Page 41 of Reckless With You

“So, you don’t want to go on a date with him?” I asked, cautious.

“No. I don’t know. I just want some time. And I know it’s stupid. I should’ve simply said that I wasn’t ready to date. They would’ve understood. But I didn’t. Instead, I said I was dating someone.” And then it clicked.

“You said you were dating me.” I looked down at my phone, a little afraid that Devin hadn’t called me. Maybe he was already on his way with a hatchet.

That’s what happened in movies, right? Hell, maybe I should change my address.

“Everything’s going to be fine. But I need you to pretend for a little bit. We’ll make sure everyone knows it’s casual. I need to figure out what I want, and I can’t do that if everybody’s worrying about me.”

“Amelia.”

“Please. I’m tired of the pity. You don’t pity me.”

“Because you don’t need it. You need to kick his ass.”

“Thanks for that. But, seriously. Go out with me.”

“Amelia.”

“I’m not saying sex.”

I paused. Grinning. I couldn’t help it. “No sex?” I purred.

“Tucker.”

“I’m just saying. Sex could help.” I was not thinking about having sex with her. Totally not thinking about it. Yes, I was thinking about it. Horrible.

“Okay, Tucker. I really need your help. I’m tired. I want to feel normal again.”

I ran my hands through my hair and then screamed into them as she had earlier. She let out a forced laugh, and then I stood up and paced like she had before.

“If I do this, and that’s a big fuckingif,that means you have to let me hold your hand. You have to let me be near you. You’re going to make me act like something we’re not in front of my best friends. You’re basically forcing me to lie to him. My best fucking friend and the rest of the family I chose for myself. And I don’t know what to do about that. Because you want a fake relationship? How far does that go? Are we only dating in front of them? Will we go on dates where people actually see us? Or post on social media? What does all of this mean?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything. I just said it, and now I have to deal with it. I’ll tell them I lied.”

I was making a stupid choice. This was such a stupid decision. But I hated seeing her like this.

If it helped her, I’d be fine. Devin would understand—at least he would later. We would explain everything to him once she’d had some time. He would get it. He had to.

“I should pick someone else.”

I leveled my gaze on her and growled, “No. It will be me.”

Fuck, what was wrong with me?

“Because I don’t want anyone else taking advantage of you,” I added. See, that was fine.

“Okay. We can do this. For a little bit. Until I feel normal. And then we’ll explain to everyone what happened. They won’t be angry. They can’t be. I don’t want them to be mad at you.”

“I’ll do this,” I said again, “but I want something in return.”

“What?” she asked, clearly leery.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Well, that sounds dangerous.”

I looked at her then, knowing we were probably making a horrible mistake. But if she needed this, I’d figure out a way to make it work. Her brothers would understand eventually. They would realize that their little sister needed some space, and if I had to be the person to help her with that, then I would be.