Page 22 of A Montana Fake Marriage

“Yeah.” He fought the instinct to give in to the feelings that immediately started swirling within him. Her soft form felt so good in his arms. She smelled absolutely divine.

This was what he wanted.

Her. He wanted her.

In this moment, he could admit that he wished it was real.

CHAPTER EIGHT

His arm pressed tighterinto the small of Sammie’s back. Her breath shuddered as she glanced up at him through her lashes.

For one miniscule second, she’d thought that something had changed—that Caleb had wanted her, that he’d wantedmore. Every moment of the last few days had been wrought with confusion, and all because of one incident she couldn’t stop thinking about.

The water fight in the barn.

She didn’t know when it had happened exactly, but her feelings for him had grown. They’d slithered and kept hidden, adding more and more affection for him in her heart until they suddenly made their appearance.

It was just her luck, too.

She rested her cheek against his chest as they danced, hating how her life had a tendency to turn out this way. How many times had she thought everything was going to turn out the way she wanted it to, only for the rug to be pulled out from under her.

Hadn’t she wanted this? Sammie had been relieved to have Caleb’s help without any concerns that they’d grow too attached to one another. She had thought she could handle spending a year hanging out with her best friend and end up with everything she wanted.

Only now, she wasn’t sure what that was anymore.

She could feel his heart beating beneath his chest. Every inch of her body that he touched, hummed with electricity. Those quiet sparks of realization, of knowing just how wonderful he was—they’d expanded to the point where she couldn’t hide them away any longer. They were too bright, too noticeable.

All she could feel now was utter confusion and a deep-seated ache.

Her thoughts turned back to that water fight, and all the other times when Caleb had looked at her like he truly cared for her. Those moments always ended and faded away, reminding her that this was a marriage of convenience—for both of them. That was all.

Caleb said himself he wasn’t interested in getting married and settling down yet. He didn’t want to have to worry about taking on that role.

But he was so dang good at pretending.

She sighed, her disappointment slicing through her, cold and sharp just like the water from that hose. Caleb was sticking to the plan. She should be grateful for that.

And yet the disappointment lingered, no matter how many times she tried to remind herself that she was being ridiculous.

Stick to the plan, she admonished.You’ve already handled a few months, you can handle the rest.

The music faded away, and she became very aware of the fact that they’d been the only ones to dance. Cheers erupted from his family, and she flushed. But it wasn’t until someone in the group started chanting, “Kiss. Kiss. Kiss,” that her whole body locked up.

Sammie’s first instinct was to look to the group in search of who thought it would be funny to say such a thing, but Caleb captured her chin and lifted it.

His eyes scooped her up into their depths, full of emotions she couldn’t read. Was it pain? Frustration? Exhaustion from having to keep up this charade?

That niggling self-doubt creeped in. It had gotten worse since her mother’s death, which was probably why she’d avoided dating for the last year. She wanted to tell him he didn’t have to. He shouldn’t have to put on a show for her account. He was already doing far too much.

But she couldn’t.

He’d trapped her with that gaze, pinned her to a place in her mind where she wasn’t even sure she wanted to escape.

No, she didn’t feel trapped. Here, in Caleb’s arms, she felt safe.

Sammie leaned into him, whether by necessity or desire, she couldn’t be certain. She hoped he read it in her eyes—that she wanted this. She wanted it to be real.

Her eyes closed when he dipped closer. Heart pounding, muscles aching, she waited for the contact to come with lips parted.

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