Page 61 of Yours, For Now

I crossed my arms. "I think so."

Gabe unmuted his phone. "Okay. Yeah, let's do that. Yeah."

I closed my eyes again and took a deep breath. This changed our plans for the next few weeks, and we needed to be smart about it.

"Okay, Mom. Yes. Love you too. Good night."

How sweet, to hear his care for his mom. And how strange, to hear those words, and imagine what it would feel like, if they were for me.

Gabe turned off his phone, closed his laptop, and put both devices on the coffee table.

He sighed and lay back on the couch, his shoulder touching mine. Our faces oriented to each other; his eyes roamed my face, and the corner of his lips lifted in a soft curve.

"You looked like you could fall asleep there, for a second," he said.

"I wasn't going to." I bit the inside of my cheek. "But what would have happened if I had?"

"I would have agonized over it for a little bit. Should I wake you up? Bring a blanket and pillow?" He looked down to my lips, but lifted his eyes up to mine again. "Should I take you to my bed?"

"The more gallant option is the latter."

"Can't say I would have been thinking about gallantry." He wet his bottom lip. "I would have been thinking of something else. Including if you'd get in trouble for sleeping over."

My heart beat fast, taking the wheel of my emotions. I shouldn't think of his words as flirting, and I shouldn't respond to it. But I wasn't sure I was able to resist. "I'd be fine. My family is machista, but I fought those battles already. We just don't talk about it, because when they try, I bite their head off."

"So…" his eyes searched mine. "Do you want to sleep over here, sometime? It would add to the realism."

I gulped. "Maybe. We're going to have to amp up the pretense, anyway."

He turned sideways, so his body faced me more fully. "Because your family is coming to the lake house. And mine is going to your place for a barbeque."

I nodded. "We can't just play it cool with your family, when mine's going to be around."

A controlled breath expanded in his chest. His eyes never left mine. "Yeah. Your family half expects us to be deeply in love already. Who knows what kind of comments they would make about that. And who knows how my family and friends would respond to it, but I know they would get suspicious if I weren't always touching you, somehow."

"Oh. So you're handsy."

His nod was slow. "I think I'd be, if you and I were real."

Excitement feathered my skin, waking up dormant nerve endings. "I did promise I'd do anything to make this believable."

"I might have to kiss you." His eyes dropped to my lips. "For show."

I could see it all too clearly. The tempting image struck a chord deep inside, in the place where I hid the most tender parts of me.

I tensed and melted, all at the same time. "I think I'd be okay with that. Just don't abuse the privilege."

"Would I be abusing the privilege, if I kissed you now?" His voice rumbled, low and delicious. "To get used to it. So it's not surprising. So it looks natural."

It became harder to breathe. We stared at each other, the pull between us taut as we tested new territory. His face held a hint of humor, even patience, like this wasn't as serious for him, and kissing was a good and friendly addendum to our rules.

"Besos y abrazos no quitan pedazos," I said.

"Kisses and hugs don't tear you apart. What's that?"

"Something my mom used to say when I was a teenager. To discourage sex. Keeping it at kisses and hugs won't hurt me… because I wouldn't get pregnant from that alone."

He closed his eyes and groaned. "You're ruining the moment. I won't kiss you now that you mentioned unplanned pregnancies. It'll have to wait."