Page 1 of Fake Dating Daxton Hawk
ChapterOne
Jordan
“Please,please, don’t go on this date tonight, Jordan.”
I swear Mina will never tire of saying those words. I can’t blame her, she’s only trying to be a good friend, but her relentless pleading won’t change my mind.
“I need the money,” I say, twisting the curling tongs through my hair while standing in the shitty bathroom of my shitty Manhattan apartment.
“Zac and I are happy to lend you money. Don’t resort to escorting.”
“You’re making a bigger deal of this than it is. I’ve told you a million times Daxton is my only client and there is no sex involved. All I have to do is pretend to be his date while we attend a dinner for some business meeting of his.”
“Okay, but you hate the guy.”
That’s true. I do hate that jerk.
“Plus, it’s only a matter of time before Daxton starts pressuring you for sex.”
I roll my eyes. A black curl of hair tumbles down my shoulder as I release the tongs. “I’ve been on three escorting dates with Daxton over the last four months and he hasn’t once made a move on me. Believe me, he’s made itveryclear he doesn’t want to have sex with me.”
Mina folds her arms, occupying the bathroom doorway. “I don’t believe you. You’re gorgeous.”
I twirl another lock of hair around the curling tongs. “You’re required to call me gorgeous. Best friend duties.”
“Babe, youaregorgeous.”
“I overheard Daxton talking about me with one of the businessmen on our first date. Surely you haven’t forgotten the story.She’s not the kind of girl I fuck. My tastes are very particular.”
“Of course I haven’t forgotten. You never shut up about it. Anyway, I don’t hold merit to his statement. The guy sought you out to be his escort. He wantedyou.”
“Wait,” Zac calls from my even shittier living room. “Jordan, I didn’t realize you overheard Daxton talking about you. What happened?”
Mina steps out of the doorway, giving me a view of her fiancé leaning against the couch. God, he looks so out of place in this dump. Too handsome, for starters. His suit is probably worth more than all my belongings. Dark hair. A jawline to die for. I still struggle to wrap my head around Mina being engaged to one of the most successful Broadway stars today when a few months back she used to live in this run-down apartment with me.
Mina and I left our homes in Australia four years ago when we turned twenty-two to follow our dreams in New York City. I’d like to say Mina’s path to success is an inspiration—that she could go from being a nobody in her career and is now as famous as Zac, singing on stage with him every night and crazy in love—but I’ve pretty much lost all hope for myself. All good opportunities that come my way have a habit of leading to disappointment.
A few months back, I got a dance solo at Club Noir, then ownership dropped my act because it wasn’t right for the club’s clientele, and I returned to being a backup dancer. This all happened around the same time I made it to the final audition round for a reality show calledSearch for the Next Burlesque Dancer.Then I received an email rejection where they couldn’t even spell my name right.
No matter how hard I push myself and reach for my dreams, I’m standing still in life. I’m the side character, never the lead. So, yeah, I’ve learned to stop getting excited about life.
I sigh at Zac’s comment and continue curling my hair. “Please don’t make me repeat the story of my first date with Daxton.”
“I’ll repeat it for you,” Mina says, sliding an arm around Zac’s shoulders as she joins him by the couch. His right hand draws her in closer by the waist, his other hand mindlessly playing with her long, pink hair. Goddammit, they are perfection together.
“Basically, on Jordan’s first escorting date with Daxton, she thought things were going well between them. They flirted and Jordan thought he liked her as more than just a paid date, you know, since he saw her dancing at Club Noir and decided heneededto have her as his escort. She let her feelings get involved, which is why, babe, you really shouldn’t be an escort. Then she overheard him talking to his potential business partner who was, like, some gross old dude. And the guy said to Daxton,I wouldn’t mind claiming her ass with my cock.”
Zac covers a snort of laughter with his hand while I cringe at the recount. “You can’t be serious.”
I meet his gaze in the reflection of the bathroom mirror. “One hundred percent serious.”
“Who even talks like that?”
“The men Daxton Hawk associates with, apparently.”
“There’s more,” Mina tells him. “So, after the old guy made that gross statement, he then said,I’d like to fuck her but I won’t overstep my boundary if she’s yours.”
“A true gentleman.” Zac smirks with sarcasm. “Respecting the bro code. How did Daxton respond?”
