Page 17 of Playing Pretend with Love and Billions

“This is fancy for a simple lunch,” Ava mumbles next to me.

“Only the best for you, baby girl.”

“Please don’t.”

I try to pull her chair out, but she swats my hand away and does it herself. Independent, I dig it. She takes a few minutes to look over the menu before sitting it down and staring intently at me. “What am I here for?”

“I’d like to propose a deal.”

“No deal,” she says matter of factly.

My hands are sweating from nerves, but I won’t let that stop me from getting her to agree with my terms. “You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

She looks up at the ceiling with her hand grazing the bottom of her chin, acting like she’s in thought, before smiling back at me. “Let me guess, you want to keep the act going that we’re a couple who are head over heels in love with each other?”

I clear my throat, hating that she’s right on with her assumption, and move my hand to cover hers. “Hear me out?”

“Sure, whatever. I’m already here, not going to waste a free meal.”

Of course not.

Before I can touch on the subject, I catch Alex’s large frame watching us over a menu four seats away, and I lean toward her with a soft smile. A piece of hair fell in front of her face earlier while she was looking at the menu, so I take this moment to push it behind her ear and let my fingers linger on her throat.

Her pulse is thumping rapidly as she stares at me with wide eyes, clearly confused as to what I’m doing right now. Without thinking, I push myself forward until our lips are a breath away from each other and gently brush mine over hers.

When I pull away and glance over her shoulder, she turns in her chair to see what caught my attention and goes stiff in her chair.

Chapter9

Ava

Breathe.

He’s touched you before.

The only difference is this one isn’t alcohol induced and is in a more romantic atmosphere. His lips gently graze mine and I find myself wanting to agree to anything he wants, especially if more of his lips are involved. It’s only when he pulls away and I try to see what he felt about the kiss, that I notice his eyes aren’t focused on me at all but over my shoulder.

My heart stills in my chest when I catch Alex’s glare from across the room. I’m sitting straighter in my seat, not liking the feeling that Alex is in the same place as us, alone. This is a place where you’d take someone for a date, not come to sit by yourself and stare at your ex across the room.

“Breathe,” Ryan whispers next to my ear, his attention still zeroed in on Alex while his thumbs brushes softly along my forearm.

The touch alone calms my growing nerves and I’m more than ready for a drink when the waiter finally makes it to our table. Ryan orders us both a glass of wine, sending the waiter clear instructions that we only want one since we both have to head back to work after this. At least he understood where my head was at, or I would’ve spent the entire meal chugging glasses of wine.

I order the chicken Alfredo, while Ryan gets the shrimp Alfredo. Hopefully, he won’t mind if I steal a few bites of his, especially if he wants this whole fake dating thing to work. He’ll have to learn soon enough that what’s his is mine, and what’s mine is… not his.

The giggle I let out at my own thoughts causes him to raise an eyebrow in question. “Something funny over there?”

“Not at all,” I say with a smile while taking a sip of wine.

He glances behind us once more and I notice his shoulders loosen, which means that Alex left. “I think it would be more beneficial for you if we continue our fake relationship. The only thing I’m getting out of it is seeing my father happy that I’m trying to settle down.”

“Is that not important?”

“In some ways, but it won’t change the fact that I’m going to take over the company when he steps down. Sure, settling down will look good for the company, but I think it’s more about me being happy for my dad.”

I nod in understanding because that’s all my parents want for me, which is why they didn’t fight me on the decision to come here. They thought Alex was the one for me, loved him when he would come visit, but clearly he put on a show for them as much as he did with me.

“And how will this be beneficial for me?” I ask, curious as to what he thinks I could possibly need from a relationship with him.

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