Jada swallowed and followed orders. She watched as her hand seemed to work independently of her brain. It lifted itself, then landed on his chest, directly over his right pec. Warmth seeped through his shirt to her hand. She snatched her palm away. It felt like she’d been burned, like she was doing something naughty. But that was ridiculous. Slowly, her hand lifted again, then settled over his heart. His hand around her waist tightened, catching her off guard. She stumbled forward, then yanked herself back. “Sorry,” she mumbled.
“No worries.” He didn’t sound affected at all. Of course, he didn’t. Not Principal Dell, who kept his cool at all times.
“You two are so ridiculously attractive,” Kendra said. “It should be illegal to look as good as y’all do together.”
The other women laughed, calling out their agreement.
“Okay, I’m ready,” Rose said, raising the camera to her face. “Let’s get to it.”
Jada kept her gaze glued to his Adam’s apple and tried not to flinch at every click of the camera.
Rose lowered her camera. “Oh, my God, guys, you look so stiff. What’s the deal?”
Oh, right. They were supposed to be a real-life couple. Jada exhaled and deliberately relaxed her shoulders.
Donovan’s arm around her waist loosened as he turned to the photographer. Jada missed the connection immediately. “I know it sounds crazy, but we’ve tried to keep our relationship private, and I’m not used to cameras and people staring at me when I’m with my lady.”
He was taking the blame? Why did he insist on being a standup guy?
The book club members sighed as one.
“That’s certainly understandable,” Rose said. “Y’all are so pretty, I forget you’re not professionals. Donovan, tilt the hat back so we can get a better look at your handsome face.”
Jada sucked in a breath. The hat had been hindering their connection. No longer. “Stare into each other’s eyes like you were doing earlier. Pretend I’m not here. There you go. Jada, touch his jaw, raise on your toes, tilt your head back.”
The hair of his five o’clock shadow was surprisingly soft. She continued to caress him, unable to stop herself. Her eyes drifted down. Their mouths were so close, so achingly close. She felt light-headed. He felt it, too. His eyes had darkened, his breathing coming shallower. He remembered. She remembered. What would it be like to have more? For real this time? Spectacular, his eyes answered.
Jada inched up on her toes. Closer, closer, almost there …
“That should do it, you two,” Rose said. “Much better.”
The book club members cheered, jarring Jada back to the present. The quick click-click of the camera had stopped. Donovan’s arm, so strong and sure, fell away from her waist, leaving her bereft. Their romance cover shoot was over.
Back to reality. Reality where they weren’t dating. Reality where they had no right to kiss each other.
* * *
“So, the book club party went well,” Jada said after all the book club members had cleared out. Nicholas had hustled August out of there too, mouthing “you got this” on his way out. Donovan rolled his eyes. His friend couldn’t be more obvious if he tried. And he sure as fuck did not have this.
“Did it?” He was still trying to find his equilibrium. Despite all his admonishments to himself, his attraction to one Jada Townsend-Matthews wasn’t fading. No, it was raging out of control. That photo shoot had nearly done him in. The hitch in her breath as their mouths nearly touched, the way he’d longed to delve under her shirt and dress to touch the skin underneath, to determine if it was as soft and fragrant as he imagined it to be.
She bumped hips with him in a playful motion, but touching her was never innocent. Never without meaning. Never without unfulfilled promise.
“Yes, it did, and you know it,” she said. “Donovan, thanks for letting me do this. And for reading the book. And for taking this seriously.” She sat and unzipped her boots and eased the shoes off, giving him a brief, tantalizing glimpse of her shapely thighs.
He wiped at his chin to make sure drool wasn’t showing. “You miss the Crocs, don’t you?” he asked when she looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.
Her smile, so smooth, so natural, so beautiful, spread across her face. She looked around the room to make sure there weren’t any spies hiding in the corner, then leaned toward him. “Since it’s just you and me, I’ll admit it.”
He laughed. She made him feel good. Damn good. And carefree like the whole world wasn’t counting on him to make a success of everything.