Until Forever (ROYAL RIDERS SERIES BOOK #1)

32| Real

She hit my chest and rubbed her cheek. "What if I did that to you?" I offered my cheek and she pushed it away, clicking her tongue before chuckling. "Get out of here," she grinned and then moved to stand up but I grabbed her waist, pulling her back down. She huffed, sending me a look. "Let's get pictures and then let's go. We have paint everywhere, we desperately need to shower, and I'm exhausted."

I let her go, putting my hands up in surrender. She shot up and then offered a hand. I followed, holding her hand and standing up. We made our way over to the others, had a picture taken by one of the parents who was here to pick up their child and then said goodbye to the kids, heading out to the car.

I drove us back to the apartment and we got out of the elevator. I followed her into the kitchen where we both had some orange juice. She let out an exhausted sigh, leaving her glass in the sink and then pulling herself up to the counter, sitting on it. I finished the juice in my glass and then walked over, leaving the glass in the sink and standing in front of her.

She lifted both brows at me while I rested my arms around her waist. She put her arms around my neck, staring at me. "Can we talk?" she asked softly.

"Do we have to do that now?" I questioned. "Can't it wait?"

"It can, but..." she trailed off hesitantly.

I'm avoiding the conversation, no doubt. Because I don't want us to have this conversation, realize things we're not ready to admit, and ruin what we have going. It's beyond putting on a fake act for the public, it's real. Every bit of it is real. I have feelings for her, she has feelings for me. But what if when we finally admit that to each other, one of us backs down? What if we're not ready to admit it? Because the truth is still that this wasn't supposed to happen. This is still a fake relationship, technically. I'm genuinely scared that if we admit that it isn't just fake, it'll be ruined.

"So then we'll both just keep running from... whatever this is?" she asked. She seemed a little disappointed, maybe frustrated, maybe even a little angry that she was biting back.

"Maybe for a while, Demi, I don't know."

She nodded slowly and took a breath. "That's okay. I'll wait."

"You will?"

"I'll try. Let me go shower."

I didn't move.

"Let me go shower, Vince," she chuckled softly. I tilted her chin up, kissing her softly. She paused and hesitated before kissing me back. "Let me go shower," she smiled against my lips before I broke away. I stepped aside and she walked upstairs.

This has been going on for a while now. The lines between real and fake have been fading to the point where we're practically blind to it. I don't blame her for being frustrated. My behavior is also forcing her to suppress how she's feeling. But I'm just not sure how to go about this. And I think if I don't figure it out soon, she'll be upset with me and I really don't want that.

✧  ✧  ✧  ✧  ✧

I knocked on her door, waiting for her to come out. The door opened and I blinked, looking her up and down.

Her eyes met mine and she smiled, doing a small curtsey. "Decent?" she asked.

"Stunning," I mumbled under my breath.