Page 11 of Billionaire in Disguise

Twin spots of pink stained her cheeks. “I promise I have a logical explanation. I’m not the sort of woman to ask a man to be her boyfriend after a few hours.” As he lowered his chin, she amended, “I’m notusuallythat sort of woman.” She rubbed her forehead. “This is not going well.”

He unwittingly softened. She looked so miserable, and not at all unhinged. Perhaps she had a good reason after all. “Tell me.”

She looked up.

“Why do you need a fake boyfriend?”

“Really?” She blinked. At his nod, she took a deep breath. “Okay, here goes. It all started when I inadvertently told my mother…”

Dominick sat back as she wove an intricate tale of boyfriends, anniversaries, families and expectations. It sounded fantastic at first, yet right around the description of her mother’s letter, something familiar surfaced. The need to not disappoint, to give your family a present of peace and joy. The need for mothers to see their children settled and happy. If she was unhinged, then he was as well, for her plan traveled from crazy to outlandish to not entirely illogical. He could even understand why she chose him, a stranger who would soon leave, instead of one of the men at the office.

When she finished, her cheeks were pink, her eyes uncertain. He resisted the urge to caress the worry from her. “You’re speechless.” She chewed her bottom lip. “Please tell me I didn’t break you.”

He smiled softly. “You didn’t break me. You merely surprised me.”

“In an I’m-getting-a-restraining-order sort of way?”

He chuckled lowly. “No, in a my-family-is-just-as-eccentric kind of way.”

She scrunched up her nose. “In a you’re-considering-it sort of way?”

Was he actually considering it? It sounded crazy, yet she drew him in, and the thought of spending an entire week with her tempted him like a double fudge sundae after a sugar-free year. When he’d discreetly asked several colleagues about her, a few showed clear interest.

He’d somehow managed not to fire them on the spot.

Perhaps this could be an opportunity, a chance to discover more about the office. Most of the employees had been reluctant to talk to him, hinting he could be fired before his first paycheck if he persisted. Apparently, any signs of dissension were met with a swift farewell.

That was not the Knight Technology he created.

Dobbs was a problem, and clearly not the only one, signaling a much greater issue in the chain of command. He couldn’t fix it unless he learned more, and a trip away from the office with a long-term employee could be very enlightening.

The waitress came by and dropped the check on the table. Adrianna was fast. He wasfaster. He snatched the bill, glanced at the ridiculously small total and set out the cash, including a generous tip. He handed it to the waitress. “We’re all set.”

Adrianna folded her arms across her chest. “I’d like to pay. After all, I’m the one who asked you out.”

“Yes, you did,” he agreed. “However, a man likes to treat his girlfriend.” As pink lips parted, he winked. “At least you don’t have to worry about being the only eccentric.”

She leapt up with such pure radiance, he would have given her the moon had she asked. Then… she hugged him.

Attraction. Desire. A feeling of utter rightness.Satisfaction surged, as he embraced the petite woman. She fit perfectly in his arms, all delicious warmth and generous curves. Yet something beyond the physical sparked, something raw and instinctual, at this vibrant woman who commanded pure sunshine.

“I’m sorry.” She edged back. “I was just so excited. I didn’t mean to, you know, um…”

Distort his senses? Distract him from his mission? Make him wonder,What if?

Did he have to let her go? Something in him demanded he keep her, to hold on to this treasure he’d found. He couldn’t do that – at least not yet. With physical effort, he opened his arms, and she edged back.

“Please tell me you haven’t moved from a this-is-crazy-but-I-have-nothing-better-to-do-so-why-not stance to a maybe-a-restraining-order-isn’t-such-a-bad-idea stance.”

He chuckled softly, resisted the urge to grasp her once more. “Don’t worry. I have a my-family-hugs-all-the-time stance.” And then, either because he couldn’t resist or simply didn’t want to, he touched her shoulder. “If we’re going to pretend to be boyfriend and girlfriend, we’ll have to get used to hugging.”

Actually, they would have to get used to far more than that.

If the thought brought more satisfaction than he anticipated, he didn’t mention it.

* * *

Adrianna checkedthe next item on herFake Datelist. “What do you like to do?”

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