ra'

e if it was the air conditioning or the way Lysander's pres

ce, trying not to show the slight tremble in my fingers. My legs were crossed so tightly

rything rid

onsense gray pantsuit and a sleek bun that didn't seem to have a single hair out of place. Her glass

sted she had seen a thousand fake couples before breakfast. "Answer na

llowe

he time in the world, casually adjusting the cuffs of his button-down sh

roat. "Let's begin. H

his mouth, but I

ffee on him,"

eyebrow

ost fired m

as a ti

" Margot s

ost of a smirk tugging at his mout

to keep from laughing. Th

her clipboard. "Describe your

nswered smoothly. "Sh

rbrush," I shot back

was

said with a

eptible chuckle. I wasn't sure if

e bed does your

oth said at t

tly to look at me, the tiniest

iting. "Favorite fo

I said withou

tarts," Lysander a

nked

his voice quieter now, more sincere. "You chew

I forgot about Margot, the fake marriage, the impending deportati

us, her pen hovering. "T

answered smoothly, "She has a small

n air. My

er!" I

w, unbothered. "It'

ribe it like-like a godd

inacc

at his smug, perfect face. Marg

a," she said, no

a scar on his left wrist. Skateboarding accident when he was twelve. He

my eye, I saw Lysan

intrigued. "

n, a slow, assessing gaze

t?" he asked, his voi

ntion," I s

ething flickered in his

ast question. Describe the most rom

ated. R

nners or midnight serenades. There was only.

id carefully. "When I didn't

s a beat. "She look

r a moment I forgot to breathe. The air betw

ing, what

have better chemistry than some real couples I've seen. If

oom with the efficiency of someone u

finally let out the

ing imaginary dust from my skirt, "tha

ust watched me with that s

ready to bolt, but

ia

ned,

udying me. "You knew a

magazines, interviews, television. It

in any interview,

fr

e continued. "That isn't

ned-and then

him making me feel boxed in. His blue eye

you?" he said, his voice a low rumble. "You've been payin

tle

led. Instead, heat

in. "You're... you're Lysander Eryx. You noti

lit second. When he looked back up, s

e deep. "Keep paying

. Eryx-sent a full-bod

y bag onto my should

mured, following m

rriage didn't kill me first