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“Seriously?”
He shrugs. “Why not? It’s got to be better than you poking around in my personal life.”
“Sorry for wanting to get to know you.” I roll my eyes.
Surely it wouldn’t hurt to have a little “rehearsal” of how we’re supposed to act? Truth be told, Iama little nervous. His family belongs to another world.Hebelongs to another world...a world where money can buy anything. Even a fiancée.
And I’ve never faked anything, not even an orgasm. Because if a guy can’t make me feel something real, I’m not going to stroke his ego by pretending.
But if I fail to convince his family, he might not hold up his end of the bargain. Then I’m screwed—no apartment, no catering job to help me get by since my “indiscretion” is plastered all over the internet. Ihaveto make this work.
I take a few steps forward and plant one hand against his arm. The soft fabric of his shirt hugs the curve of his biceps and it’s heaven beneath my fingertips. I tilt my face up to Daniel’s as though we’re about to kiss, and I give him what I hope is a convincing expression of a woman head over heels in love. But Daniel’s husky laugh makes me frown.
“Let it come naturally,” he says. “Stop trying so hard.”
“But—”
My words are cut short when he presses his finger to my lips. His face is close, so close I can see each thick lash framing his dark eyes, and the hint of stubble impressing itself on the skin around his jaw, like darkness is peeking through from inside him.
My breath hitches as he slides his hand around my neck, his fingers driving into my hair. He tilts me back, his thumb brushing my cheekbone and the corner of my lip for a moment that stretches on endlessly. Anticipation winds through my body, tightening like a snake and squeezing. Making me want, need, desire.
Making me ache.
My lips go slack, calling silently to his. Calling for his kiss.
Daniel’s head comes forward, his dark gaze holding me captive. In this moment, I am his to command, soft and pliable under his touch. When his lips part, I almost whimper.Yes.
But the sound of his ringtone slashes through the moment. Daniel pulls back and digs the device out of his back pocket, cancelling the call. I’m almost burning up. I’m like a flame he’s coaxed to life and I hate myself for it. I force myself to push away the pink fog of lust addling my brain.
How does he play me so easily?
“Okay, so...” I square my shoulders like I wasn’t about to allow him to kiss me senseless for no good reason. I can’t let him see the effect he has on me. “Dinner with the whole family and a trip to France. Anything else I should know about before I unpack?”
“I’m a light sleeper.” Daniel’s eyes are dark, almost black but not quite. It makes him hard to read, hard to decipher. The man, so far, is full of contradictions—sleek image and a home filled with personality; he acts like he doesn’t care about my opinion and yet he stocks my bathroom with everything I could possibly need. I don’t know what to make of him. “If you hear me walking around at night, don’t worry. We’re not getting burgled.”
I already know what’s going to happen tonight. I’m going to lie awake, listening to the sound of him, wondering what it might be like if he cracked my door open and padded softly into my room to pick up where we left off a moment ago. Wanting to know what it might be like to be burned by him.
Wanting it all.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Daniel
ICOMETOfind Ava several hours later, right before we’re due to leave. One thing I didn’t consider when concocting this crazy plan was that I’d need to let a stranger into my very private world. My home, which is my personal sanctuary, and my family, which I keep as far from people as possible.
I jog down the stairs to the bottom floor of my apartment, making a little more noise than normal so Ava will know I’m coming.
It’s strange having someone here.
And yet...
The moment we shared in her room was anything but strange. It was totally familiar, intimately familiar. Had my assistant’s call not interrupted us, I would have absolutely followed through and kissed her. Her sweet lips have been on my mind all afternoon, ruining my ability to work. Taking my concentration and shredding it to ribbons.
I took myself in hand in the shower, closing my eyes and thinking about her soft curves and fiery eyes while I stroked myself. I thought about having her there, pinned between me and slick tile, open and willing and wanting. I have to admit, I enjoyed watching Ava battle her attraction—it’s not something I come across very often. The women I’ve dated casually in the past never made an effort to hide what they wanted...which was often what ended up causing the relationship to come to a swift end.
Because wanting my body is fine, and wanting my attention is fine...to a degree. But wanting my money or my commitment is entirely another story.
Those things are off limits.
