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“Well, for starters, how about a show of good faith, like a kiss?” His free hand came up and gently cupped the side of her face, while his thumb skimmed along her damp bottom lip. “I think it’s important to know what I might be getting myself into and if we’re compatible enough to pull off this whole pretend boyfriend/girlfriend thing. I mean, what if we kiss and we realize that there’s just no spark there? Then this whole farce is doomed for failure.”
He was teasing her. She could see the mischievous glimmer in his eyes, and it provoked a smile from her, even as her breathing escalated with every second that passed with the temptation of finally having Leo’s lips pressed against hers dangling like a carrot in front of her.
“Then kiss me so we can find out,” she whispered.
His thumb dipped down beneath her chin to tip her head back as he lowered his mouth to hers. His lips were surprisingly soft as they found hers for the first time, his teeth gentle as they nibbled at her bottom lip. She couldn’t hold back the needy moan that escaped her throat, or the way her hands instinctively lifted and settled against his solid chest even as he pressed closer to her, his hard thighs and hips pinning her against the car.
“Jesus,” he breathed against her lips in shock, clearly feeling the heat between them that was a spark on the verge of becoming an undeniable blaze.
Sliding both of his hands into her hair, he held her head steady as he came back for another taste, and this time, there wasn’t an ounce of gentleness in the way he swept his tongue inside and plundered her mouth—boldly, deeply, greedily. She made a wild, desperate sound as she fisted her hands in his cotton T-shirt and matched him kiss for kiss, turning that blaze into an inferno that was so hot it threatened to singe them both. And in the moment, neither one of them seemed to care.
She felt the unmistakable ridge of his erection nudging against her belly, and a new hunger spiraled tighter inside her. Desire made her knees weak, her nipples excruciatingly hard, and her panties wet. Everything about Leo Stone was sensation overload to every part of her body, and if there was any worry in either of their minds about pulling off a believable attraction, this kiss eliminated any and all concerns.
By the time Leo finally lifted his mouth from hers, they were both breathing hard from all the heightened sexual tension between them. His dark eyes glittered with lust as he gazed down at her, looking as dazed as she felt.
Somehow, someway, she found her voice. “Was that convincing enough for you?” she asked huskily.
His low, sexy chuckle made her shiver. “Oh, yeah . . . it was definitely a good start.”
* * *
“Personally, I think you’re nuts for even considering being this chick’s boyfriend for the next week,” Eric said the following evening as they sat in a booth at a local bar having a beer and eating half-priced sliders during happy hour. “You just told us she stalked you on social media and superimposed photos of you to make it look like you’re a couple. Haven’t you ever seen that cult classic movie Fatal Attraction?” He shuddered for effect.
Leo rolled his eyes at his friend. “This coming from an indiscriminate ladies’ man who chases after anything in a skirt, including that woman you followed on Instagram, then ‘accidentally’ ran into at Omnia.”
Eric smirked but didn’t deny Leo’s claim. “Yeah, that ended up being a really great night.”
“You’d be a really good candidate to test out the new app I’m creating,” Leo’s techie younger brother, Dylan, said to Eric after taking a drink of beer, his tone completely serious. “It’s called The Boyfriend Experience, and it’s geared toward women who need a guy for a date, for whatever reason. No commitment and no strings attached. I’m getting ready to launch the app, so if you’re interested, let me know.”
Eric quickly shook his head. “Thanks, but I’m not that desperate.”
“Yet,” Leo said, and wasn’t surprised when Eric flipped him the bird.
After a few quiet moments passed with them eating their sliders, Dylan spoke again, this time to Leo. “I think you should do it,” he said, referencing the situation with Peyton. “The fact that you didn’t just flat-out tell her no last night leads me to believe you’re interested.”
Leo popped a beer-battered French fry into his mouth, neither confirming nor denying his brother’s accurate remark. He’d spent the entire day thinking about Peyton and her request, not to mention reliving that hot, delicious kiss, which had both aroused and tempted him beyond anything he thought possible . . . and made him crave more of her. Surprisingly, it wasn’t all physical, either. Just like she had back in college, Peyton was easy to be with and talk to. She was fun and clearly didn’t take things too seriously, and she still managed to amuse him and make him laugh, which honestly felt good.
Most notably, she made him forget all the reasons he’d kept women at arm’s length since Amanda and made him believe that maybe, possibly, it was time to take that chance again. He still wanted to find that one woman to spend the rest of his life with, and it could only happen if he put himself back on the market. Maybe a week with Peyton could be his gateway to seriously dating again.
Helping out Peyton was a mere week out of his life, and really, when was the last time he’d taken a vacation or done something just because he could? He’d spent the past few years consumed with the business, and now that things were stable and prosperous, why not have a little fun with a woman he knew he liked, enjoyed, and was attracted to? Since she’d be returning to New York, there was a firm end date to being her fake boyfriend . . . though why that thought already triggered a small dose of disappointment, he wasn’t sure.
After taking a drink of his beer, Dylan glanced back at him. “You know if Aiden was here he’d back me up, and not this clown,” he said, hitching his thumb at Eric.
Leo’s best friend huffed out a laugh. “That’s because Aiden is basking in those first few months of marital bliss and his perception is skewed, so of course he’s going to encourage Leo to be this girl’s significant other.”
Yes, Aiden did have his head in the clouds these days, not that Leo could blame his older brother. He’d found the perfect woman for him, even if it had taken an accidental pregnancy for Aiden to realize that Daisy was the one. T
he two had recently married and were anticipating the arrival of their baby in a few months.
At least one of them had gotten lucky in love, Leo mused, considering how he’d crashed and burned the day of his own wedding. Clearly, love hadn’t been enough for Amanda, nor had love kept his father faithful to their mother. Leo wasn’t cynical by nature, but it was hard to refute those facts.
“So, what are you going to do?” Eric asked, distracting Leo from those thoughts.
The fact that Leo genuinely wanted to see Peyton again was really all the answer he needed. He’d already looked ahead at the schedule at work to make sure he had no important appointments or meetings and knew that Eric could handle anything unexpected that might come up.
Decision made, he grinned at both guys sitting at the table with him. “I’m going to give the lady what she wants.” A boyfriend . . . and anything else Peyton might desire.
* * *
