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“I know you won’t use a fake marriage as an excuse to trap yourself a real billionaire husband,” Luke elaborates. “And you can trust that I’m not going to use a fake relationship as a sleazy opportunity to make a move on you.”
“Oh.” Something in me wilts in disappointment.
I guess that settles that. No need to make an embarrassing move on him two months from now. He’s making it clear where we stand before this thing even starts.
Luke comes and sits down next to me. I feel the mattress shift under his weight and hell, even that’s kind of hot. He holds out a big, capable hand to me. “Give me your notebook.”
“Oh no,” I say. “I’m not falling for this again. I’m not going to let you start jotting down deal points before I’ve even agreed to do this.”
But I’m wavering and he knows it.
“Hazel,” he orders, and there’s a note of warning that sends shivers of anticipation down my spine.
Heart racing, I pass over the notebook and pen. Because a part of me knows, as soon as we start negotiating, this is real. If the deal is good enough, I’m going to fake a marriage to Luke Dewinter for six months to save his career—and mine.
Luke flips to a clean page in the notebook and starts scribbling, looking serious, like he does at work.
Remember, how bossy and arrogant he can be, I tell myself.Remember that he throws a hissy fit any time you ask personal questions for his book. Do you really want to do this?
“How much is a one-bedroom rental in Manhattan?” Luke asks. “Notin this building.”
I blink, caught off guard. “I don’t know. $4,000?”
Luke frowns like he’s doing mental math, then writes something down.
I can’t hold back my curiosity anymore. I lean over and peer at the notebook, the bed creaking as I scoot closer to Luke.
Luke& Hazel’s Rules for Marriage
1. Hazel agrees to marry Luke by the end of the month and stay married for six months.
2. Hazel will move in with Luke for the duration of this agreement and move out after six months.
3. Luke will acquire the required attorneys and cover all legal fees associated with the divorce.
4. Luke and Hazel will tell people the divorce was a mutual decision.
5. Luke will pay Hazel $250,000 when the six months are up so she can get a real apartment.With a kitchen and a building door that locks.
“Hey. Rude,” I say, when I get to that last rule. Then my eyes loop back to the number. “Luke, that is way too much money.”
“Never bargain against yourself, Hazel,” Luke says. “Besides, I’m upending your life. Consider it an inconvenience fee. Other than the money, is there anything else on here you object to?”
I squint at the list. “Most of these are for after the marriage—fake marriage—is over. If we’re going to make this work, we need rules for during the marriage too.”
“Ok.” He turns his head to look at me, and for a second his eyes are so sharp and blue and close that I forget to breathe. “Like what?”
I take the notebook from him and start adding my rules.
6. Hazel won’t trap Luke into a real relationship by being irresistibly loveable.
7. Luke won’t seduce Hazel.
“Har, har, very funny,” Luke says. “Give me that back if you’re not serious—”
But I’m not done writing yet. “We should agree on what we’ll do to convince people we’re a real couple. You tend to be pretty into public displays of affection, and everyone knows it.”
“I am not,” Luke says, scowling.
