AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“A couple of what?”
One golden brown eyebrow arched. “Jesus Nick. A couple. Like tab A in slot B… a couple,” she said while poking her teal-tipped index finger through the ring she made with her other finger and thumb. “Tell me you haven’t had that dick on such tight lockdown it doesn’t even know what that is anymore.”
“You want to be my girlfriend?”
“God, no. You could not handle me. But for the weekend… we could pretend. If done right, we have a good time on the slopes instead of dodging our mothers—”
“Ah, I get it.”
“Good, because I was worried I needed to draw you a picture.”
Her shoulders relaxed, a sure tell this arrangement was not from the kindness of her heart, but for her own benefit.
Gotcha, little demon. I slid my hands in my pockets. “Your mom brought someone for you too, didn’t she?”
“What—no,” she scoffed, the telltale sound of bullshit.
“Liar.”
“I don’t l—”
“Careful, you’re about to tell one right now.” I curled my fingers under the strap of duffel and slid it from her arm. “Who’d she bring?”
“Listen—”
“Who did she bring, Charlie?” I settled her bag over my shoulder.
“Daniel Sloan.”
My gaze snaps to hers and I catch a riot of emotions flitting through her piercing gray eyes. “He’s your—”
“Ex. Yeah. Which is even worse. Apparently, I’m so repugnant she can’t peddle me to a new guy, so she has to convince the old guy to take me back.”
“Ouch.” Mrs. McAllister had just moved a fraction toward the outer edge of my circle with that move.
Charlie shifted on her feet and chewed her lip. “Do we have a deal or not?”
Her mischievous energy dimmed with her admission and show of nerves. I couldn’t put my finger on why, but I didn’t like it.
“Deal,” I said offering my hand to shake on it.
She shot me a suspicious glance. “Really? You’re not fucking with me, right?”
“According to you, I’m not that interesting.” I smiled and winked, letting her know we’re good. Something to get us back on solid Charlie and Nick ground where she’s the scheming jester devising new ways to make me her fool.
Because as much as the jester is a pain in my ass, wounded Charlie sparks something in me I don’t recognize. Something I don’t care to examine. “Take my hand, Charlie.”
Her hand slid into mine and something shifted. Impossibly soft skin settled against my palm and her warm, tight grip had the hair along my neck prickling.
My best friend’s warning about his little sister burned in my pocket with my cell.
Sunday afternoon could not come soon enough.
CHAPTER2
Charlie
Inever believed Saint Nick would agree to my proposition. I mean, yes, he’s saint-worthy. So freaking squeaky clean I had the unshakable urge to spin my tires in a pile of mud and coat him from head to toe with unexpected fuckery.
