Page 25 of RAKEish

Scott studied Doc for a moment, fully taking in her transformation. “She’s right, you know. The Glam Team have really outdone themselves. You look fabulous.” He waited for a smile, some acknowledgment of the compliment, but her expression remained unreadable, puzzling him. Clearing his throat, he moved on. “My first assignment is to teach you pickup lines that work. They are key for landing the attention of a rake. And you can’t steal his heart, until you steal his attention,” he said. “Tell me, Doc, what is your go-to pickup line?”

Doc hesitated, her eyes darting around the room as if to make sure no one was listening. “Uh, how about, ‘Are you a camera? Because every time I look at you, I smile?’”

“That’s charming, but a smidge too wholesome for our target audience,” he replied. “We need something with more of an edge to catch a rake’s attention, don’t you think?”

“Rakes aren’t really a thing in Manhattan, are they?” she asked. “I mean, I get it. You’re a rake because of the nickname your mom gave you, but Manhattan is not Shiretopia. We’ve evolved from the Victorian age of rakes and scoundrels and rogues,” she continued. “If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer to set my sights on the heart of a college professor. Someone I can see myself falling in love with in return.”

A college professor would be much easier to accomplish in the short amount of time they had. “I’m afraid that won’t work. Frankie said rake, so rake it will be.” Why was there a part of him glad to be able to give that answer? Was it because he didn’t want her to find true love as a result of their time together?

She rolled her eyes. “What in the hell am I supposed to do with the heart of a rake?”

There was that disdain again, only this time in her voice, not her eyes. “I suggest you try loving him back,” he said gruffly. “You might find he’s a lot more appealing as a forever person than settling for the male equivalent of that glass of water you ordered.”

“The very idea of entrusting my heart to a rake is repulsive.” Her voice was sharp, each word an authentication to the depth of her aversion to men like him. “They’re nothing but heartbreakers, trading in their partners for newer models without a second thought. “Just like my fa—.”

Where was the romantic he’d assumed beat inside? “Just because a rake has enjoyed his freedom and broken a few hearts in the process, does not mean he’s not lovable once he’s admitted his feelings,” Scott argued.

“Doesn’t it?”

If he’d had any doubts before then, her scathing reply left no room for doubt about her position on the idea of falling for a rake. In her opinion, it would be the worst possible outcome to their adventure. And not just because it would mean she’d lost the challenge.

He collected his thoughts before responding. “Not every man who is labeled a rake is in it for the game, or because he can’t settle on one woman. Some men are branded as rakes for reasons far more complex than a simple reluctance to choose.”

“And which are you?” she asked.

As much as he’d love to set her straight, he couldn’t. There was a nondisclosure agreement with his name signed to it back at Naked Runway that kept him from doing so. “Let’s not get sidetracked,” he drawled, forcing a smile to his lips. “Tonight, we’re talking about pickup lines.”

Her nostrils flared slightly. “Why can’t I just say hello?”

“Hello is too plain, too vanilla. Rakes aren’t intrigued by vanilla; they seek something more captivating. You need an arsenal of lines that are engaging, slightly daring, yet not off-putting,” he explained.

“Sounds easy peasy,” she replied, a touch of sarcasm in her voice.

He raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar saying. “Not easy, but achievable with the right guidance,” he said confidently. “Let’s try another one. Do you have any more pickup lines?”

She shook her head, a wry smile on her lips. “I’m afraid I’m a one-hit wonder in that department. You might have to supply me with a few examples that have worked on you.”

“Let’s see.” He smiled, recalling a memorable encounter. “There was one time when a stunning model from Russia approached me in a bar. She sat down and said, ‘Let’s be nothing tonight, because nothing lasts forever.’”

Doc’s face contorted slightly in a grimace. “And that actually worked on you?”

He chuckled. “Context is everything, but yes, it did. I was more than willing to be her ‘nothing’ for the night.”

“All right, I’ll give it a try. What’s another line I could use?”

He leaned back, a playful smile tugging his lips. “Then there was the time a striking redhead from Texas used this line on me when I sat next to her: ‘Please, let’s keep our distance. You look like the kind of guy I might make a bad decision for.’”

“And did she make that bad decision?”

He gave a nonchalant shrug. “I prefer to think of it as one she woke up feeling good about.”

Doc let out a resigned sigh. “Fine. I’ll give those two lines a try. But not on you,” she quickly added, as if to set a clear boundary.

Why not him? “You can’t use them on anyone else here, either. They’ve all seen us together. It might skew the results.”

Doc looked as if she might argue but then shrugged. “It’s been a long day, and I’m exhausted. I’ll practice them tomorrow evening on some poor unsuspecting gentleman. Who knows, I might get lucky and land a rake right out of the starting block, and you and I can part ways.”

The thought of Doc succeeding and leaving with another man twisted something unexpected inside of him, a feeling he couldn’t quite name but couldn’t ignore either. An emotion that lingered long past their evening goodbyes.

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