Page 66 of Playing Pretend

I scowl. “For what?”

She keeps her gaze on me, waiting, as if I should already know the answer.

“I’m sorry, Pip, but you’re going to have to clarify. I’m clueless here.”

She turns away. “He stayed with me to get to you.”

I flinch.

“He told me right to my face,” she murmurs. “He made it painfully clear I endured eight months of demoralizing sex and faked orgasms for a relationship that was never about me.”

“Then what the fuck did he want fromme?”

“The Bellefont contract.”

“Fuck.” I clench my teeth through my disgust, my gut heavy with guilt. “I’m sorry. That’s—”

“Horrible.” She hugs her arms around her waist. “Yeah, I know. But it’s not your fault. I’m the idiot who had absolutely no clue.”

I want to go to her, to touch, to soothe, to fucking fix the mess I feel responsible for. Instead, I keep myself rooted in place, vowing not to make this worse by throwing my addiction to her proximity into the mix. “What can I do?”

She turns to me, her lips slowly curving in a half-hearted smile. “Maybe grant me a day to myself… No challenge… No fake boyfriend antics. Just relaxation. All on my own.”

I scoff. “You’re seriously using this as leverage to get out of your responsibilities?”

“You’re seriously going to deny me after making me divulge that humiliating information?”

Yes. I can’t afford to lose a day. Not when we’re further apart now than we’ve ever been. I’m running out of time.

“Come on, Rome.” She bats her Bambi lashes at me. “I know I’m meant to be proving I can handle whatever you throw at me, but this is my vacation, too. Can’t I have one day?”

I steel my expression, hiding the sharp stab of rejection. “And what will this Rome-free day consist of?”

She shrugs. “I’d like to go for a walk. Maybe schedule a massage. Even sitting at the beach and reading for a few hours would be nice.”

And she can’t do any of that with me?

“Is that okay?” She raises her brows in hope. “After all you’ve put me through, can’t I have one measly day to myself?”

After all I’ve put her through? Does she really look back on our time together as torture?

“You can have the daylight hours,” I concede. “But I’ll ensure you make up for lost time tonight.”

She stands taller. “Meaning?”

“Meaning, I’m not going to let you walk into a generous six-figure position without earning it.”

“In other words, tonight is going to be a nightmare?”

It’s going to be interesting, that’s for sure. “It will be a challenge, but nothing you can’t handle.”

She crosses her arms over her chest, the hem of my T-shirt riding up her flawless thighs. “I want to know specifics. How badly will I pay for the few hours of peace?”

I retreat, making my way toward the bathroom. I need space before my creative thoughts reach my dick. “I don’t know yet, but the downtime will give me a chance to get inventive.”

“If it involves more kissing or scandalous touching, I’m not going to agree. I’d prefer to endure another day with you instead.”

“Endure?Jesus.” I walk into the bathroom, closing the door behind me to grin at my reflection in the mirror. She’s going to cave. I can feel it. “Stab me through the heart, why don’t you.”

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