Page 42 of Dopplebanger

She studied me, the same way she had the morning at the coffee shop right before she kissed me. This time when she wrapped her hand around my biceps and tipped onto her toes, Iknew what was coming, and it made that moment our lips finally touched that much sweeter.

Unlike that morning, I kept this kiss on the chaste side—the part about not wanting her dad to kill me was at least true, and I hadn’t magically won him over today. Thank goodness we were staying at the hotel where the wedding was taking place tonight.

If only that didn’t also mean I needed another shitty excuse for why I couldn’t have sex with her.Guess I’ll worry about thatafterI get us through the wedding.

Gwen’s eyes held mine as she pulled away, but instead of reassured, she appeared more confused, a crinkle forming between her eyebrows. Then her features smoothed. “Bye, Mom. Dad.”

“Give Madison and Kade our best.”

“You could swing by. It’s only a forty-five-minute drive to the resort.”

Her mom waved a hand through the air. “Ah, we’ll just send a gift later. The drive’s farther than we like to go, and that place is far too fancy for the likes of us. Too many people, too much excitement. We’re too old for all that stuff.”

“Okay, well… we have to leave early tomorrow to make the trip home in one day, so...” Gwen blinked away the moisture glistening her eyes and gave her parents giant hugs. I stuck to handshakes and her dad stuck to intimidation tactics, squeezing it hard enough for my bones to protest.

I extended my elbow to Gwen, and after giving it a funny look, she looped her hand through it. She called out one last goodbye before we stepped outside, and at the car, I opened the passenger door for her.

“I didn’t realize you were such a gentleman,” she said.

My gaze lingered on the way that dress hugged her ass, and I couldn’t stop imagining smoothing my hands up her legs,tugging up the skirt, and touching her until she was panting and writhing against me.

I wanted to know how wet I could get her, how long it’d take to make her beg for release. Lust flooded my senses, trying to wash away the grip I had on my self-control, and before I could stop myself, I said, “Considering all the dirty thoughts that dress is giving me, I’m definitely not.”

This felt right. Driving in the car, my girl next to me.

Only not my car.

My lungs tightened at the next slicing thought…Not my girl.

I’d slipped and flirted with her—hell, more than flirted. I’d come on to her. I was sending so many confusing signals I might as well be a broken stoplight. Even as the red flashed to try to stop me, I was all green, all the time.

The ride to the resort was quiet. Too quiet, especially for Gwen, with nothing but the occasional “turn here”, “right at the next street.”

We checked in at the front desk, the bellhop took our luggage to be delivered to our rooms, and then we drove around to the other side of the resort where the ceremony was being held.

“This is it,” she said, and the nervousness that’d been in her expression earlier crept back in.

I reached across the console and folded her hand in mine. “I’m right here.”

“Are you?” she asked, her big hazel eyes turning to me, and the words lanced my heart.

Three or four seconds ground out in the air as I tried to figure out what to say. How to explain. Once again, I debated comingclean, but right now, when she was already nervous and needed me by her side?

At the ten or so second mark, she withdrew her hand and pushed out of the car. Through the windshield, I saw her smooth down her dress and then lift her chin, determination setting in.

She’d leave my dumbass here if she had to, and while she should, I couldn’t let her. At the beginning of this whole ruse, I never would’ve guessed how strongly the guilt would eat at me, gnawing until I didn’t think there’d be anything left to rip apart.

If I didn’t care so much about her…

But I did, and the repercussions of how long this had gone on sent another caustic wave of agony and regret through me. It killed me that I wouldn’t be the guy there for her in the long run, and for the first time in my life, I was sure that was what I wanted. Gwen by my side for real. Talking and laughing, and saying my actual name.

But since I didn’t have a genie to grant me a big enough wish to send me back in time for a do-over—one where there weren’t lies between us and I met her before my brother ever did—I exited the Camaro and rushed to catch up to the redhead who had both my head and heart in a tangled knot.

At my approach, she cast me the quickest, most emotionless glance ever.

“Gwen, I’m here. I’m sorry. My mind’s just…” I raked a hand through my hair. “It’s a bit of a mess.”

“Well, not to sound like a selfish bitch, but it’s my turn to be a mess. And I know, I’m a mess a lot of the time, but usually not an emotional wreck of one, and this is going to be hard, and if you’re going to add to the rollercoaster…” She huffed out a frustrated exhale. “I made it clear I don’t like rollercoaster rides, right?”

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