Hooking my arm around her shoulders, I kiss her temple. “There’s no weirdness, Cruz Control. I’m a good cuddler. No one can fault you for wanting some of that.”
She chuckles. “You are a good cuddler. Although you do hog the covers.”
I gasp dramatically. “¡Mentiras, mujer!”
Lies, woman.
Sienna gives me a look. Blinks. Sighs. “Oh. I like when you speak Spanish.”
Did I say I need to keep this platonic? Because the look she gives me could melt the paint off the walls.
“¿Hablas español?”
Hesitantly, she tilts her head one way and then the other. “Un poco. Entiendo si hablas despacio.” A little. I understand if you speak slowly. Her cheeks turn pink. “But I’m not totally fluent, so don’t go crazy. It sucks because I wish I were, but I get tongue-tied. It’s a little embarrassing.”
“I get it. I have friends back home who can’t, or they joke they speak Spanglish.” I shrug. “It’s not a big deal. You do you.”
“Spanglish. I like that.” The look of relief on her face is immediate. I give her a hug. Why, I’m not sure, except she seems like she needs one.
“If it means anything, your pronunciation was perfect.”
That beautiful smile emerges, and I sit there entranced for a second.
Someone knocks on the door, the sound jarring me from staring at Sienna. Way to not make things weird, asshole.
Olly sticks his head in the room. “Are you decent?” He doesn’t wait for a response before he strolls in and closes the door. “Are y’all still doing the fake relationship thing?”
“Yeah.” I realize I’ve been ignoring my burrito and shove it in my mouth because I’m starving. “So? I thought yesterday went okay.”
He motions over his shoulder. “I just overheard Janelle talking to someone on the phone, and she said she thinks she can get you back because she hasn’t seen you two kiss on the trip. FYI.”
I turn to Sienna, my eyes instantly zoning in on her perfect pink lips. “You okay if we amp up our game today?”
“I’m cool with it if you are.”
“Kissing you will be such a hardship,” I tease, taking a long, hungry look at her mouth.
She laughs. “I know. You’re such a troll.”
“This should be interesting,” Olly mutters as he leaves.
Sienna and I snicker and stuff our faces with breakfast burritos.
So yeah. Bring on the PDA.
We’ll just have to kiss and not catch feelings. No big deal.
19
SIENNA
We’re sitting around the living room and the guys are devouring a second round of breakfast burritos as we try to decide what to do today.
“I vote for water rafting down the Guadalupe,” Amelia says as she adjusts the limited edition, rose-gold Ray-Ban aviators on top of her head. My mother got a pair in a Hollywood red carpet swag bag.
Yes, I miss the perks of that lifestyle from time to time, I think as I clip one arm of my Target sunglasses down the front of my t-shirt.
Janelle claps. “I wanna do that!”
She pulls Amelia into a hug, and they jump around like they’ve known each other their whole lives. A twinge of jealousy nips at me because it’s obvious to everyone I’m not Janelle’s favorite person. I don’t know why I care, but I do.
The guys agree with the agenda, and I cringe, hating that I have to voice my concerns.
“I don’t want to throw a wrench in our plans, but who’s going to watch Lily?”
Janelle rolls her eyes at me. “We’ll bring her with us.” She plops down onto a bar stool.
“You want to bring a toddler river rafting? Isn’t that dangerous?” I look to Ben, who runs his hands through his hair.
“Sienna’s right. I hadn’t thought about that. Damn.”
“I mean, it sounds like fun, and I’d love to do it since I’m sore from skiing yesterday, but I’m not sure if the rafting company will allow a child this young to join us.”
“Aww, you’re sore?” Ben asks as he gives me a funny look, which I get because he’s leaning close to knead the muscles in my shoulder. Ah, this is part of the PDA we agreed to do. He leans in and kisses my forehead. “Sorry, sunshine. You shoulda said something last night, and I could’ve given you a massage.”
My nipples stand up in attention, totally on board with this suggestion. “You can make it up to me later,” I say playfully, not needing to fake the obvious chemistry we share.
He stares at my lips like he wants to maul me. Either he wants to hook up with me, or he’s a really good actor, and I hope it’s the former.
I have no idea how I’m going to get through the rest of the vacation by “faking” my attraction to Ben. Because if I were any more into him, I’d go up in flames.
Lily toddles through the room on a mission to get to her mama. She holds up her arms for Janelle to pick her up, but Janelle ignores her.
Janelle sometimes looks at Lily with so much irritation in her eyes that I’m starting to feel bad for Lily. I’m sore from showing off yesterday anyway, and I don’t mind some downtime, so I offer to watch the baby.
“Cool. That works.” Janelle pops out of her seat and grabs her purse. “Let’s go.”
“Hold on.” Ben motions for her to sit down. “This getaway is part of Sienna’s birthday present, and I don’t think she should have to babysit. I’ll watch Lily.”
Did I used to think Ben was unfeeling and remote? He’s been nothing but thoughtful since the day he dropped me off at the airport. Seriously, I think I’ve had him pegged wrong this whole time.
I’m pretty sure I’m giving him heart eyes right now. “I won’t enjoy it the same if you’re not there, so it’s totally okay. I don’t mind staying.”
I’m not just saying that for the sake of role-playing. As much as I like hanging out with his roommates, Ben’s the reason I’m here. He’s the one who’s turning into one of my best friends. I think I’d be sad if I went river rafting without him.
Olly holds up his phone and gives us a sarcastic look. “Okay, lovebirds. I found a daycare. Great reviews online. Certified and all that. Partnered with the rafting company, which is next door, and take walk-ins.”
Ben and I look at each other, and I wrap my arm around his. “How about we check it out, but if you don’t like it for some reason, you and I can hang out with Lily?”
I’m not expecting the kiss he plants on my lips, but it’s so unexpected and sweet, it sets off a stampede of butterflies in my belly.
Johnny hoots, “Y’all are hashtag relationship goals!” and laughs his ass off while Ben gives him the finger.
If Ben and I were in a real relationship, I’d have to admit that he’s doing everything right.
He’s just a friend, Sienna.
I have the feeling I’ll need to chant that to myself all day.
I touch my lips, still thinking about that kiss. In the scheme of things, it was a pretty chaste one. Ben didn’t use tongue. But for some reason, it set off sparks in my body that I’m having a hard time forgetting.