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“Okay, it makes sense now,” she said. “So you’re going with him, being his girlfriend. That takes Loser Lacey out of the picture and he’s obviously not in rehab.”
“Exactly.”
She cocked her head. “I saw the way he looked at you. He wants you. He’s into you. Isn’t there any chance you two could be more? That you’ll see that Duncan was a one-off?” She held her fingers up indicating a little bit.
I shrugged. “How could there be more when he’s filming in India or Morocco or wherever? I want a man here, in Hunter Valley, who’s in bed beside me at night. Who loves Sierra and we make a little life. No way could Luke do that.”
She frowned, clearly more disappointed than me. “You’re still going to have sex though, right? I mean, being a fake girlfriend doesn’t mean you can’t have real sex.”
The idea of more sex with Luke made my nipples hard.
“Real sex. Fake boyfriend,” I told her.
“Then go for it. With Sierra away, you’ve earned a little fun.”
19
LUKE
* * *
“Who might you be?”
At the question, I spun around on Aspen’s stoop. There stood an older woman in denim overalls and rubber rain boots holding a small shovel. Her gray hair was chin length, her wrinkles plentiful, and her blue-eyed gaze piercing.
“Luke.”
She cocked her head to the side as if assessing me. Maybe considering if I was dangerous, but I was in jeans, sneakers, and a white t-shirt. If I wanted to break in, I wouldn’t have knocked. “You look more like Shep Barnes to me.”
Ah, another one. Obviously, she had a TV.
I scratched my head a little sheepishly. “That’s what people tell me.”
She glanced toward the second floor. “I’m Erma Waddle. This is my house.”
“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am. You have a lovely home.”
“Thank you. Making house calls?” With her brow arched, she had a mischievous look about her. I had a feeling she was talking about sex. But I couldn’t be sure.
“Um, I–” What the hell did I say?
“If you are, good. Just what Aspen needs.”
I frowned. Mrs. Waddle was pimping me out to Aspen?
The side door opened and there was Aspen in a black t-shirt dress. Thank fuck. Not only because I needed rescuing, but because the dress meant easy access. I had unrequited plans and a three-hour flight on a private plane.
She might have been my fake girlfriend, but what I felt for her was real. I meant that I’d pay her, too. She didn’t need to owe some cheating asshole fifty thousand dollars hanging over her head. If I had to tie it into this arrangement, then fine. I’d already sent the money through my banking app, finding her in it easily enough. I’d have sent it directly to Duncan the Dick’s lawyer so she didn’t have to do a thing, but I didn’t know who it was. Aspen was doing me a favor and I was getting to be with her, uninterrupted. I’d say it was an even trade.
“Hi, Granny,” she said to the older woman, a big smile on her face. “You’ve met Luke?”
“Yes. I’ve never seen a head of hair like his.”
Aspen couldn’t help but laugh and I tried not to roll my eyes. If I went bald, I would be in big trouble.
“I’m headed with Luke to California for a few days while Sierra’s away,” Aspen told her.
The older woman smiled. “That’s wonderful, dear. Did you hear from our girl?”
