Page 18 of Fake It For Him

“Without a definition of funny business, that’s pretty hard to agree to, but I will give you this.” I wrapped my fingers around my mug and drank the last of my espresso as I thought about how to word this in a way that would allow me to keep my promises. “At some point, I will probably make a move on you. You’re hot and we already know that we’re good together. When that happens, it will be your choice to take me up on my offer or not. If you don’t, no hard feelings and no awkwardness after.”

“I thought you didn’t pay for sex?”

“I don’t. I’m paying you for the show we’re about to put on for my family and nothing else. Whatever happens when they’re not around, that’s not you as my girlfriend. That’s Ella Carver, who is presumably single in real life, unless that guy you were with the other night is your boyfriend.”

“He’s not. I would never have signed up for this if I was in a relationship.” She looked at me like I was crazy, but then curiosity washed over her features. “How did you know my name, anyway? We agreed not to exchange names.”

I smirked at her. “We did agree to that, but my underwear landed on your dresser that night. When I went to get them, they were lying right on top of your passport.”

Horror widened her eyes before she cringed. “I’ve been traveling with that passport for four years and you’re telling me I’ve been touching your dirty underwear all this time?”

“Four years? You’ve been traveling all this time and you only got back now?”

She waved me off. “I’m going to have to apply for a new one.”

While my interest had certainly been piqued by her obviously unintended admission, I knew better than to push her for answers. She hadn’t agreed to honor the contract she’d signed just yet, and as much as I hated to admit it—even to myself—I needed her to honor it.

Della had somehow managed to find me the perfect girl. Ella was exactly what I’d described physically. I might have had her in mind when I’d provided that description, but more than that, she was the kind of woman my parents would love—and buy into as my girlfriend.

She was smart, funny, kind, and caring, but she was also confident and so far, reasonably outspoken. Qualities I wouldn’t have thought to list for Della, but now that Ella was in front of me, I realized she would tick all my parents’ boxes.

“Relax,” I said. “If you’ve been traveling with it for so long, I’m sure all the cooties from the outside of my underwear are long gone. So, have we got a deal?”

“One last thing.”

I tilted my head and nodded at her. “What’s that?”

“If you get punched in the face again and you need someone to help you clean up the blood, I’m not going to be as nice about it as last time.”

I chuckled and held out my hand. “Deal.”

Ella eyed my outstretched hand for a long moment before she slowly lifted her own and placed her palm against mine. “Deal.”

10

ELLA

The universe must hate me. Either that, or it had some other, more obscure reason for putting Calan back on my path.

Whatever it was, I didn’t really care. All I wanted from him was that money, and if he needed me to play pretend with him to get it, then fine.

It could’ve been much worse. As in, I could’ve had to stick around New York for much longer if I’d had to make another plan.

Even so, I would’ve walked away if he hadn’t been able to convince me that he didn’t have any ulterior motives and that this hadn’t been some kind of elaborate ploy to get me to spend time with him. When I’d first realized he was who I had come here to see, there had been a moment when I’d thought he was messing with me.

A moment when I’d wondered if somehow, he’d set all this up for some reason. On my way to the door and with five hundred thousand dollars hanging over my head, I’d realized it was worth at least a conversation.

Which was why I’d turned around and come back.

That conversation had been had now, though. I withdrew my hand and got up to leave, thinking that our business here was done.

Calan clicked his tongue. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Home. Thanks for the latte.”

Those dark eyes glittered with amusement as he shook his head. “Nope. Not yet you’re not.”

“I’m not?” I arched a brow at him, leaning back in my chair again. “Where am I going then?”