Torn Between The Carter Brothers

For a fleeting moment, my mind hoped for it to be Marco... but it wasn’t. It turned out to be Zane, who sauntered

in with a grin tugging at his lips as he closed the door after him.

My heartbeat still picked up as our eyes locked and at once, | felt a wave of heat cover me, one which

suddenly madefeel naked when his dark eyes trailed over my entire body from head to toe.

“What are you d- doing here?” | finally managed to ask after what felt like ages, my voice ridiculously high

pitched even to my own ears.

Zane began to close the distance between us and my eyes widened, makinginstinctively take a few steps

backwards, my heart jumping into my throat when he didn’t stop till my back was flushed against the wall

behindand he was only an inch away.

“I'm here cause this is also where I'd be staying.” He responded and at once, | sputtered while staring up at him.

“You can’t be serious! You'll stay in here w- with me?? We're practically strangers, and...”

“As boyfriend and girlfriend, we're supposed to stay together in the sroom, no? If we stay in separate

rooms, everyone would be able to see through our lie.” He pointed out as he leaned down so his face was on the

slevel as mine. For sreason, that madefeel so flustered since my lungs lacked sair.

“Oh, | didn’t think that far.” | mumbled as | glanced away from his eyes, suddenly feeling ridiculous. My heart

was racing stupidly and | was feeling all hot on the inside, when | wasn’t supposed to be feeling anything right

now since this man and | are gonna be putting on a show and nothing else in the coming days.

With that thought in mind, I cleared my throat as I glanced up at him. “Why are you standing this close to me

though? We're not outside so there's no need for any PDA.” | pointed out and he nodded, a low hum leaving his

mouth as he slowly lookedover again, and once again, | felt my blood start to heat up.

“You're right, | forgot.” He drawled, just as one of his hands cup to rest on the spot at the side of my head.

“I guess | got a little distracted.” He added and | felt my heartbeat quicken. That caughtoff guard, and so |

did the next thing that cto mind— | shoved at his chest and slipped away, then | clutched my towel tight

while glaring at him now that | was a few feet away from him.

“A- are you trying to seduce me?” | asked, giving him a flat look.

He held his hands up, a grin still on his face. “What? Why would you think that?”

I rolled my eyes as | folded my arms. “I don’t know, it just felt like you were coming off toreally strongly from

nowhere.” | pointed out, hating that my heart was still racing right now.

This time, he clicked his tongue. “Why would | do that though? Like, what would | achieve through that?” He

asked and | frowned while thinking hard and trying to think of whatever ulterior motive he might have that might

need him to seduce me, but nothing was coming to mind.

“See?” He drawled and | huffed while glancing away.

“J- just, no physical contact if it's not necessary. Behind closed doors, we should keep our hands to ourselves.” |

announced and he snorted.

“But | didn’t even touch you yet. Why? Are you already this flustered withouttouching you yet?” He asked

and | felt my face fill up with heat as | found myself spluttering again.

He was such a... tease, and a menace. A stark difference from Marco.

“I wasn’t flustered, just caught off guard. And you were in my personal space.” | snapped, my grip tightening on

my towel as he sauntered over again.

This time, | held his gaze and tried to keep my face blank as he cup in my personal space again, but my

heart raced again because something about him was makingfeel breathless and hot on the inside,

something which | couldn't put my fingers on.

“If we want to convince everyone we're dating and can’t get enough of each other, you'd have to get used to me

being in your personal space, and that can’t happen if we don’t practice once we're behind closed doors... like

right now for example.” As he spoke this time, he leaned down again and everything withinwas urgingto

duck my head but I still held his gaze despite starting to feel flustered again.

And | hated to admit it, but what he just said made sense. | guess | just didn’t expect him to be this hot in person

when | agreed to cto this wedding with him.

How was | supposed to know that he'd be this tall and broad shouldered?

At the end, | averted my gaze while clearing my throat. “I- | guess you're right.” | mumbled reluctantly and when

| glanced back at him, he had a sinful grin across that tugged on something in my stomach.

“See?” He drawled and | scoffed while rolling my eyes, instantly hating his cockiness.

“So, can | touch you right now?” He asked and | was so taken offguard that | almost dropped my towel.

“W- what? Why?” | squeaked out as his eyes dropped to my towel and back to my face, whine the sides of his

lips twitched.

“Well, for practice, duh. You have to get used toconstantly touching you for our plan to work.” He pointed

out and | shook my head as | stepped back, my grip tightening even more on my towel.

“I- I should probably change then.”

He took a step closer, narrowing the space between us again, and then he placed his hand on my waist, making

my breath instantly hitch.

“That won't be necessary, bunny.”

My brain shortcuited at the nicknand the feeling of his hand burning into my skin through the thick material

of the fluffy towel.

“B- bunny?” | spluttered and he hummed while nodding.

“That's the nicknI'll be calling you in public to make our relationship seem more believable.” He informed