Page 16 of Fake Love

I’m pretty sure that my reaction had a few expletives thrown at the building manager before agreeing to the lease.

Of course, I agreed to a lease for a closet sized apartment. Its San Francisco, where you either live in a shoe box or in your car.

“It suits you.” He states, giving me a small smile that causes little butterflies to flutter in my stomach.

Have I mentioned that this man is sexy as hell?

And he’s in my apartment. There are so many possibilities with this scenario.

“I’m suited for a shoe box?” I tease, walking over to him and gently hitting him on the shoulder.

“I didn’t say that. I meant the space, its suits you. It’s like an extension of you.”

This man has known me for no more than two hours, has been in my apartment for less than two minutes and already knows that I’ve made this place genuinely mine.

It may be the size of a closet, but I made it feel like home in every way that I could, and this man saw that the second that he walked in.

“I tried.” I say, my voice barely a whisper.

Maddox looks down at me, a smile playing at his lips, his eyes bright even in the dim light of my apartment.

We look at each other for what feels like an eternity but in reality, it couldn’t have been more than a minute or two.

I get so lost in Maddox’s gaze that I’m not aware of the fact that I step even closer to him, only leaving a few inches between our bodies.

“You said I wasn’t going to end up in your bed.” He states, his face only inches from mine.

He’s a listener, this one.

“I did.” I breathe out, wanting to close the distance and feel his body against mine.

“Then why am I up here?”

I can feel his words against my lips and I don’t know how much more I can handle before I break.

The truth comes out of my mouth. “Because I wanted to see.”

“What did you want to see, Jennifer?” Maddox asks, a seductive tone coming through as he closes the last remaining inches between us.

I can feel the heat of his body through my clothes.

“I wanted to see if the attraction I felt for you was real.” I say, my mouth so close to his.

“And is it?”

His hands are now on my body, on my waist, bringing us closer together so that you wouldn’t be able to slide a piece of paper between us.

Our breaths are mingling together and our eyes are searching for answers in each other’s faces.

I don’t have to speak for him to know the answer to his question, but I let the words flow out, nevertheless.

“Yes. It’s very real.” I let out, thinking he’s going to kiss me right then, but he doesn’t.

Maddox solely leans in and places his forehead against mine.

With his eyes closed and his breathing coming out a bit heavy, he stands like that for a long minute.

It’s as if he’s collecting himself and all I can do is let my hands wander over his body like his are doing to mine.

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