Page 57 of Just One Fake Date

“Not now.”

She studied him with curiosity. “What did you do?”

“I convinced my mom to persuade Paige to stay home today.”

“Why would you do that?”

“It’s one thing to pretend we have a relationship. It’s another for you to be smothered by my family and their incessant curiosity. You might run screaming into the hills and refuse to even admit you know me.”

Shannyn bit back a smile but her eyes sparkled. “You really think she would have come?”

“Absolutely.” Ty had no doubt. “If I had told Derek your address the other night, she would have insisted that he drive her over so she could knock on your door, invite herself in, and ask you five hundred intimate questions.” He held her gaze, liking that smile and wanting another kiss.

“Good thing you didn’t know my address then.”

“I wouldn’t have told her either way.”

“Does it mean something that you’re protecting me even from your family?”

It did but Ty wasn’t going to admit it. “Just defending our fake wedding date.”

She shook her head, unconvinced. “Do you try to anticipate everything?”

Ty couldn’t see any reason to disguise the truth. “I like plans. I like things to progress smoothly along a predictable path.” Even as he said the words, Ty wasn’t sure they were true anymore. He liked being with Shannyn and nothing ever worked out the way he expected with her.

“And you like to thwart your sister Paige.”

Tyler’s brows rose. “I think it’s good for someone to say no to the princess.”

Shannyn laughed. “Aren’t you the crown prince? Who says no to you?”

“You do.”

“No one else?”

Tyler had to think about that for a minute. “Not so consistently.”

“I’ll take that as a point of pride,” she said, hefting her bag to her shoulder. “Just how badly do your family want you married anyway?”

“They need a new project. For the last five years, my mom has been organizing weddings. Four sisters married, one each spring.”

“And this is the last one,” Shannyn said, her eyes sparkling in that way he found so enticing. “Your mom could take up needlepoint. Jujitsu. Skydiving.”

Tyler grinned at her unlikely suggestions. “Or matchmaking.”

“You made this deal as an act of self-defense.”

“Exactly.” He leaned closer, liking her playfulness. “And if you create a showy break-up at the wedding, I’ll be compelled to reconcile with you, right then and there.”

“As an act of self-defense.”

“Maybe noisy sex in the middle of the dance floor.”

“You wouldn’t.” Those eyes were sparkling like a night sky.

“Self defense. You’ve been warned.” He held up his car keys. “Dinner?”

Shannyn sobered. “I should work tonight. I have to get the images to the magazine by midnight.”

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