Page 52 of I Choose You

“It’s not that far-fetched of a connection to make!”

“No. I’m not paying you for sex. I’m not paying you to be my date either.”

She squinted. “Yes, you are. Those are the stipulations you’re suggesting.”

“I’m paying you a signing bonus. For the exclusive business with Halden Inc.”

“Which you’re giving me in exchange for fake dates.”

She didn’t want to sell herself. I understood that, but it wasn’t even on my radar. If I wanted her, I’d be direct. My priority right now was to secure a date for these wedding things. I paused, measuring out a careful reply. I went with a blurted, uncensored one instead. “Brooke, just to clarify, that doesn’t make you a prostitute.”

She cringed. “Wouldn’t I be, though? Close enough?”

“No.” I shook my head. “Just a fake date.”

“You said a few. More than a couple but less than several.”

“Correct.”

Her nod seemed final, as though she had convinced herself once and for all. As she backed up then closed the door, I lowered the passenger window. “We have a deal?”

She nodded. “You know, this is not how I imagined tonight would turn out.”

“What did you think would happen?”

“For starters,” she said, coming back to the SUV and leaning her arms on the open window, “I thought I’d… Never mind.”

Was she aware of this pull? That she couldn’t just say goodbye and leave it at that? I propped my elbow on the center console, the same one she’d slipped on, and set my chin in my hand. “You thought you’d what?”

I could talk to her all fucking night.

She licked her lips and I tracked the movement of her tongue. This time, she wasn’t messing with me and teasing. She looked too pensive for that. “I thought I’d have to suffer through your brother’s company, for one thing.”

I didn’t blame her for dreading it. “He’ll be at the wedding, though. Can you face him then?”

I need to talk to him about her. I hoped I hadn’t jinxed myself by saying she wouldn’t be likely to cause a scene.

“Can I handle seeing your brother for a bonus of thirty thousand?”

“And wardrobe expenses,” I reminded her.

She shrugged and stepped back. “What brother?”

18

BROOKE

“Let me get this straight,” Rena said, panting and cringing as she tried to pull off the hardest pose of the class.

“No. You’re not supposed to have your leg totally straight.” I glanced at her in the mirror of the hot yoga studio. “Don’t lock your knee.”

“If I don’t lock my knee I’m falling on my ass and I’m not canceling my trip for a sprained whatever.” She huffed her hair away from her face. “You know what I meant.”

“Huh?” I blinked hard, screaming internally at the sting of sweat in my eyes.

“Let me get this straight,” she tried again. “He’s paying you thirty grand to go to his dad’s wedding.”

“Uh huh. And other wedding-related events.”