From Lies To Love

Chapter12

Emily was sprawled on the couch, absently switching through channels, when a sharp knock at the door broke her trance. Before she could even get up, the door swung open, and Gina waltzed in, carrying a bottle of wine and a mischievous smirk.

"Seriously, Emily, you suck at answering texts. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were avoiding me."

Emily rolled her eyes but couldn’t help a small smile. "I wasn’t avoiding you. I was just"

"Being a recluse? Yeah, I figured." Gina plopped onto the couch beside her, setting the wine down. "So, tell me, when are you finally coming back to work? Or have you decided to abandon me for good?"

Emily sighed, leaning back. "I just needed a few more days. You know how crazy things have been."

Gina scoffed. "Crazy? Girl, you’ve been acting off since you took that trip to your mom’s. Spill it."

Emily hesitated, biting her lip. She should’ve known Gina wouldn’t let her off easy.

"I… might be fake dating someone," she admitted slowly.

Gina’s eyes widened. "Might? Either you are or you aren’t. Who is he?"

Emily took a deep breath. "Ryan Blackwood."

Silence.

Then, Gina let out a loud, dramatic gasp. "RYAN BLACKWOOD? Your ex-boss? The devil himself? The man who made your life a living hell for three years?"

Emily groaned. "Keep your voice down!"

Gina ignored her. "Oh my God, I knew something was up. But this? I did not see this coming. And let’s be honest, neither did you."

Emily sighed. "It’s not what you think. It’s just a temporary arrangement. His grandmother was pressuring him to settle down, my mom was doing the same, and we just… agreed to help each other out."

Gina arched a brow. "So let me get this straight. You who used to call him a corporate tyrant are now playing loving girlfriend?"

"Yes," Emily muttered.

Gina smirked. "Huh. And here I thought I’d have to pay good money to watch you two not kill each other. This is better."

Emily shot her a look. "Gina."

"What? I’m just saying, this is prime entertainment. Also, we can’t ignore the fact that Ryan Blackwood is"

"Don’t say it," Emily warned.

"Hot," Gina finished, grinning. "That man is dangerously attractive, Em. It’s a crime, really. And now you’re fake dating him?" She leaned in closer, her eyes dancing with mischief. "So… have you two, you know…?"

Emily’s face flamed. "No! It’s not like that."

Gina tilted her head. "Yet."

Emily groaned. "Gina, I swear"

Gina held up her hands. "Okay, okay, I’ll behave. But tell me this has there been any tension? Any lingering looks? Accidental touches? Maybe a little you breathing in his scent and realizing you actually like it moment?"

Emily hesitated. Which was enough of an answer.

Gina gasped again. "There has been! Oh, this is so good."

Emily buried her face in her hands. "This was a mistake."

"Oh no, babe, this was the best thing you could’ve told me. Because now, I have so many questions."

Emily exhaled, preparing herself for the interrogation of a lifetime.

Gina poured them both a generous glass of wine, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she leaned back against the couch. "Alright, Emily, let’s get into the real questions. You say this is all fake, but be honest with me how does it feel, being around him again? And don’t give me some boring, diplomatic answer."

Emily sighed, swirling her drink. "I don’t know. It’s… complicated."

Gina arched a brow. "Complicated how? Because complicated sounds a lot like I have feelings but I don’t want to admit it."

Emily shot her a glare. "It’s not feelings. It’s just Ryan is different when he’s not being my boss. He’s still infuriating, but sometimes, he can be… I don’t know. Decent."

"Decent?" Gina let out a short laugh. "Girl, that man has always been into you."

Emily choked on her sip of wine. "What?! No, he hasn’t."

Gina smirked. "Oh, come on. With the way you always complained about him, He was totally obsessed."

Emily scoffed. "He was just a demanding boss. He treated everyone like that."

Gina shook her head. "Nope. Not the same. With you, it was different. It was personal. And now you’re telling me he’s being nice to you? He wants you close, pretending to be his girlfriend? Babe, this man has had it bad for you for years."

Emily opened her mouth to argue, but the words died on her tongue. Because a tiny, irrational part of her wondered what if Gina was right?

Gina grinned, seeing her hesitation. "Ohhh, this is getting juicy. So tell me, when’s the last time you two had one of those… accidental, too close for comfort moments?"

Emily sighed, running a hand through her hair. "There was… this one time."

Gina leaned forward. "Go on."

Emily hesitated but finally relented. "At his grandmother’s house. She insisted I stay the night, and I ended up in his room. I was coming out of the bathroom, and he walked in at the same time. It was just a second, but… the way he looked at me"

Gina gasped, clutching her chest. "Did he devour you with his eyes? Did he look like he wanted to ruin you?"

Emily threw a pillow at her. "Stop being so dramatic!"

Gina laughed but didn’t let up. "So? Did you feel something?"

Emily hesitated, then muttered, "Maybe."

Gina clapped her hands. "I knew it!"

Emily groaned. "This is why I didn’t want to tell you."

"But you did," Gina pointed out smugly. "And now we have to discuss the real question what are you going to do about it?"

Emily swallowed hard. Because that was the one question she didn’t have an answer to.