cameras, she was exhausted.
She needed to cut her losses and run, before her physically and mentally drained self did something silly: such as decide she wanted more than caffeine as comfort and hurl herself into Cash’s arms.
‘Thanks for the offer, but I’m heading home.’
‘Okay.’ His disappointment mirrored hers but she steeled her resolve. Shrugging off the feeling, she silently repeated to herself what seemed to be becoming her new mantra:
Must. Not. Fall. For. Fake. Boyfriend.
* * *
Lucy had almost reached her car when the sound of footsteps pounding the pavement behind her made her turn around.
Great, the one man she’d been all too eager to escape was running after her as if he had demons on his tail.
As if Cash hadn’t unnerved her enough over the last hour or two. She needed to make a quick getaway before she took him up on that offer of a mega block of chocolate. Because she knew she wasn’t far from doing something stupid, like succumbing to the temptation of a soft, leather couch and a cosy evening with a guy who made her pulse race.
‘Did I forget something?’ She congratulated herself on injecting the right amount of cool into her voice, when in fact his proximity made everything, from her knees to her resolve, wobble.
‘No, but I did.’ He skidded to a stop in front of her. ‘I wanted to give you this.’
He whipped a cellophane-wrapped, long-stemmed red rose from behind his back and held it out to her. ‘A token for your forgiveness?’
Confused, she accepted the rose and held it up to her nose, inhaling the sweet, rich fragrance. ‘Unless you stuffed up after I left, there’s nothing to forgive.’
‘Yeah, there is.’ He dragged a hand through his hair, while the other tugged at the knot of his tie. Interesting. Cash looked as edgy as she felt. ‘I made a mess of things today.’
She shook her head. ‘We cleared all that up—’
‘Let me finish.’ He held up his hand and took a step closer. So close she could see the fine stubble already dotting his jaw. ‘When I first saw you walk into that room, you blew me away. And I should’ve said so. I should’ve said you were the most beautiful woman in the room. That you looked sensational in that suit and your new haircut looks lovely and make-up merely accentuates your eyes and lips, which are gorgeous enough as it is.’
He puffed out a long breath. ‘But I didn’t say any of those things. I acted like a jerk because you threw me. And then you were exceptionally nice about the whole thing and...ah, hell, I’m doing it again. Rambling...’
Touched by the effect she seemed to have on this man, she patted his cheek with the rose. ‘Thanks.’
‘For being a jerk?’
‘For taking the time to come after me and apologise, even though you didn’t need to.’ She stood on tiptoe and quickly kissed his cheek. ‘I really appreciate the compliments.’
He must’ve caught something in her wistful tone, because he slid an arm around her waist and hauled her close.
‘Want to know why I made an ass of myself?’
Struggling to deal with his proximity and battling the urge to wrap her arms around his waist, she nodded. ‘You said you don’t like surprises?’
‘That too.’ He glanced away but didn’t release her. ‘When I first saw you, all I could think was how much I wanted you. For real.’
‘Oh.’
A pretty inadequate syllable, considering the riotous emotions cartwheeling through her.
‘I know we’re pretending for the next week, but want to hear something crazy?’
‘I think you’re going to tell me regardless,’ she said, her dry response drawing a huge grin.
‘Okay, here goes,’ he said, resting his other hand on her hip, an intimate gesture that almost had her swooning against him. ‘Don’t be surprised if some time over the next week, I blur the lines between fantasy and reality.’
Lucy could’ve attributed all this to more of Cash’s signature schmoozing. A guy used to attracting
She needed to cut her losses and run, before her physically and mentally drained self did something silly: such as decide she wanted more than caffeine as comfort and hurl herself into Cash’s arms.
‘Thanks for the offer, but I’m heading home.’
‘Okay.’ His disappointment mirrored hers but she steeled her resolve. Shrugging off the feeling, she silently repeated to herself what seemed to be becoming her new mantra:
Must. Not. Fall. For. Fake. Boyfriend.
* * *
Lucy had almost reached her car when the sound of footsteps pounding the pavement behind her made her turn around.
Great, the one man she’d been all too eager to escape was running after her as if he had demons on his tail.
As if Cash hadn’t unnerved her enough over the last hour or two. She needed to make a quick getaway before she took him up on that offer of a mega block of chocolate. Because she knew she wasn’t far from doing something stupid, like succumbing to the temptation of a soft, leather couch and a cosy evening with a guy who made her pulse race.
‘Did I forget something?’ She congratulated herself on injecting the right amount of cool into her voice, when in fact his proximity made everything, from her knees to her resolve, wobble.
‘No, but I did.’ He skidded to a stop in front of her. ‘I wanted to give you this.’
He whipped a cellophane-wrapped, long-stemmed red rose from behind his back and held it out to her. ‘A token for your forgiveness?’
Confused, she accepted the rose and held it up to her nose, inhaling the sweet, rich fragrance. ‘Unless you stuffed up after I left, there’s nothing to forgive.’
‘Yeah, there is.’ He dragged a hand through his hair, while the other tugged at the knot of his tie. Interesting. Cash looked as edgy as she felt. ‘I made a mess of things today.’
She shook her head. ‘We cleared all that up—’
‘Let me finish.’ He held up his hand and took a step closer. So close she could see the fine stubble already dotting his jaw. ‘When I first saw you walk into that room, you blew me away. And I should’ve said so. I should’ve said you were the most beautiful woman in the room. That you looked sensational in that suit and your new haircut looks lovely and make-up merely accentuates your eyes and lips, which are gorgeous enough as it is.’
He puffed out a long breath. ‘But I didn’t say any of those things. I acted like a jerk because you threw me. And then you were exceptionally nice about the whole thing and...ah, hell, I’m doing it again. Rambling...’
Touched by the effect she seemed to have on this man, she patted his cheek with the rose. ‘Thanks.’
‘For being a jerk?’
‘For taking the time to come after me and apologise, even though you didn’t need to.’ She stood on tiptoe and quickly kissed his cheek. ‘I really appreciate the compliments.’
He must’ve caught something in her wistful tone, because he slid an arm around her waist and hauled her close.
‘Want to know why I made an ass of myself?’
Struggling to deal with his proximity and battling the urge to wrap her arms around his waist, she nodded. ‘You said you don’t like surprises?’
‘That too.’ He glanced away but didn’t release her. ‘When I first saw you, all I could think was how much I wanted you. For real.’
‘Oh.’
A pretty inadequate syllable, considering the riotous emotions cartwheeling through her.
‘I know we’re pretending for the next week, but want to hear something crazy?’
‘I think you’re going to tell me regardless,’ she said, her dry response drawing a huge grin.
‘Okay, here goes,’ he said, resting his other hand on her hip, an intimate gesture that almost had her swooning against him. ‘Don’t be surprised if some time over the next week, I blur the lines between fantasy and reality.’
Lucy could’ve attributed all this to more of Cash’s signature schmoozing. A guy used to attracting
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