Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“Do you miss home?”
Leila sighs. “Sometimes. I don’t miss my parents nagging me about finding a rich husband. They still do, but it’s easier to ignore them when it’s over the phone.”
“I thought I helped that problem.”
“You definitely did! Now, they just say how proud they are I finally landed a potential mate and that I should quit my design job.”
“I’m sorry. That really sucks.”
“It’s okay. I survive.”
Another silence falls between us, but this time we both focus on the movie. I look over at Leila every time she laughs. She’s such a beautiful girl with her brown, curly hair and eyes that match. Her nose is small and cute. Her lips part when she laughs at something in the movie, and I wish I were the one making the motion.
“Wow, Shiloh finally calmed down,” Leila points out. “Didn’t take him as long as I expected. Usually, when we have guests over, he’s crazy for hours.”
“Do you have guests over often?” I ask, my voice tinged with jealousy. Shiloh snores on the white carpet at our feet.
“Sometimes. I had Malia over recently. I told you, I haven’t made many friends here, but I’ve been trying. My best friend from home is coming to visit in a couple of months, too.”
Relief washes over me. I’d hate it if Leila were having other guys over. I don’t think she’d do that since she knows what’s at stake with this relationship, but still.
“Where’s your bathroom?” I ask, jumping up from the couch.
“Uh, right down the hall, across from the bedroom. Don’t mind the mess. I wasn’t expecting company.”
“No worries. Be back.”
I don’t have to go to the bathroom, but after I make a show of flushing the toilet and washing my hands, I return to the couch and sit a bit closer to Leila than I was before.
Our legs are touching. Leila is wearing a pair of shorts, and I can feel the heat radiating off her through my jeans. Or maybe that’s my own body heat. She doesn’t move away, and neither do I. I stare at Leila until she looks over at me, and I can’t stop myself from doing what I’ve wanted to do since the moment we met.
Our lips collide in a frenzied kiss. I nibble her bottom lip, and she makes a little gasping noise that nearly sends me over the edge.
Leila pulls away from me and slides over on the couch. “That’s a bad idea.”
I move closer once more. “It didn’t feel like a bad idea.”
“Ugh. I know. I enjoyed kissing you, but … I don’t know. Should we really cross that line?”
I brush a strand of hair behind her ear. We’ve each had a single glass of wine, so we can’t even blame it on the alcohol. This attraction is all us, and I’m not going to let this moment slip away.
“I think we should cross the line.”
“So do I,” Leila says, out of breath.
This time she’s the one who kisses me. I tangle my fingers in her hair and lie her down on the couch, so I’m straddling her.
We make out in the living room while Shiloh sleeps below us, completely oblivious to what is going on. I feel like a teenager as my hand slides up under Leila’s shirt to cop a feel of her breasts.
She moans into my lips as I slip my hand under her bra and caress her nipple with my thumb.
“Mm, Spencer,” she says. “I like that.”
I kiss from her lips down her chin until I make it to her neck. She stops me as I gently nibble the skin just below her chin.
“No marks. I can’t have a hickey when I go back to work Monday.”
I laugh. “It would be a badge of honor.”
“My one coworker would never let me live it down.”
I sigh. “Fine. No marks. Goes for you, too, though. The makeup department would flip.”
“We’re no fun,” Leila says, but she kisses me again. The movie is still playing in the background, but neither of us pays it any attention. We’re too busy getting lost in each other’s eyes, lips, and bodies.
Our clothes stay on until I try to pull Leila’s shirt up over her head.
“The couch isn’t comfortable,” she says with a grin. “What do you say we head to my room?”
I smile down at her. “I like that idea very much.”
We scramble off the couch, not bothering to turn off the TV, and collapse onto Leila’s bed. Our clothes are stripped off in a frenzy. I don’t know if we’re so into each other we can’t wait or if we’re both worried that if we take a second to think, we’ll realize that sleeping with your fake partner is never a good idea.
I’m going to choose to believe it’s the first one.
I hover over Leila’s naked form, highlighted by the hint of moonlight sneaking through her dark blue curtains.