Page 73 of Nothing to Deny

“You have to trust your gut,” Freya said.

“Miss Dere?” Her attention was drawn to an approaching attendant. “We’re boarding first class; would you like us to take your carry on aboard?”

“Yes, please,” she said, keeping one of Holly’s hands. “So…” All expectation landed on her cousin. “What do you want to do?”

TWENTY-TWO

THE FLIGHT WAS uneventful. Rather than sit with their dates, the women sat together.At Holly’s request, Baer used the time to prep his colleague. Her point was fair, Baer knew the kind of things a man had to know about his date and what could slide by unknown. A boyfriend didn’t know every single thing about his girlfriend. It was possible to be too prepared. Some things should elude him.

After disembarking, their bags were put into the waiting limo and then they were on the road.

“This is some way to live, Royal,” Donoghue said, pouring champagne into flutes first for the women, then for himself and Baer.

“It’s the way Truman wants Frey to live,” Holly said, gesturing around the cabin. “No way I could afford any of this.” After sipping her champagne, she laughed. “Why do you think I stick so close to wonderful Freya?”

Holly raised the flute at her and Donoghue copied. Freya could only muster a polite half smile. She didn’t even bother to drink any champagne and instead put it on the shelf above the fridge. Baer did the same then slouched at her side. Credit where it was due, Donoghue was doing his best to distract Holly from the hiccup of losing her intended fake boyfriend.

“I’m sorry,” Baer mumbled by her ear.

Having been fixated on deciphering how convincing a couple Holly and Donoghue made, her own date managed to sneak up on her. She wasn’t sorry to find him only a couple of inches away. Shewassorry to see the apology in his gaze.

“No,” she said, spreading her fingers on his thigh. “I’m stressed about this stupid trip. A family vacation is my idea of a nightmare and with everything else…”

“Squires fucking up your fake love lives—”

“Hey,” she said, twisting further around, digging her nails into his thigh. “You’re about the only person in the world keeping me sane right now. This isn’t fake…” Not that she was ready for his agreement or rejection. Her attention descended to her caress. “That’s probably against your golden rule.”

“My golden rule?”

Her hand rose to his cheek. “Falling for a man paid to appear in love. I said the day we met you had to be good at faking it to do this job.”

“I don’t fake anything with you. I’m sorry for being insensitive.”

“You don’t do this job to have women fall helplessly for you. I know why you do it. I understand that.”

“Everything was fine when I left you the other night,” he said. “You were smiling… I thought I made you happy.”

“You do make me happy… That day was probably the best of my life.”

“You don’t look happy today.” He caught her hand to press his mouth to her palm. “Talk to me, Lil’.”

“I just… I guess it made me aware of what I can’t have,” she said, watching him kiss her fingertips.

“You have me, babe,” he said, mesmerized by her skin. “God, I don’t think I could fall any harder.”

The point of him coming was for them to get to know each other. They weren’t supposed to be so entangled already, though she couldn’t regret it. Finding a man to adore, who adored her in return, wasn’t a negative. She knew better than to be pessimistic. Losing her parents young taught her the virtue of appreciating what was right in front of her. Right now, that was Baer. Thoseshe loved could be ripped away at any moment. The idea of losing Baer was so sickening that she chased it away fast.

Linking their fingers, she brought their joined hands to her lap. “I didn’t want to use Squires. I was reluctant… scared.” This wasn’t news, he’d been there. “It’s not the kind of thing I’d ever have thought of myself. Holly’s colleague put her in touch with the agency… I didn’t think I was, but… It turns out I am a woman who uses escorts.”

“No,” he said, strengthening his hold on her hand while using the other to sweep her hair from her face. “Don’t think of me like that, of us like that. If it’s upsetting you, I’ll call Conrad and cancel—”

“No…” Shaking her head, she sat straighter. “I don’t think of us like that.”

And she couldn’t do it to Holly. After bringing the guys all the way there, it would be killer to send them back and leave Holly empty-handed. Pasting on a smile, she pushed aside her misgivings.

“If it’s jealousy, other women don’t—”

“No,” she said, cutting him off again and widening her smile. “Can we just forget I was snappy today and go back to adoring each other?”

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