Page 39 of Pretend

“When did you decide that you adored the ground that I walk on?” Morgan asked, making his lips twitch as he leaned his shoulder against the shower wall.

“The day that I met you,” Eric admitted, deciding that there was no point in lying to her anymore.

At least, not about this.

“I see…” Morgan murmured, sounding thoughtful as her gaze flickered to him before returning to her nails.

“What else?” Eric asked, watching her closely.

“Why now?” Morgan asked as he ran his gaze over her, taking in everything from the way that she worried her bottom lip between her teeth to the way that she nervously wiggled her little toes.

“Because there’s nothing standing in my way now,” Eric said as he looked back up and met calculating baby blue eyes.

“What was standing in your way before?” Morgan asked as he watched those beautiful eyes narrow on him.

“I thought you were talking about me.”

Blinking, Morgan said, “I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean.”

“I thought you saw me as a brother,” Eric said, only to add, “Jason,” at her questioning look.

When she didn’t say anything else, Eric wondered if he’d already fucked this up and-

“So, what’s the plan?” Morgan asked casually as she folded her arms over her chest.

“I plan on wooing you,” he drawled, watching that calculating look turn into a frown.

“Did you just say wooing?” she asked as the soft lips that felt incredible against his twitched.

“I’m going to do everything in my power to make you fall in love with me,” Eric admitted, watching as Morgan slowly nodded with a murmured, “Then, I guess this would be a good time to go over the rules.”

“The rules?” he asked, feeling his lips twitch.

Releasing a heartfelt sigh, Morgan said, “It would really make this easier.”

“Easier?” Eric murmured as he pushed away from the wall.

“For you to adore me,” she said with a solemn nod.

“I’m pretty sure that I can adore you without rules,” he promised her as he stepped out of the shower.

“That’s not a risk that I’m willing to take,” Morgan said with a sad shake of her head.

“What are these rules?” Eric asked as he grabbed another towel.

“To start, I’m going to need you to look at me adoringly and every so often release heartfelt sighs as though my adorableness is just too much for you to bare,” she said with a sniffle as she pushed her glasses back up her nose.

“I’m sure I can handle that,” Eric said, feeling his lips twitch. “What else?”

“I get veto powers on the house’s renovation,” Morgan said, making him sigh heavily because this was just fucking sad.

“That just went without saying,” Eric said, gesturing for her to continue before he rubbed his face dry.

“Did we go over the part where you adore me?” came the question that had him smiling.

“I believe we went over that,” Eric murmured, watching her as she thought that over.

Slowly nodding, Morgan said, “I’d like to reserve the right to make up rules as we go.”