Page 40 of Faking It with my Bestie's Billionaire Brother

Still, he must have sensed that something was off with me since he sent me a sharp glare. "You were prepared for this eventuality, weren't you, Ava?"

I gave him what I hoped was an easy, unaffected smile. "Sure, it just seemed a little fast is all. So, what do I need to do for this gala?" I asked, trying to outrun my feelings of confusion and hurt.

"Well, you will need a gown, and you will need to get fixed up. Society people have certain expectations. I'll leave all that to Penny. But you and I will need to discuss certain people to steer clear of and who to talk up.”

His stoic, emotionless tone was enough to set me on edge, and though I would've typically just plowed right ahead and asked him what his problem was, something held me back.

"Right, so when exactly is the gala?"

He rattled off the dates and times, and I nodded obediently, still at a loss as to what exactly I should say. There was this elephant in the room, but clearly, he was not wanting to talk about it, and it made me wonder if he just wanted to pretend like last night hadn't happened at all.

Maybe that would be for the best. I mean, we definitely were not suited for one another…except for maybe sexually. But it's not like our ruse could possibly turn into a relationship. Penny would kill us.

Besides, what did I want with a stuffy CEO billionaire, who made me come harder than I'd known was possible for the human body?

Get it together, Ava.

I put a bright smile on my face, finished my coffee, and then set about gathering up my things for work. "Alright, Duke. I'll ask Penny about the gala later today. Don't worry, she'll Pretty Woman me up, and I'll be sure not to embarrass you," I said in a mocking tone before throwing the strap of my bag over my shoulder and marching my way out of the apartment.

I didn't have time to think on my own because I was being driven to school by a professional driver. It felt weird sharing space with another person when all I wanted to do was fume out loud to myself. Instead, I found myself making small talk with my driver as we made our way through LA traffic to the Ashbury Academy of the Arts.

At that moment, I seriously missed my old life, even though it had only been a couple of days.

We still had at least another week and a gala to get through, and I wasn't sure how I was going to manage. I had shown a part of myself to Spencer that I had not even known existed prior to last night, and he was acting like it was a business transaction.

No, no, Ava, don't get ahead of yourself.

I couldn't think like that, because to be truthful, he wasn't acting like it was a business transaction—he was acting like it hadn’t happened at all, and I couldn't decide which one would hurt worse.

I decided to throw myself into work that day, and it was easier said than done. I tried to focus on what the kids asked and told me about, but my mind kept getting pulled back time and time again by Spencer. If it wasn't the strained interaction of the morning when he seemed so cold and distant, it was reminding me of the polar opposite heat of the night before when it looked like the man would swallow me whole if he could.

By the time the end of the workday was over, I had had enough. There was no need for our interactions to be any more awkward than they already were, so we would just have to be grown-ups and talk about it once we both returned from work. Maybe it wouldn't go the way I hoped—hell, I didn't even know how I hoped it would go. I just wanted to stop feeling like I was walking on eggshells during the rest of my stay with him.

He was right about one thing, though: the sooner that we could announce our little "engagement," the sooner that this whole ploy could be done with, and I could return to my normal life.

Even if I knew that what I would be returning to would never quite be the same.

***

I was surprised that Spencer was already there when I got home. I'd always gotten the impression that he worked long, late hours, so I thought I might have a little time to freshen up and psych myself up for this awkward conversation that we desperately needed to have.

Yet, when I opened the door, he was looking out one of the plate glass windows, his hands shoved into his pockets and his expression pensive. When I locked the door behind me, he jerked around, looking at me fiercely.

The coldness I'd glimpsed that morning seemed to have evaporated, but he was just as serious. "Ava, you're home," he said as if it almost surprised him.

And yeah, there was something about the way he referred to me being home that sent tingles down my spine. I had been here for all of a few days, yet strangely felt like this was where I was supposed to be. I didn't understand any of this. I didn't understand the confusing back and forth with Spencer, and I didn't understand why I didn't want to be anywhere else with anyone else. So, I let my frustration with all of that fuel me to say the words I had been dreading all day. “Spencer, we really need to talk about last night.”

One eyebrow of his rose in interest as he began slowly stalking towards me. "You want to talk about last night," he repeated.

I swallowed around a nervous lump in my throat. "Yes," I managed to force out. "I'm not the sort of person who can just pretend something didn't happen, so we need to address what went on between us last night." I did everything in my power to sound as grown-up and forthright as possible while I felt like I was at serious risk of melting beneath the heat of his gaze.

"Alright, what exactly do you want to talk about, Ava?" he asked, stopping and staring at me without blinking.

If he was trying to get me to play some demented game of chicken with him, I was in no mood for it. I let out a huff. "What the hell do you think, Duke? The fact that it shouldn't have happened, how we're going to move forward like grown-ups, and Penny, of course."

He frowned at me. "I make a general habit not to involve my baby sister in my sex life."

"Don't you think you broke that habit when you slept with her best friend last night?"

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