Page 67 of The Dixon Rule

“I’ve competed every year since I was sixteen.” Her jaw is tight. “Since when are you interested in ballroom dancing, Lindy?”

Oh yes, she’s pissed that Shane’s partnering up with me. I bet he never wanted to do it with her. Not that he’s actually my partner. This is a charade, and one that’s clearly working.

“Diana twisted my arm.” He offers a rueful grin. “I have a hard time saying no to her.”

“Damn right you do.” I press a kiss to his clean-shaven cheek.

The phone I set on the coffee table suddenly dings with an alert, and I disentangle from Shane to peek at it.

“All good?” he asks.

“Yeah, sorry. It’s a notification that Fling or Forever voting has closed.”

“Shit, was this the Sugar Shack release? Did you vote?”

“Obviously.”

“Who did you pick to return to the hacienda?”

“Todd and Ky.”

“Todd!” Shane growls. “The habitual cheater?”

“He’s entertaining!”

On the other end of the couch, Tyreek stares at us in amusement. “Fling or what? Is this a reality show? Oh wait.” He pokes Lynsey in the side of her thigh. “Babe, that’s the one you watch, right?”

She nods absently at him, but she’s laser-focused in my direction. “You’ve got him dancing and following reality TV? I’m impressed.”

This time she doesn’t bother trying to cloak it with humor. Her tone is clipped and holds a touch of resentment.

I’m pretty sure this girl hates me, but I don’t know how much sympathy I can muster for her. She’s sitting there with her boyfriend at her side. She has no right to be overtly hostile to her ex-boyfriend’s fake girlfriend.

Honestly, this is fun. I’m absolutely nailing this role. And I’ve only just begun.

Shane’s going to kill me.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SHANE

Have you always been this hot?

I’M GOING TO KILL DIANA.

I knew she was going to bust my balls and take great enjoyment from it, but I didn’t expect our epic love story to involve me wooing her via dance. Now, while Lynsey uses the bathroom and Tyreek’s in the kitchen making a call, Diana puts on some music and skips toward me on bare feet. Her heels are abandoned on the floor near the couch.

“What are you doing?” I ask warily.

“I feel like dancing.” She pulls me toward the bay window next to the balcony door.

I let her manhandle me only because I’d like a second alone with her, and this gives me the opportunity to say, “I hate you.”

“No, you don’t. You love me. I’m your girlfriend and we’re madly in love.”

Beaming, she places one hand on my shoulder and slides the other into my palm. I instinctively clasp her waist and draw her closer, and damn, she’s a lot shorter than I realized. Whenever I danced with Lynsey, I didn’t have to bend my head this low to get to eye level. With Diana, I’m nearly a foot taller.

Fuck, she’s a little spitfire in that tight dress. She looks delicious. Almost makes up for all the pain and suffering she’s putting me through tonight. But I guess that’s what I get for enlisting her help.

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