My jaw tightens. Between the kiss and the walling up hours before our engagement party, I don’t find the thought of entertaining other people funny, and I’m not sure how much longer I can pretend to.

“Fitz? What’s wrong?”

I reach up and grab my crisp white t-shirt by the back of the neck and lift it over my head.

“Nothing,” I say when Parker returns into view, her doe eyes rounded as I drop my hands to undo my belt buckle.

I’m pissed, but clearly not blinded by my anger enough to miss the way Parker’s eyes linger on my bare skin before they flee and settle on the window.

The clang of the buckle draws Parker’s eyes again, but she plays like she doesn’t notice, like she’s not bothered or affected by me unbuttoning my jeans and letting them slip down and hang below the band of my boxer briefs.

I hope I’m coming off stronger than I feel. The color of her cheeks has my knees a little weak.

It’s not that I want to torment her. But all is fair in love and a fake relationship. I don’t need the fact that she’s decided there’s already a life after me with someone else thrown in my face. If she’s going to dangle that in front of me, I can dangle something too. Within reason, of course. Because unless I plan on opening a can of worms an hour before we’re supposed to be ready for this engagement party, I can’t quite shed more clothes and let Parker see her handwriting inked into my skin. Not yet, at least.

“W-what are you doing?” Parker asks as I step over to where she sits on the bed. Her knees bump into me.

God, just the view of her looking up at me through thick, dark lashes sends the blood flowing. She’s got me wound up and in the mood to be cruel, but I know I’ve got to hold myself back from messing up her makeup in the way I really want to.

“Fitz?”

I exhale heavily through my nose. “You gave me your cheek.”

“What?”

“In the restaurant, when I went to kiss you.” I grimace. “You gave me your cheek.”

A breath of a laugh escapes her lips. “Your mom was standing right there.”

“Since when have you ever worried about what parents think? I once saw you walk into your dad’s study to steal booze while he was there on the phone.” I have her there, and she knows it. I lower my head a bit, slowly, wondering if Parker might cower, but she remains stoic and steadfast.