Page 91 of Ten Rules for Faking It
“Obviously,” he said. “Your dance card has been rather full lately. Come to any great conclusions?” He hoped she understood that he was asking as her friend, not the person who’d orchestrated her busy social life. How did she see him? He wondered if maybe she’d found something more with one of the men. Owen? Everything else aside, he’d be happy if she was. Regardless of whether she chose one of them or not, she deserved contentment. Whatever that looked like forher.He’d never really thought about that aspect of caring for someone—the idea of wanting them to have what they wanted or needed. Her happiness increasing his own.
“Definitely,” she said, lifting her head again.
Chris’s heart thundered in his chest. He lifted his beer but didn’t drink. His throat was dry, but he knew it wouldn’t taste good while he wondered about her declaration. Her final date post hadn’t revealed anything significant except that of the two this week, Daniel was out. But maybe she’d known from the start. The final two were being announced tomorrow. His breath froze in his lungs.
“I conclude that I’m not a very good dancer. Or in this case, dater.”
The muscles in his chest loosened so he could breathe again. “I don’t believe that.” If he was leaving, which might happen sooner rather than later, he needed her to understand howhesawher.“You’re an… amazing dancer. You’re bright, funny, and beautiful. This isn’t about any of those guys, Everly. It’s about you. You realizing it’s your choice. All of it. Wherever you want to go, personally or professionally, you’ll get there. You deserve great things because you’re a great person.”
He didn’t mean to stare at her lips but found himself fascinated with the way they formed a smalloas if he’d surprised her. His gaze moved up, reaching Everly’s.
“That was a really nice thing to say,” she whispered.
“Maybe, but it’s also true. You amaze me,” he replied. The moon was casting a glow, stars were dotting the sky, and themoment, all of that combined with sitting next to her, felt a little like magic. The kind that brought out the truth.
“You don’t get out much.” She sat straighter, put her hands flat on either side of her.
Chris covered her hand. “Don’t do that. You kick ass, Everly. In so many ways.”
She blinked several times, then smiled at him, lighting up his chest the way the moon lit the sky.
He didn’t want to ask, but he needed to know. “Did you choose?” His pulse caught in his throat.
Everly turned her hand over under his, essentially linking their fingers, though neither of them curled in to tighten the grasp. He didn’t think he’d ever been so aware of his hand.
“Yes,” she whispered. She turned her head, looked down at their hands before looking up at him. “At least, I think so.”
He nodded, removed his hand but not his gaze. This was good. Excellent. His other hand gripped the bottle so tightly he forced himself to loosen his hold.
They stared at each other longer than either of them should have, and the more he looked, the more he wanted to move closer, pull her near and tip her face up to his, feel her lips move under his own, and find out once and for all if she tasted as good as she always smelled.She chose.
“You do that sometimes,” she whispered, her face a fraction closer.
His own breathing hitched now. “What’s that?”
“Look at me like you’re thinking things I can’t imagine you thinking,” she said, her voice still so quiet it was hard to hear her. Except that he could hear her because he was hanging on every word she said. His heart was having a seizure behind his rib cage.
“I think all sorts of things,” he said, his own voice husky. Things he shouldn’t,couldn’tentertain. Happiness came from setting a goal, achieving it. He was so close.So is she. So close you could kiss her, just brush your mouth over her lips.
“About me?”
All. The. Time. They were close enough to share the same tiny molecules of air. They were breathing each other in and out. Chris’s heart took up residence in his ears, the steady thump drowning out the waves rolling in.
Everly blinked, her eyes moving to his mouth, lingering there long enough to have Chris biting back a groan. Their fingers linked. Not by accident. Chris wanted to kiss Everly more than he wanted anything. More than going home, gaining his father’s approval, or taking his rightful seat at the helm. When he’d arrived in California, those three things had been his sole focus. His mission. They were nothing compared to the desire thrumming through his entire being in this second. Business, his father, they didn’t exist. His home? It was wherever he could see her face. Touch her. Breathe her in. In that moment, Chris would have turned himself inside out and upside down if it meant having even the smallest chance at being in Everly’s heart. Of finding a way inside of it.
“Hey! We’re going to play Never Have I Ever. Come on, oh boring ones. Let’s go. I saw ingredients for margaritas,” Stacey said, bouncing over out of nowhere. Noah was trailing behind her chatting with Jane, who must have joined them without Everly or Chris noticing.
“Whoa, what’s going down, Charlie Brown? Why do you look so serious, boo?” Stacey settled herself moreonEverly than beside her. “Mmm. You smell good. Doesn’t she smell good, Chris? You make me want cookies.”
Everly laughed and pushed Stacey away from her. “You’re drunk and do not need margaritas.”
“Whatever, Mom. I’m having one, and you can’t stop me.”
Everly shook her head, her smile tight. “Iwillstop you, because one of us needs to make you act responsibly. You’re going to feel sick tomorrow, and we have the event for Rob.” She stroked a hand down Stacey’s hair, gentling the words.
“Hmm. Rob. Right. Make you a deal. You play Never HaveI Ever, and I won’t have a mar… mar-har… when did that get hard to say?”
Chris laughed with the others, but something very much like disappointment settled in his gut. He didn’t feel like playing a game right now, but he definitely had something that fit. That would always be true for him.Never have I ever had the pleasure of kissing Everly Dean.
