Page 45 of Our Broken Pieces
Marcus’ jaw tightens, his eyes flicking to mine before darting away. “This is a waste of time. We can just tell him we’re not into PDA.”
I rolled my eyes, scooting closer so my thigh rests against his. “Your dad’s not going to buy that. We need to be convincing, Marcus. A couple that’s been dating for a few weeks, after pining for each other for a couple years, would at least hold hands, and look relaxed doing it.”
I see his throat work as he swallows hard. I cautiously move my hand through the space between us to link my fingers with his.
“You’re too tense,” I soften my tone as I gently squeeze his hand. “Just… relax. It’s just me, Marcus.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Marcus
“Exactly,” I mumble under my breath, my gaze fixed on our intertwined fingers. It’s her. The one person who suddenly has become the one who could unravel me with a single touch. I’ve barely worked through my attraction to her and now she wants me to touch her? I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, and I wonder if she can hear it, too.
Fuck my body and its reaction to her. When she suggested this whole thing after dinner, I wanted to say no. I knew it wouldn’t be a good idea, at least not for me. But my mind knows she’s right. We can’t appear uncomfortable or like we’ve never intimately touched before in front of my father.
Gigi shifts closer. “Okay, imagine we’re on a date,” she said, her voice encouraging. “You’d probably have your arm around me, right?”
Without waiting for my answer, she leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder. My muscles tensed involuntarily, my breath catching as her warmth seeps into me. I reach and my arm hovers awkwardly for a moment before I finally drape it around her shoulders, my hand landing on her arm.
“Is this okay?” I ask, my voice strained.
Gigi nods, snuggling closer. “Yeah, like that. But you can relax, you know. I’m not going to bite.”
I let out a shaky breath, my eyes focused on a spot on the wall as I try to relax. But it’s impossible with Gigi so close, her scent wrapping around me, her touch sending sparks through my veins. I’m suddenly too aware of every inch of her, the way her hair tickled my neck, the way her breath fanned across my chest.
Gigi’s hand on my chest brings my attention back to the moment, her fingers lightly tracing circles over my shirt. “See? This isn’t so bad, is it?”
I feel my jaw clench as I fight the urge to pull away. “It’s fine,” I mutter, though it is anything but fine. Every second she touches me reminds me that I’m feeling something. Something that I rarely felt and something I certainly shouldn’t feel for her.
Gigi pulls back slightly, just enough to look up at me, her eyes searching my face. “Marcus,” she says softly, “you’re still too tense. What’s really going on?”
My gaze flicks to hers, the concern in her eyes making my heart twist, and I look away. “I’m just not used to this kind of thing. Touching someone I’m not truly involved with.”
She moves her hand to my cheek, her touch gentle as she turns my face back toward her. “You don’t have to be perfect at this, Marcus. We’re just pretending, remember?”
“Yeah, pretending.” I force the words out, my voice tight.
But it didn’t feel like pretending when she was this close, when her touch sends sparks down my spine. I swallow hard as Gigi’s gaze drops to my lips for a fraction of a second, making my heart race.
She smiles softly, her hand still on my cheek as she leans in, her lips brushing my cheek in a way that makes my skin tingle. “Just relax,” she whispered against my skin. “We’ve got this.”
I feel my resolve crumbling as she curls into me, her head resting on my shoulder again. The warmth of her body against mine, the way she fit so perfectly in the crook of my arm—it’s too much. I can’t do this.
But before I can pull away, Gigi’s fingers slip under my chin, tilting my face toward hers. “You’re overthinking it,” she murmured, her breath warm on my lips. “Just be in the moment.”
And before I can stop myself, I lean in, closing the distance between us. Our lips meet in a soft, tentative kiss, and for a moment, everything else fades away. There is no pretending, no awkwardness, just the feeling of Gigi’s lips on mine, warm and oddly familiar.
Gigi’s breath stops in an audible hitch, and she pulls back slightly, her eyes wide with surprise. “Marcus…”
I shake my head, my thumb brushing over her cheek as I try to gather my thoughts. “I’m sorry,” I strain, my voice rough. “I didn’t mean—”
Gigi presses her finger against my lips, silencing me. “Please don’t apologize,” she whispers, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “I didn’t hate it.”
I stare at her, my heart pounding as I search her eyes for any sign of doubt, of regret. But all I see is warmth, and maybe a hint of something more.
Her smile grows as she closes the distance again, this time pressing a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth. “Now,” shemurmured, her lips brushing my skin, “let’s see if we can convince your dad we’re the real deal.”
“Yeah. Let’s see.” I pull back. This is too much. It feels too far over the line. Over a line I shouldn’t cross.
