NO STRINGS, JUST LIES

ot invi

, the note, and the reminder t

land va

the penthouse again and did not say a word.

t want t

ired a

did yo

t of his jacke

not an

it's

kitchen. "You can't

d, did

my bodygua

t. I'm not. But I am the guy pretending to be your fiancé, and if so

olled. The sort of quiet

for this," I

or protection. I just happe

down at

hit

warning. Then I off

he didn't ta

e bothering

I could

omething I wasn't

a habit of t

no pro

ror, trying to zip up the back of

ed dinner with Elliott Granger and his wife, Lilli

rtunately,

n rom-com villain tie loose, shirt cri

d he

e go

don

eflection. "Don't

cing down my spine as he zipped t

id a word,"

gered a fraction o

fore I forgot how

al Digest-modern but not trendy, all neutral colour

and referred to Noah a

nd asked how "wedding

small," I lied smo

dings are mostly for e

lved edible flowers. Noah made it halfway through the salad befor

nd la

Unfo

up like it was the most n

im," Lillian said,

he said. "He's got stronger op

like you,"

ped us bo

d a word f

er, trying not to let my

wine in hand. Noah had collapsed on the couch, th

e. "Tell me, Emery. Why

gged on my

rigued like he also wan

e's obstinate. Self-righteous. Al

rt," Elliott

eded him. Even when I didn't invite him. Eve

the words stopped

er glanced

" Lillian

e in Emery that

immediat

e when she's angry. She throws pillows when she's scared

ook

ent on. "And then somehow,

m becam

qu

e. Nobody c

unded

elt

slept between us, arms outstret

s whizzing by, heart pound

said at last. "Ba

ed over

need to say

kno

hy di

e I mea

eath

't real,

"You keep s

e it's

we both worr

d not

sn't brave e

e balcony, enjoying the breeze

e, two glasses in hand. He

t to make

re past rule

ow and crooked

me abo

the railing beside

he breathed. "I di

kno

out over

y us. No fake ring. No p

ldn't stop pretending-and ha

me sleep," I sai

ded. "

ght, Rh

ht,

urn

op

ulder, "Thanks for not l

d behind me int

me the guy who gets

orning, my

wn nu

e atta

ened

was

ess from

in the

ng Rh

pt

you looked like after ou

tar

in th

and

in, for the first ti