Page 10 of Do It With Me

“Ten grand?” she said, sounding completely incredulous. “Just to consider your offer?”

I nodded. “Well, for that and for not calling me a creep just for asking. I know it’s not exactly a traditional request.”

She shook her head slowly, still staring at the number like it might vanish. “You really are insane.”

“Probably,” I admitted. “It’s not the first time I’ve been called that. Although when you’re as wealthy as I am, people just use the term eccentric.”

“Right. So this is a normal thing for you.” She glanced at her watch and her features suddenly tensed. “I should get going. I’ll let you know soon what I’ve decided.”

We wrapped up fast, saying awkward goodbyes and leaving our half-finished coffees and the mostly untouched bear claw between us. I watched her walk away from me with a confident little sway in her hips.

For one dangerous second, it made me forget why I’d picked her of all people. As soon as I realized I was staring, I turned on my heel and went home. Back at my building, the elevator took me to the top of the tower. Intense, deafening quiet hit me the moment I stepped into the penthouse.

The city lights stretched endlessly beyond the glass, but the inside was achingly empty. I’d lived alone for years and I liked it. The silence, the space, and the order appealed to me. There were no surprises, no arguments, and no emotional landmines waiting to go off.

Just clean lines, glass, and the hum of the city far below. Still, I had to admit that it had been nice spending time with Ellora. She wasn’t just a pretty face, though she was definitely that too. It was just that she was sharp and witty as well. Strangely fun.

Striding to the bar in the corner of the main living area, I poured myself a drink, pulled my tie off, and tried not to think about how much more interesting the evening had been before I got home. I’d liked talking to her. Maybe too much.

For a brief moment, I considered using one of those numbers in my phone. It was possible she was affecting me this way because it had been too long since I had gotten laid, but not even the thought of a booty call was appealing to me right now.

I set my drink down on the counter and stared out at the skyline. Somewhere down there, she was probably still shaking her head, wondering what kind of lunatic offered a student ten grand to consider fake-dating him for a night.

A lunatic who really hopes she’ll say yes. Frankly, if she showed up to the wedding wearing anything like that outfit from class—classy, confident, and a little devastating—Shannon would hate it.

The thought made me smile. For the first time in a long while, I found myself actually looking forward to something. Provided she said yes, of course, and unfortunately, I couldn’t put any pressure on her for an answer.

It had been years since I’d felt like this, on pins and needles to hear back from a woman, but for the next few days, all I could do was find a way to enjoy the sweet agony of anticipation. And then hope that the chips fell in my favor. They usually did though, and I had a feeling it wouldn’t be any different this time.