Page 87 of The Faking Game

“You should know, though,” she says, “that I’ve worked here for years, and he never has women staying here.”

“Oh. That’s… good.”

She nods a little and starts humming to herself as she works on the bread. She makes the best rolls; I’ve praised her so often that she rolls her eyes at my compliments now.

I undo the small package that was delivered alongside the beautiful flowers and carefully open the lid. Inside, wrapped in black silky paper, is a card game. Unopened. Newly bought.

On the front is an illustrated pair of fuzzy handcuffs. Beneath it is the textNaughty Conversations for Couplesin a pink font.

And I know this date will be nothing like our last.

CHAPTER25

NORA

West leans against a dark red car parked on the gravel of the Fairhaven courtyard. Dark pants, white shirt, top two buttons undone. He looks lazily elegant, a bit bored, tall and masculine.

But when I walk down the stairs, his focus sharpens. His eyes drop down over my body in a slow, devouring look. There’s raw appreciation in his gaze that makes heat spread through me.

He’s just pretending again,I remind myself.We’re practicing.

“Hi,” I say.

“Hey.” His eyes are still on my body, not on me. Like he can’t tear them away. It’s so blatant that it has to be another test.

“If you’requitedone,” I say.

“That’s my girl,” he says with a smile. “Tell a man off if you don’t like what he’s doing.”

“Is everything a lesson with you these days?”

“That’s what you wanted from me,” he says. “Did you like the flowers?”

I hesitate only a moment before replying. “Yes. I did.”

“I have something else for you.” He holds out a velvet case and opens the lid. There’s a gold necklace inside. A single gold coin pendant hangs from the thin chain. It’s got several small jewels inlaid. An emerald, two sapphires. What looks like diamonds.

“West…” I murmur.

“Turn around.” His voice is a command, and I do what he’s asked. Lift my hair up for him. A second later, the necklace comes to rest around my neck, the gold cold against my skin.

It’s beautiful.

“This is too much,” I say. “It’s gorgeous. Thank you. But I can’t ask you to spend money on me just to help?—”

“You didn’t ask.” His voice is a bit rough, and his fingers linger at my nape. “This is what it would feel like. If you were in a relationship. If you let a man treat you right.”

I stroke a finger over the necklace. “Did you pick it out yourself?”

It shouldn’t matter, and I shouldn’t have asked. Of course he didn’t. He’s a busy man, and he’s been traveling, and it doesn’t?—

“Yes,” he says.

Oh.I smile down at the pendant. “Thank you.”

His fingers disappear from my skin. “You’re very welcome.”

He opens the door for me, and the scent of his cologne wafts toward me. Subtle and woodsy. It feels like him, like the rooms of this house and the deep, dark wood and the constant view of the deep blue ocean.

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