Lately, your life had been a mess. Your parents were divorced, and your mom’s new boyfriend was practically living at your house.

Worse.

He acted like he was your dad. You’d ranted to Zach about it one night after closing up, and to your surprise, he actually listened. Actually listened.

That’s how you ended up here, sitting next to Zach on your couch, plotting ways to get rid of your mom’s boyfriend.

“So, we’re fake dating now,” Zach said, slouching like this was the most normal thing in the world.

You rolled your eyes. “It was your idea.”

“And it’s a great idea!” he shot back, his signature smirk in place. His gaze flicked toward the dining room, where your mom and her boyfriend sat. “But we’ve gotta sell it. Really sell it.”

You raised an eyebrow. “We’ve been hanging out all week. Isn’t that enough?”

“Not even close,” Zach said, leaning in slightly, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You know what would really sell it?”

“What?”

“Kiss me.”

Your eyes widened. “What?”

He shrugged, a playful glint in his eyes. “It’ll piss him off and make this whole thing way more believable.”

You hesitated, heart racing.

“What? Afraid if you kiss me, you’ll fall in love with me?” he teased, grinning.

That did it. You weren’t about to let him win. “Fine,” you said, tilting your chin up defiantly.

His smirk softened as he leaned in. Your breath caught, but you didn’t pull away. His hands found your lower back, and your arms looped around his shoulders. The kiss started soft, but then he tilted his head, deepening it.

Your heartbeat pounded in your ears. When he bit your lip, you felt butterflies.

This was supposed to be an act. Just an act. But when his hands pressed into your back and his breath mixed with yours, it felt real. Too real.

When he pulled back, his blue eyes locked on yours, a lopsided smile tugging at his lips. “Holy shit,” he said, his voice a little breathless. “Didn’t expect you to be such a good kisser.”

You rolled your eyes, but a small smile crept onto your face. “Shut up, Zach.”