Pretend Love Romance by Penny Wylder
Diana
Holy hell.
I lean against the door in the small entryway of the guest house and try to catch my breath. That, I wasn’t expecting, and now I’m so turned on that I can barely breathe. That man can kiss.
It’s been so long since I’ve been properly kissed that it was overwhelming. But even though it’s been a while, I don’t know that I’ve ever been kissed like that. It was barely contained power and lust. He’s so gorgeous that I already couldn’t stop looking at him, and the second he touched me…
Now I understand what people mean when they talk about seeing fireworks. Because that’s exactly what I fucking saw. The way he kissed was demanding and unyielding, and I loved that. There was no hesitance.
The second he touched me, my body lit up like a fucking Christmas tree. I didn’t bring my vibrator on this trip, but now I wish that I had. And that voice after we kissed? I swear to God that voice might be enough to make me come when I’m this turned on. Him whispering in my ear…I shiver.
How the hell am I supposed to sleep when I know that kisses like that exist? That the significant hardness I felt in his pants exists?
God, it feels like I can never go back now.
I hear laughter in the living room and smile in response. I’m glad that my friends are having a good time. The last thing I want is for the weekend to be ruined over an accident. Even if I did stop breathing.
Taking a deep breath, I brace myself and walk into the living room.
There are already two wine bottles on the coffee table, and my friends are draped over couches, laughing and flushed. I know them well enough to know that they’re not drunk yet, but they’re well on the way.
As soon as they see me, it’s a festival of shrieking that makes my head hurt, and I’m swarmed by them and pulled into hugs before Emily yells for them to back the fuck up and give me some space.
“Are you okay?” Emily asks. “Tell me everything is fine. Please. I’ve been worried sick and have said about half a million times that I should have gone with you.”
“She really has,” Marie says. “Just so you know that she’s not lying.”
Sarah pulls me over to the couch. “Now you have to tell us what happened! One minute you were in the boat and the next you weren’t. It was a fucking whirlwind. And then Leo was in the river too—” she cuts herself off. “Sorry. Story time with you.”
“Honestly, there’s not much to tell,” I say, the exhaustion hitting me again as the glow of Leo’s lips fades away. “I couldn’t find the surface of the water and I could barely tell which way was up. I didn’t have a chance to take a breath when I went in, and then I got slammed against a rock. I woke up when Leo revived me.”
Julie puts her wine glass down on the table. “I know that he was doing that to you know…save your life…but holy shit. You could use more where that came from, if you know what I mean.”
I laugh softly, trying not to give anything away. I could indeed use more where that came from. A lot more. Over and over again. Because without a doubt it would be the best sex that I ever had. The chemistry alone would blow me away, but the way that Leo kissed told me that he knows what he’s doing.
And God, do I want that fantasy I had this morning of his beard scratching my thighs to come true.
“Yeah,” I say. “That was a confusing way to wake up.”
Emily waves a hand. “For real though, are you okay? What did the doctor say?”
“I’m banged up but fine. Probably a concussion, but I don’t have any troubling symptoms.”
“Good.” She flops backward onto the couch. “I would murder you if you weren’t okay.”
“You realize that defeats the purpose, right?”
My best friend stares at me with a blank face. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
The rest of us burst into laughter, and it’s like that’s the last of the energy I have. “You guys keep drinking. Keep having fun. I’m going to sleep for a while.”
“Of course, Di. We’ll be here if you need anything, okay?”
Everyone agrees, and Julie jumps up. “I’ll make you a cup of tea.”
I’m about to protest, but a cup of tea actually sounds amazing. “Thanks.”
The clothes that Emily grabbed from my suitcase are good, but I change into something a little lighter while Emily hovers. “You okay, Em?”
“You’re seriously asking me that? You almost died!”
“I didn’t though.”
“Still.”
As soon as I’m in the bed, she’s working on the blankets. “Are you tucking me in right now?”
“Yes.” She makes a face. “Don’t argue.”
I catch her hand. “Em, I’m fine. The doctor just said I need to rest and recover. It’s your bachelorette weekend. Please go have fun.”
She sighs. “Okay. But it’s not as fun without you.”
“I’ll be back in no time,” I say, but I’m already falling asleep, my body not giving me a choice.
In the distance, I hear her close the door, and then and their voices as they probably start talking about me. But the last thing that I think of before fading away is Leo’s lips on mine.
