Page 37 of The Fake Dating Plan

“Just a little off the coast of Mallorca.” He said it so casually you would think I was the one who was crazy. He strutted over to the men dressed in blue shirts and white shorts, and greeted the one in the middle, the one wearing full-length pants, whom I assumed was the captain. I stood still. He waved me over.

“This is Emilia Harris.” He took my hand in his in a gesture that was so shocking I let him. “She’s my guest,” he added. They all greeted me in turn. Then he took my hand in his and led me down the stairs to the deck.

“Did I say welcome aboard?”

“No, you didn’t. And I don’t think that’s what you’re not telling me.” I let go of his hand and strode over towards the edge of the deck. “What am I doing here?” I waved around the enormous yacht, big enough to have a swimming pool, which it did.

“You wanted fresh air, so that’s what I’m giving you.”

“Liar.”

“You were having panic attacks.”

“I’m sure you had arranged all of this before.”

“Fine. You got me.” He came over to where I was standing. “This is the price.”

I shook my head. “The price for what?”

“Getting rid of the image.”

Seeing my befuddled expression, he added, “Stay with me here for the rest of the weekend and I will use my billionaire powers to erase it.”

9

Two days. It wasn’t a long time to stay on a huge boat with someone. But it would be enough to satisfy the burning desire within me. Purge me of it, and leave me a whole, sane person not obsessed with his ex. Also, this could be fun. It would be great for us to go back to the old fun, flirty, and full of surprises days before we went back to reality. She only had to say yes. Seeing the way her eyes had brightened when she saw the yacht, it wouldn’t be difficult. If there was one thing I knew about her, it was that she liked the finer things in life. Not in a gold digger way. She loved luxury and enjoyed wrapping herself in it. What was peak luxury if not a mega-yacht off the coast of Spain?

“Why do you want to be with me? Aren’t you the one who stated in no uncertain terms that you hated me?” Uh, that wasn’t the ‘yes’ I was expecting.

“This is different.”

“I want the truth Ax.”

I took a deep breath. Why was I getting the feeling this was going to be more difficult than I thought? “There are some residual feelings between us.”

“Residual?”

“Come on. Don’t do that.”

“What am I doing?”

“Acting all obtuse as if you don’t know what’s between us. Feel what’s between us.”

She laughed. Belt out a laugh so loud, I was glad no one else saw my embarrassment. “You’re so full of yourself,” she said, “What makes you think I would want to sleep with you after all the barbs you’ve been hurling towards me?”

“Are they barbs if they’re the truth?”

“Okay. I think we’re done here.” She turned and glanced around as if looking for an escape. “Where is he? Tell your man I need to go back.”

“Em. Em.” I told of her hand. “I take it back.”

“Take what back. The barbs or what you’ve just said now.”

“All of it. Except for the part of you and I having feelings for each other.”

“Is that so?” Her gaze traveled down from my eyes to my chest. When my gaze caught hers, she blushed and her eyes darted away to the azure sea, which she now found fascinating. Fascinating my foot. Her laid-back attitude was a sham, and I caught her staring, ogling at my body.

“Come on. Even now you’re thinking about it.”

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