Page 9 of Pretend

They fell in love with their neighbors, something that he’d managed to do the first time he saw her.

God, she’d been so fucking adorable standing there, hugging her father’s leg as she’d alternated between pushing the glasses that had been too big for her up her little nose and sneaking glances at him. He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her. She was the prettiest little girl that he’d ever seen, and, at that moment, he’d decided that he was keeping her. He didn’t bother telling her that since she really didn’t need to know. He figured that she’d figure it out eventually, but sadly, that day never came.

“And the fact that every time someone in your family tried to go on a honeymoon before they reached their one-year anniversary, it ended in disaster?” Morgan asked, only to follow that up with a mumbled, “I can feel you glaring at me.”

Nodding slowly, Eric said, “You know what? Just for that, I’m no longer speaking to you.”

“Because I’m right?”

“Because you’re a pain in the ass,” he informed her even as he accepted the complimentary blanket the flight attendant was holding out to him with an absently murmured, “Thank you,” before ripping it open and laying the thin blanket over Morgan.

“And I’m right,” Morgan said with a satisfied sigh as she settled more comfortably beneath the blanket.

When he only glared at her, she said, “Remind me what happened when your father took your mother on their honeymoon right after they got married.”

“They created memories that will last a lifetime,” Eric pointed out, once again wondering why she wasn’t doing everything within her power to console him in his time of need. Some fucking snuggling wouldn’t exactly hurt.

“And a healthy fear of basements,” Morgan added with a solemn nod that had his lips twitching.

“That was unavoidable,” Eric said, watching as she opened her eyes to frown at him.

Blinking, Morgan said, “They were trapped in that basement for a week.”

“And they’ve been together ever since,” Eric pointed out, wondering why she was being so fucking difficult about this.

“Because your father would just follow her if she tried to leave?” Morgan said with a sad shake of her head.

“Probably,” Eric murmured absently as he found himself wondering what he would do if Morgan ever left him and-

He never planned to find out.

CHAPTER6

Charleston International Airport

Charleston, South Carolina

“Ireally don’t like you right now,” Morgan bit out as she was forced to stand there, watching as Eric made a show of getting more comfortable on the bench that she’d rightfully claimed as her own until the reminder that she drank too much the night before sent her running for the bathroom.

“Use your anger,” Eric said in an ominous voice as she glanced from the large group of tourists waiting anxiously for a taxi to take them to their hotels to the lovely bench that the big jerk that wouldn’t let her sleep on the way here now occupied.

Narrowing her eyes on the large bastard, Morgan slowly nodded, deciding that was a good idea as she reached for her backpack so that she could shove it up his-

“Now, where were we?” Eric asked with a satisfied sigh as he reached over and grabbed her hand and yanked her down next to him, earning a mumbled grunt and a new glare, one that should properly convey just how close she was to committing violence.

“Why are you in my seat?” Morgan demanded even as she gestured for him to move his ass.

“Why aren’t you consoling me in my time of need?” Eric countered as he shifted his attention to the small bag of potato chips that she grabbed from the vending machine that she’d really been looking forward to…once her stomach stopped doing that thing that had her swallowing hard as her gaze shifted back to the bathrooms, that is.

“Didn’t we already discuss this?” Morgan asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth as she sat there debating returning to the surprisingly lovely bathroom where she could pray for a quick death in peace when her head chose that moment to start spinning. Definitely never drinking again, Morgan decided, even as she found herself wondering why she was being glared at again.

Blinking, Morgan asked, “May I help you?”

“You can start by telling me why you’re not seeing to my needs,” Eric said, keeping his eyes locked on her as he finished off the last chip while she sat there, debating getting in one of those taxis and making the six-hour trip south to start her new life where she wouldn’t have to worry about the large bastard stealing her food again.

“Or,” Morgan said, shifting to get more comfortable as she decided to ask the one question that she’d been curious about since he announced that he was taking Amber on her dream honeymoon after making his life a living hell for two months until he gave in, “you could tell me why you decided to give in to Amber’s demands to spend your honeymoon on a cruise ship when just the thought of getting on a boat makes you sick?”

She watched as Eric clenched his jaw, causing a small muscle to bounce as he bit out, “Because it’s the dream.”