I sipped my wine. “See? I’m a very good actress.”
He sat next to me on the couch and held my hand. “Was that all really acting?”
“I told you I was going to give you an Oscar-worthy performance. Looks like I did just that. Did I earn my paycheck?”
“Man, that kiss. It was amazing. You really got into character,” he said.
“And so did you.”
“When a pretty woman mauls me on the beach, I just go with it.”
I laughed. “It’s called acting. All screen stars do it. Just look at the in-the-pouring-rain passionate kiss in The Notebook.”
“Do movie stars ever fall in love on set?”
“Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall did. But that’s not going to happen to us. This is an acting gig, Marcus, and nothing more.”
He winked. “I would like to do some more acting tomorrow if you don’t mind. Just so we can practice getting into character. I don’t think we perfected it just quite yet. We need much more practice.”
I sighed. “I just hope that won’t be my only television appearance.”
“You’re a wonderful actress. You even fooled me. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were completely in love with me.”
I stared at him for a moment, then smiled. “Nobody can fall in love that fast.”
He set his wine down on the table. “So you don’t believe in love at first sight?”
“I’m not even sure if I believe in love anymore.”
He cocked a brow. “Why not?”
“I thought I found love once, and it slapped me in the face. I know I need to be more careful next time.”
“I hear you. That’s why I won’t risk my heart again. I, too, was slapped in the face by love. It’s not so fun.”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “No, it’s not.”
“So I just keep dating light and fun.”
“Me too.”
He held up his glass. “To a wonderful weekend.”
We clanked classes and said cheers.
“You can sleep on the bed with me,” I said.
His eyes twinkled at the offer. “That’s a very tempting offer. But I don’t think I could keep my hands to myself. It’s best that I sleep on the couch.”
He softly kissed me on the lips and said goodnight.
“Marcus,” I said.
“Yes.”
“There’s nobody here. You don’t have to keep the charade up.”
He kissed my hand. “But maybe I want to.”