Pretty Virgin Rhodes (STRICTLY MATURE)

19. How to be a Fake Girlfriend

I whispered to him, "Are you sure about this? What if they see right through us?"

Greg gives me a reassuring smile and says, "Trust me, they'll be too focused on the fact that I brought a girl home to notice anything else."

We walked up to the front door, and Greg rings the doorbell. I took a deep breath, mentally preparing myself for the charade about to unfold. As the door opens, Greg introduces me confidently, and I put on my best smile, ready to make a good impression. I remind myself to follow Greg's lead and trust that everything will go smoothly.

A red-haired woman smiled at us both as she looked between us, "Darling! And who is this lovely young lady?"

"Mom, Dad, this is Elle. My... girlfriend."

Greg's parents exchanged surprised glances before ushering us inside. I tried to maintain my composure as we sat down for dinner, answering questions about my life and pretending to be head over heels in love with Greg.

[Internal monologue]  You can do this, Eleanor. Just keep smiling and nodding.

As the evening wore on, I found myself relaxing into the role more and more. I laughed at Greg's jokes, engaged in conversation with his family, and even stole a few glances at Greg when I thought no one was looking.

Later that night, we went in our respective rooms, getting ready for bed. I was folding my clothes neatly, while Greg was sitting on his bed, a mischievous grin on his face. He gets up and walks over to me, who looks up at him with a curious expression.

"Is there something on your mind?" I asked, trying to decipher the look on his face. 

Greg simply chuckled and whispered, "I think you're enjoying this more than you're letting on."

"I'm just making this fake relationship look as realistic as possible." I chuckled, enjoying every bit of the moment.

Greg's grin widened as he leaned in closer, making my heart race with anticipation. "Well, if that's the case," he whispered, "we better make it convincing."

I tossed a pillow towards his face, and he dodged it with a playful smirk. "Oh, you bet we will. Off topic, but your mom seems nice," I said, breaking the comfortable silence that had settled between us. "Do you have any siblings?"

Greg's eyes softened as he thought about his sister. "Yeah, I have a younger sister," he replied. "She's the complete opposite of me, but we get along pretty well." 

I leaned back against the pillows and asked, "What's she like?" I asked, genuinely curious.

Greg chuckled, a fond smile gracing his lips. "Well, for starters, she's a total extrovert. Always the life of the party, you know? Meanwhile, I'm more of the quiet, introverted type. It's funny how different we are."

I nodded in understanding. "Opposites attract, they say."

"Guess so," Greg replied, his gaze lingering on me for a moment longer than necessary. It sent a shiver down my spine, igniting a warmth in the pit of my stomach that I couldn't ignore.

As Greg settled into the sleeping bag on the floor, I couldn't shake the feeling of the situation. Here I was, pretending to be his girlfriend for the week to help him save face with his family, all while trying to bury the memories of my tumultuous relationship with Mr. Bezos. It was like stepping into a different reality, one where I had to act out a role to shield myself from what happened a few days ago.

"Thanks for doing this," Greg said, his voice muffled by the fabric of the sleeping bag. "I know it's a weird request, but it means a lot to me."

I forced a smile, hoping it looked convincing in the dim light of the room. "No problem," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "Anything for a friend, right?"