Page 10 of Billionaire in Disguise

For a few minutes, they ate quietly, yet it was a surprisingly comfortable silence, despite the task ahead. Once they resumed speaking, the conversation flowed nicely, as she ate enough pizza and garlic rolls for three. Perhaps she was more nervous than she realized. Was she actually going to ask a stranger to be her pretend boyfriend?

Yes, she was.

She decided to go through with it somewhere between her second slice of pizza and her third garlic roll. She opened her mouth to ask a dozen times, yet something stopped her every time.

First, it wasn’t polite to ask someone to be your fake date while eating pizza.

Then, it wasn’t polite to ask someone to be your fake date while eating garlic rolls.

Finally, it wasn’t polite to ask someone to be your fake date whilenoteating pizza or garlic rolls.

A hundred excuses froze her a hundred times. Finally, she pushed her plate away, lest she start gnawing on it. And everyone knew it wasn’t polite to ask someone to be your fake date while gnawing on a plate.

He smiled. “Are you full?”

She lifted a shoulder, yet in truth she was lucky she hadn’t worn her slim pants. “I was full two garlic rolls ago.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” He took the remaining slice of pizza. He’d saved the last piece in case she wanted it.

Fake Boyfriend 101, indeed.

Finally, neither food nor excuses remained between her and her fake date. Nick sat back and threaded his hands through his hair. “I had a nice time.” His voice was warm, and he seemed more relaxed than in their short acquaintance. It softened him, making him even more handsome, more alluring.More irresistible.

“So did I.” It was true. She’d enjoyed this fake date better than her last dozen real ones. Of course, technically this wasn’t a fake date, or a date at all, really. It was a proposition, or it would be as soon as she could convince her mouth to cooperate. Perhaps she could begin with something innocuous, if a little forward. “We should go out again,” she blurted out.

She clamped her mouth shut. That had been nearly as forward as demanding the date in the first place. His gaze turned pensive. “My situation is complicated.” Regret, amidst other indecipherable emotions, flashed. “I’m only here temporarily.”

Three slices of pizza and an unwise amount of garlic churned in her stomach. She wasn’t proposing a real relationship, so why should it matter if he wasn’t interested?

He pursed his lips together. “Yet I haven’t made it this far by ignoring opportunities. I would like to see you again.”

Her heart thumped relief, satisfaction and something wholly unidentifiable. She took a deep breath, plastered the widest smile she could. “How about next week?”

“Sure.” He nodded. “Which day?”

“All of them.”

His smile faltered. “I’m sorry?”

“What I’m asking is…” She took a deep breath. “Would you be my boyfriend?”

Chapter 3

She seemed like a normal woman. Smarter than average and perhaps a little eccentric, yet normal. He’d accepted her invitation to gather information, yet somewhere between the awkward entrance and savory meal, he’d begun to truly enjoy himself. She was bright, lively and witty, and she certainly knew computers.

She’d also just asked a complete stranger to be her boyfriend.

“It’s not what it sounds like.”

“All right,” he said carefully. “Because it sounds like you just asked me to be your boyfriend."

“Perhaps it is what it sounds like.”

Oh boy.

“I don’t actually want you to be my boyfriend,” she swiftly added. “I need a fake boyfriend.”

He blinked. “That may be worse.”

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