“Too bad you didn’t negotiate that, then,” Shannyn replied brightly and watched him seethe. “We have a deal. The terms are agreed.” She pointed to the bedroom. “That in exchange for one wedding date. You’ve delivered, now I will.” She hefted her bag to her shoulder. She waved her fingertips at him playfully, provoking him again. “Text me the details. I’ll meet you there.”
It was satisfying to see how well her ploy worked. Tyler’s eyes flashed and when he flung out his hand, Shannyn nearly ducked. “You can’t possibly mean that.”
“Of course, I do.” She recited her phone number and he quickly typed it into his phone, obviously convinced that she wouldn’t repeat it.
He was right about that.
“My aunt is hosting a bridal shower a week from Sunday,” he said and she gave him points for persistence. “It would be best if you came and met everyone.”
“Best for who?”
“For both of us.” He impaled her with an intense look. “For plausibility.”
“Plausibility isn’t in the plan.”
“Shannyn!” He growled her name in a way that made her forget three awesome orgasms in rapid succession and burn for a fourth.
She couldn’t stop herself. She tapped a finger in the middle of his rock-hard chest for emphasis.
“You’re thinking about what you want,” she said. Tyler didn’t move. He just glowered down at her like a vengeful god. She wanted to slam him back into the wall and kiss him into a better mood. Drag him back into the bedroom until he begged for mercy.
Oh yes.
But no.
“I don’t care if your family thinks my presence is plausible,” she said, hoping he didn’t notice that she sounded a bit breathless.
“I do.”
“Too bad you didn’t negotiate that, then,” she said, then smiled at him. “Maybe Kyle’s wrong about your mad bargaining skills.”
“Shannyn, we have a deal...”
“Which does not include dinner or conversation or anything about making this fake date look more real.” She patted him on the chest, then straightened his tie, as if he was harmless, but Tyler gave no sign that he noticed. No, his eyes glittered a little more. He’d noticed. Shannyn felt alive in a way she’d forgotten. She brushed an invisible speck of lint from his perfectly tailored lapel, feeling the heat coming off him in waves, then smiled up at him. “If you want to strike a new deal, Tyler, then you have to think about what you can offer in exchange.”
“We could do it again,” he said immediately.
It was satisfying how quickly he offered that option.
Shannyn shook her head, as if it wasn’t as tempting a prospect as it was. She knew her limits. Getting used to having sex with Tyler would just set her up for disappointment.
“One and done,” she stipulated. “You’ll have to think of something else.”
He stared at her. Clearly, women didn’t turn down Tyler McKay.
Shannyn headed for the door, taking advantage of his shock. “I’ll see you, maybe, when I come to take the pictures. Do you think all the partners will be here on Saturday?”
“I’ll make sure of it.”
“Thanks, Mr. Fix-it.” She paused at the doorway. “You conquered two challenges but not the third. Oh well. I’d say better luck next time, but there won’t be a next time.”
Shannyn hadn’t expected to leave Tyler behind and she was right about that.
He followed her grimly, slamming the door to his apartment, and marched down the corridor to the elevator behind her. He pushed the button hard. “Which one is outstanding?”
“Obviously, I’m not convinced that you’re nice.”
She got an exasperated look for that. “What about that was not nice?”
“The fact that you’re trying to charm me into doing what you want. I told you: being nice to pursue an agenda isn’t the same as being nice on principle.”
Tyler swore then, more thoroughly than Shannyn would have expected, then spoke through gritted teeth. “I used to think you were sweet, but you’re actually the most irritating woman I’ve ever known.”
“Do I get a gold star?”
He glared at her. “You didn’t negotiate for it.”
Shannyn laughed, surprised into it, and his eyes gleamed with a satisfaction that almost—but not quite—made her forget about annoying him. “The wedding should be fun, then. Hey, we could have a fight and break up at the reception. Throw dishes. Make a scene. Would that be plausible?”
“Very,” he ceded. “The way I’m feeling right now, it’s not just plausible, it’s inevitable.” He flicked one of those sizzling looks at her as they waited for the elevator. “How is it that you’re better than anyone at pissing me off?”
“Call it a gift,” Shannyn spoke lightly, trying to hide how she was simmering. There was a moment of silence between them and she heard the elevator coming closer.
Salvation was on its way.
But Tyler’s voice dropped low. “What’s it like when you have sex with someone you don’t hate?”
Shannyn did her best to hide her reaction to that silky tone. It reminded her of dark chocolate, and made her just as interested in over-indulging. She smiled at Tyler instead. “You’ll never know, will you?”
He didn’t look troubled. “I might take that as a challenge.”
“It’s another one you’ll lose.”
“Will I?” He surveyed her, smiling slightly, and Shannyn was snared by his gaze all over again.
She knew she should have been relieved when the elevator chimed and the doors opened.
“You don’t have to come downstairs with me,” she said quickly.
“Actually, I do. I’ll get you a pass for the club.”
They stepped inside the elevator in unison. Tyler pushed the button for the ground floor. He braced his hands on his hips and watched the display count down, obviously ensuring that there was distance between them. He was just as obviously not giving her any more chances to annoy him.
He’d given it up.
Shannyn knew she should be glad, not disappointed. She’d stuck to the terms of their deal and convinced Tyler to do the same.
The funny thing was that she didn’t feel very triumphant. It was fun matching wits with Tyler, maybe because it made her feel like she was walking a tightrope, over a raging volcano.
Like she was living dangerously.
And that was the trouble. Shannyn had been going through the motions since the end of her marriage and Tyler had jolted her awake again. She was not going to say that the handsome prince had brought her back from the dead with a kiss. She was not going to go back for more and risk getting hurt all over again.
And there was no way Tyler was ever going to know how much of a difference this night had made to her.
Shannyn would just accept it as the gift it was—and move on.
It had been a long time since Ty had wanted to give any woman a shake. Who would have guessed that Shannyn Hawke would make his blood boil? She’d been cute. Romantic. Sweet. The sex had been amazing, which completely challenged his preconceptions of her.
But now she infuriated him, another surprise.
Worse, she seemed to enjoy it.
If Ty hadn’t known better, he’d have thought she was deliberately provoking him, but that made no sense at all. The simpler answer was that she really did hate him and that amazing sex hadn’t changed one thing. It had just been biological need.
He had a feeling, though, that simple answers had nothing to do with Shannyn.
Maybe it hadn’t been so amazing for her. He’d tried to ensure it, but he must have failed. If it had been as great for both of them, what sane human wouldn’t want more?
She might be annoying, but she wasn’t crazy. Then why? And why didn’t she think he was nice? Everyone thought he was nice. Ty had never felt so at a loss with a woman before. There was a piece missing in the puzzle that was Shannyn and Tyler needed to find it.
ASAP.
He glanced down at her, noting that she seemed oblivious to his presence. She was petite and unpredictable, outspoken—and utterly fascinating. She had a gorgeous toned body, but no one would have guessed it who hadn’t seen her naked. In fact, a casual passerby might not have been sure of her gender. Short hair, no make-up. She wore that huge black sweater that practically swallowed her whole. Her boots were plain and everything she wore was black—except for the silver ring on her left thumb.
He wondered whether she wanted to be overlooked.
Her face, though, obliterated any attempt to be ignored. She was gorgeous and if she’d made any effort to be feminine at all, she would have stopped traffic. Those thickly lashed blue eyes were mesmerizing, never mind the way they twinkled when she gave him a hard time. Those full lips, especially curved in a wicked smile, were the stuff of fantasies. Ty found himself reliving those slow hot kisses—and wanting another one.
The kicker was that he had no idea what she might do next—but he really wanted to know, and he wanted to be there when it happened. She had his undivided attention, and yet, she didn’t seem to want it.
Maybe it was novelty.
Maybe he was a bad negotiator—when it came to Shannyn.
Maybe he’d met his match.
No, no, no. Ty didn’t need or want a match. They had a deal and he should be glad that she was sticking to the terms, even that she was reminding him to stick to the terms. This was a good thing. There was no possibility of their fake date morphing into anything more. She wouldn’t become emotionally involved. She wouldn’t make demands or have expectations. He wasn’t going to get a call tomorrow that she’d accidentally forgotten something at his apartment and needed desperately to come over. Shannyn wouldn’t play those games. Their deal was logical and tidy and would work perfectly.
The strange thing was that Ty was getting exactly what he knew he wanted, and he didn’t like it at all.
He should just pick up another of those messages from Giselle to feel grateful for the situation. There was a reality check.
Instead, he took a deep breath and did his job.
“When do you want to come on Saturday to take the pictures?” he asked. “I can make arrangements to facilitate it.”
“You sound so official,” Shannyn said with a playful smile that made him want to kiss her again. Her eyes were sparkling and they were so blue. “Are we going to pretend we didn’t have sex?”
She was teasing him and even though Ty knew it, he couldn’t match her mood.
“I thought that was what you wanted.” He sounded irritable, which made him feel irritable. When had he last gone from feeling amazing to being so disgruntled?
“No further negotiation, then.” Shannyn nodded, frowning slightly as if she was serious. “Got it, boss man.”
Ty was surprised one more time. Did Shannyn want to make another deal? He couldn’t read her thoughts and that irked him. “I’ll send you a text about the wedding,” he said. “You’ll be able to text me back.”
“Great.” She fiddled with her camera, apparently unaware of his frustration.
Ty noticed that she didn’t agree to do anything. They stood side by side, both watching the numbers illuminate as the elevator descended. Shannyn’s serene expression was completely at odds with Ty’s mood.
Might as well give her the official tour. “You probably want to know a bit about the layout of the club,” he said. “Floors ten to fifteen are empty, and sixteen has only my place so far. We’re waiting on permits to build condominiums on the floors in between. The building’s footprint gets smaller at the seventh floor, so eight has smaller rooms for private instruction. Seven is for massage and smaller yoga classes.”
“What about nine?” Shannyn kept looking at her camera, which hid her face from him.
“Offices and storage. We’ll probably change things around for a more efficient layout, but I’ll guess that anything above seven isn’t of interest to you.” Ty didn’t wait for her to agree. “Five and six have gyms and workout rooms. Four has the weight rooms, showers, saunas, and locker rooms. The pools are on three, one deep for lap swimming, the other shallower and used for water aerobic classes. There are some other change rooms there. The second floor is small, because there’s a double-height ceiling over the lobby, and is pretty much taken up by the dance club. On the ground level behind the rock wall, there’s a gym with a high ceiling often used for basketball.”
“The elevators must get a workout.”
“The stairs are more popular. It’s a fitness club, after all.”
The elevator doors opened at the lobby and he gestured for her to step out first.
“Shops in the lobby,” Ty said, indicating them with a gesture. “We sell gear, clothes, books and instructional materials plus branded merchandise, and we have the largest rock climbing wall in Manhattan.”
“Under glass,” Shannyn said, surveying it. “And lit.” She took a few photographs, then grimaced when she checked them in the viewfinder. She changed the settings on her camera, as if Ty wasn’t even there.
“It was Cassie’s idea. She calls it a living billboard for the club.” Ty watched a trio of climbers on the wall, their belayers calling encouragement to them from below. There was, as usual, a small crowd of onlookers both inside the lobby and on the street outside the club. Shannyn wandered away, taking more pictures, and he refused to feel slighted.
She was doing her job.
When she circled back to him, he took her to the front desk. Sonia was gone for the day and Raylene was on the desk. She quickly set up a pass for Shannyn and gave her the link to install the club app on her phone.
“I’m not joining so I’ll just have to delete it,” Shannyn protested.
Ty wanted to grind his teeth. She wouldn’t even do something simple like install an app to make it easier for her to find the resources she might need. The woman must live to challenge expectations.
“It has the floor plans and the class schedules,” Raylene explained. “And some really cool ways to track your fitness.”
“You don’t have to delete it,” Ty said firmly. “It’s free forever to everybody. Of course, you can do whatever you want.”
Shannyn flicked a playful glance at him and seemed to be fighting a smile. “And that’s the problem, isn’t it?” she murmured, then tapped her phone before he could agree. It was true. He’d never met anyone less likely to go with the flow. “Open at six on Saturday.” She smiled at Raylene. “See you then.”
“Not me,” Raylene said, pointing at Ty. “Maybe him. I just work nights but these guys are here all the time.”
Ty walked Shannyn to the doors, wishing he knew what to say to turn this around.
“I can find the way out all by myself,” she said in that teasing tone.
“I was being nice.”
She snapped her fingers. “That’s what confused me.”
Ty couldn’t keep silent. He tried to sound temperate and wasn’t sure he succeeded. “You can’t just leave. I don’t even know where you live.”
“No, you don’t, because it doesn’t matter.”
“I thought you were going to say I hadn’t negotiated for it.”
“That, too,” she acknowledged, fastening her coat so that he couldn’t see her eyes.
“Do you want me to hail you a cab? Or do you want a ride?” She spun to face him halfway across the lobby, well out of the earshot of Raylene at the desk or anyone coming into the club. Ty recognized the combative look in her eyes and he held up a hand in anticipation of her response. “Not because I think you can’t do it yourself. I was taught that a gentleman offers to help a lady. I was taught that was nice, not that it was a judgment upon any woman’s ability to perform a mundane task.”
She frowned slightly. “You have a car?”
He nodded, wondering where this was going. She didn’t think he should have a job, and clearly didn’t think he should have a car either. “I have a car.”
; “Why? Most people don’t in the city.”
“Because I want to. Because I like it.”
“Because you have more money than you know what to do with,” Shannyn concluded with a shake of her head. She leaned closer to whisper and the unexpected scent of her body lotion was like a punch in the gut. He wanted her again, wrapped around him, sitting on top of him, moaning and then shouting as she came. His entire body went taut with the memory and the need. “Maybe your mom’s got it in one. Maybe you do need a wife to keep watch over that checkbook.”
“I don’t think so,” he started to protest before he heard a familiar feminine voice.
“Ty-lair! I knew I would find you here!”
Four
“No,” Ty whispered, closing his eyes and hoping for strength.
He was aware that Shannyn spun to look across the lobby. He winced at the quick click of high heels on the stone floor of the lobby, his heart sinking at the inevitable confrontation.
“Not Giselle,” he whispered, wishing something would go right on this evening. Everything had gone to shit after awesome sex, which wasn’t how the world was supposed to work.
Ty was well aware that Shannyn’s gaze was flicking between him and Giselle. Once again, he couldn’t read her thoughts, but he didn’t have time to guess. Giselle was closing fast and there was no escaping her this time. He took a deep breath and resolved to be polite.
The stewardess he’d dated once strolled toward him, hips swinging, effortlessly elegant and inescapably French. Her dark hair was twisted up and she wore a little black dress beneath her raincoat. Her make-up seemed minimal, except for her perfect red lipstick. Her legs were long and she was beautiful. Any straight guy would be glad to have Giselle smiling at him the way she was smiling at Ty, and the other guys passing through the lobby were all taking a good look.
Ty wished she was anywhere else in the world.
Just One Fake Date: A Contemporary Romance (Flatiron Five Fitness Book 1) Page 6