Page 99 of Just One Fake Date

If theirs had been a real date, Shannyn knew she’d have been willing to surrender everything to him. Was it just a performance, just because of him taking it as a challenge to change her mind about him? Shannyn couldn’t believe it. For a fake date, her feelings were very real.

Her rules seemed a little bit useless when they left the restaurant and he offered her a ride home.

“You don’t have to do that,” she protested. If Tyler drove her home, Shannyn knew what would happen. There’d be a little kiss, one that would shift into something electric and undeniable, then they’d be naked in her bedroom and the war against temptation would be completely lost. The worst part was that she wouldn’t even care. She’d just revel in it.

It would be much later, when he dumped her and disappeared, that she’d regret the slippery slope.

“Humor me,” Tyler said. “You’re only downtown at night because of me.”

“But I take the subway all the time...”

“I know you do. But I want to.”

“I don’t need a guardian angel.”

He lifted his hands. “I could argue that, but I know a losing proposition when I see one.” He was teasing her again, his eyes twinkling just a little.

Dangerous.

“I do just fine on my own.” Shannyn knew she sounded stubborn but she couldn’t help it.

“But here’s the truth.” He might be pretending to make a confession but Shannyn wasn’t fooled. “I’m thinking about me. It’s a purely selfish offer.”

“I don’t think so.”

“I won’t be able to sleep if I’m wondering about you.”

“Liar, liar,” she charged.

He smiled and gave her a nudge. “Come on, Shannyn. Humor me.” He bent down so that they were nose to nose. “Please?”

Shannyn’s resistance melted right on cue. So did her knees. It was entirely possible that her panties had spontaneously combusted. She sounded like a bitch saying no to someone who was trying to be nice to her—even if he did have a plan, she was hardly opposed to it herself, not in her heart.

Maybe it wouldn’t be as good as the first time.

Maybe it would help her to get past this infatuation.

Because it was an infatuation, at best. Her fascination with Tyler wasn’t destined to last any longer than his interest in her. They were too different. Opposites might attract but they didn’t build lasting relationships.

Her college crush was not going to come true.

She had to remember that detail.

“You want to show off your car,” she teased and Tyler laughed easily.

“Maybe.” He pulled out his keys and tossed them in the air, giving her a smile as he caught them. “What do you say?”

“You have an agenda,” she accused.

“Only to convince you that I really am a nice guy.” He smiled and looked a bit wicked, enough to make her heart skip, but Shannyn decided to call him on it.

“Nice guys take no for an answer,” she reminded him.

“Nice guys follow the rules. I have my marching orders. Consider it a test.”

Shannyn was tempted. She didn’t really want to ride the subway at this hour.

“All right,” she conceded and Tyler pulled out his phone to call Marcus. They walked back to the club, a lovely little simmer of awareness between them as they talked about their dinner and the weather, and the car was idling at the curb by the time they arrived.

---