Page 46 of Love You, Mean It

“What didthatmean?” Theo asked. “She’s still fucking with us, right?”

“She just loves messing with people,” I said. “It’s her thing.”

But it wasn’t, and we both knew it. Which begged the question…What did she think we were fooling ourselves about?

The wine bar was surprisingly pleasant, so much so that I almost forgot we were there to “sell it” to the staff—all fixtures of Milborough’s social scene—and the customers, apparently important in Theo’s circles. Whenever a familiar face would appear, he’d take my hands in his, leaning in to whisper who the couple watching us from the back booth was, or urging me to smile “like I said something naughty. And show off your ring hand, but subtly.” It all felt like some fun secret only the two of us were in on, which I suppose it was…and which must explain the tingly feeling that spread through me each time he’d pull me close, urging both of us to recommit to the parts we were playing.

“That was actually really fun,” I said as Theo pulled up in front of my apartment afterward. “I think we were pretty convincing.”

“Did you see the look on Erin Martinelli’s face? We deserve Oscars.” Theo grinned widely.

“Clearly all that time hanging out with the weird theater kids rubbed off on you.”

“Maritza always was committed to…the Method.” He waggled his eyebrows and I laughed in spite of myself. “Here, I’ll walk you to the door.”

“I’m perfectly capable of making it up a sidewalk by myself, Theo.”

“I know.”

Before I could retort, he was moving around to open my door, arm already out for me. Together, we walked the short path to my building’s entrance. He paused just outside, turning toward me, close enough that I could smell a faint hint of his piny smell. For some reason, I didn’t want to head inside just yet.

“So…what’s next?”

“I was thinking it might be time to broach the topic of Mangia with Ted. I doubt he’ll pull the plug on it right away, but we’ve been doing everything right. My friend Everett just texted to ream me out for not telling him about the engagement. This isworking.”

Theo reached for my left hand, lifting it so the ring caught the light from inside the building. It sparkled mesmerizingly. After a moment, he lifted his gaze to mine, eyes darkened by the night. My heart started thudding heavily, the warmth from his hand shooting through me, swirling around the base of my belly before it traveled lower to settle between my legs. I swallowed hard. Somehow here, away from anyone’s assessing gaze, the residual glow of our mutual deception still flowing through my veins, I couldn’t find a reason to pull my hand away. I drew my lower lip between my teeth, biting down hard in an effort to bring myself back to my senses. This made no sense at all, this was Theo Taylor, and yet…

“What can I say? We make a good team.” My voice was justabove a whisper. Theo lowered my hand but didn’t drop it. I still didn’t pull away.

“You’re not what I expected, Ellie.” His thumb started rubbing absently over the inside of my palm, the soft graze of his skin on mine keeping time with the increasingly insistent pulse of my blood.

“Oh? What did you expect?”

“I’m not sure, but…” He licked his upper lip, drawing my attention to the perfect curves of its bow. “I feel moreopenaround you than I have in a long time. Like…there are possibilities I hadn’t considered before.”

My lips parted slightly. Theo’s eyes dropped to them.

“What sorts of possibilities?” I murmured. I couldn’t tell if he was pulling closer to me or if I was being drawn into his orbit, but suddenly he was nearer, his breath warm on my cheek. My skin felt tingly, more sensitive, warm all over despite the late-winter chill in the air. If he moved his hand even an inch up my arm I felt like I might burst into flame, his touch turning my body incandescent.

“Do I really need to say?” He leaned closer still, voice going husky. “On that note…What would you say to modifying rule two?”

A tidal surge between my legs.

“Modifying it how, exactly?”

A hair’s breadth closer. The outside of his coat grazed my hips, forming a little enclosure around our bodies, looping us into each other.

“It’s important that people believe this is real, right?”

“Now more than ever.”

“And if youweremy fiancée…I probably wouldn’t stop at kissing you here.” He bent to press his lips to the line of my jaw. I tilted my head to the side, sucking in a sharp breath as the pressure of the kiss seemed to take hold of my entire body at once. He moved his mouth an inch lower, catching the curve where my jaw met my neck. “Don’t you think?”

“Definitely not,” I said breathily.

“People might start to wonder.”

“A risk we can’t take.”

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