Eh, not the response I was going for, but this is probably better. I don’t want us to become too cliché or predictable.

I drag him over to the couch and sit him down. I’ve already got my phone mirrored through the TV, and once his ass hits the cushions, I press play on the romantic little playlist I churned out for us. Really, it’s hard to find the perfect romantic songs with everyone singing about unrequited love, bad breakups, and sex. I spent a solid hour sifting through people’s “coffee shop” playlists until I found enough sickly sweet slow tunes to last us a few hours.

I’m open to the idea of staring into his eyes for eternity, but I know that might be weird since we aren’t really a couple.

“Are you hungry?” I say. “My brother cooks. Or I could get you a drink or—”

“No,” he says, grabbing my hand and guiding me down to the couch. “Don’t worry about it. I just want to spend time with you.”

The words catch me off guard. God, they sound like something I’d write in the Diary, words so perfect you can’t help but swoon.

“Well, you’ve got me,” I say.

“Noah, I—” But his voice cuts off like those are the only two words he knows. I can feel him leaning into me, and I’m leaning back, waiting for him to tell me that he’s waited for someone like me his whole life, and there’s nothing he wants more than to make us permanent.

And then he’s kissing me, his lips exploring mine like . . . like . . . eh, forget it. I don’t have time to think up fancy analogies. I’m swimming in his kiss, and everything disappears. I don’t know how this plays into our fake dating scenario. Is it training for more public kissing, just getting us into the zone? Or is it just in case Brian steps out of his room?

But really, it doesn’t matter, because sitting there on that couch, the Diary starts to slip away. I don’t know if he feels it too, but there’s a real hunger behind my kisses, real electricity stringing around us and tying us together, whatever titles we throw over the whole thing.

This one isn’t for the Diary. This one’s for me.

Hello? Rebecca?? I need to tell you about my date! CALL ME!

Delivered

The next morning, Brian wakes me up early and takes me to work with him even though I haven’t actually gotten hired yet. “It’ll be easier for you to catch up if you’re already there. Plus, once they meet you, I’m sure they’ll be more inclined to hire you.”

“Because I’m too beautiful to resist?” I say.

He groans. “Maybe just let me do the talking, okay?”