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LUCY
“Nope. No way. Not going to happen.”
Hands on my hips, I glare at my brother, Luke. Of all the stupid, ridiculous ideas he's come up with, this one takes the cake. Pretending to be one of his asshole friend’s “girlfriend” so he can get some stupid promotion? That’s low.
“Come on, Luce. Just hear me out.”
“I've heard enough already,” I retort. “If your friend needs to lie to get a promotion, then maybe he should find a different job—”
“Noah is the best person for this promotion, but his boss is being an asshole about it, all because he’s been in a tiny bit of trouble with the media,” Luke replies.
“A little bit of trouble?” I hoot. “The guylivesin the gossip pages. And now that I know it's Noah who needs help, I'm definitely out. And why are you so concerned about his promotion?” I ask, eyeing my brother suspiciously.
Noah always has the spotlight on him. He regularly makes the gossip columns, just purely because of the revolving door of beautiful women he has leaving his apartment every night. Last month he found himself in particularly hot water after a girl he picked up claimed she was underage. It turns out the girl was actually twenty-two and just looking for a quick pay cheque, but still nothing surprises me when it comes to Noah. I’m all for having fun while you’re still young, but dude, you’re thirty-two. It’s time to rein it in and get serious with your life. Get married. Have kids. Then again, Noah is definitely not the type of person to settle down.
“He’s my friend.” He shrugs. “He deserves a break.”
A break? I nearly laugh in my brother's face. He’s the grandson of one of the richest men in the country. The last thing Noah ‘deserves’ is a break. He's a cocky, arrogant playboy who always gets what he wants. Well, not this time. At least, not with my help.
“What’s the matter, Sloan? I thought pretending to be my girl would be all your dreams come true, after those sexy stories you used to write about me when you were in high school.”
Gasping, I spin around at the sound of Noah’s sexy voice. He saunters into the room, giving me one of his trademark smirks as he sinks down onto the couch. My cheeks heat and I quickly turn away, wishing he didn’t affect me like that.
It’s no secret that I had a crush on Noah when I was younger. He’s my brother’s best friend and ten years older than me. That alone meant we were never going to happen. That didn’t stop sixteen-year-old me dreaming about it, though. Or writing about us, inverygraphic detail, in all kinds of delicate situations.
The worst day of my life was when Noah found my notebook full of stories that I had accidentally left in the basement one weekend when he was staying over. He read them, then handed me back the notebook, telling me he particularly loved the last one involving him, me, and some bondage scenes that would makeFifty Shadesfeel like a children’s book. I was so embarrassed that I did everything I could to avoid the guy from then on. I did a good job, too. In the last four years, I’ve barely exchanged a conversation with the guy.
“Well, you thought wrong,” I retort in my iciest voice. “I’ve got better things to do with my time than pretend to be your girlfriend.”
“Do you really, though?” I shoot a glare at Luke. Damn my brother and his big mouth. “And are you really in the position to turn down five hundred dollars?” my brother adds, not deterred by my death stares. “Weren’t you just crying to me about how broke you are?”
Shit. I hate it when he’s right.
That moneywouldcome in handy, especially since rent is due next week and they have cut down my hours at the café. God, I hate my job. One more year until I’m done with my law degree and then I can kiss that job goodbye. Until then, I need to live, though, which means I have to be nice and take what they give me. Extra money sure would take the pressure off…
“Make it a thousand and I’ll do it.”
“A thousand?” Noah lets out a low whistle. “There better be a happy ending in it for me for that price, Sloan,” he adds, calling me by my last name.
“A thousand and I will do the bare minimum,” I snap back through gritted teeth. “No hugging, no kissing, and certainly no sex. Take it or find someone else.”
Noah looks me up and down, a lazy grin playing on his lips, his warm brown eyes full of amusement. I hate how much he’s enjoying this.
“Fine,” he finally agrees. He smirks at me in a way that makes the tiny hairs at the back of my neck stand on end. “Guess you’re all mine for the weekend.”
God, I hate him so much. But I hate myself even more, because as much as I don’t want to be turned on by this guy, I know I am. In every damn possible way. I swallow and wet my lips, giving him the most hostile look I can muster.
“I think we should set some ground rules,” I say coolly.
He raises an eyebrow. “Didn’t you already do that with the no physical affection thing?”
“One,” I begin, ignoring him. “I amnotsharing a bed with you. I want my own room. Two, don’t talk to me unless it’s necessary. Finally, no road trips. I refuse to be stuck in a car with you for any length of time.”
He winces, a toe-curling smirk spreading across his very kissable lips. “That one is going to be a bit hard, considering we’re off to the coast.”
Shit. That meant about two hours in the car with him.
