Page 38 of Fake Out Hearts

“You’re patient, you’re one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, and you know your shit. What else would anyone need in a teacher?”

He ticks the reasons off on his finger as he lists them, and I chuckle. “I should get you to write my resume for me.”

“Happy to do it.” His green eyes dance with amusement. “Besides being a fake husband, I make an excellent hype man.”

I can’t help but laugh, nudging him with my shoulder. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

He bumps my shoulder back, then glances down at the containers on the coffee table. “Are you finished?”

“I think for now, yeah. I wasn’t very hungry, but I’ll eat the rest later.”

“Okay. I’ll put it away for you.”

He rises to his feet as he gathers up our food. I can’t tell if this is something he’d do for any guest in his house, or if he’s going out of his way to welcome me, but I decide it doesn’t matter. It’s sweet, regardless.

“I never would’ve guessed you’re such a gentleman,” I tell him, tilting my head as I look up at him.

He looks even taller than usual as he stands over me, flashing that irresistible grin again. Something I can’t quite read passes across his expression as he shakes his head.

“That’s probably because I’m not always a gentleman,” he says, his voice dropping a little.

What does that mean?

I can’t tell if he’s flirting with me or referring to his bad boy reputation, but my face flushes, and heat rushes through my entire body as memories of our first night together race through my mind.

You shouldn’t be thinking about that right now, I scold myself.

But Theo is still staring at me, making my heart pound even harder, and a little voice in the back of my head screams at me to break our gaze. I know I should, but I still can’t bring myself to do it.

Then Theo abruptly steps around the couch and heads to the kitchen, giving me a chance to catch my breath.

“I’m, uh, going to go wash up,” I say and push myself off the couch where I’m currently melting.

“There’s a second bathroom in the same hall by your room,” he calls after me as I pass him, so I hurry down the hall, hoping he can’t see the redness I know is all over my face. I make it to the bathroom and close and lock the door behind me before throwing on the faucet like it’ll cover the sound of my hammering heart.

Remember the rules.

Chapter 13

Theo

I pad downstairs the next morning in my boxers without thinking. I’m so used to living alone that it doesn’t even occur to me that it’s bad idea—until I get to the bottom of the stairs and find Becca in the living room doing yoga.

She’s standing on a rubber mat with her back to me, deep into a lunging leg stretch with her arms raised over her head, and I know I shouldn’t watch, but I’m frozen. I’m lucky she didn’t hear or see me coming down the stairs, but I don’t want to risk making any noise on my way back up to alert her that I was ever there.

And I can’t bring myself to peel my eyes away.

She’s wearing a skin-tight workout uniform that’s powder blue, just like the ring I bought her, and the definition of her dancer’s frame beneath the thin fabric does something to me. I’ve already seen and experienced her entire body, so it’s not like it should be a surprise, but seeing her muscles flex through the cutout hole in the back of her top makes my breath catch in my throat.

My cock twitches, a flash of heat rushing through me. But we already agreed we weren’t going to do that anymore, so I need to nip this in the bud.

I clear my throat loudly enough that she’ll hear, and she jumps a little. Her head spins around to find me, and although she’s blushing a bit, she smiles. “Sorry. I hope I’m not in the way.”

“Of course not. This is your space too, remember?” I say as I leave the stairs and head into the kitchen. Her eyes follow me, and I remember that I’m not wearing anything other than my boxers, which probably isn’t helping her stay focused either.

“Uh, sorry.” I gesture to myself. “I guess I’m not used to having a roommate yet myself. I won’t make this a habit.”

Becca laughs and shrugs. “It’s your house, you can wear whatever you want or don’t want.” I shoot her a look, and the gorgeous blush on her cheeks deepens. “Okay, okay, within reason, obviously.”

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