Fake Love

8

The next morning, as the soft light of dawn filtered through the curtains, Miranda stirred from her slumber, her mind slowly emerging from the depths of sleep. With a yawn, she stretched her limbs, feeling the stiffness of sleep beginning to fade. As she glanced around the room, she noticed Ben still asleep in the recliner.

Carefully extricating herself from the tangle of sheets, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and made her way towards the bathroom. With a sigh, she brushed her teeth and tidied her appearance, preparing to face the day ahead. As she emerged from the bathroom, she found Ben beginning to stir in the recliner, his eyes fluttering open.

"Good morning," Miranda greeted him softly

"Morning," Ben replied, his voice still thick with sleep as he rubbed his eyes. As he sat up, he realized with dismay that he had morning wood. Miranda noticed his demeanor change and she wondered what was wrong.

"Everything okay?" She asked

"Uhh feeling a little stiff from sleeping in a chair." He rubbed the back of his neck

"Oh well you know you can sleep in the bed."

"Yesterday I crossed a boundary. I quite literally took a handful of you just to prove a point. I want to show you that I respect you. For the remainder of the trip, I'll sleep here. I wouldn't want to continue to blur any lines."

"Ben I forgave you for that"

"And while I am incredibly grateful. I just prefer that we only maintain a closeness outside the hotel room. Inside we're just friends and as friends we shouldn't share a bed."

"If that's what you want, can my friend accompany me to breakfast?"

"Certainly" He rose to his feet momentarily forgetting the delicate situation within his shorts.
A blush crept into her cheeks as Ben fully stood up, his arousal evident. She averted her gaze but she had already noticed. Ben stared at her in horror as he remembered he was rock solid and now standing in front of her

She said nothing, and Ben's heart pounded in his chest. In that brief moment, time seemed to stand still.

His face flushed with embarrassment, Ben hastily wrapped the sheets around himself and stumbled into the bathroom. The cold water splashed over his face did little to extinguish the heat of embarrassment coursing through his veins. As he emerged from the bathroom, Miranda was gone. He wondered where she went and why she left so abruptly. A wave of humiliation and despair washed over Ben.

He took a moment to breathe before he noticed her standing on the balcony. He contemplated going out to her but the morning was awkward enough already. Instead he decided to just head down to breakfast. Miranda saw out of the corner of her eye Ben leaving their suite. She walked back inside and rubbed her hands through her hair.

With trembling hands, she reached for her phone and dialed her closest confidante, Callie. "Callie, I need to talk. I think... I think Ben has feelings for me. Like actual real feelings"

"Well good morning to you too... And you're just now noticing this." Callie chuckled

"Wait you knew"

"It's been pretty obvious to everyone around you."

"And you let me invite him on this trip to pretend to be my boyfriend and you knew he had very real feelings for me."

"I technically tried to warn you. When you were packing. I told you something else may happen on this trip. Something unexpected."

"That was not outright telling me."