Page 11 of A Kiss to Remember
Declan:Too soon?
Remi:Bundle up. It’s going to be cold.
Declan:So the hayride was fun.
Remi:...
Declan:I can hear you saying I told you so.
Remi:Me? Nooooo.
Remi:But I did.
Declan:No one likes a know-it-all. Even beautiful ones.
Remi:You don’t need to do that.
Declan:Do what?
Remi:Do the compliment thing when no one’s around to hear it.
Declan:I can be truthful whether I have an audience or not, Remi.
Declan:If it makes you uncomfortable, I won’t say or rather type it.
Remi:No it doesn’t. Just... It’s not necessary.
Declan:Are we having our first argument as a couple?
Remi:I think we are... And just for the record, I win.
Declan:Of course, dear. Yes, dear.
Remi:Such a good fake boyfriend.
Remi:Heads-up. If Tara asks, my nickname for you is babycakes.
Declan:WTF??
Remi:She was pushing it. Had to come up with something.
Remi:Ok, kidding. Sorta. But she did corner me today and was her usual petty self.
Remi:Why didn’t you tell me you used to be married?
THEPHONERANGseconds later, and Remi sighed before swiping her thumb across the screen. She should’ve expected this call, but her stomach still dropped toward her bare feet. All afternoon, since Tara had approached Remi outside Sunnyside Grille after lunch, she’d gone back and forth about whether or not she would ask Declan about his previous marriage.
Over the two weeks they’d been “together,” the texts and phone calls had been constant, and when he came to Rose Bend, they’d spent every day together. As couples did. But they weren’t real—no matter how her pulse tripped over itself at just the sound of his voice in her ear or the sight of his name in her messages. Or how thick, hot desire twisted inside her when his hand rested on her hip or cupped the back of her neck. A shiver rippled down her spine at just the memory of the possessive touch.
No.Not possessive. She had to remember and remind herself what this was. Fake. A sham. For the benefit of another woman who’d done what Remi could not allow herself to do.
Fall for him.
She could not be that naive or stupid.
Raising the phone to her ear, she said, “Hey.”
“Remi,” he replied. “What did she say to you?”
