After a long silence, she pushed against his chest so she could look up at him and her smile was unbearably sweet. “Anyway, I didn’t mean to unload all that on you, but I just…” She swallowed. “I just wanted you to know how much it meant to me to meet so many people tonight, and to be welcomed like that.” Her eyes met his and he felt the connection like a jolt. “It meant more than I can say.”
“Well,” he said, his voice too gruff. Too filled with emotion. He’d never heard this voice coming out of his mouth before and it startled him. He cleared his throat and tried again. “I can tell you in all honesty that it was my pleasure. I had a great time tonight.” He gave her a little squeeze. “You’re actually fun to be around when you forget to be nervous.”
Her eyes widened and a laugh was clearly startled out of her as she smacked his chest. “You don’t have to sound so surprised,” she teased.
“Not surprised, just grateful that I get to see this side of you.” And that was the truth, he realized. Something in his chest tightened painfully at the tender look she gave him.
The hand she’d smacked him with was resting over his heart. She was still in his arms, and it felt so good. So right. A distant part of his brain was trying to be heard, but the voice of reason was muffled by all the warm, fuzzy, oh-so-sweet feelings that were making it difficult to do anything but stare into her eyes.
Eyes, which were beautifully dazed. She felt it too. The only sound in the small apartment was their breathing, their hearts beating.
Her lips parted for air, and he wanted to kiss her.
He needed to kiss her.
He shouldn’t. He knew he shouldn’t, and he didn’t. Fighting against the urge, it took every ounce of his willpower to keep his distance. He couldn’t bring himself to move away though; he couldn’t bring himself to let her go.
He should have seen it coming, he supposed. He should have stopped her. But when she went up on tiptoe, his brain shut down. And when she leaned in and pressed her lips to his, he lost himself to a moment of pure, excruciating pleasure.
Her lips were warm, soft, and sweet as they brushed over his. He told himself to let her go, but he couldn’t. Instead, he pulled her closer, one hand slipping into her hair to cradle the back of her head and hold her to him as he claimed her lips, deepening the kiss with an urgency that overrode sense.
He couldn’t get enough of the taste of her, the feel of her in his arms…the sounds she made deep in her throat when he slanted his head for better access.
It was the feel of his phone vibrating in his back pocket that finally caught his attention and dragged him back to his senses.
Phone. Text. It was probably Trent, asking for an update. Or worse…her father.
Reality was a cold, harsh slap in the face and he stumbled backwards, letting her go so quickly that she gaped up at him, her dark eyes blinking rapidly as she struggled for air.
“I—I—” Oh heck, he had no idea what to say. “I should go.”
Panic and guilt had him racing out of her apartment, only dimly aware of her protests that followed him out the door.
He needed air. He needed clarity.
He needed to get far, far away from the woman he was supposed to be sticking close to.
11
Addison tossed aside the bulky cardigan as she rooted through her clothes for another option. The phone was on speaker in the center of her bed, and Vanessa’s voice came through loud and clear. “I’m coming home.”
Addison sighed. They’d been over this multiple times already. “You’re not coming home early just for me.”
“I want to come home. I can be there tomorrow.”
Addison spun around to face the phone. “Vanessa, don’t you dare come home. I am not a child. I do not need you to fight my battles for me.”
Vanessa made a sound that could only be described as a harrumph. “I’m going to kill that guy.”
“You’re not going to kill anyone,” Addison said, her tone softer now that the immediate threat of Vanessa’s return was off the table. It wasn’t like she didn’t want to see her friend—a big part of her wanted nothing more than to have her friend come home and deal with this debacle on her behalf. Vanessa would scream and shout and do all the things that Addison would never do.
But she wouldn’t give in to that urge to hide behind her friend, just like she wouldn’t let her father talk her into coming back to his company where she had a safe but boring job and the security that came with being the boss’s daughter.
Nope. She’d made a decision when she’d come to this town. This was the dawn of a new day, the start of her new life, the beginning of—
“Are you listening to me?” Vanessa’s voice interrupted her inner pep talk.
“Sorry,” she said as she turned back to the rack of clothes. She didn’t normally fuss over what she was going to wear…but then again, she wasn’t normally preparing to see the guy who’d given her the most amazing kiss of her life.
And then run away.
A fresh wave of hurt and anger had her shoving the clothes to the side with too much force. Man, why were all her clothes so frumpy? He’d been right to call her a librarian. She’d been hiding behind her oversized clothes just like she’d been hiding from the world.
But she was tired of hiding. She was sick of running, and hiding, and wasting her life trying to pretend that she didn’t take up any space. It was like she was still constantly trying to put everyone else around her at ease.
Working with kids in pediatric wards these past two years had helped her see that’s exactly what she’d been trying to do. Maybe if she’d been a different type of kid it would have been different, but even before she’d been diagnosed she’d been shy, awkward, and introverted. Being sick had only made her feel more set apart—an outsider looking in. She was uncomfortable around others and the feeling always seemed to be mutual. After a childhood spent making others uncomfortable, she’d come to think that was who she was. It had come to define her. She used to joke with Vanessa that she’d missed the day in school when people learned to make friends, but it was more than that. She’d gotten used to people being weird around her because she’d made them uncomfortable. She’d gotten used to them looking the other way, or worse…running away.
Her own mother had run away when the stress of having a sick child had become too much. She’d never confronted her mom about it, just like she’d never confronted her ex-boyfriend on the fact that he’d used her for her connections. Her poor father had been the one to break it to her that he’d had his security team look into this hot surfer who’d miraculously shown up at the library where she’d studied and not only seen her, but had taken an interest in her.
He hadn’t been smart enough to hide the fact that he was getting paid to get close to her.
But all this was history, and she was done being that girl. She was through avoiding confrontations, and she was done letting people use her…or run from her.
“So what are you going to do?” Vanessa asked.
Addison pursed her lips as she critically eyed a green blouse that Vanessa had bought for her. She’d only worn it once because it had felt too bright, too revealing…it had brought too much attention.
“Addie?” Vanessa prompted.
She hated the worry in her friend’s voice, but she could understand it. She’d have been worried too if Vanessa had called her first thing in the morning in a fit of tears and rage. In her defense, she was going on almost no sleep after last night and her emotions were all over the board.
On one hand, she’d been hurt. Embarrassed. He had pushed her away, after all. It was the worst sort of rejection.
But then again…he’d kissed her back before he’d pushed her away.
And oh, what a kiss.
Even now, twelve hours later, she couldn’t quite figure out what she was feeling. She was on a roller coaster. One minute she was filled with pride for having had the courage to kiss a guy. Then anger followed—at him fo
r leaving so abruptly, and at herself for having kissed him in the first place. The next second she was burning up with humiliation for having so misread the situation.
If only she could settle on one emotion, she might be able to figure out her next course of action. Instead she was still standing here, spending way too long trying to pick out an outfit and worrying her best friend for no good reason.
“I swear, Addie, if you don’t answer me soon I’m on the next plane out there—”
“I’m going shopping.”
Her declaration was met with stunned silence. “Oh. Okay. Well…good for you.”
Addison thrust her arms into the green blouse, new determination making her feel more alert even though she was running on zero after a sleepless night. “I am going out to get some new clothes, and if I run into Colton…” She had to pause in the middle of getting dressed to figure out how to end that sentence. “If I run into Colton I’m going to ask him why he left the way he did.”
Silence followed that announcement, and then Vanessa broke it with a whistle. “Wow. Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?”
Addison grinned. “I’m still me, just…stronger.” She made a face at her reflection in the mirror. “I hope.”
“You are strong,” Vanessa said quickly. “You always have been. It’s about time you’ve realized it.”
Addison drew in a deep breath and ignored the nerves that came with wearing something that actually fit and might even call attention to her. “You’re right,” she said. “Now wish me luck.”
After she hung up with Vanessa, Addison set out on a mission. She’d been squirreling her money away so she could start paying her own way in the world, but there was a time and a place to splurge…and this?
This was the time.
She’d never understood the appeal of shopping before, but after a whirlwind tour of every boutique on Main Street, Addison was starting to get it. A new wardrobe was a statement of who she wanted to be, of how she wanted to be seen. While she was at it, she made an appointment for the salon that afternoon.
How long had it been since she’d gotten a haircut?
If she couldn’t remember, the answer was probably too long.
She had time to kill before her appointment and her energy level was flagging now that the adrenaline rush of shopping for a new look was waning. Java Lava’s beckoned and she refused to let nerves deter her.
Was she nervous that she’d see Colton?
Of course.
But that didn’t mean she was going to stay away. She was starting to realize she couldn’t control every emotion that came up, but she could control how she acted. She could either feed the anxiety or ignore it.
Today she chose to ignore. She wouldn’t even let herself obsess over that kiss, no matter how much her mind tried to rehash every moment of the night before.
Nope. She wouldn’t go there.
“Hey Addison,” Gina called out when she walked in.
A quick glance showed that Colton wasn’t here, so she walked a little more confidently toward the counter, laden with bags but wearing a smile.
“The usual?” Gina asked, already moving toward the espresso machine.
“Yes, please.”
“So?” Gina looked over her shoulder with arched brows. The pretty barista’s hair was pulled back again, and the long ponytail swung as she looked from the task at hand to Addison and back again.
“So…what?”
When Gina turned, she had the mug in her hands and her expression said ‘girl, don’t even try it.’ “So,” she said again. “How’d it go last night?” Her smile was teasing. “Last I saw of you and my brother, he couldn’t take his eyes off you.”
Addison flushed, all the mixed emotions she’d been squelching all day came to the surface with a vengeance. Anger, hurt, excitement…confusion. “We had a nice night.”
“Nice, huh?” Gina cocked an eyebrow. “That sounds…unenthusiastic.” She pursed her lips as she leaned against the counter. “Should I be worried for my brother?”
Addison blinked. “What? Why?”
Gina grimaced. “I saw the way he was looking at you, Addison. I’ve seriously never seen him like that before.” She hesitated for a second before continuing. “If you don’t like him the way he likes you…”
Addison found herself holding her breath in the face of Gina’s certainty that he felt something for her.
Did he? His kiss said he did. His conversations, and the way he’d looked at her, and the way he’d been so protective and doting all night… Her heart had said he liked her.
Just like she liked him.
Her breathing came to a halt at the thought. She liked him. A lot. So much that it terrified her. But did he feel the same?
Gina shifted, her expression softening. “Look, it’s probably none of my business. Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“No, no,” Addison rushed to say. “It’s okay. I’m glad you did. It’s sweet that you worry about your brother.”
Gina smiled. “Yeah, well, he normally doesn’t need me to look out for him, but when it comes to relationships, he’s kind of inexperienced.”
Addison’s brows shot up in disbelief and Gina laughed. “I’m not going to say he doesn’t date. He does.” She rolled her eyes at the understatement. “But he’s always gone out with women who were…safe.”
“Safe,” Addison repeated with a laugh. “And what…you think I’m dangerous?”
Gina didn’t laugh along with her. In fact, she looked more serious than ever. “For Colton? Yeah. I’d say you’re about as scary as it gets.”
Addison’s smile faded as she took that in.
“He doesn’t let a lot of people get close,” Gina said. “So just…try not to hurt him, okay?”
Addison nodded, too choked with emotion to speak right away. “I won’t,” she finally said. “I promise.”
Gina moved on to the next customer and Addison took her coffee and her shopping bags to a table near the counter. She was more confused than ever, but what Gina said gave her a new perspective. Maybe he’d been just as freaked out by that kiss as she’d been.
Or maybe that kiss had made him realize that she wasn’t his type and he’d made a mistake in getting close to her.
One thing was clear. She definitely needed to talk to Colton.
“Hey, Gina?” she asked when the next customer left. “Any idea where Colton is today?”
Gina’s eyes flashed with triumph but she bit back a grin. “Not sure. It’s his day off but he was gone when I left the house this morning.”
“Oh. Okay.” She supposed she could text him or give him a call, but this was a conversation she needed to have in person.
“Trent should be here soon—he always comes in for a coffee this time of day.”
Trent. She had a memory of the handsome blond guy from the night before. “Right, they work together at the sheriff’s office, right?”
Gina nodded. “Yup. They’re also best friends, although you wouldn’t know it to hear them talk.” She rolled her eyes. “They do nothing but mock one another, and yet somehow they’re as close as brothers.”
She found herself smiling as she remembered the way he and Trent had teased each other the night before. For a little while there she’d even wondered if maybe Colton had been jealous, as crazy as that was.
“They drive me nuts,” Gina said with a rueful laugh, “but trust me, they’re actually good friends. I mean, they’re starting up a business together so they’d better be.”
Addison stared at her for a second. “They are?”
“Yeah.” Gina sounded surprised. “Didn’t Colton mention it? They’re starting up a private security firm…” Gina shrugged. “Or they will be once they get the startup money they need.”
“Oh, that’s…great,” she said. She said a hasty goodbye to Gina before snatching up her bags and heading back out onto Main Street. Something nagged at her that she couldn’t na
me.
Why hadn’t he mentioned the new business? They’d talked about their careers and she’d even asked him if he’d ever thought about striking out on his own…so why hadn’t he mentioned it? He hadn’t just not mentioned it, he’d made it sound like he didn’t want to start up his own business.
Odd.
Maybe she didn’t know him as well as she thought.
Maybe he didn’t trust her the way he should.
Doubt nagged at her as she went about her day, and she pushed aside thoughts of trying to track down Colton today. If her short time here in Cyrano had taught her anything it was that she was sure to run into him eventually, and when she did…
Well, when she did she hoped to have her head on straight.
12
With the sheriff out of the office, Colton and Trent were free to talk about their own work without fear of being overheard.
“Seriously, man, if you want off this assignment, just say the word,” Trent said as he kicked back in his seat and rested his feet on his desk. “I’d have no problem getting close to Addison.” His grin made Colton’s hands clench into fists. “She seemed to take a liking to me, wouldn’t you say?”
His friend was asking for it. “Drop it, pretty boy.”
“I’m serious,” Trent said, clearly enjoying Colton’s aggravation. “She wasn’t at all the stuck-up brat you made her out to be.”
Colton shifted in his seat, feigning interest in his inbox that he definitely didn’t feel. “I didn’t say she was a brat.”
“Uh, I beg to differ,” Trent said.
“Yeah, well…” Colton cleared his voice. “I was wrong.”
He heard Trent’s chair squeak as his friend’s feet hit the floor. “Wait, hold up. Could you repeat that, please?”
Colton scowled at his computer. “Shut it, man. I mean it.”
Trent whistled. “The great Colton Parker admitting he was wrong about something? Dude, this girl has done a number on you.”
Fake Dating the Unsuspecting Heiress Page 10