Page 52 of An Eye For Illusion

“It’s okay, Heather. I got this. Thank you for letting me know,” I say as I open the door and come face to face with the man who has consumed so many of my thoughts lately.

However, it isn’t the one I hoped to see.

I’m not blissfully unaware of how disappointed I am to see Elliott sitting behind my desk with his shoes propped on it like he owns the place. My mood takes a noticeable nosedive right into the shitter.

“What are you doing here?” I ask as I walk into my office. The first thing I do is push his feet off my desk as I round it to stand next to him.

He smiles like I should be the happiest woman in the world to see him, and I’m reminded of the role I’m supposed to play here.

Put a smile on your face and fake happiness at seeing your fiancé.

I shake my head slightly to rid myself of the disappointment Colin isn’t the one sitting in my chair looking sinfully handsome so I can focus on the man who’s actually there instead. One I desperately want removed from my life.

“Is that any way to greet the man you’re going to marry?” he asks playfully. His eyes roam my body openly, and an uncomfortable shiver worms its way up my spine.

I force a smile and sigh like I’m frustrated at something other than him. “I’m so sorry. Getting in here this morning was rough. You caught me before I had the chance to shake off my bad mood.”

I lean over to give him a quick peck on his cheek, but he takes it as an invitation for more. He grabs my hips and pulls me toward him so quickly that I lose my footing, and my ass lands perfectly in his lap.

He leans forward again to capture my lips with his. I try to relax and lean into his touch, but all I can think about is how different his hands and mouth feel from the man who’s haunted my dreams lately. Elliott’s touch feels wrong and foreign.

I choke out a broken cough when I realize just how much I welcomed Colin’s touch. A man I barely know versus the man whose lap I’m currently occupying. A man I’ve known my entire life.

It’s a stark contrast.

I pull away before pushing up from his lap to create some distance between us. I want to run to my private bathroom to wipe my mouth clean of his saliva and his taste, but I can’t. I stand still as a statue waiting for him to explain why he’s here. I’m scared if I move, my hands will go to my mouth to rid my lips of him.

“I thought we could get some of the wedding planning done today, babe. You haven’t done much, and the big day is right around the corner.” He says it so nonchalantly that my stomach pitches. It doesn’t go unnoticed that he’s back to using nicknames.

That’s the last fucking thing I want to do today… or ever.

“Oh, my schedule is packed today,” I lie. I need to find a way out of this because there’s no way in hell I want to spend my day picking out napkins, cake, or flowers with Elliott.

There won’t be a wedding if I can help it.

“I already checked with Heather. It sounds like you don’t have anything on your schedule that can’t wait another day or two. Come on, honey. Aren’t most woman giddy to plan their weddings? I’m starting to think you don’t want to marry me.” There is a sharpness in his gaze that cuts as if he’s daring me to argue.

“You know that isn’t true. I’ve just been so busy with work…” I let my flaky excuse trail off.

“I know, which is why I’ve come to help you. I have everything set up with the vendors, which cost a pretty penny since you’ve left all this so last minute. There’s only a little over a month left, darling. We have no time to waste, and I want this day to be special for you.”

His words make me queasy. I almost swallow my tongue at the image that suddenly pops in my head of me walking down the aisle toward Elliott waiting at the end. However, if my plan is to work, I need to go along with this. Maybe he’ll even slip up and reveal information I can use to get out of this dreaded arrangement.

I close my eyes, and suddenly, the image is replaced with Colin. His smile is big, and his eyes are full of love and joy. My heart pounds in my chest as I make my way down the aisle toward him. I’m so eager I can barely stand to slow my steps to match the beat of the music playing.

My eyes pop open, and the image dissipates as quickly as it appeared.

I feel strange. Instead of dreading the famous walk down the aisle, I was giddy and excited for one brief moment.

What in the world is wrong with me?

I reach up to touch my forehead, half expecting it to be burning up with a fever because that’s the only reasonable explanation why I’d be happy to be marry Colin fucking Brooks.

I’m so caught up in my delusion that I miss Elliott getting up from the chair. I don’t register the fact that he gently wrapped his hand around my upper arm and is pulling me toward my office door.

I’ve wasted all the time I had to protest because my mind decided this was the moment to have a full-blown break with reality.

Why would I want to marry a man I despise?

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