Page 12 of My Billionaire Casino Boss

“Ally!” I wail when she answers. “Eric wants me to act like Thomas’s girlfriend to throw off some obsessed woman. What the hell is he doing?”

“Are you kidding me? He is just pushing you two together. What’s the story there?” she asks, and I walk to my fridge for wine.

“Some woman is back in town and won’t leave him alone. Eric thought if we went to dinner a few times and were seen together, to scare her off. The best part is he suggested a fake engagement if it doesn’t work.” I close my eyes, drinking a large sip of wine. “I am going to have to get another job.”

“That’s okay. You have a degree and you said you have some freelance work, right?” she asks, and I tell myself she’s right.

“I do,” I confirm, and she launches into telling me I can handle the job thing. I know she’s right.

“What about the dating thing?” Ally asks, and I sigh.

“There’s still something there between us. I can feel it and see it in his eyes, Ally.”

“If something happens, don’t beat yourself up. Eric has to understand what could happen,” she assures me.

“I don’t know about that. He’ll freak out if he knows about the past.”

“He asked you to do this. Things might happen and you’ll all deal with that. Your brother needs to grow up, Lily. You’re a big girl.” Ally is right, but I have always worried about disappointing my brother, especially where Thomas is concerned. It feels so forbidden. “I know you bicker about this from time to time. This will make it stop.”

“Hold your extra room for me, just in case I run.”

I go to work the next day, knowing it might be a former job sometime soon. It’s a fun place to work and I enjoy my coworkers, even if Jacob has developed a crush on me and Olivia talks a lot about our night out. It’s embarrassing that people know I was dancing with some guy. Olivia assumed I went home with him, and now it’s too late to correct her.

And then there’s Thomas’s reaction. Fighting with Eric there at the club was a big deal for me, but seeing the look on Thomas’s face was something different entirely. He looked hurt and ticked off. But he has no claim to me, and I need to keep control of myself with him. That wasn’t so easy the last time.

Thomas seems to be my kryptonite, and I feel so anxious about the first date over the weekend. I don’t tell anyone at work since we’re going to a different casino entirely and there’s a chance that nobody will see us. Why get everyone excited if they don’t even know? The ex needs to see it and leave town. That is the end goal here. After that, I’m done with Thomas and the job, if it gets to that. The stuff I do for my brother and Thomas is ridiculous.

I have Sunday off, and I finish in the afternoon on Saturday, realizing that Thomas did that. I like that he’s heavily involved in this place and not just bringing in money. He knows how to enjoy life, but he works hard. Eric is the same way. They are good honest guys, but they are both still too casual with women.

Will Thomas still do that when we’re faking this? Eric said he’d been out with women before suggesting this, and I wondered how far Thomas took that. He’s gorgeous and can have any woman he wants, but that doesn’t mean he works that to his advantage.

“Want to go out Saturday? My friend has a band and they’re playing.” Olivia is entering something into the computer, and I am still for a moment. I want to ask where so she doesn’t see me, but I can’t do that.

“I am hanging out with my brother.” I wrinkle my nose. “Obligations.”

“You said he’s friends with Thomas, right?” she asks innocently as Jacob looks over at us.

“They’ve been friends forever,” I confirm, looking out into the lobby to see if anyone is headed our way. “I’m just the baby sister, though. I think I annoyed them more than anything else over the years.”

“I can’t imagine him being around my house as a teenager.” Olivia fans herself, and her swooning over him gives me a confusing, ugly feeling. I am so screwed if I already feel this way.

I go home after dinner hoping that Hillary gets the idea and leaves town right away. Dating Thomas a few times is bad enough, but a fake engagement would be a bridgewaytoo far.

seven

Seeing Red - Thomas

Idon’thavemuchexperience dating anyone seriously, but this thing with Lily needs to be convincing. Even though this is just for show, I plan the date carefully. I make reservations for dinner at an excellent sushi restaurant. I know how much Lily loves seafood, and it seems like a great place for a date. Eric approves of the location, but he doesn’t know what he’s asking of us.

Every time I see her at work, I get a little more anxious about the date, fake or not. Lily is breathtakingly beautiful, and I wonder how many other men think the same thing. I already think Jacob does by the lovesick gazes I see him giving to Lil. Every time I see them together, I want to drag him aside and remind him of the policy.

Which, of course, is the same policy I’m pretending to break.

The night of the dinner, I pick her up at seven, and Lily comes to the door in a fitted vintage green dress that brings out her eyes. She’s stunning. I’d considered flowers but giving her those at her door would have been a waste since no one would see. Instead, I ordered them to be delivered to the restaurant at eight tonight. Nothing crazy—a small bouquet of tulips. Eric told me they’re her favorite flower.

I’m wearing a suit tonight, and she looks me over before meeting my eyes. I want to reach out and touch those soft curls I got to run my fingers through that night years ago.

“You look incredible, Lily.” She takes a deep breath.

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