Page 44 of Nothing to No One

SIXTEEN

UNFORTUNATELY, SHE DIDN’T see Struan. Not after dinner or the next day at work. Withdrawal made her twitchy. His lure tempted her in like a siren to the shore. Going without him wasn’t part of the deal. Maybe she should’ve been more explicit about that. Except she hadn’t known how hard it would be to be without him until enduring the anguish.

Oh, and guess what lay ahead that night? Another date with Roman. Yep, another one!

Okay, maybe if she’d thought about it, she’d have figured being fake engaged meant going out on dates with the pseudo fiancé. But every night? Seriously? Every single night? No reprieve? None at all?

The dressing up and fancy perfumes might mean a little more if she were looking forward to the evening ahead. That night it was some kind of industry party, she didn’t know more than that. Mieux recited details, but she hadn’t been listening. It truly didn’t matter.

She put on the clothes, the jewels, the plastic smile, and would follow through on her promise. Whey put it the right way. Industry standard doesn’t matter. A man has integrity or he doesn’t. That went forwoman too.

Pep talk, come on. Another night with Roman. She could do this, smile, listen, react appropriately. Note that: appropriately, not honestly.

Though it hadn’t been the point of the exercise, living as Roman’s other half was a crash course in Hollywood etiquette. The truth, not the façade. A valuable education she likelywouldn’t have got any other way, not so quickly. By the end of the week, she’d be a pro.

Descending the stairs to the foyer, her new heels hadn’t been broken in and pinched at the back of her ankle. Hopefully this would be a fun night that wouldn’t involve much standing around. These patent leather beauties were at least an inch or two higher than she’d worn thus far. Suppose it was something that the shoes gave her a focus beyond the man she desperately wanted to ignore.

Alone, again, she opened the large front door, went outside, and stopped. The limo was parked in the same position as the previous night. Except this time there was a man next to it. Not the driver, nor the man she expected.

“You’re not Roman,” she said to her addiction.

He exhaled a laugh. “That a problem?”

The smirk on his face betrayed he already knew the answer.

Glee was instant. And the pain in her foot? Forgotten in a heartbeat.

Hurrying to him, just like that, her attitude flipped and excitement for date night flourished.

“Get down here.”

With a quick tug on his lapel, she forced him to stoop and kiss her.

Quick to withdraw, he showed more control than she could boast. “Better keep me cool or we’ll be going upstairs not out.”

She’d be okay with that. Too forward? After all the effort she’d put into getting ready—who was she kidding? She’d strip naked for him in a heartbeat. Right there in the driveway if he demanded it. Oh, she wished he’d demand it.

He opened the car door and with the union of their hands, helped her into it.

“This is a treat,” she said as he joined her and they got underway. “Are you my reward for good behavior?” He smiled, but the discomfort behind it, behind the amiable, polite expression, dulled her excitement. “This isn’t for me. This is for him.”

“I’m here because I want to be.”

“What did Roman do? Is he drunk? High? Off somewhere wreaking havoc?”

Specifics may be vague, but it wasn’t exactly a leap to picture Roman being a selfish thrill seeker. Was he out there cheating on her? Not her, her, the construct of her, of them. Not something she should focus too heavily on while her own hand rested so high on his brother’s thigh.

“I want to be here,” he said again, and scooped up her hand to kiss her knuckles. “For the first time, a night of playing my brother isn’t such a bad prospect. Maybe the second time.”

His next smile reminded him, reminded her, of the night they met.

“I don’t care about him. I care about you. If he’s out there being an idiot, or on twenty-four-hour watch so he doesn’t choke on his own vomit, it affects you. You’re who I care about.”

“Do you know about tonight?” he asked, apparently eager to change the subject or, at least, not dwell on his twin’s position. “Where we’re going?”

Was it to save his own sanity? Roman’s behavior had to be laborious in its repetition. Given he’d dealt with it his whole life, Struan could just be over it, or was he genuinely concerned and in need of a distraction?

“No.After Chic put my clothes out for the week, I stopped asking. Figure as long as there’s no stripping or karaoke involved, I can handle most anything.”

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