Page 15 of Kiss Me if You Can
I’m sure I don’t have a choice. “I want to do whatever I can to make this work for you.” I honestly haven’t dated much over the years, which is becoming increasingly obvious the longer I’m around this woman. In high school, I was the depressed kid who lost both his parents within a year. Then I was a cyber terrorist with a vendetta against anyone and anything under the guise of making the world a better place. As soon as I turned myself around, I poured my heart into my work and haven’t stopped since.
Isla’s hopeful smile makes me want to drop everything to make her happy, and I’ve never felt that way. Sure, I help thousands of people every year as I track down cyber criminals and put a stop to their illegal activities, but I’ve never focused on someone beyond the bounds of a screen. She may have been spitting lies when she told the librarian that I would give her anything she wanted, but it’s starting to feel true.
Isla finishes with my tie, letting her hands rest against my chest. I wrap my arm more securely around her, ignoring the temptation to pull her closer. She’ll be going back to Diamond Springs as soon as her meeting is over, and I have to remind myself that I have too many obligations here to follow her. Not to mention the likelihood of me going to prison once I’m caught. Even if this day hadn’t started as wild as it did, our relationship—if I can call it that—still wouldn’t be able to go anywhere.
“Have you ever been married?” she asks out of the blue.
My chest grows tight beneath her fingers, which are burning me with their heat even through the vest I’m wearing. “No.”
“Me neither. Do you think we can pull this off? I mean, it’s not like being married is the deciding factor in whether or not I get these collaborations, but Emily’s pretty convinced that Biff will only talk business if I’m off the market.”
I hate that phrase,off the market. It cheapens the value of a person and leaves them worth nothing but their marital status. Isla isn’t for sale and never will be, even if a part of me is pretty convinced I would be the first to bid.
I clear my throat before my mind conjures up images of Isla standing in front of a sea of men all hoping to take her home. I’d rather think of her in that fictional wedding dress with eyes only for me.
“I don’t think there’s much we need to say to convince them,” I say with a shrug. I reach up and take her hand as she plays with my tie, tucking my fingers around hers like I’ve done it a million times. “We just have to act like we like each other. Some marriages don’t achieve even that much, so we’ll be ahead of the game. Why did Emily think you have a husband in the first place?”
I don’t miss the way she turns bright red just before she buries her face into my chest to hide. Her embarrassment is palpable as she sinks into me, her whole body leaning into my hold. I’m more than happy to oblige.
“It’s so stupid,” she says, slightly muffled, “but last year I had a huge crush on my brother-in-law’s best friend, and I was convinced we were going to end up together. I hadn’t really started my business yet, so I did a lot of random posts, and I talked about him a lot. I called him my husband because I was so sure he would be.”
Something growls to life inside me, like a little gremlin ready to crawl its way free and go scratch up this mystery man’s face. Apparently my jealousy monster isn’t all that vicious if scratching is the worst it can come up with.
“What happened to your crush?” I ask, even though I shouldn’t.
Isla sighs, long and heavy. “He’s getting married next month. To a woman so perfect for him that I can’t even be mad about it.”
“I think you can be a little mad.” I know I am. What kind of idiot passes on someone like Isla? “So, Emily thinks you have a husband, and we need Biff to think so as well because he is definitely going to be interested in you.”
She scoffs. “I doubt that. He’s a huge fitness guy, and I’m…” She gestures to her missing leg like that explains what she is. Then she giggles. “My sister and her husband are both health junkies, and they’ve tried so hard to get me to work out and put a little muscle on these twigs of mine.” She wiggles her arms even though I’m still holding onto one of her hands. “But I am way more interested in my sewing machine and a pair of scissors than I am in kettlebells and burpees.”
“I don’t even know what those are,” I admit before I can stop myself.
Her little laugh into my chest makes the slight humiliation worth it. But then she speaks. “You are so different from the man I would have picked for myself, Jake.”
Oh. Yeah, that makes sense, and I really shouldn’t be disappointed because we’re not in a relationship to begin with. But I am disappointed, and my mind is scrambling to come up with ways to get me closer to what she might have imagined for herself. I can start going to the gym and lifting weights. Maybe get a phone. Start wearing more suits?
A shudder runs through me. I like Isla, but I’m not sure I like herthatmuch. Besides, I’m more likely to end up in federal prison before the day is out than for Isla to decide she actually wants to be with me.
Clearing my throat, I reach for her crutches leaning against the wall and hold them ready for her. “We need to find some wedding rings,” I tell her, which doesn’t help diminish my fantasies of this somehow becoming real.
“Oh.” She looks at her left hand, which is still pressed up against my chest. “I didn’t even think about that!”
“There was a pawn shop a couple of doors down from here. I’m sure we can find something there.” Though, I wish I had waited to say anything because I like holding her a little too much. As soon as she pulls away and situates herself with her crutches, my fingers are missing the warmth of her body. The fabric of her dress is thin enough that I could feel each curve of her skin as I held her, and my body aches to get her back.
Isla nods and starts leading the way to the checkout, which will get interesting because we’re already wearing everything we’re purchasing. “Good idea. Let’s hope they have something big and gaudy to really make Biff believe I’m taken.” She pauses, looking back at me. “And fake. No point in spending lots of money on a fake marriage, right?”
“Right,” I agree automatically. Then I realize what she said. It makes sense logically, but I really don’t like the idea of her wearing something not worthy of being on her finger.
Clearly I’m coming unhinged if I’m thinking about crossing the street to check out the jewelry store while Isla goes to the pawn shop.
Thankfully, the clerk at checkout doesn’t bat an eye as we hand him the tags from our new outfits, though his gaze does linger a little too long on Isla’s missing leg.
Instinct pulls me closer to her, and I wrap my arm around her waist and tuck my chin over her shoulder. Though she shivers beneath my touch, she leans into me and relaxes.
The clerk turns his full focus to our purchases.
“Already feeling possessive?” Isla mutters to me.
