Page 63 of Right With You
Her gaze flickered between my eyes as though searching for something, or maybe deciding, and then she pressed up on her toes and brushed her lips over mine. “Yes. I’m alright.”
It wasn’t a declaration of anything, but peace settled between us—around us—new and weighty.
It almost felt like a promise.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-ONE
Elise
Dancing in Luc’s arms? Lovely. Dreamy. A magical experience on a night that ended up feeling less like an obligation and more like a fairytale.
His grandfather had simply ignored him at dinner, but he hadn’t been overtly aggressive. Michele and Aurelie had kept conversation flowing and they’d done it flawlessly. I could listen to them talk all day between their accents and storytelling and Michele’s silly romanticism.
We’d all gone home together, back to Luc’s beautiful house, and just like the night before, we’d gotten ready one at a time, taking turns in the bathroom and sliding into bed.
But I didn’t place the pillow barrier between us because I didn’t need to. More and more, I had to admit I’d never felt safer with anyone.
My little fantasies and movies I made up were safe. They’d been a diversion from the total lack of desire for real romance for a while now. But Luc… Luc was safe, too, and not because he was fiction.
He was real.
He was considerate of me in every possible instance, protective but not in a way that made me feel crowded or weak, and he seemed to… well, sometimes I caught this look in his eyes I swear meant he wanted me.
Like I very much wanted him.
What did all of this mean? How did I handle the fact that this fake relationship had sneakily shifted into something more real than anything I’d ever had? I had no idea.
I’d shifted from watching little stories in my head to living one out in my life, too, now, possibly embodying the role of female lead in a dream that felt more and more like I was awake. And I simply didn’t know how to process that.
But waking up in Luc’s arms?
Heaven.
Yeah.We’d ended up nested together, finding each other in the night and holding each other. Waking up cocooned in his warmth had been a dream. An absolutely comforting, safe dream.
Right until I zeroed in on his hand splayed over the bare skin of my stomach and how our bodies were cradled together rather intimately. His steady breathing told me he was still asleep, but it would be wrong to stay here, wouldn’t it? I shouldn’t let myself snooze in the wondrous warmth of his arms while I was conscious and he likely had no idea we were spooning like professionals, should I?
A contented sigh slipped out, and his warm breath on my neck sent a shiver through me. Then he said something in French, his arms tightened around me, and I died.
Fine, I didn’t die, but I was very nearly going to expire from… feelings. Lots of feelings in all directions and all of them rather delicious and all of them… mine. Not a character. Not a princess or a maiden or an enamored heroine, butme.
But one thought flared out over the dark messy sea of my desire and longing—caution. I needed to proceed with caution.
All of this was supposed to be for appearances, and there was no one in here checking to make sure we were behaving like almost married people did. No, this was all behind the scenes.
When I agreed to this, it wasn’t like I couldn’t see how gorgeous Luc was. I’d thought he was too handsome to be real the first time I’d seen him and that hadn’t changed much. Now I knew about his small scar and the miniscule imperfections that made him less like an AI fancast of himself, sure, but I hadn’t thought my desire to be with someone would change.
I hadn’t thought I could meet someone I’d feel like trying again with. But here I was, not only savoring his physical closeness, but wishing I could burrow into his heart, too. Wishing he felt a little of what I had because my bruised little walled-off heart had softened to him. I’d become… open.
That thought had me moving and, strangely, tears pricking my eyes as I went, grabbing clothes and slipping into the bathroom to get ready.
Clearly, all the cuddling had gone to my head.
Because this was fake. Maybe I’d opened up to the idea of something real… maybe someday. But all of this was fake, and I needed to keep that in the forefront of my mind, or I’d drive myself crazy.
Last night, Callum saw us together. He got the message that, whether he liked it or not, he wasnotthe man for me. I’d gotten exactly what I needed from the bargain.
I needed to talk this out and thank goodness it just so happened to be book club again tonight.
