Page 46 of Reckless King

Anna’s smile is a little too big, and I know what that means.

“Don’t get excited. It’s still just business.”

“Why can’t it be business with benefits? If I was lucky enough to be fake dating a hot-as-hell billionaire, I’d be taking advantage ofallthe perks.”

I clamp down on the teeny, tiny irrational ball of jealousy that pings around my chest at the thought of Anna in my place. Tate probably would have been better off asking her to enter into this arrangement with him. Not only would she likely be able to pull the role off better than me, but she’d give him a run for his money in the seduction stakes too. But I don’t particularly like imagining his lips on hers the way they were on mine last night. Or the perks they might take advantage of.

“Seduction is basically Tate’s middle name,” I mutter. “It comes as naturally to him as breathing. The last thing I want is to develop any kind of connection with him, just to have him walk away at the end.”

A crease forms between her brows as she regards me. “Maybe he wouldn’t walk away.”

I laugh and shake my head. “Tate has spent his adult life walking away from women. I can guarantee this won’t be any different. Being anything less than businesslike with him is guaranteed to hurt me in the long run.”

“Hmm. You might be right.”

I nod, satisfied that she’s seeing my point of view.

“But—”

That one word brings a frown to my face.

“I saw the way he was with you at Onyx—bothnights. And I don’t know. That kind of reaction is the opposite of what I’d expect from a playboy.”

I roll my eyes, going for flippant even as my stomach knots. “Whose side are you on?”

She cocks her head, a grin teasing her lips. “I didn’t know I had to pick a side. But now that I do, obviously, I pick yours.”

“Good.”

“Although,” she says, her smile getting wider. “I hear team ‘maybe leopards can change their spots’ has a growing number of supporters.”

I throw my towel at her chest while holding back a laugh. “Men like Tate don’t change their spots. They have no reason to.”

“Okay.” She holds up her hands, finally conceding defeat. “But the next time you go out, I want to hear all the juicy details first thing the next day.”

“I’ll call you, but I guarantee the details will be drier than that chocolate cake you baked that we never talk about.”

Her mouth drops open. “You broke the rule,” she whispers in mock horror.

I smirk. “That will teach you to consider changing sides.”

She snickers, but the amusement in her expression fades quickly. “Look, babe, I know you’re not Tate’s biggest fan. But don’t let that stop you from enjoying this situation. You’re dating a billionaire. Ahotbillionaire. A hot billionaire who, for the next few months, is going to pretend to be crazy about you. I understand that you don’t want to let your feelings get involved, but there’s nothing to stop you from having fun with it.”

I chew on my bottom lip. She’s right. I agreed to this arrangement. I might as well relax and enjoy it. “Fine. From now on, I’m going to have fun being Tate King’s fake girlfriend. I’ll enjoysomeof the perks.” I ignore Anna’s disappointed pout. “And regardless of how charmingly flirty he is, I won’t let it get to me.”

Anna grins. “Exactly. Relax and have fun while Tate King wines and dines you for the next few months.”

My mind flashes back to last night. When he told me he’d developed far more enjoyable skills than wining and dining women. There’s no doubt he’s right about that, but I get the gut-sinking feeling that if he puts his mind to it, he might end up being good at all of it.

Which means I need to be even more careful not to fall.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

TATE

“Mr. King? Tate?”

I look up and find half the meeting room staring at me. Damn it. “Apologies, I got distracted. Can you run through that again?”

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