Page 31 of Movers and Fakers

“I’m tempted to find Mckinleigh and tell her you changed your mind and want her instead. I think your ego needs to be punished.”

He chuckles. “Nice to have you back, Princess. I’ve been waiting for the Aurora I know to return. She disappeared there for a minute.”

I cross my arms. Did he say all of that just so I’d stop being nervous?

“You don’t know me,” I shoot back, not liking that his plan worked.

“Not as well as I’d like to, no.”

We share a look. Hayes sparkling with mischief. Me shooting sparks of a different kind. I let out a huff.

“Okay, that’s rule number one then. No kissing.”

“Unless you ask,” he adds.

I roll my eyes. “Not happening.”

“A man can dream.”

Chapter sixteen

If, Not When

Hayes Rosewood

Aurora frowns at me.

“Don’t lie?” she questions. “Isn’t that exactly what we’re doing?”

It’s a fair point. I scratch the back of my neck.

“To each other,” I add to the rule number two I just gave. “We should be honest about how we’re feeling and what we’re thinking.”

Her confusion escalates.

“I’m not trying to argue with you. I don’t like lying, but I don’t understand why that needs to be a rule.”

I look down at my unopened textbook. She’s right; it probably didn’t need to be a rule, but in my world, people lie a lot. And since I’m dragging her into it, I don’t want her to feel obligated to hide her feelings or spare mine. Though, I guess she’s not been known to do the second. I draw in a steadying breath and lift my head to meet her blue eyes.

“If one of us starts to … feel things. Real things—” A startled, no, terrified look cuts across her face, making a laugh burst out of me. “Okay, I’m not that vain. You don’t have to sucker punch my ego with that look.”

She laughs, covering her mouth to muffle the sound. Her shoulders shake. I let out an exasperated sigh.

“Really, Princess? I spend all this time trying to make you laugh …” My words trail off as I shake my head.

Her hand falls away to reveal a smile I can tell she’s trying to contain. I wonder what it would be like if she didn’t hold back.

“I wasn’t trying to bruise your ego, though it could use it,” she says through remnants of laughter. “I just wasn’t expecting you to imply that one of us would fall in love.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “I didn’t say love.”

Aurora’s cheekbones tint pink.

“You know what I mean.”

“I do.” A smirk stretches across my lips. “And maybe I meant that, too.”

She huffs, clearly over my games. I chuckle to disguise my nerves and cross my arms over my chest.