Page 46 of You, As You Are

She ignored his jab, too. “They’re all definitely trying to get us together.” Saying that combination of words felt far too personal for their level of acquaintance.

“I know,” he said.

Sheep bleated on the other side of the wire fence ten feet to their left.

Maisie blinked. “Youknow?”

“I’ve gotten that feeling too.” Iain’s piercing green eyes inched down to her fingers wrapped around his forearm. Colouring at the realisation, Maisie unlatched her grip on his sleeve.

Clearing her throat, she said, “It makes sense. Think about it: the day we met,Nainmaking me walk back with you and then asking you to help me move out, how they told us the wrong café and were really early today so there were only two seats conveniently left …”Yep, it still sounded as absurd to say out loud as it had done in her mind, and what thoughts came from her chill-touched lips next were just as bizarre. “This isn’t going to stop unless we do something about it. And I don’t thinkNainwill let it go if I tell her thatthis” — Maisie gestured between them — “isn’t going to be a thing. She’s too persistent.”

Glancing first at the pensioners who got further and further away across the pasture, Iain turned himself to her. “Do I want to ask what your plan is? Since you look like you already have one,” he presumed, which is when Maisie began to sweat.

Maybethiswas actually the absurd part.

“Why don’t we … indulge them?”

Iain narrowed an eye. “You mean lie?”

“I mean,” Maisie emphasised, forcing herself to not rattle out her suggestion and run away, “pretend to date like they want us to and then pretend that it’s not working out. It’ll get them off our backs and we could still be friends afterwards.”

The dent between Iain’s eyebrows didn’t budge, and neither did his glower. A nervous laugh began to bubble up in Maisie the longer he was silent, readying herself to run away. He’d probably catch up to her in three seconds simply by walking, but at least it’d get her out of this situation.

That anxious chuckle never got the chance to break.

“How long do you want to do this for?” Iain asked in perfect earnestness.

“You got somewhere else to be?”

“Just wondering how long I’ll have to prepare myself to be the object of your attraction. If I’m not already, that is?”

FlirtyIain wasn’t something Maisie was equipped to deal with. Being perceivedby him was enough to make her lady parts quiver like jelly – it wasn’t for the weak, but she’d never said that she was strong. She scowled at him to take the edge off the feeling sizzling down between her legs.

It didn’t pass Maisie by that he hadn’t disagreed with her plan. “Two weeks.”

“Not long enough,” he said. “We’ll only see the group twice and it won’t be convincing. One month.”

“Seriously?”

Iain shifted his weight, somehow seeming closer as he cocked his head. “Might I remind you that this was your idea.”

“A stupid one.” Honestly, she should never be listened to. “People don’t fake date in real life, only in books.”

“Rich and famous do it all the time.”

“And we are neither of those, unless you’re secretly hiding out here because you’ve run away from your multi-million inheritance.”

Iain scoffed. “It would be multi-billion, but thanks for thinking I could pull that off.” He pivoted and walked away to follow the others, leaving Maisie open-mouthed and narrowing her eyes on his back.

He was back to being infuriating, then?

“Arse,” she uttered loud enough for him to hear.

“Now? Or do you want to wait for when your granny’s around?” he called over his shoulder, Ted trotting at his side. From a completely objective view, Iain looked incredibly good surrounded by hills and trees with sunlight reflecting in his eyes. After a four-mile hike, it wasn’t fair. And neither was the way his trousers hugged his tight, round, rugby-man’s arse.

“Idiot.”

Iain carried on walking, which only left her behind.

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