Page 67 of Fake Wife
It’s my greatest fear. When will Corbin get tired of slumming it with the homeless girl he picked up and run off with someone who’s more suited for him.
“We’re getting married, Drake.” I hold out my ring despite the emotions raging through me. Fear, anger, betrayal. It’s all there, turning me into a hot, sweaty mess. “We’re engaged and I’m sorry things ended poorly between us, but let’s face it, they were already over well before Missy entered our bedroom.”
“There you are,” Corbin says, finding us and pulling to a sudden stop. His gaze bounces to Drake, who has stood, hands braced on the table leaning toward me. I’ve backed up almost to the windows behind me, and I’m sure we make quite a picture.
“What’s going on?” Corbin says, slowly walking to the table.
“Nothing,” I reply.
Drake is still blinking at my finger. “You’re engaged?” His eyes snap to mine. “We were supposed to get married.”
He sounds crushed. I can’t drum up the sympathy for him.
“Should have locked her down sooner,” Corbin says, sliding up next to me.
Not helping. I look at him and almost growl.
He doesn’t take his eyes off Drake. “We done here now?”
Drake’s brows furrow, still staring at the ring. He’s gone paler and his eyes move to mine. “Yeah. I guess we are. I’m sorry, Teagan. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I swear I didn’t.”
He pushes off the table and runs a hand down his face, blowing out a heavy breath. Turning, he gives one last look to Corbin. “Take care of her, she’s special.”
“I know.” It’s all Corbin says, but it says everything. He’s not roiling with anger like last time, and as he slides his arm to my back, watching Drake walk away with his shoulders hunched like he’s defeated, it’s exactly what I needed to hear.
We’re not playing or pretending right now, and no one would doubt the sincerity in his voice.
“Let’s get out of here,” I say, blowing out a heavy breath. My shoulders slump like Drake’s just did but I’m not defeated, just exhausted.
Corbin’s fingers press into my back and then his lips hit the top of my head. “These books all yours?”
Before I can answer, he slides them into his arms and watches me, carefully but not angrily. “You doing okay?”
“Yeah, but I’m not really in the mood to cook anymore.” Thank you, shitty Drake, for ruining my great day. “Can we just go home and order pizza?”
His head jerks in surprise and then he smiles; it’s soft and endearing, and if we weren’t in the bookstore, I’d kiss him. He makes me forget everything bad and ugly in my life and I love him for it.
“Yeah. We can go home and order pizza.”
Chapter 23
Corbin
It takes everything I have not to haul off and shove my fist into Drake’s face as soon as I see him at Powell’s. The thing that stops me?
The look on Teagan’s face.
Plus, the fact I’ve now been inside of her, tasted her. There’s nothing hidden or secretive about the girl, which tells me she didn’t plan that little meeting, but Drake did.
She’s hurting enough, and the only thing I think ismake it better.
Also, she calls my place home. And yeah, I like that, too. Love it. I’ve never wanted to live with a woman, but I really fucking like that Teagan now thinks of my place as hers.
When we get home, and while she’s upstairs changing, I order pizza, pour her a glass of red wine, and open a beer for myself.
The good thing? Now that I’ve had her, I get to touch her whenever we want. When she comes downstairs dressed in her favorite yoga pants and that off-the-shoulder ragged sweatshirt that drives me crazy for some reason, I do the first thing I can think of to erase Drake from her mind.
I playfully pull her to the couch and then roll us, so my body covers hers. She laughs and I watch. Then I tease the ever-loving crap out of her, tasting and touching her everywhere until she comes on my fingers right before the doorbell sounds.
