“Be honest. That’s one of our rules.”
“I can’t deny it,” she whispers.
“Why are we fighting it?” I lean in closer, close enough to smell her perfume, mixed with kettle corn from the festival. “We have six weeks. We both know I’m leaving. We’re already exclusively fake dating. Why are we torturing ourselves?”
“What are you suggesting?” Her green eyes search mine.
“That we stop holding back.” My thumb traces her jaw, and she leans into the touch. “We already have an expiration date. No false promises. No broken hearts. Just … this. Whatever this is.”
“More will complicate things,” she says, but her hands come up to rest on my chest.
“We’re already complicated.” I lower my forehead to hers. “I haven’t felt this excitement with someone … ever. And I don’t want to leave Cozy Creek with regrets of not exploring this. No lies, no manipulation. Just two people who are attracted to each other, going with the flow.” I pull back to look at her. “Six weeks of friendship, fun, and incredible sex. Then I go back to New York, as planned, and we part as friends.”
“Sex?” She’s quiet for so long that I think she’s going to say no. She downs the shot. “We’d need new rules.”
“Such as?” I toss my tequila back.
“Still friends first and being honest. That doesn’t change,” she says, pouring us another round of shots.
“Agreed.”
“Exclusive for the six weeks. I do not and will not share.”
“Neither do I,” I tell her.
“NoI love yous,” she says firmly. “That’s completely off the table. Leave your feelings at the footboard.I love youkinda freaks me out.”
Something in my chest tightens, but I nod. “Fair.”
“And when November first comes?—”
“We part as friends. No drama. No trying to make it more,” I say.
She searches my face like she’s looking for any sign of deception. “Do you really think we can do this?”
“We’ll explode if we don’t. This pull between us is unavoidable. It chases me in the night.” I move closer. “Jules, I?—”
KNOCK. KNOCK. KNOCK.
We move apart, both startled.
“Julie! I know you’re in there!” Autumn’s voice carries through the door. “Come answer so I can prove a point!”
“Autumn, this is—” Zane says on the other side.
Autumn keeps pounding, and Julie groans, moving to the door and swinging it open.
She glares at them. “What do you want?”
“I win! Pay up, Alexander! Told you they were together,” she says, holding out her palm. “Look at them. Tequila on the bar. His hair is messy. I win.”
My brows crease, and I cross my arms over my chest. “You bet on us?”
“Fifty bucks,” Zane says, playfully rolling his eyes. “She insists on this.”
“And I’m spending every penny on fried cheesecake tomorrow,” Autumn says, pulling him away. “Thank you! Carry on, lovebirds!”
We hear them bickering as they walk away, their voices fading down the sidewalk.
