Page 4 of Fake Christmas Date Cowboy

She sucked in the faintest of gasps that had his senses prickling.

Declan transferred his drink to his other hand so he could wrap his free one around the stunning brunette…who obviously required a rescue.

Belle was seething—but grateful for the stranger who’d jumped in as her date in front of not only herex-boyfriendbut her very own high school nemesis.

That tramp Haileigh had slept with not one but two of Belle’s boyfriends,andshe hadn’t wasted much time before taking off with Ethan either.

Why were they at the Wynton Ranch charity event anyway? Of all the things she thought Ethan would be interested in, it wasn’t raising money for special needs kids. He only did things that benefitted himself.

Her new fake boyfriend snaked out a hand and snagged a flute of champagne off the tray of a passing waiter. “I think you deserve a drink.”

She stared. Just…wow. He was cuteandhad quick reflexes.

Beaming a smile at her, he extended the soap-bubble-thin glass toward her. “Here you go, baby.”

Oh. Dear. God.Ethan and Haileigh who? Declan had a Southern twang to go with that very mischievous—dare she call it naughty?—glint in his golden-brown eyes.

Returning his smile with one that was as sparkling as the champagne she accepted, she had to question her luck. Because she didn’t have any—ever. How did she manage to snag a nice guy willing to play along with heras well asexceed on the hotness scale?

Declan was a solid twelve out of ten.

The only struggle about being around him was bringing the glass to her lips. She hated champagne.

As the bubbly wine slipped down her throat, she managed to not make a face and instead put all her energy into beaming at her enemies like a benevolent princess looking down on her subjects.

“What brought you all the way to the ranch? I figured you’d spend the holidays in Aspen with your family,” she said to Ethan.

“We’re here for the children.” Haileigh’s statement dripped with a disdain that should never be used in the same breath as those innocent kids. Ethan only nodded in agreement.

Ugh. Belle couldn’t rememberwhatshe ever saw in the man. At one time she might have thought him handsome in a Ralph Lauren kind of way, but compared to the absolute man-popsicle she was draped all over now, Ethan was a dim ghost of a shadow.

Her ex gave a sniff and drew Haileigh up against him.

Declan tugged Belle even closer.

Ethan yanked Haileigh to his side so not even a gasp of air separated them.

Declan took things one step further by slipping his hand up Belle’s spine…and underneath her hair. Holding her captive.

As if she could move away.

Her insides spasmed at the feel of those strong, warm, callused fingers against her sensitive neck. And when he inched them even higher, curling the tips against her skull, her lower bellyclutched.

Heart pounding, she met his serious stare. Could he tell that she was panting? “Declan and I are going to get some air. Aren’t we, honey?”

He applied the barest hint of pressure against the back of her head, sending a ripple of heat through her. “I’ve been dying to get you alone all evening.” He stared deep into her eyes when he spoke, as if they’d discussed finding a hidden spot for some alone time on the way here.

She turned to her enemies and flashed what felt like a private smile even though she was making a getaway with a stranger. “Enjoy the party,” she told them nonchalantly.

Declan slid his hand from her nape, all the way down her spine to the small of her back—scant millimeters from her ass. As Declan guided her away, Belle kept the fake smile fixed on her face.

Surely, her makeup would crack under this kind of wear and tear. She’d expected to fake being in possession of a social battery tonight. But seeing her ex with his new fiancée? No amount of Max Factor powder could weather that storm.

The exit loomed in front of her, and a big hand landed square in the center of the door. Declan pushed it open, which sent a volley of cold snowflakes at her face.

She sucked in a deep breath and welcomed them. Her face felt so hot. The minute she spotted her ex and that trollop, she considered running out of the cocktail party like Cinderella at the ball. But before she could even take a step to get away, the couple planted themselves in her path.

She wasso overEthan. She just hadn’t been searching for the person to help her wash away all those memories of him. Mostly bad ones. Okay, all bad. She was still drowning in regrets over what he’d pressured her into doing.

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