Tease (Cloverleigh Farms #8)(30)

We made it through breakfast by changing the subject any time someone tried to ask about the wedding or our future plans. Felicity was awesome at steering the conversation away from us. She asked my mom how things were going at her store and promised to come in for a reading soon. She asked my dad how his garden was this summer and said she’d love to come by and pick some tomatoes. She asked Neil what it was like working for her uncle Noah, who was the county Sheriff.

“He’s a great guy,” Neil said. “That’s your uncle?”

“He’s married to my stepmom’s sister,” Felicity explained. “But I grew up in that family, so they’re all aunts and uncles to me.”

“The Sawyers are wonderful people,” said my mom. “In fact, I can’t wait to speak with Frannie about the wedding and everything.”

“Not yet, Mom,” I said, noting the look of alarm on Felicity’s face. “This news sort of got out unexpectedly, so give us a chance to talk to the MacAllisters first.”

“So where can I see your next singing performance?” Felicity asked the Clipper Cuts, smoothly switching topics.

It was incredible—like watching her tap dance for a solid hour when she’d never had one lesson.

Finally, I told everyone they had to go because I had work to do. My mother was the last one out. I shut the door behind her and leaned back against it. My left eyelid was twitching. “Jesus.”

Felicity covered her cheeks with both hands. “That was . . . a lot. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. You?”

She nodded. “You think they bought everything? I feel like your parents were convinced, but sometimes your sister would look at us like she wasn’t sure.”

“Allie is pretty shrewd, but mostly I think she was just amazed I’d kept a secret from her. I usually tell her everything.”

“I love that you’re close to your sister. I think that’s cool.” Dropping her arms, she sighed. “Okay, come on. Let’s get the kitchen cleaned up and figure out how we’re going to handle my family.”

The thought of having to do this all again in front of the MacAllisters was almost enough to make me pull the plug on this insane scheme, but then I remembered how good it felt when I kissed her. How badly I wanted to do it again.

I followed her to the sink.

“I’ll wash, you dry?” she suggested.

“Sure. But—hang on.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “That kiss.”

She glanced up at me. “What about it?”

“I didn’t see a way out of it.”

“No. Of course not.” She looked down at the island and traced a long vein in the marble with a fingertip. It was a minute before she spoke. “Isn’t it amazing that this was formed millions of years ago because of heat and intense pressure?”

But I couldn’t answer, because I was too busy wondering what it would feel like if she traced a vein on my skin that way—slowly, deliberately, with awe. I had a particular vein in mind.

Eventually she looked up at me. “I didn’t mind when you kissed me, Hutton.”

“You didn’t?”

She shook her head. “At least now we know what it’s like, right?”

“Right.”

She went back to tracing the vein. “In fact, we’ll probably have to do that kind of thing again.”

My heart stumbled over its next beat. “Kiss?”

“Yeah. I mean, people are going to expect it if we’re engaged.” She peeked at me. “Won’t they?”

I nodded, feeling like the universe had rewarded me for being bold.

“So I was thinking, maybe we should practice.”

Blood rushed straight to my cock. “Right now?”

“Maybe not right this second, but you know . . . soon.” Her shoulders rose. “Don’t you think it would be a good idea?”

“Yeah. Soon. Practice. Good.” Like a fucking caveman.

“Great.” She smiled and picked up a plate to rinse it.

“You should move in,” I blurted.

The plate slipped from her hands and clattered back into the sink. “Huh?”

“You should move in with me.” I raked a hand through my hair. “It would make things more real, more believable. Don’t you think?”

“Um. Yes. Definitely, it would make it more real.” Her cheeks had grown pink. “It’s just—I don’t—I didn’t know if you . . .”

“Didn’t know if I what?”

“If you, you know, wanted to make it more real.”

My heart was beating way too fast. “I do.”

Her lips hung open for a minute, then she closed them. Offered me a smile. “Okay. I’ll go home this afternoon and get my stuff. It will be nice to get out of my parents’ house, even if it’s just for a few weeks.”

“Great.”

We continued doing the dishes in silence, but inside, I was freaking out.

She was moving in—today. She wanted to practice kissing. What else might be allowable inside the parameters of this act?

My skin prickled with heat as my eyes wandered from her head to her heels.

This could get complicated.