Page 8 of Not Fooling Anyone

“I’m a method actor. I need to totally immerse myself in this role.”

“You’re crazy.” She readjusts her backpack straps, turning from me, but she can’t fully hide the amused twitch to her lips. “I’ll see you at Marty's. I should be finished with the books by eight.”

“See you.”

I watch her walk away, her ass glorious in those tight jeans. I’m allowed to look, right? She’s my fake girlfriend, after all.

A smile creeps over my face imagining how fun the next six weeks will be.

* * *

“Earth to Ethan.”

I swivel my head back where it belongs. Namely, away from Marty’s office. “Sorry, man.”

Tyler grunts. “You said you wanted to box tonight, but all you’re doing is staring at that girl in there.”

Of course he’d notice that. The man’s too observant for his own good. Then again, he’s my closest friend and roommate. If anyone would notice, it’d be him.

I rub at the back of my neck, the tape on my hand scratchy. “Actually, she’s kind of my fake girlfriend.”

He blinks at me uncomprehendingly, so I tell him what happened during class earlier, his head shaking slowly by the end.

“You’re the only person I know who gets himself in situations like this. How do you do it?”

“Pssh.” I wave off his statement. “If you weren’t so busy brooding and keeping to yourself all the time, you’d know this kind of thing is totally normal. Happens to everyone.”

His brows raise slightly, but he doesn’t call me on my bullshit. “And agreeing to this is completely altruistic on your part?”

I glance over at Marty’s office again, Lexie’s auburn hair like a beacon, her head bent low as she studies something on the desk. “Of course.”

“Yeah, okay.”

My gaze cuts back to Tyler, his sarcasm thick enough to cut with a knife. “What? I can’t be nice? She’s Lawrence’s daughter. Maybe it’ll give me an in so he’ll train me more.” Since Marty doesn’t do work in the ring anymore, Lawrence is the most popular trainer, with decades of fighting experience under his belt. The serious boxers get first dibs at him, which leaves guys like me who haven’t fought in a match yet with slim pickings.

“Wait. She’s Lawrence’s daughter? What the hell are you thinking getting tangled up with that? He could eat you alive.”

Yeah, he can be scary when he wants to, but that’s with the guys who don’t take him seriously. I do. “It’ll be fine. He loves me.”

“That’s what you think now,” he grumbles. “So, are you training or not?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

Forty-five minutes later, I’m dripping sweat, wiping at my eyes with my now-soaked shirt I stripped off long ago. “Give me a sec.” I grab my gallon jug of water, taking a huge swig. I’ve been so thirsty lately.

Out of the corner of my eye, there's movement from Marty’s office, Lexie standing and placing something on the desk.

“Your girlfriend ready for you?” Tyler asks, his tone conveying how ridiculous he finds the whole thing.

“You jealous?” I tease. “Afraid I won’t have enough time for you anymore? I promise there's room for both of you in my life.”

“Get the fuck out of here,” he says good-naturedly. “And take a shower before she smells you.”

I do a sniff test, wincing. Yep, he’s right.

I jog over to the office door, rapping on the glass before opening it. “I’m going to grab a quick shower before we meet up, okay?”

Her gaze travels over me, something about the action heating my blood. I doubt there’s anything sexual about it on her part, though. She practically screamednot interestedat me yesterday, but I like her eyes on me all the same.

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