Just One Fake Date: A Contemporary Romance (Flatiron Five Fitness Book 1)

by Deborah Cooke

  Maybe more like a feral cat.

  She would definitely run as soon as she woke up.

  Ty needed that plan before she did.

  Three

  Shannyn awakened with a rare sense of well-being. She wasn’t surprised that a trio of orgasms could improve her mood, but was amazed by how much. She’d been working too hard, been too stressed about money, and needed to indulge more often.

  Especially like this.

  She braced herself on her elbows to survey the city virtually spread at her feet and then the room. There was no sign of Tyler or any sound of his presence. Had he left? Shannyn doubted that. The door they’d entered was closed, a line of light showing beneath it, and she guessed he was on the other side, in the main room of the apartment.

  The bedroom was bigger than her own living room, which Shannyn knew would be reflected in the cost of an apartment right downtown like this one. She was tucked into a king-sized bed with a firm mattress, smooth sheets and fluffy pillows. There was a high padded headboard upholstered in leather with brass studs around the perimeter and the bed was seriously solid. The duvet was light and warm, and the cover was as white as fresh snow. The bed didn’t come close to filling the space or even dominating it—that was left to the glorious view—and there were nightstands on either side of the bed, with lamps. The one furthest from the door to the living room was stacked with books, although in the shadows, Shannyn couldn’t read the titles.

  Tyler’s place could have been a hotel.

  One that she’d never be able to afford.

  The wall between the door to the main space of the apartment and the windows was dark, and Shannyn realized from the flicker of light at the bottom of it that it had a gas fireplace. It was probably two-sided, so there could be a fire in the living room, too. There was a shaggy sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace and a big leather chair with a lamp in the corner against the window.

  The windows were on the wall opposite the headboard and offered an epic view of the city, glittering at night. At this height, the sounds of traffic were distant but audible. Shannyn studied the silhouettes of the lit buildings, and guessed that the view was to the south, toward Staten Island and her own place in Brooklyn. She waved to her cat, Fitzwilliam, knowing he’d be pacing the foyer, impatient to be fed.

  She should get home.

  Shannyn took a deep breath and stretched, knowing that it wasn’t the high thread count of the sheets that made her feel so good. There was a lot to be said for a man who took his partner’s pleasure as a personal challenge.

  Not the least of which was the surprise factor.

  But it wasn’t necessarily nice. Tyler was trying to change her mind about him and his motives. He had an end game. She guessed that she was supposed to want more—she did—or become one of Tyler’s fan-girls—she wouldn’t—and refused to follow that script. If nothing else, she’d shake up his expectations.

  She wasn’t going to worry about shattering his confidence.

  No, she had to take care of herself. His determination was what made Tyler dangerous to her own defenses. It would be easy to relax and slide into whatever he had planned next. He got to her in all the right places, because he wanted to. Shannyn reminded herself that he was on a quest to charm her. There was no doubt that he was a man used to getting what he wanted.

  Maybe it was a question of pride that he was so intent on changing her view. She wouldn’t have expected him to make such easy progress, but he didn’t have to know that if he kept on like this, he’d have her on his side and know all of her secrets in a hurry.

  Shannyn was never going to be that vulnerable again.

  She knew that once he’d won, Tyler would move on.

  Being surrounded by picture-perfect luxury did make Shannyn realize that she’d have to nail her dress for his sister’s wedding. She’d ask her mom for advice, once she knew the when and where. Her mom, who had been making exclusive wedding gowns longer than Shannyn had been alive, could wring the most amazing details from just the address or name of the church.

  It was darker than it had been and Shannyn checked her watch, unsurprised that it was after seven. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she’d skipped lunch. Fitzwilliam would not be amused and that realization was the one that prompted her to get up.

  There was a second door in the wall beside the headboard. It was slightly ajar, admitting a sliver of light. The bathroom was obviously that way. Shannyn realized that there were no clothes flung on the floor anymore, and her bra and panties were on the nightstand closest to the partly-open door.

  So, Tyler was neat. Hmm.

  No surprise that it was a really large bathroom, tiled in marble, with a nightlight glowing from a plug over the long counter. Absolutely five star. A door in between the marble vanity and the bedroom led to a walk-in closet, which would be behind the wall with the headboard. Shannyn took a peek. Gorgeous suits were hung perfectly, the fabric of such high quality that she wanted to stroke them all. His shoes were lined up and polished, with the trees in them. There was a line of dress shirts and a neatly-hung collection of ties. There were no women’s clothes, so the sharp-dressed Tyler lived alone.

  Not that it mattered to Shannyn. Nuh uh. She was just taking the tour of how the other half lived while she had the chance.

  She’d lived in apartments smaller than the footprint of that closet and bathroom.

  Drops of water shone on the glass walls of the shower and the air was a little humid, hinting that Tyler had used it first. Shannyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn’t miss her ex, but she did miss some of the pleasures of living with a man. She liked waking up with a man’s solid heat against her back, and being able to run her foot down a muscled leg—well, actually, she liked sex in the morning. She liked the smell of the bathroom after a man had taken his shower, the humidity and the scent of cologne. Cole had never used such a good one, though. Shannyn checked Tyler’s brand, thinking she might buy a bottle and spritz it around on those lonely mornings. She’d bought a razor like Cole’s, after all, because his had been better and he’d taken it with him.

  Shannyn’s other clothes were folded on the end of the counter, not perfectly but neatly—better than her brother would have done—and her messenger bag was on the floor beneath. There was another door beside the shower, a closed one, that had to lead from the bathroom to the living room.

  Not only was Tyler neat, but he’d anticipated that she’d want her stuff.

  Was that because he was thoughtful or because she was being given the bum’s rush?

  There was a new toothbrush, still in the package, beside the sink, as well as a towel and facecloth, obviously intended for her. His own razor was wet, indicating that he’d shaved again, a hint that he had more plans for the evening.

  Probably not with her.

  There was no reason to be disappointed: she knew the arrangement.

  There were no women’s toiletries on the counter and Shannyn wondered whether he’d left out the towel to keep her from looking further.

  That strategy wasn’t going to work. Shannyn looked in the drawers and under the sink. All neat. No women’s things. No stash of new toothbrushes.

  Maybe he’d just come out of a longer relationship. There was space in the closet.

  There was also a big fluffy robe with the towels on the rack over the toilet, one that she couldn’t imagine Tyler wearing. The logo of a hotel chain was embroidered on it and it still had a blue satin ribbon around it, like it had been a gift. She knew that if she put that on, it would indicate that she intended to stay. That it was on the shelf and not the counter made her conclude that she wasn’t invited to do so.

  Tyler’s romantic life wasn’t Shannyn’s problem or her business. One appearance at a wedding and they were done, for good. In fact, she was probably keeping him from a date somewhere. Just because she didn’t have sport sex often didn’t make her choices his norm.

  She took a quick shower and dress
ed, then carried her bag back into the living room. She was intending to get her coat and leave immediately, but curiosity made her look. The apartment had an open floor plan, with an island separating the kitchen from the living room. Of course, the kitchen had granite counters and gleaming stainless steel appliances. It didn’t appear that anyone used it.

  Tyler was wearing a different suit, a charcoal grey one, leaning against the counter as he checked his phone. He flicked a glance her way and smiled, straightening as if he’d been waiting for her.

  Of course, he had been. He wasn’t going to leave her alone in his apartment.

  “Sorry I fell asleep,” Shannyn said. “I didn’t mean to hold you up.”

  “You didn’t,” he said easily, but that couldn’t be true.

  Like his bedroom, the decor was spare and functional. There was a black leather couch, a coffee table, a television mounted on the wall above the fireplace. A long low bookshelf was crowded with books, to the point of some being stacked sideways on top. It was the only sign of life, to Shannyn’s thinking. The view was amazing.

  Once again, she was struck by its similarity to a hotel.

  His place was the exact opposite of the colorful, chaotic, quirky Victorian house that Shannyn called home, and she chose to take the differences as proof that she and Tyler had just about nothing in common either.

  She indicated his apartment with one hand. “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife,” she said, quoting Austen.

  He raised his brows. “That would be my mom’s logic.”

  She liked that he recognized the quote. “So, some things haven’t changed in two hundred years.”

  “I’d argue that I’m not in possession of a large fortune.”

  “You’re not going hungry either.”

  Tyler didn’t quibble with that. “Speaking of which, do you want to get dinner?”

  He had been waiting for her. Despite herself, Shannyn felt a little glow of pleasure. It was obvious what the right answer had to be—and just as obvious that she had to decline. Agreement headed directly to the slippery slope she was determined to avoid.

  “No, I’m fine, thanks.” Shannyn lied and picked up her coat, realizing that she hadn’t asked one important question. “Just to confirm: do you need a fake date because you’re not seeing anyone, or because you don’t want to take the person you’re seeing to meet your family?”

  Tyler looked surprised. “Because I’m not seeing anyone.”

  Shannyn should have asked that sooner, but she’d been...distracted. “Why not?” she asked before he could ask her a question.

  “I don’t have time for a relationship.”

  “Why not?”

  His eyes narrowed slightly but he answered her. “Because I still have a day job, as well as my partnership in the club. I don’t have a lot of spare time.”

  Shannyn couldn’t hide her surprise. “You have a day job, too?”

  He nodded. “I’m a financial adviser at Fleming Financial.”

  “Why?” she asked, genuinely curious. “You must be financially secure.”

  Tyler put down his phone and fixed her with a look. Shannyn guessed that she was supposed to back down, so she didn’t. “Because it’s risky to start a business. Four of the partners are financially dependent upon the success of the club. I thought it would be better if there wasn’t a fifth.”

  “But it’s got to be established now.”

  “There are always plans for expansion and change.” That sounded evasive to Shannyn.

  “But you’re the money guy. Can’t you make that work?” She didn’t mean it as a slight against his skills, but she saw that he took it that way.

  “I like my job. I like my life.” There was a thread of steel in his tone. “I’m not ready to have a serious relationship so I don’t have one. Is the Inquisition over?”

  Shannyn knew she should have let it go and walked out the door, but it was too satisfying to provoke him. “No,” she said and his eyes narrowed slightly. She shrugged into her coat as if she hadn’t noticed but her heart skipped a beat. “You used to study all the time, too. What’s changed in twelve years?”

  “You have,” he replied. “I would never have expected the woman who called me out to suggest a deal like this one. Why the change?”

  Shannyn spoke quickly, not wanting him to follow that line of reasoning. “I told you I wanted to know what I was missing.”

  “I doubt that.” Tyler was watching her closely and his intensity made her simmer. What was it about his steady gaze that shook her up so much?

  He was listening. That was another thing she hadn’t expected.

  “Life happened,” she said, keeping her tone light. “Since that ill-fated night, I’ve realized that you aren’t that special.” She shrugged, hoping her choice of words would annoy him and terminate his curiosity. It would be much easier to keep their deal to the agreed terms if Tyler wasn’t trying to charm her.

  “How so?”

  “Most men are assholes. Most people are assholes. It’s not such a distinguishing trait as I once thought.”

  His gaze hardened, right on cue. “Thank you very much.”

  Shannyn should have stopped talking but it seemed she couldn’t. Tyler’s attention compelled her to open her mouth and confess more. It was evidently his superpower. “And when I came to this conclusion, my friend Kirsten—who is one of the few gracious souls in the world—insisted that I define my terms. She’s a math teacher. She likes everything to be precise.”

  “And?”

  “And I realized that when I thought someone was a asshole, that person really was just self-motivated.”

  “Thus everyone is an asshole.”

  “Pretty much.” She picked up her bag, feeling disheveled that she’d told him so much, and tried to have the last word. “Not all of them are smug, though. That is a bit special.”

  Tyler’s mouth tightened to that line, the one that tempted her to run her fingertip across his lips. Shannyn held her ground with an effort. “What’s wrong with going for dinner?”

  “It’s outside the terms of our deal. And I need to get home.” She turned and headed for the door, fighting her impulse to tackle him instead and go for another round.

  “Tomorrow then?”

  Shannyn spun to face him, again one hand on her hip. Surprise flickered in his expression, a sign that people didn’t challenge him often. She was up for changing those stats. “Why do you want to go for dinner?”

  “I thought it would be nice....”

  “Nice? No, you have a plan,” she said, interrupting him. That surprised him, too. “You have an agenda. And having an agenda is a mutually exclusive condition to being nice. Being nice means doing things for people without any hope of benefit.”

  “Wait a minute...” Tyler strode around the end of the counter, ready to argue.

  Shannyn held up a finger and he stopped cold. “Why exactly are you asking me to go for dinner?”

  “Because you might be hungry.”

  Her stomach rumbled and his eyes lit, but Shannyn shook her head. “That’s not the real reason.”

  “Okay, I’m hungry.” He smiled, but his gaze didn’t soften.

  “Closer.”

  Tyler folded his arms across his chest, which made him look formidable. There was no doubt that Shannyn had his undivided attention, and she couldn’t pretend, even to herself, that she didn’t like it. This man could get to her, and he would, if she let him.

  And then he’d toss her away and leave her heartbroken.

  Been there, done that.

  “I thought we could get to know each other better, so that it’s more plausible that we’re dating,” he spoke with resolve.

  “Aha! So, you’re adding a condition to our agreement, but trying to slide it in under cover of biological need.” She wagged a scolding finger at him, guessing it would annoy him to be accused of anything underhanded. �
�That’s sneaky, not nice.”

  His eyes flashed. “I am not sneaky.”

  “And I’m not interested in going for dinner, thanks.”

  Tyler couldn’t completely disguise that he was annoyed with her. “How exactly is this deal going to work then?”

  “You’ll tell me the date, the location and the time of the wedding. I’ll meet you there.”

  “No, that’s not going to work.” He took the last two steps between them and glared down at her as if he could change her mind by force of will.

  Shannyn held his gaze even as her heart did a somersault.

  Damn, he was hot. She hadn’t counted on him being more sexy when he was pissed off. It was his self-control that was a game-changer. He was seething and she knew it, but he showed such restraint that she wanted to push him over the edge.

  She wanted to find out what it took to make him completely lose control.

  She wanted to peer into the heart of the volcano when he did.

  No, she wanted to be naked with him when he did. That was when it would be hard and fast, a sure sign that he had surrendered to temptation, and it would be awesome. She licked her lips without meaning to do so, and Tyler’s gaze dropped hungrily to her mouth. She saw him catch his breath. Could they possibly be thinking the same thing?

  “We. Need. To. Study.” He bit off the words with precision.

  She stepped closer so that they were toe-to-toe and glared up at him. “We. Do. Not.”

  His eyes flashed again. “This is only going to be credible if we know details about each other.” He punctuated that with a scorching look. “A lot of details. I need your phone number and there should be a cute picture of you on my phone. I have sisters. They’re going to look.”

  “No.”

  “What do you mean, no?” Tyler demanded, his voice rising slightly. “We need to know about each other’s families and jobs, what we like to eat and what we hate, our dream vacations and romantic histories, and everything else to pull this off. My family is never going to believe that I’d bring a woman to my sister’s wedding as a first date.”