Aiden hadn’t meant to lay on the flirting so thick, but seeing Brittany’s reaction gave him hope. If Brittany believed there was no way he’d want her, she would leave soon, he was sure of it. Or at least she would leave him alone.

“As we go deeper into the cave, it will be more important to keep up with the group,” the guide said.

They followed the guide, climbing over rocks and through passageways. They walked through several large cavernous rooms, looking up at the stalactites hanging down like demon’s teeth. He’d been through this tour once before, but it had been a couple of years ago. He found it just as fascinating as the last time he’d been through.

Aiden squeezed between two large rocks and then followed the guy in front of him through a twisty passage. Someone put a hand on his shoulder. He assumed it was Felicity since she’d been right behind him but when he turned, he saw it was Brittany. She curled her index finger at him, indicating she wanted him to follow her.

“No. I’m not going with you.”

“Shh,” she said, shoving him through an opening into a small passage and pressing him up against the cave wall. “I want to talk to you.”

He tried to get past her, but she pushed harder, and a sharp rock pressed into his back. “Ouch. Brittany, let me go.”

“Tell me the truth. Are you and Felicity really back together?”

“Why would you ask that? Of course, we are.” He swallowed, a slow panic rising in his throat. He’d thought they had pulled this charade off, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe everyone saw through them.

Brittany stared at him, her eyes narrowing. “I don’t believe you.”

Aiden didn’t know what to say. How could he convince her of something that wasn’t even true? “Brittany—”

“Hush,” she said, putting her cold finger on his lips. “Don’t talk. Just listen to me for a second. Let your body listen.” She paused. “Can’t you feel it?”

The only thing he felt was the rock digging into his back. “Feel what?”

“This chemistry we have.” She leaned in closer. “The sweet pull of attraction between us.”

The panic ignited in him and he could barely breathe. “No. There’s nothing between us.”

“Of course, there is. I know you feel it. It’s in the air between us. Stop fighting it,” she whined, her breath on his face. He tried to back up, but the rock dug in deeper. She pressed her lips against his.

Aiden scrambled to push her off him, but she was clinging to him like a deer tick on a dog’s backside. Her cold lips moved against his and it felt like she’d slathered them with lip balm. He shoved her harder and she stumbled backwards.

“Stop it!” He wiped the balmy slime off his lips. Gross. “I don’t like you that way.”

She took a step toward him. “But Aiden, we are—”

“We are nothing.”

Felicity turned the corner and Aiden grabbed hold of her like a life raft, pulling her into his arms. “I’m with Felicity.” If Brittany didn’t believe he was in love with Felicity, he’d just have to show her. He looked down into her eyes. “I’ve loved her since the day I saw her, sitting in Mr. Bradly’s math class, laughing at something Amy said.”

Felicity stared at him, and he wasn’t sure how to interpret the look. He silently pled with her to go along with it. “These last few years apart have been torture for me.”

When no one spoke, Aiden punctuated his statement by brushing his lips across Felicity’s. Warmth coursed through him, and he did it again, slower this time. Her lips parted and she closed her eyes. Aiden’s arms tightened, pulling her even closer to him. She melted into him.

Kissing her was no comparison to kissing Brittany. Felicity’s lips were warm and inviting, and her intoxicating smell made him want to devour her. He deepened the kiss and she wrapped her arms around his neck and entwined her fingers in his hair like she used to. The feeling drove him crazy, and he had a sneaking suspicion she knew that.

Somewhere in his brain, he registered that Brittany scoffed and folded her arms across her chest, but he no longer cared about Brittany. Kissing Felicity consumed him. A fire burned in him, and he suddenly needed her touch. He realized he’d been walking through life as if he were a corpse, making the motions but not feeling anything. Felicity breathed life into him, and he didn’t want the kiss to end.

When his lungs couldn’t stand to be without air any longer, he pulled back and took in a breath. Felicity turned her head and scanned the cave. “Brittany’s gone.”

Aiden looked around and realized she was right. When had she pushed past them? How long had he been kissing Felicity? “Sorry. She accosted me. I had to make it look like—”

“I know. You wanted to put on a show.” She took a step back from him then gave him a funny look. “Since when do you wear cherry-flavored Chapstick?”

Heat tinged his cheeks. “I...uh...”

A man stuck his head around the corner. “Are you guys coming? The guide’s been waiting for you in the cavern around the bend.”

“Sorry,” he said, grabbing Felicity’s hand. “We’re coming.”

The man gave them an annoyed look. He shook his head and muttered under his breath. “Newlyweds.” He huffed and stalked off.

Aiden looked down at her and she bit her lip, obviously trying not to laugh. He couldn’t hold back, though, and the laugh burst forth. Felicity joined him.

***

FELICITY WALKED ON rubbery legs as they continued deeper into the cave. Her heart rate hadn’t returned to normal, and she was having a hard time catching her breath, especially since Aiden’s warm hand was sending tingles up her arm. Since when did Aiden kiss like that? What had happened since they’d last been dating? Holy moly. If he kept kissing her like that, how was she ever going to be able to think straight? She might as well throw in the towel and admit she was a goner.

Aiden pulled her close as they stopped to let the guide talk to them about something. She leaned into him, enjoying the feeling of his strong arm around her. He smelled good. Like musk and some clean earthy smell. It made her insides melt.

What was she doing? She couldn’t be thinking about Aiden like that. Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to step away from him. She just wouldn’t let herself fall back in love with him. It was possible to enjoy a little fantasy for a few days as long as she walled off her heart. This was only for show, but no one said she had to hate it.

They followed the guide back through the cave and waded in the river until they reached the jungle again. Aiden helped her out of the water and onto the trail. Brittany reached out her hand. “Aiden! I need help.”

He clenched his jaw but reached out to help her up. Brittany clung to him as she smiled and batted her eyes. “Thank you, Aiden. All those muscles sure come in handy.” She touched his arm, but he withdrew it.

He looked at Brittany like she was from another planet, turned around and didn’t say anything. Felicity put her arm around Aiden’s waist and shoved away the urge to punch the girl in the face. “Guess we still have a hike before we get back to the tour van.”

Brittany huffed and rubbed her calf. “I didn’t think there’d be this much walking.”

Aiden shrugged and started toward the rest of the group. Felicity fell into step beside him. They walked for a while, Brittany dropping back behind a few of their group members.

Aiden leaned closer. “Do you think she finally got the message?”

“No. I think she’s so set on getting you, she can’t see straight.”

“I’m not a piece of property.” He scowled.

“Tell that to her.”

“I can’t believe she’s still trying to flirt with me, even after all that.” He motioned in the direction they came from.

“You mean after you kissed me in front of her?” Felicity clamped her mouth shut. Why did she say that? Was she trying to call attention to the fact that she liked the impromptu make-out session?

Aiden chuckled. “Yeah.”

They walked in silence for a moment before he glanced behind them. “If we turn up the heat, do you think she’d leave me alone?”

Felicity’s ears burned at the thought. How was he proposing to turn up the heat? She was already melting inside. And it was all fake anyway. “I think we’re doing fine the way we are.”

“All right.”

Did he seem disappointed in that? She couldn’t tell.

“Do you do weddings?”

The question took her off guard and she jerked to look at him. “What?”

“In your photography business.” He didn’t look at her, just stared ahead at the group walking on the trail.

“Yeah. I do some.” Weddings were not her favorite thing to photograph, for obvious reasons. In fact, she’d gone out of her way to try not to be a wedding photographer, but lately she’d had to take some on to pay the bills.

“But you prefer not to do them.”

He said it like a statement of fact, which for some reason, annoyed Felicity. “How would you know what I prefer?”

“I can tell.”

“Well, if you must know, I really enjoy taking artistic shots. I only do portraits or weddings for the income.” Why did it annoy her to admit this to him?

“Your fine art shots are really good.”

She looked at him sideways. “How do you know? You haven’t seen them.”

He seemed to find a sudden interest in the sky.

“Aiden? You’ve seen my photographs?”

He exhaled and took a quick look at her. “Yeah.”

“Where?” Then she remembered that he’d looked her up online. She slapped his arm. “Did you look them up online? You’re such a cyber stalker.”

A twitch of his lips told her he was trying to hide a smile. “I just wanted to see what you were up to.”

“Well, the gallery has sold some of my prints. They keep asking for more, but I haven’t had the money or time to invest in them.”

“You should make the time. You’re good.” He reached out and squeezed her shoulder. It was a reassuring gesture and her heart beat a little faster.

“Thanks.”

“Have you had any memorable photo shoots? Taken any pictures of famous people or anything?”

Felicity laughed. “No. But I once took a family portrait with triplets. Those little guys were a hoot. Three little four-year-olds, all dressed alike, and all as mischievous as all get out.”

Aiden smiled at her. “How long did that photo shoot take?”

“Would have been a snap indoors. Too bad we decided to meet at the park. The boys wanted to play, which led to one of the boys getting grass stains on his knees. His mother made him wear his pants backwards for the pictures. Then another one fell and got a bloody nose, so we had to wait until that cleared up. Even then, I had to Photoshop some blood out of his shirt.”

“Sounds crazy.”

She had to admit, the day had been stressful at the time, but looking back on it, she couldn’t help but laugh. “It was. But it made me realize that life isn’t always what we plan, but that’s okay. We make it work.”

Aiden got a look on his face and she wondered what it meant. He nodded. “You’re right.”

Felicity took in a deep breath. “This has been great, but I can’t wait to take a shower and relax tonight.”

He grinned at her. “Me too.”

It took another hour before they were changed into dry clothes and in Aiden’s car. The tour had included dinner, so Felicity was full and ready to go home. Brittany sat in the back and pouted the entire drive to the resort, which wasn’t too bad. At least she wasn’t talking.

Aiden pulled up to where the pavement ended, close to Felicity’s villa. The sun had just set, and dusk was quickly turning into night. He got out of the car and ran around to open her door for her. She took his hand and he helped her out of the car. Aiden’s gaze flickered to Brittany in the back of the car. “Thank you for a lovely time.”

Felicity understood his body language and put her arms around his neck. It was time to give another show. “I had fun.”

He nuzzled her neck and she tried to ignore the skitters of electricity it brought on. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Sure,” she managed to say, her heart racing in anticipation.

He stared down at her lips. As he moved in closer, she closed her eyes. His kiss was slow and thoughtful. Purposeful. He tasted like the outdoors, with a hint of that stupid cherry lip balm he’d put on. She pushed away all thought of the future she’d never have with him and just let the moment happen.

Too soon, he pulled back and whispered, “Good night.”

She nodded, not trusting her voice. After he stepped back, she picked up her backpack and slung it over her shoulder. The walk to her villa seemed to take forever.