Page 58 of Say You Remember Me
“Glad I did okay.” She blew out a breath, like she actually had been anxious about her performance.
I gave her hand a squeeze. “You were perfect.”
I let my gaze linger on her face, momentarily lost in how she looked just then. The thought of brushing that stray lock of hair behind her ear had been on my mind all night—a move I could have played off as part of the act, if not for how real the impulse felt.
And having her by my side tonight, steady and supportive, had been a rare kind of comfort. Usually, I attended these events solo, or with my last assistant who was thirty years older than Maddie and who would often turn in after dinner.
But tonight, Maddie had been right there, making everything easier, even if I’d done most of the talking.
“So, what happened with you and Margot, anyway?” she asked, pulling me from my thoughts. “I know she cheated, but were there warning signs?”
“Honestly?” I turned slightly, meeting her gaze. “I didn’t see it coming at all.”
“So it was a complete shock?”
“Yeah…” I was about to go into it, but when we reached the elevators, a small group joined us. So instead of telling her my story with an audience, I instead pulled Maddie close when we got on the elevator—only for our little ruse, of course—and wrapped an arm around her, my hand settling at her waist. I could feel the warmth of her back against my chest as she tensed slightly, and for a moment, I wondered if her little intake of breath was just for show—or if she was having a reaction to being this close to me.
The elevator climbed, each floor ticking by too fast. The small group got off on the fourth floor, leaving us alone. My arm was still wrapped around Maddie’s waist, and though we no longer had spectators for our little show, neither of us moved.
When the elevator doors closed again, Maddie looked up at me, her eyes holding a spark that seemed to match the rush in my veins. And for a moment, all I could hear was the quiet hum of the elevator and her soft breathing, quickening with each passing second.
I leaned in slightly, lowering my voice. “Is it wrong that I like holding you close like this?”
Her lips parted as her eyes searched mine—for what, I couldn’t tell. But then, with a hesitant smile, she shook her head and whispered, “Only if it’s wrong for me to admit I like it, too.”
And that was all it took for the air between us to thicken, my pulse racing faster with every second.
Even though I knew I was pressing my luck, I let my hand glide a little higher up her side, my fingers tracing the curve of her ribs, feeling the warmth of her skin beneath the thin fabric.
This woman…She felt too good.
So good that all I wanted to do was pull her close, to let her fit perfectly in my arms. The idea of pressing her gently against the wall, claiming her with a kiss that would linger far longer than necessary, hit me with an intensity that surprised me. If she really were my fiancée, if we weren’t just pretending, I could pull her to me, let my lips explore the delicate skin along her neck, feel her shiver against me.
Unable to resist, I brushed a lock of hair behind her ear—the one that had taunted me all evening—exposing the soft line of her neck. My hand stayed there, hovering as I felt the thrum of her pulse beneath my fingertips.
Was that her heartbeat racing? Or was it mine?
She tilted her head back, her gaze going to my mouth. And the soft, shallow breaths she took were like unspoken words, filling the silence with a kind of plea. The look in her eyes invited me closer, closer than I should be, closer than I could let myself go.
One kiss.It would be so easy to lean in, to let my lips find hers, to get lost in that softness and let go of the self-control I’d clung to for weeks. Just a fraction closer, and I could finally feel her against me, let the scent of her become something I couldn’t forget?—
The elevator jolted slightly, slowing as it approached another floor. Maddie tensed, and I forced myself to pull back, the rush of longing tempered with an edge of frustration as the doors slid open and a man stepped in, glancing briefly at us before turning to press his floor number.
I let my arm drop but kept my hand lightly resting on her hip, unable to let go entirely. She stayed close, leaning into the smallspace between us as if she, too, wasn’t ready to break whatever had sparked here. The man frowned at the panel, realizing his mistake.
“Oh, wrong way,” he muttered, shaking his head.
I managed a chuckle. “Guess you’ll have the place to yourself in a second. We’re almost out.”
The elevator reached our floor, and as we stepped off, I slid my hand into Maddie’s. Her fingers tightened around mine, and I knew I wasn’t alone in feeling that lingering, electric pull.
As we reached my suite, I fumbled for the key card, stealing a glance at her. The moment hung between us, and I wondered if she was thinking about how close I’d come to kissing her back there—if she wanted me to finish what I’d started.
The door unlocked with a soft beep, and as it swung open, I found myself saying, “Hey, it’s not too late… Want to get cozy and hang out? Maybe watch a movie?”
And I could have done a little dance when her face lit up and she said, “Yeah, that sounds nice. Let me just change into some pajamas first.”
So after she’d slipped through the connecting door to her room, I grabbed a T-shirt and shorts from my bag and changed. Then, for good measure, I went to my bathroom and used mouthwash before brushing my teeth.
