Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55832 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 279(@200wpm)___ 223(@250wpm)___ 186(@300wpm)
I chuckle as I wrap my arm around her. “Oh damn, my girl is the jealous type.”
She pushes my arm off, crossing her arms. “If you aren’t going to take this seriously, then just stop now. I’m not willing to start something like this and come out looking like a bigger fool than I did when Lake cheated. You need to be all in, or don’t even bother.”
I sigh and scrub my face. “I’m sorry. I was joking. I’m all in Willow. We both deserve to enjoy this week. My brother is getting married to your friend. We are going to celebrate that and we’ll do it together. There will be no flirting or sex with anyone but you. You have my word.”
“We’re not having sex,” she says.
“What? You know what I meant,” I reply, shaking my head.
“You said no flirting or sex with anyone but me.”
This might be a little harder than I thought it was going to be. She’s taking everything I say literally. “No flirting with other women, and no sex at all with anyone. Better?”
She shakes her head, turning it to look out the window. I sigh and pour each of us another drink that was dropped off. I toss mine back as her drink sits on the tray in front of her untouched.
“What Willow? What are you worried about now?”
I’m trying not to get annoyed, but I’ve come up with the perfect solution to both of our problems and she’s acting like I’ve done something wrong.
“No one is going to believe it unless we, ugh, unless we are sharing a room,” she whispers.
I nod, running my hand down my mouth. I never thought of that, but she’s right. “Okay, did you book a room yet?”
“Of course I did,” she says, annoyed.
“Well, I didn’t, so we’ll just stay in the room you booked. I’ll put it on my credit card.”
“You didn’t book a room? What was your plan when you got there?”
I shrug, grinning. “Hoping there would be one available, if not, shacking up with Callum, or Tripp.”
“You’re too much, Brock.”
Once again I drop my arm around her shoulders. “It’s all part of my charm.”
“You’ll sleep on the floor though, right?” she asks, glancing at me.
“Well, I’m not a dog, so no, but I will sleep on the couch.”
She giggles and I like that she appears to be coming out of the mood she was in. “If you mess this up, I’m making you sleep on the floor.”
I laugh. “This is going to be so much fun.”
The rest of the flight is pretty silent. I’m thinking about what a genius I am, but I’m sure she’s thinking about how I’m going to fuck it all up. She’s going to be very disappointed because I plan on giving the performance of a lifetime.
Once we land and enter the airport, we head to the baggage claim. I wrap my arm around her as we wait and she looks up at me.
“What are you doing? There’s no one around.”
“I’m a touchy, feely guy, Willow. Get used to it now because it will be happening a lot this week. Each time I do this you stiffen and that needs to stop. If we are going to make this work, you need to at least act like you want me to touch you and step one is to stop stiffening.”
She searches my eyes and nods. “Okay,” she whispers.
“Our bags,” I say, rushing over and grabbing them.
I push them both as we head toward the exit. Paxton and Hartford are getting married and Willow and I are about to give an Oscar-worthy performance.
I’m even more excited than when I stepped onto the plane.
Chapter 3
Willow
I honestly can’t believe I’ve let Brock talk me into such a ridiculous idea. Pretend to be a couple?
However, when I see Lake’s face in the lobby of the Excalibur Hotel and Casino, I almost feel triumphant. He notices Brock’s arm around my shoulders first. Is that a hint of jealousy I detect?
I think it is, and I swell at the sight.
I beam as Paxton makes his way over, Lake following briefly behind him.
“Brock, how was the flight?” Paxton asks, and Brock drops his arm from around me to wrap his older brother in a hug. “Willow, were you two on the same flight?” He wraps me into a quick hug, his eyes searching both mine and Brock’s for answers.
“Of course we were, silly,” I say, trying to pretend that Paxton already knows that Brock and I are an item.
“I had to fly out with my girl,” Brock says, wrapping his arm back around me and tucking me into his side. “Lake,” he says, giving a little head nod to him.
Lake’s blue eyes narrow slightly, and he nods. “What’s up, Brock? Your girl?”
“Yes,” I chime in, a little more bravado in my voice than should be. “Brock and I are dating. Oh, did you not know that, Lake?” I ask him, a hint of pity in my voice, like he’s not privy to the happenings of the Atwood clan like I am.