Page 57 of Perfectly Faked

I don’t know if it’s the warmth of her fingers or the fact that I’ve spent the last few years trying to forget how it feels to be close to her, but I can’t turn my thoughts off when she’s touching me like that. “Victoria?—”

“Shh,” she cuts me off, squeezing my shoulders tighter, sending more electricity through my body. “Just skate.”

I obey, pushing off the ice with smooth strokes, but it’s hard to focus with her hands on me. Her fingers grip the curve of my shoulders, and it takes all my effort not to stumble since I’m distracted.

“There,” she says softly. “See? You’re getting it.”

I turn my head slightly, catching a hint of her smile and feeling the pull between us. Before I can think better of it, I grabher hand and spin her, twirling her out and pulling her back in, close enough that her body crashes into mine. I want her as close as possible, even if that means I’m improvising on the spot.

“Leo!” she says, her tone a mix of exasperation and surprise.

“What?” I say innocently. “I thought we were dancing.”

Her eyes narrow, but there’s a flicker of amusement underneath. Not frustration. I’d even say...affection? I stop and slide my hand to the curve of her waist, holding her body against mine like we’re about to practice the tango. Instead of pushing me away, she stays against my chest, unmoving.

“That wasn’t part of the drill,” she whispers, her voice losing its edge.

“Maybe not, but you didn’t fall,” I say with a grin. “Which means I’m getting better, right?”

“You are most definitely getting better... ateverything.” Her lips curve, and for one moment, I’m caught in her wide eyes.

“I see someone took my advice and went out on a date,” Eugene says, a smile playing on his lips as he stands at the edge of the rink. “That moment was very...unexpected. If you can bring that passion to the ice, you’ll be unstoppable.”

“Really?” Victoria asks. “That wasn’t planned.”

“I know,” Eugene says. “Keep practicing, and keep doing... whatever just happened between you now.” Then he turns and walks back to his seat.

Victoria looks up at me, her cheeks tinged pink. “You might be cute,” she says with a grin. “But you’restillinsufferable.”

“Maybe,” I say, tipping up her chin. “But let’s face it. You like that I’m insufferable. That’s why you’re still here.”

For once, she doesn’t have a comeback.

TWENTY-TWO

leo

If someone had told me two weeks ago that Victoria and I would be doing a commercial for Pro Ice Gear, I wouldn’t have believed them. But here I am, meeting Victoria for our first sponsorship deal as a couple. Since she’s coming straight from the kids’ skating lessons she teaches, we agreed to meet at the set—probably for the best since we’ve been spending so much time together.

Surprisingly, ever since we hatched this fake dating plan, Victoria has been following the house rules like a perfect angel, biding her time until her apartment is cleaned up from water damage, which has run into one delay after another. What was supposed to be “just a few days” of her staying has turned into a few weeks. In the meantime, I have to act like her boyfriend while resisting the urge to kiss her again—a challenge that’s taking Titanic-level willpower. At least I won’t have to worry about that today, since all we’re required to do is a photo shoot and commercial showing off their latest clothing line.

When I arrive at the set, I’m handed a stack of clothes and pointed toward the dressing area. As I change, it’s hard not to feel like a mannequin being prepped for a storefront display. The only reason I’m going through with this is to help Victoria get on her feet, because I hate the fuss that comes with representing a label.

Zipping up the jacket, I step out—and freeze. Victoria emerges from her dressing area at the same moment, and my jaw drops. She’s wearing a sports tank top and workout leggings that... well, let’s just say Pro Ice Gear knows what they’re doing.

“Victoria—” I murmur.

She whirls around with a dazzling smile that nearly stops my heart. “Do you think this looks okay?” She nervously fingers her hair which curls softly around her shoulders. “This isn’t too much, is it? Please tell me I’m not overthinking everything.”

I raise my eyebrows. “You’re asking for my opinion?”

“I guess I just need some reassurance,” she admits. “It’s been a while since I’ve had a sponsorship like this. My mom used to handle all the details.”

I pause and take her in. The clothes highlight her athletic form and long legs, leaving me at a loss for words. She looks stunning, and I wish I could pull her into my arms and show her what I’m feeling inside.

She frowns slightly when I hesitate, then looks down at her outfit. “Is something wrong? Should I wear a different shirt instead?”

“No, Victoria, nothing’s wrong. You look...” I pause, the words caught in my throat. “Incredibly beautiful.” I take her hand, the same one that’s nervously fingering her perfect curls. She’s wound tight, but the minute I hold her hand, her shoulders slowly sink and her fingers relax. “The reason I hesitated was because I’m not sure how to compliment you... without it coming out wrong.”

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