Page 35 of Rosie and the Beast Next Door

“Dylan, if we’re going to clean up your image, it’s going to require more than a few poorly focused photographs. This is an entire process. Are you really in?”

He stared at me as though seriously considering backing out. “I’m in,” he finally said.

“Good.”

“What are your conditions?”

I hadn’t actually been confident he’d agree to this scheme, so I hadn’t thought of conditions yet. “Um. We need to make people really believe we’re a couple, so whatever that … entails in public.”

“Like physical affection,” he clarified casually, as if the words didn’t send a searing fire of mortification through every vein in my body.

“Yes. And compliments and being seen together. And not flirting with other people.”

His intense gaze zeroed in on me. “If I’m in a relationship with someone, even if it’s a fake one like this, I’m in it one hundred percent.”

Whoa. I needed water. A fan. An ice cube to run under my neck. The glacial waters of the Pacific Ocean. “Okay, yeah. Mhmm.” That look, like I was the only person in the world, was burning me up. And we hadn’t even officially started dating. Something told me I had no idea what I was getting into when I dreamed this up.

My brothers would love this. Had a man ever left me so flustered before?

Lizzy crawled into my lap, probably sensing my extra warmth from across the room. She was always cold.

“Anything else?” He picked up my pink water bottle by the handle, and something about him holding it settled me. Thiswas Dylan Savage, my grumpy neighbor, not someone to get all moony over.

“Yes,” I said mock-seriously. “You have to promise not to fall in love with me.”

He choked on his drink, his face turning red as electrolyte fluids spewed from his mouth and dribbled down his chin. What would all those women chasing him say if they could see him now? Not so sexy to be drooling in shock.

“What?” he finally croaked out.

I didn’t know if I should laugh or be irritated at his overreaction. “It’s from a movie.”

“Never seen it.”

“Clearly. Which, unfortunately, means I have to add one more condition.”

“And that is?” he asked warily.

“We’ll need to watch one formative rom-com a week so you can truly understand my psyche.”

“Is understanding your psyche strictly necessary in order for us to fake date in exchange for helping me get back on my team?”

“It is if you’re going to keep from choking to death every time I quote a movie.”

And necessary for me to keep my eye on the prize of snagging Max Eriksson and getting Dylan Savage out of Winterhaven as quickly as possible so things could go back to normal.

Chapter 15

Dylan

DYLAN SAVAGE THIRST TRAPS

Peaks Center Dylan “The Beast” Savage has come out of hiding with a very surprising photo. Though his selfie game is off, the same can’t be said for his biceps, which almost distract the viewer from the hockey romance he’s holding. Is Dylan a closet romantic? Has the angry player known for getting into fights with the press and scaring children turned over a new leaf? Time will tell, but for now, no one is complaining if Dylan keeps those thirst trap reader pics flowing.

—Hot Goss Online Magazine

The buffering circle ofdeath rotated in front of the frozen, digitized image of the Peaks game versus the Saber Wolves. It was only thirty seconds to face-off. “No, no, no …”

Just another thing in this town to hate. Terrible Wi-Fi. Worse cell service. And Rosie didn’t have cable. The Peaks were down to three games to get into the playoffs, and my blood pressure was through the roof. The Saber Wolves were a formidable team, but the Peaks were better. At least we had been with me and Shiloh.

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