Page 46 of Faking Romance

I swallow as I look around, my eyes landing on the most enormous bed I’ve ever seen.

“W-what kind of bed is that?” I whisper as I step up to look at the wooden headboard with metal designs on it.

“Alaska king,” Gray says as if the answer is obvious. I glance at him. He’s already unpacking and shoving some things in a drawer as if nothing about the opulence of this place impresses him in the least.

“Gray?” I ask as I unzip my bag but keep my eyes on him. He looks over at me.

“Yes?”

“Uh.” I pause as I look around the room. No sofa, just two chairs by a fireplace and this enormous bed.

“I’ll sleep on the floor if that’s the issue,” he mutters and walks into the bathroom holding what I suppose is his toiletry bag. What’s got him so grumpy? I’m here, aren’t I? I could be finishing things at the bookstore tonight, but nope, I agreed to spend the evening with Mr. Charming. I roll my eyes.

“That’s not the issue,” I state. “That bed is big enough for a family of five. We can both sleep in it and have our own zip code areas.”

He walks back out and places his bag on a small chest. “Then what’s wrong?”

I want to tell him that I think we should have rules about touching because if we do anything more than kissing like we did the other night, then I’m a goner and my heart might as well be put in a vise and squished until nothing is left of it.

I look around again. “Do you think we can use the hot tub later?” I ask instead of telling him we shouldn’t touch, ever again because I might combust.

“I don’t see why not,” he says with a shrug.

I nod.

I place my things in the closet which is essentially a small room.

“You ready?” Gray asks from behind me.

“Yes,” I reply, but before I can turn, I feel his heat against my back and his long arm reaches out and grabs a cardigan from a hanger. Holding it out for me, I slowly place each arm into the sleeves, and he pulls it taut around me.

With his arms encasing me, he whispers against the shell of my ear. “Don’t want my wifey to be cold down by the water.”

I feel goose bumps dot my arms and I clear my throat, desperately trying to be unaffected.

“Right,” I manage.

He steps back and I feel my body sway toward his before I catch myself. Jesus, I need to get laid. I haven’t gone on any dates since my ex and I broke up. Isla keeps trying to set me up with people, but I just haven’t felt like dating yet. But being around Gray is making me consider the possibility that maybe I am ready to date…just date, no serious relationships yet. My heart couldn’t take being broken again so soon.

“You coming?” Gray asks.

I nod, and as I follow him out, I take a photo of the giant bed and post it to the bookstore’s social media with the tagline, “single-bed trope.” Good thing every who knows me thinks I’m just doing a bit for my social media, otherwise these posts would be starting to cause even more issues.

I scurry down the stairs after Gray, whose long legs take leisurely strides as we walk through the house. My breath hitches at the giant living room with its two-story stone fireplace. And then I turn to see my dream kitchen. Haven is standing there organizing a tray of food.

“Oh, hey, perfect timing. Gray, could you help me carry these down,” she asks as she points to a second platter of wings and some kind of fried something.

“Sure thing,” he replies as he lifts the tray in one hand and grabs the second tray as if they weigh nothing.

“I can carry one,” Haven insists.

“No worries. I got them. Lead the way,” Gray states as Haven opens a sliding door and Gray walks out onto a deck and then down a few stairs to the lakefront. I follow them, feeling a little useless. The temperature drops as we reach the water, but the bar along the side of the boathouse has space heaters, which helps a little.

A man and woman are sitting at the U-shaped bar and Pierce is at the grill.

“Hey, welcome,” Pierce says as he puts down some tongs and comes around the bar to kiss me on the cheek and shake Gray’s hand.

“Thanks for having us,” I reply.

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