v

up to a h

r, a strong chest rising and falling under her

rough the curtains. Pine-scented air filled he

en it

led. Her leg very much wrapped around his like t

solid three sec

d, jerking away like s

l halfway draped over her

squeaked, rolling to the

ur sleep. Very aggres

id n

nuzzled my neck." His smirk was way too pl

he yanked the sheet up to he

damn lion. "You can deny it all you want, but

urying her fac

ing to be a

kincare routine while trying to recover from full-body embarrassment. Her cheeks were still pink when s

sychological warfa

to his mouth. "What, the

ot

lism," he offered, deadpan.

this d

ouples orientation breakfast at twenty. Are you re

h her nose. "I alr

s, sunflowers in mason jars, and far too many couples who looked li

ame fac

, no wandering off. Rule two, subtle physical contact is fine.

is head. "Def

olves handcuffs, a

r as they reached the waffle station. "Remember that time we did

people

"He's always exaggerating," s

too," Lake added, dropp

o hard he nearly

abin just as Ivy started rehearsing how to fake a migraine. He

as no time

came at

wanted to remind you that today's connection challenge starts at noon. You'll be preparing a Couples Welcome Vid

y, panic rising.

d. "Make it

hut the door and turned to

onto the couch. "We'll keep

go. You were there shooting a documentary.

out by interrupting your le

s not wha

to help me out of th

n her face. "We have t

tanding. "Then we sho

ime, we almost burned

tural." His tone was teasing, but

e. A

tomach

his sides. "Come on. One little

. "Okay. Bu

od face-

e coffee on his breath. Close enough

w, gentle - cupped

no

lips t

Cont

one second for it

ers curled around his shirt. The kiss

pounding. His

th

broke

ng. Stunned

his hair. "Well. That

est heaving. "We can

agree,"

pau

ess we

few minutes later, still

tting safely six inches away. But when it came time for the ending - "What d

stubborn. And that she thinks she can fake a re

ared a

the camera. "K

throw a pill

ended the video with a sunny, "W

stopped, she turned to hi

re we

the pillow w

every breath he took. Or remembering

't stop racing.

omethi

he didn't w

t

, Ivy decided sh

ters - but physically. If she was going to survive two months sharing oxyg

nearby trail loop. The camp had pamphlets labeled "Wilderness as Therap

ly, "alone"

speed hike, she heard foot

u're trying to lose me, maybe d

I'm not stomping.

is therapy

ly. Go

gged until he

ees between them. It should've been peaceful. But the memory of his hands on her hips -

aid, "You're

ed. "No,

ne' voice is very shar

"We kissed. It was... confusi

uldn't have happened? Or sho

eelings for a fake husband with

have commitm

d it during our co

ense. Maybe I

not evolving, Lake. You're flirting an

ober settling behind his eyes

oat tig

le

er. Not touchin

d you need a grant and I need a miracle. But maybe -

eyes burning. "

l. "Yeah. But you knew that

ngs were quieter. Not in a cold way - in a

nd they ate on the porch under string lights. The mood was w

she said after a bi

ne. "You just now

ot what I

cted

be a lazy, smug,

l those

.." She tr

?" he asked, l

her head.

started i

irely terrible,

most romantic thing an

d despite

ingers bru

y acc

entional.

n't pul

e pillow wall

functional. Like both of them had ag

ceiling, listening to the st

sn't

ould

king loud,"

o th

pa

appens if we actually

d. "Then we'

"At least we'll be

ps twi

since the whole fake-ma

what it would feel like i