Mostly, she kept her mouth shut unless someone asked a direct question, but Lucas’s ex kept throwing some glares in her direction. Part of Felicity had believed that Lucas was a little full of himself to think that his ex wanted another chance. Didn’t every guy believe that? But judging by the looks Felicity was getting, he’d been right. Becky was mad that he’d brought a date.
As a group, they went to the restaurant. There was one big table for the bridal party, and Felicity’s stomach churned. Lucas made her come to this, and he was going to abandon her. She stiffened every muscle to prevent shaking.
“Hey, Mom. I’m going to sit over here with Felicity.”
“Sure, honey. I understand.” She paused, looked at the large table, and then added, “Unless you’d like to join us, Felicity?”
Felicity flinched, but she didn’t think anyone else noticed. Lucas looked down at her and said, “No. We’ll take a table over here.”
His mother nodded, her short ponytail swinging behind her head. Lucas turned them toward a table in the corner. It wasn’t until they sat that she released a pent-up breath. “Thank you for that. I wouldn’t have done well at such a large table.”
Lucas reached across the table and touched her hand. “You’re doing fine. Mia likes you.”
“We spoke about ten words to each other.”
“It was enough.” He shrugged and opened the menu. “Order whatever you want.”
Felicity watched him. He didn’t let go of her hand although no one else was paying attention. How real did he expect this fake relationship to be? With her free hand, she opened her menu and stared at the choices. There was a lot of seafood. Yuck.
She leaned forward and whispered, “Would it be really bad if I ordered a burger? I’m kind of a picky eater, and I don’t see much that I like.”
Lucas looked up from his menu. “Order whatever you want.”
“I don’t want it to look bad if I’m supposed to order something fancy. I don’t want your family to think you’re dating some freak.” Even though, in a way, it was totally true.
He reached out and tilted her chin toward the head table. “See that guy over there, the old one with gray hair? That’s my dad. He’s a plumber. His idea of fancy is ordering a steak and a loaded baked potato. No one will question your food choice.”
His hand on her face did odd things to her stomach, much like thinking about being in a room of strangers, but not in a bad way. “What about Becky?”
“I don’t care about Becky.”
Felicity eased away from his reach. “You must care at least a little or you wouldn’t have asked me to be here.”
“I really don’t. I just didn’t want to cause a scene with her. My hope is that when she sees me with you, she’ll realize that I’m really not interested and I’ve moved on.”
“But you haven’t.”
“I have.”
“Then why don’t you have a real girlfriend here?”
“Shh! Lower your voice.” He looked over his shoulder. “I told you I’m on a break from dating. But I have dated other girls since breaking up with Becky. I’m just not in a relationship right now.”
The waiter arrived to take their order. Felicity’s attention returned to the menu. “Can I get a hamburger, well done. Plain. Ketchup on the side.”
“Fries with that?”
“Yes.”
“Something to drink?”
“Just water.”
“Can we have two glasses of white wine as well, please?” Lucas asked. When her eyes shot up, he patted her hand. “One glass won’t kill you.”
Then he ordered a steak with vegetables. While he spoke with the waiter, Felicity looked around the room, careful not to make eye contact with anyone. She’d learned early on in life that if she didn’t want people to talk to her, all she had to do was avoid eye contact.
“Hey, Lucas, come here,” the groom called from across the room.
Lucas stood. “Excuse me. I’ll be right back.”
But he wasn’t. He went to the head table, engaged in conversation with his brother. Then he dealt with three other people who seemed to have complaints or problems in one form or another. The last person to tug his attention was Becky.
The woman was pretty, in a very conventional way. Her nails sparkled. Her glossy blond hair waved past her shoulders and shone when the light struck it. She could easily be the heroine from one of the romance novels Felicity read. Then Felicity imagined her being tied up and spanked and the picture no longer agreed with the package. She stifled a snort.
She continued to watch the interaction between Lucas and Becky, knowing she could learn from it. For all the money her parents had spent on her education, the one thing that she was lacking was the simplest. She didn’t know how to act with people.
She’d known her whole life that she was different. In elementary school, everyone attributed it to her being smarter than her peers. In high school, she met Layla and Charlie, both of whom were every bit as intelligent. They befriended her despite her weirdness. But she realized that even among other intelligent people, she was different.
Layla and Charlie knew it too, and they helped her. She never would’ve gotten a boyfriend if it hadn’t been for them. Relationships always started with being fixed up and then they would double or triple date until Felicity was comfortable with the guy. Until he got used to her quirks.
Which was why she really needed Layla this week. Lucas was doing a good job of getting her through the weekend, but then what? She couldn’t expect him to follow her around all week.
Or could she? He said he owed her. Maybe this was how he could pay her back.
Lucas handled every issue that had come his way from friends and family members. As he tried to get back to his table with Felicity, more people stopped him. He usually didn’t mind the interruptions, but something about Felicity made him want to be at the table alone with her. Which definitely didn’t bode well for his moratorium on women.
But Felicity was different. She wasn’t just shy or introverted; in some ways, she reminded him of some of his students. Although she obviously didn’t have a learning disability, she exhibited many of the same social deficits he dealt with on a daily basis. And she totally charmed him.
He’d planned to be here for only part of the week, but if he could convince Felicity to hang out with him, he might be persuaded to stay. He shook his head as he finally made his way back to the table. Another messed-up woman was not what his life needed right now.
As he reclaimed his seat across from Felicity, her eyes remained on him. He’d watched her all night, and she rarely made eye contact, but she’d tracked his every move. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s okay. I’d rather have you go off and address questions than force me to come with. I hate feeling like a tagalong.”
He picked up his glass of wine. “To a convenient friendship.” She stared at him, so he waved his glass again. “A toast.”
Her eyes widened, and she brought her glass to his for a gentle clink. “To friendship?”
He shifted closer to her, wanting to catch a whiff of her perfume again. “Do you not want to be my friend?”
“I’m not sure. If we agree to be friends, won’t that ruin the image you’re trying to project?”
“We can be friends and still convince my family that we’re more.”
Her eyebrows came together over her brown eyes.
“Don’t worry. I’m not talking about letting them catch us naked. Just a pose here or there.” He leaned closer. “Like this. Sitting close like this gives an air of intimacy.”
Her chest rose and fell rapidly. She hung on every word. He watched her mouth as her tongue darted out and moistened her lips. He wanted to feel those lips, taste them.
“Hey, Lucas, are you trying to avoid me?”
Felicity jolted back in her seat.
Instead of pulling away, Lucas scooted his chair closer to Felicity in order to face Becky. “No, Beck
y, I’m not avoiding you. I’m enjoying dinner with my date. Felicity, this is Becky, maid of honor.”
Becky gave Felicity the once-over and extended her hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Felicity shook hands, but said nothing. A predatory look came into Becky’s eyes. Lucas knew that look. He’d been on the receiving end often enough during their brief relationship. He slid his arm around the back of Felicity’s chair.
Although Felicity didn’t lean into him the way most women would, his movement was enough to send a clear message to Becky. He hoped.
“I’d love to get to know you better. You two are staying here at the hotel, aren’t you?”
“Of course,” he answered, which earned him a swift kick from Felicity under the table.
Becky’s brightly painted lips spread into a smile. “I have some maid of honor duties to attend to later in the day before the wedding, but I’d love to meet up for breakfast. Say about seven thirty? You are still an early riser, aren’t you, Lucas?”
“We’ll meet you then.”
Becky spun on her high heels, dress swirling around her.
Felicity stared after her. “Why did you do that? There’s no way I’m getting up early enough to get ready and come here for breakfast at seven thirty.”
Shit. He’d completely forgotten that she planned to go to her own hotel after dinner. “So stay here. My room has two beds.”
She looked at him from the corner of her eye, but gave no answer.
He moved her hair from her shoulder. The soft silkiness fell over his fingers. “Look, I wasn’t thinking. Becky had a look on her face that told me she wanted to fuck with you, and I didn’t want to give her reason. If she believes we’re a couple, she’ll leave you alone. I never asked you to be my date to put you in an uncomfortable position.”
“My life is an uncomfortable position.” She pressed her lips together. “This vacation is supposed to be fun. I guess you’re kind of fun. I’ll stay.”
“I guess I owe you again.”
“You owe me more than a meal.”
The waiter arrived with their dishes. Lucas slid away from her chair to allow them both room to maneuver. When the waiter left, Lucas asked, “You have ideas about how you want to be paid?”
She turned to look at him, and with a bright smile, she said, “I have a few ideas.”
He really hoped her ideas and his coincided.
Chapter 4
After dinner and many conversations with people, Lucas pulled Felicity away from the crowd that had migrated to the nearest bar. She hadn’t said anything, but her resolve to socialize had definitely wavered. She’d done exceptionally well with the questions he’d given her. She didn’t stray far from them, so he knew she was running out of material.
He didn’t know how she would handle tomorrow. They said their good-byes and headed to the elevator.
“Well, that was fun. Not.” She sagged against the wall beside the elevator. “What the hell did I get myself into with you?”
The doors dinged and opened. She peeled herself away from the wall. He slid his hand against hers and interlaced their fingers. “You were pretty damn good. Thank you.”
A blush rose in her cheeks. They stepped off the elevator, still holding hands. At his door, she let go. “I think the coast is clear.”
Hmm . . . she thought he was holding her hand because they were being watched. It was a conversation best had inside the room. He swiped the key card and held the door open for her.
“Felicity, I was holding your hand because I wanted to. Not everything is because of an ulterior motive.”
“Oh. Okay.” She walked through the room, glanced at the beds, and grabbed her bag. “Which one do you want?”
He’d been hoping she might decide they should share a bed. “Doesn’t matter.”
“Then if it’s all right with you, I’d prefer this one.” She opened her suitcase on the bed and just stared at it for a moment. “Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“What?”
“All of this. Lying to your family. Pretending to be a couple. What happens when you go home? Won’t Becky, and everyone else for that matter, be suspicious?”
“I don’t see Becky on a regular basis. I just want to get through the wedding without her trying to rekindle anything with me. As an added bonus, I’m having fun with you.”
“You are?”
“Yeah.” Didn’t anyone ever tell her that she was fun? He flopped on the bed. “So what do you want to do?”
“I’m going to read for a little bit.” She closed her suitcase and set it on the floor on the far side of the bed. She pulled out an e-reader and scooted toward the headboard. She sat, legs extended, crossed at the ankle.
He settled back on his own bed. “Will the TV bother you?”
“No,” she answered without looking up from her device.
Lucas flipped through channels and decided to rent an action movie. Not quite the action he’d been looking for, but it was better than hanging out with Andy and the rest of the bridal party. He kicked off his shoes and piled pillows behind him.
The movie was filled with killing and explosions, but couldn’t hold his concentration. The mousy girl in the bed beside him kept grabbing his attention. And she wasn’t doing anything but reading silently. She didn’t even move her lips when she read, but her facial expressions changed. Her eyes would narrow or her forehead crinkled. Sometimes a sly smile snuck up on her. He didn’t know how he knew, but it was like it surprised her when it happened.
He couldn’t remember the last time he read anything for school that had him feeling any kind of emotion, much less what she was experiencing. He paused the movie. “What are you reading?”
She didn’t look up from the book, but answered, “Research.”
He tossed the remote on his bed and jumped onto her bed, jostling her in the process. “Come on. Research isn’t that fascinating. What are you really reading?”
Annoyance crossed her face with his intrusion. “It is research. I enjoy research.”
“Let me see.” He held out his hand for the reader.
“No.” She hugged it tight to her chest.
Now he had to know what it was. No one guarded research material. He crawled over to her, and she scooted farther back until she hit the headboard. “Let me see.”
“No. Now go away and watch your movie.”
“This is more interesting than the movie.” He eyed the way she held it to figure out the best way to snatch the device.
She turned to get out of bed, presumably to get away from him, giving him his opening to grab the reader. He moved fast, and she stood looking in disbelief. Her mouth hung open and fear entered her eyes, but she covered it quickly with anger as she crossed her arms.
He hadn’t yet looked down at the screen. “I’m just playing. If you really don’t want me to see this, I’ll stop.”
“Whatever. Do what you want.” She knelt on the bed and then sat, pulling her knees up to her chest. She bit her thumbnail.
He glanced down at the screen and began reading. He smiled. Felicity was reading a naughty book. “You’re reading porn?”
“It’s not porn. It’s erotica or erotic romance.”
“Chick porn.”
“You’re such a guy.” She grabbed her reader back and turned away from him.
“Why did you call it research? Why not say you’re reading a novel?”
“I am doing research.”
“Sex research?”
She looked over her shoulder and rolled her eyes.
“You don’t know . . . I mean . . .”
“Shut up, Lucas. I know how sex works. I’ve even had sex.”
“Then why research?”
She huffed and put the reader down on the bed. “These books aren’t just about the sex. They’re about human interaction, relationships. How people relate to each other and learn to understand each other.”
“That’s just part of life.”
“For people like you it is, not for me.”
“For people like me?”
“I’ve known you for less than a day, but I can tell that everyone likes you. You’re open and friendly, and you understand what people mean and what they need. I don’t. I don’t get any of that. I read these books because I get a picture of what normal people think when they see someone, how they interpret someone’s words or actions.”
He stared at her. He didn’t know what to say. During the course of speaking, she opened up. Her body language relaxed, and she was in the moment, not worrying about anything. She was honest and vulnerable. It was pretty fucking sexy. He lay down and rested on his elbow. “Does it turn you on?”
She rolled her eyes again. “Such a guy.”
She turned over on her stomach and went back to reading. He mimicked her pose and bumped his shoulder into hers. “You didn’t answer the question.”
“Sometimes,” she whispered.
The thought made his dick hard, and part of him was glad she wasn’t looking at him. He knew she wasn’t flirting or coming on to him; she was just being honest. He rested his head on his forearms on the bed. “Want to watch a movie with me? We could call it research too.”
She waited a beat and then turned her head. “Are you making fun of me?”
“No. I’m trying to interact with you. I’d like to sit here and watch a movie together. I’ll even let you pick. But no porn. I’m not that kind of guy.”
Her eyes widened, and he knew she didn’t get his joke. “I’m kidding, Felicity. Most guys aren’t offended by porn.”
“Okay. I don’t think I want to watch porn anyway.”
“We could call it research.” He winked at her.
She rolled her eyes again. “I’m gonna take a shower.”
“I’ll finish this movie. You are going to come back and watch one with me, right?”
She stood beside the bed, digging through her suitcase before she smiled. “Sure.”
From his position on the bed, he watched her walk into the bathroom, and he waited until she turned the water on. He pressed play on the movie, but his attention returned to the book Felicity was reading.
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