t a real couple. She hadn’t said a word since we left the park, and now we were sitting in a booth at the back of Ol’ St. Nick’s Pub. She barely acknowledged I existed.