Page 50 of Can't Help Falling in Love
“Listen, he’s in a pinch. You might be exactly what he needs. If he talks to you about it, just be honest.”
Lexi paused in the act of picking another apple, turned to face Will fully. “Something we’re not being with others.”
A hint of sadness touched his gaze. “It’s a few people in our direct circle, and like I said, we can come clean. I don’t like lying as a general rule but I don’t want to complicate things further.”
Guilt cramped her stomach. “I’ve been making you lie since you met me.”
The scent of cold air and fall swirled around them as Will stepped closer. “Maybe about some of the details but not the important stuff.”
She gave a half laugh. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I’m not lying about liking you. Wanting to know you better. Wanting to spend time with you.” He leaned down, his lips brushing the outer shell of her ear, making a hard shiver course through her. “About how funny you are.” He kissed just under her ear. Wow. She never would have pegged that as a sweet spot. His lips lingered just a second, as if he could read her body. “How sweet you are.” His nose grazed over her cheek on the way to her lips. “About wanting you.”
Lexi pressed a hand to his jacket-covered chest to steady herself. “Way to distract me from apple picking.”
He laughed, the sound sending another shiver over every inch of her skin. “Anticipation, Alexandria. Let’s enjoy the day.”
She could do that. Absolutely. But it didn’t mean she wouldn’t be thinking about the end of the day. About tonight. And whether or not sleeping with her fake fiancé might deepen her already forming, way-too-real feelings for him.
Nineteen
They walked the rows, picking twelve apples in total. Lexi was tempted to grab a pumpkin but a memory of her father always choosing the largest one they could find tamped down the urge. Some things weren’t the same without him.
By the time they made their way inside, finding a two-seater table in the corner of the room near the back patio, Lexi’s hands were freezing. She rubbed them together, taking a seat. Her brain had gone into overdrive thinking of what Ethan might say. There was a small, deep-red glass candleholder on the tabletop, a candle flickering inside. Lexi held her hands over the miniature flame, making Will laugh.
“Let me know if that works,” he said, removing his jacket and a soft-looking gray scarf before sitting down.
“I’m not optimistic.”
“Maybe some hot chocolate?”
“That sounds perfect.”
Will stood again, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Let me go to the bar and order. It’ll be quicker.” And like they were a couple who did this regularly, he dropped a kiss to the top of her head.
He’d just walked away when Ethan came from a hallway, glanced around the room, and saw her. With a smile, he headed in her direction.Nerves assaulted her. What if he asked her questions she didn’t know the answers to?
“Hey. Will grabbing drinks?” He sat in Will’s seat, set his phone on the table.
“He is. We’re going with hot chocolate.”
Ethan nodded. “It’s cold but with our unpredictable weather, I’m just glad it didn’t rain.”
“Very true. Your place is amazing. I really love it here.”
“Thank you. It’s my pride and joy. Finding this place was something that just happened at a time in my life when I thought I knew what I wanted, but it turned out not to be what I needed. I dove in and haven’t regretted a single second.” He leaned his forearms on the table. “Though the last couple weeks with my brother being split in two directions is a bit rougher.”
Lexi was curious by nature but the ins and outs of setting up and organizing businesses, the running of them, fascinated her. She might have been taking only one class but it reminded her of how much she wanted to be part of a world that had nothing to do with elderly women’s undergarments.
Still, she approached softly. “What stage are you at for the other property?”
“It’s nowhere near this size but it’s a similar rustic-style building with a warm feel. We didn’t need a ton of construction or renovation so structure-wise, it’s ready to go. That’s about it, though. Brady, that’s my brother, was just getting ready to order furniture, supplies, look into staffing.”
Little wings flapped around Lexi’s heart. “Could your brother do some of that from home?” What if Ethan just needed an extra waitress? Oh God, what if he wanted her to nanny for his nieces or nephews? Or just help out with his sister-in-law? Why would he? She was practically a stranger.
Ethan’s forehead crinkled. “He can. Probably will. I don’t know ifWill filled you in but his wife, Lori, is six months pregnant. She’s on bedrest indefinitely, and they have two-year-old twins.”
She nodded. “He said. I hope she’s doing all right.”
