AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Is the thing between you and Violet serious?” Tom continues, ignoring Jaylen’s interruption. “Because I’m warning you, Gage, if you’re using her for your own casual amusement—”
“First of all, if Violet wanted something casual, that’s her decision, not yours,” I say, unexpectedly irritated on Violet’s behalf. “Second of all, it’s not serious, but I can explain.”
“You bastard.” Tom charges into the apartment, looking like he wants to take a swing at me.
Jaylen hooks two fingers into the back of Tom’s shirt collar, yanking Tom to an undignified halt. “How about we hear his explanation first, Tom.”
“Fine,” Tom says, looking disgruntled.
“I want my company to buy the Colorado Coyotes, but my mom won’t approve the purchase unless I show her I’m taking my personal life seriously,” I say. “So I paid Violet to be my fake fiancée for the next six months. I get to buy the team, she gets to open her own community art center thing. It’s a win-win.”
Jaylen raises his eyebrows. “Dude. That is the dumbest shit I ever heard.”
“It’s a simple business transaction,” I say, feeling defensive.
Tom doesn’t look like he wants to murder me anymore, but he doesn’t look entirely convinced either. “That photo didn’t look like a business transaction.”
“It was purely for show,” I assure him. “That was the one and only time we’ve kissed. And trust me, we’re not going to do that any more than necessary. She’s your little sister, and I’m her annoying boss.”
Tom relaxes, finally seeming to believe me.
I breathe out a sigh of relief.
I don’t care what most people think, but I hate it when Tom’s mad at me.
“Great.” Jaylen claps his hands together. “Now that we’ve confirmed Gage is just being a weird rich idiot and isn’t out to steal your sister’s virtue, can we go get food? I’m starving.”
“Absolutely.” I’m grabbing my keys out of the crystal bowl by the door when I hear Violet humming down the hallway.
A second later, Violet wanders into the living room, tape measure in hand.
And she’sstill not wearing fucking pants.
I yank my jacket off and bundle it around her, paint stains be damned. There’s some primal part of me that doesn’t want Jaylen to see those red panties of hers.
I hastily button my suit jacket up on her. It’s long enough that it falls to mid-thigh on her.
Violet blinks up at me and lowers her headphones. “Sorry. I thought you guys left already.”
“Gage,” Tom warns, and I wince.
I turn around, forcing a smile on my face. “Did I forget to mention Violet’s living with me during our fake relationship? In her own suite. Far away from me.” I motion to the other end of the apartment.
Tom is back to glowering at me.
Jaylen nods to Violet’s tape measure. “What’s that for?”
“I’ve decided to update Gage’s art collection. This stuff is soulless.”
“Yeah, she’s just updating my...wait you’re doing what?” I ask, distracted as she heads over to the nearest painting. Then she rises on her toes and stretches her arms above her to measure the height of the painting.
My suit jacket creeps another two inches up her thighs.
I cross the room and snatch the tape measure from her hands so I can measure it myself. I read off the numbers to her, and she nods to herself.
“Okay. I’ll need a bigger canvas for that spot. How do you feel about pastoral landscapes?”
“You should do a portrait,” Jaylen suggests. “Of Gage.”
