Page 28 of A Little Crush
“I don’t know.” Unable to look him in the eye, I pick at my cuticles instead. “I guess the idea of me looking like I moved on from my stupid, childish crush felt better than admitting I haven’t even been on a date in over a year.”
“A year?” He whistles. “That’s quite a long time, Rore.”
I roll my eyes. “Trust me, thanks to Tatum, I’m well aware.”
“Okay, so what does it mean?”
It’s a good question. One I’ve asked myself a hundred times since my encounter with Jaxon in the forest. “I don’t know?”
“That’s not an answer, or at least not one I’ll accept.” Reaching forward, he tucks my hair behind my ear, then urges my chin up until my gaze meets his. “Ask me, Rore.”
“Ask you what?”
With a gentle shake of his head, he shifts closer but doesn’t let go of my chin. “Ask. Me.”
My lips part as I consider my options. I could back down.I could turn around, head right back to Jaxon, and come clean, putting the kibosh on this entire thing. Or…or I could ask the rockstar in front of me to roll with it. To corroborate my little white lie until we’re both on an airplane back to Harden Heights and as far away from here as possible.
I swallow thickly, let out a slow breath, and raise my gaze to his.
“There she is,” Dodger mumbles. “Ask me.”
“Will you…will you be my fake boyfriend for the rest of the time we’re here?”
Dropping his hand, he lifts a shoulder. “Sorry, can’t do?—”
My look of terror cracks his facade, and he doubles over in amusement. “Kidding, Rore.”
“Not funny!” I smack his shoulder.
“Kind of funny,” he argues. “And yeah. Yeah, I got you.”
“You sure?” I push. “Because if you’re not?—”
“It’s not like the tabloids will catch me cheating on you or some shit. The band’s on hiatus anyway. Besides, it’s only a week or so. I can keep my dick in my pants for a week.”
“You sure? Because when you put it that way…” My words trail off, letting my silence fill in the blanks while pulling another shameless grin from the man in front of me.
“All right, here’s a caveat. If I feel the need to pull my dick out of my pants while I’m here, I promise to do it in private and away from Jaxon or anyone else you decide to lie to. Sound like a plan?” He snaps his fingers. “Wait, I have one more rule.”
“And what’s that?”
“No falling in love.” He tacks on a wink. “It’s Fake Relationship 101.”
The man has a point, and in most chick flicks, I’d say he’s onto something. But me and Dodger? He’s like an older brother to me. No, he’s even worse than that. He’s like a…okay, I can’t really think of something worse than the whole falling for your older brother example, but you get my point. Me and Dodger? No bueno. Not now. Not ever.
“No problem,” I announce.
A cocky smirk tugs at his mouth. “That’s what they all say.”
“But you’re okay with it?” I push.
“Yeah, what the hell? Go wild, Rore. Let’s see what happens.”
“Dodger?” the barista calls, interrupting us.
That same smirk teases me as he stands. “Be right back,girlfriend.”
Yeah…this is going to be interesting.
