Page 53 of Matched with Her Fake Fiance

We’re there for over four hours, and we make it through everyone’s game. Settlers of Cataan takes the longest and Miles seems to enjoy that one. Probably because we won from his strategical suggestion.

“How come you two haven’t kissed at all?” Sami asks as we’re cleaning up for the night. Landon and Rachelle have already taken off because of an early meeting he has to get to in the morning.

I blink a few times, trying to earn me some time before I answer. “What do you mean?”

“Landon and Rachelle have been kissing each other all night. What’s your problem?” Harper says, her arms folded against her chest.

Here comes the panic Miles probably felt when asked to pick a game. My stomach ties itself into knots and I’m doing my best to focus on my sisters’ faces.

“That’s not always a sign of love,” I say. Can I have those words back please?

Mallory leans against the counter. “Are you kidding? Kissing is the second sign of love.”

“What’s the first?” Sami asks, very interested in this conversation.

“Holding hands and hugging.”

Sami nods. “Well, they’ve been holding hands all night.”

Leave it to my sisters to analyze every movement. They’d probably make good reporters one day.

Harper turns back to me, her gaze bouncing between me and Miles. “I think they should kiss. I mean, you are engaged and everything.”

Warning bells go off in my brain. Why do my sisters have to be so weird about stuff like this?

We’d talked about unnecessary PDA, and this seems to fit into the necessary category to keep up the act of our fake relationship. But what if he thinks I’m a bad kisser? Maybe that’s why Clay and Cameron decided to move on with their lives.

I also had some of the delicious shrimp and cream cheese concoction my mother made, not thinking kissing was in my future. There’s no acceptable way to smell my breath right here and now. And I’m in a flamingo onesie. Obviously, I didn’t think this through.

My thoughts continue to spiral until Miles spins me around, placing a hand on the small of my back to pull me closer to him. He presses his lips to mine, and I go from rigid to completely relaxed.

Dang this guy can kiss! My brain is all fuzzy and the tingly sensation is all the way down to my toes. That sensation when you eat Pop rocks is basically how my lips feel, like I could spark a fire easily. I reach up, placing my hands on either side of his face and almost lose my balance as he deepens the kiss. He tastes sweet, like the chocolate cake I’d made. He’d tried it?

I catch a piece of hair near the nape of his neck and twirl it. It’s going to be hard not to want to kiss this man daily from here on out.

“Okay, okay,” my mother says, bringing me back to reality. “I think that is a good enough display of your love for each other.”

We break apart and laugh, but there’s something in his eyes, like he’s sorry to pull back?

I’m tempted to drag him out of here and find a secluded spot to continue our mini-make-out session.

But that’s against the rules to our relationship.

We’re loaded down with leftovers, and after saying goodbye to my family, Miles does his gentlemanly act and opens the car door for me.

We both sit back and sigh at the same time. This leads to laughing and I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy.

“Thank you,” Miles says. His eyes are soft and although he looks tired, his smile isn’t.

“For what? Introducing you to the reason I’m so crazy?” I say, pointing toward the house.

He shakes his head. “You’re not crazy. You just have a great relationship with your mom and siblings.”

It’s then I realize I still don’t know much about his family. “Did you play many games growing up?”

He turns to start the car and I wonder if this conversation is over.

“I remember having Chutes and Ladders, but it was to help me learn to count as a young kid.”

---