“God, no.” She was sure her horrified expression spoke for itself. “And make things even more awkward between us than they already will be? So he’ll feel sorry for me for being in love with him for . . . way too fucking long? I’ve already been in a one-sided relationship and have no desire to go through that again.”
“Whoa,” Richard said, trying to settle her down. “I doubt there’s any comparison.”
No, there really wasn’t, she admitted, slumping lower on the couch. She was just angry at herself for believing that things could be different between her and Wes. That the two of them were heading toward something more promising and intimate. That he’d take a chance on her, on them, and realize that all relationships didn’t reflect that of his parents.
After a while, Richard let out a sigh. “Look, if we’re not going to go out, then you’re going to listen to what I have to say.”
She gave him a wary look, wondering if she ought to grab her purse and drag him out the door so she didn’t have to hear his lecture. “Then get it over with.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll keep it quick and simple and to the point,” he assured her. “Remember when I told you not to be so quick to walk away from something or someone that could mean more to you than a job?”
“And I believe I said Wes isn’t that someone.”
“I think he is,” Richard refuted. “But he can’t be that someone if he doesn’t know how you feel. If you don’t tell him how you feel. Don’t let your fears possibly rob you of the man of your dreams. Because let’s face it. That man is dreamy.”
Natalie laughed and realized through her stubborn frustration that, yes, Richard was right. If she didn’t open up and tell Wes what was in her heart, she would never know how it all might play out, and there was a fifty-fifty chance that they could get it right. Before she left for Atlanta, she owed it to herself to find out if her time with Wes truly was just a fling or if there was potential for something more, like a future together.
A knock sounded at the door, and Natalie groaned and dragged her fingers through her hair. “God, I hope that’s not my brother. I managed to avoid Connor when I took the walk of shame out of Wes’s office last night, but he knew something was wrong, and I figured it was only a matter of time before he’d start prying.”
Another knock, and Richard got to his feet before she did. “I’ll get it for you.”
He walked to the door and looked out the peephole, then glanced back at her with a huge grin that both confused and worried Natalie.
“Who is it?” she asked.
“Mr. Big Shot,” he said, and his delighted expression grew. “And I’m betting money that he’s here because he came to his goddamn senses and realized that you are the best thing that’s ever happened to him.”
Natalie wasn’t so sure, but she was definitely interested in what Wes had to say . . . and yes, she had something to tell him, as well.
* * *
When the door to Natalie’s condo opened, the last person Wes expected to see on the other side was Richard. And for the smallest, briefest moment, he experienced a jolt of possessiveness that stiffened his entire body—until he reminded himself that Richard was gay and had no interest in Natalie that way.
Thank God, because he wouldn’t hesitate to fight to the death for what was his. Okay, to the death was extreme, but ever since his conversation with Connor last night, and coming to some insightful realizations about his own feelings for Natalie, Wes was prepared to do whatever it took to ensure that she knew she belonged to him and with him.
And seeing her standing behind Richard in the living room, looking beyond beautiful and like everything he’d never known he needed only cemented every feeling he had for her and every decision he’d made since she’d walked out of his office last night. Never again would she walk away from him with the intention of ending their relationship. He’d make damn sure of that.
“Hey, Wes, what brings you by?” Richard greeted him affably.
Wes switched his gaze back to the man in front of him, realizing by the amusement in his eyes that Richard was totally messing with him. He obviously knew what had happened between him and Natalie, so it was pretty clear what Wes was doing there. But just in case Richard needed him to spell it out, he did.
“I’m here to talk to Natalie,” he said. “Privately, if you don’t mind.”
“Nope, don’t mind at all,” Richard replied and moved back to let him in. “She’s all yours. Literally,” he added with a knowing wink that helped Wes to gauge Natalie’s frame of mind—and where she stood emotionally.
After giving the other man a grateful nod, Wes walked into the condo a few steps, then glanced back at Richard, only to find him blatantly staring at his ass. Really?
“Eyes up here, dude,” Wes said, pointing to his face, though he wasn’t at all offended but, rather, amused. “And you need to stop staring at my ass. It’s not polite.”
Richard laughed. “Damn, it’s a really nice one. You two kids play nice,” he said, then he was gone, closing the door behind him.
Wes looked back at Natalie, seeing the hope in her eyes that hit him square in the chest and made him realize what he’d almost lost for good. And it was that thought that prompted him to walk across the living room to her, and when he reached where she stood and she looked up at him with those big, gorgeous blue eyes, he didn’t even hesitate to frame her jaw in his hands and tip her mouth up to his for a kiss.
The moment his lips touched hers, she moaned softly, her body swaying toward his, telling him everything he needed to know. She wanted him, just as much as he wanted and needed her. And Jesus, the knowledge almost brought him to his knees.
He had so much to tell her. So much to say, and even though it was one of the most difficult things he had to do, he ended the kiss. But he didn’t let her go. He held on to her face, gently, tenderly. The vulnerable gleam in her eyes matched the one in his heart. A heart he’d never given to anyone before, and he was suddenly glad about that, because it only belonged to one person. This incredible woman who held it in the palm of her hand. Every part of it.
“Tell me, Minx,” he said in a soft command as his thumbs stroked her cheeks. “Tell me what I want to hear. What I desperately need to know.”
“Wes . . .” Her voice quivered with uncertainties.
He understood, and he sought to reassure her. “Trust me, baby. Take the leap. I’m here to catch you. I’ll always be here to catch you. Trust me.”
He knew he was asking for a lot, and as he stared into her eyes, he saw the greatest gift he knew he’d ever receive from this woman. It was confidence and exhilaration and a tenderness he wasn’t quite sure he deserved but he’d do everything in his power to earn.
“I love you,” she whispered, and Jesus, his heart fucking soared. “I love you so much, Wes Sinclair.”
He didn’t make her wait for his own leap of faith. “I love you, Natalie Prescott. More than I ever believed was possible.”
She shook her head. “But you didn’t say anything last night . . . ”
He didn’t mention that she’d withheld her feelings as well, because really, at this point, who cared? “You never gave me the chance. And once you told me about Atlanta, I thought you’d made up your mind and that I would be the last person you’d stay in Chicago for.”
“You would be wrong,” she said, placing her hands on his chest and leaning closer into him. “Very wrong.”
“I’ve never been happier to be wrong,” he teased as he pressed his forehead to hers, a happy smile curving his mouth. “And just so you know, being wrong doesn’t happen often.”
She laughed. “No, I imagine it doesn’t.”
He kissed her again, reveling in the open way she responded and the fact that he had endless days with her to enjoy more kisses. Daily kisses. Morning kisses and evening kisses. And even some in between, at work . . . Oh, yeah, work.
He lifted his head so he could look into her eyes, so she could see how s
erious he was. “You’re staying right here in Chicago with me. And you’re going to work at Premier Realty as a broker. I talked to all the guys earlier today, and we all agree that we want you there. It’s stupid not having you work there, and I’ll admit it was because of my personal insecurities. Which I swear we’ll work through.” That’s why he hadn’t come sooner. He’d had a meeting with the guys to ensure they were all on the same page. Or rather, for Wes to prove to friends that he’d finally pulled his head out of his ass and was making the right choice for the firm and not just himself.
Her eyes went wide, and she shook her head. “I don’t need that,” she insisted. “I only need you.”
“You have me. Exclusively. And the deal is nonnegotiable.”
Her smile was huge and intoxicating. “As long as you’re part of the package, I accept.”
“Oh, baby, I am.” He swept her up into his arms and took her into the bedroom, where he pulled off that cable-knit sweater so he had access to all the creamy skin beneath.
He stripped off her bra and panties but made her leave those hot-as-fuck knee-high socks on her legs. Once he was completely naked, he joined her on the mattress, moving over her and settling right where he wanted to spend every single night for the rest of his days. In her bed. In her arms. Between her soft, welcoming thighs.
He braced his arms next to her head and looked into her eyes, already dark and needy with desire. All for him. They had so many more things to talk about. Details and plans for the future and figuring out how to make everything between them work. He knew it wouldn’t always be easy and there would undoubtedly be obstacles for them to overcome. He expected there to be bumps in the road while the two of them navigated this relationship thing that was so new to him.
He was wholly committed to her, and they’d already established the most important thing between them, and that was being in love. The rest would come.
Faking It
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORS
CARLY PHILLIPS
ERIKA WILDE
New York Times Bestselling Authors Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde bring you a new fun, flirty, standalone romance.
Confirmed bachelor Max Sterling isn’t into rescuing damsels in distress, but when the very tempting Hailey Ellison needs his help, there’s only one thing for him to do. Step in and pose as her loving fiancé. Except there is nothing fake about his attraction to her, or how much he wants her beneath him in his bed, moaning his name. But what starts as a sexy, flirty, temporary engagement, quickly becomes something more serious that neither one ever anticipated.
Chapter One
As Hailey Ellison crossed the street toward her eleven-thirty appointment, she decided it should be against every rule in the universe for a man to be as devastatingly gorgeous as Max Sterling. Why? Because it just wasn’t fair to expect any woman to have to function professionally in his presence when all she really wanted to do was swoon at his sheer masculinity.
She approached the man in question, whose attention was on his phone as he typed out either an email or a text, a troublesome frown furrowing his brow. But even a scowl on his handsome face couldn’t detract from the butterflies suddenly taking flight in her stomach. And lucky her . . . the fact that he was otherwise distracted at the moment gave her the opportunity to admire him for a few extra seconds.
No hardship there, she thought with a dreamy sigh.
As a top-notch luxury real estate broker in Chicago, and her agent of three months, Max always looked the part and dressed to impress—tailored suits, designer shoes, and silk ties. She’d never seen him in anything other than business attire, but even as impeccable and well put together as he always looked, his dark brown hair was perpetually a tousled mess, which only added to his attractiveness, along with that glimmer of bad-boy charm he exuded. His lips were full and sensual and quick to smile—unlike at the moment—and those mesmerizing hazel eyes of his never ceased to make her weak-kneed and tongue-tied.
For an average, ordinary-looking woman like her, sexy and sophisticated Max Sterling was way out of her league and nothing more than an enjoyable fantasy she indulged in way too often. He’d never given her any indication of interest in her other than as his client, had never overtly flirted with her, and was always the epitome of a gentleman whenever they were together. Over the past three months, they’d established an easy, comfortable business relationship, and no inappropriate lines had ever been crossed—physically or verbally.
Then again, there was no reason for him to behave any differently toward her, especially when he believed she was engaged to someone else—a fabrication she perpetuated for both business and personal reasons. The day they’d met for the first time at his Premier Realty office, he’d noticed the diamond solitaire on her left-hand ring finger. He’d been quick to congratulate her on her upcoming nuptials and had treated her with nothing but respect ever since.
She’d been relegated to the friend zone, which kind of sucked, because Max Sterling was the first man in a long time who made her regret wearing a ring on her finger, and her reasons for it being there. Every time they were together, he made her wish that she was more sexually confident and felt less inadequate when it came to her body image. Beneath the size-fourteen clothing she now wore was still that insecure fat girl who’d been ridiculed for her weight for most of her life. The chubby teenager who’d been told more times than she could count that she had such a pretty face and gorgeous hair, and it was such a shame that she was so heavy. That same girl who’d given her virginity to the first guy she’d dated in college after losing over seventy pounds, only to have him end their short-lived relationship the next day over one single, devastating text: I’m sorry, but I’m just not into fat chicks.
That incident had put a stranglehold on her confidence, and even now, at the age of twenty-six, those cruel words still haunted her. Of course, she’d gone out with other men since then, but that fear and distrust were always lingering in the back of her mind, forcing her to relive that humiliating incident and reminding her just how imperfect she truly was.
She didn’t have to pay a therapist for her to realize that those deeply rooted self-doubts were the impetus for why she managed to sabotage every relationship she’d had since college before anything intimate developed. It was purely a defense mechanism to protect her heart and emotions, and six months ago, after breaking things off with the man she’d been dating because he’d wanted more sexually, she’d decided that, for now, it was best if she kept her focus on growing her company to the next level, because men, and her insecurities, only made the entire mix more complicated.
She’d never been in love, and yes, she was painfully aware of what a contradiction that was considering she made a living as a professional matchmaker. She had a stellar reputation for being one of the best dating services in Chicago for the wealthy and affluent. She might not have found love for herself, but she was damn good at matching others. Her success rate was nearly ninety percent, and that credibility along with word of mouth had her business, the Ellison Agency, booming.
Which was why she was in the market for just the right piece of property to purchase so she could expand beyond the cramped office space she’d been using for the past four years. Max had shown her at least a dozen places over a three-month period, but so far, she’d yet to find the one, and she refused to settle for anything less than the dream office building she envisioned.
Yes, she was being incredibly specific and particular, and with each listing Max presented and she rejected, she kept expecting him to give up on her out of sheer frustration. To write her off as difficult and demanding and decide to cut her loose as a client before she wasted any more of his time. It was a familiar pattern with her when it came to guys in general, and that cautious part of her psyche figured that this situation with Max wouldn’t be much different, and it was just a matter of time before he gave up on her.
Yet . . . he’d remained patient and persistent in his quest to f
ind that elusive piece of property she’d described to him. Despite how many listings he’d shown her, she never felt pressured to buy, nor had she been made to feel that she was a pain in the ass. He genuinely seemed to care about what she wanted and needed, which made her wonder if he was just as indulgent and determined in the bedroom when it came to a woman’s pleasure . . .
Just as that arousing thought crossed her mind and a small, unexpected moan of longing tickled the back of her throat—a sound that had obviously alerted him to the fact that he was no longer alone—he shifted his attention from his phone and glanced up. She was probably ten paces away, and as soon as he saw her, that aggravating frown that had creased his brows just seconds ago diminished, and one of those sexy, thigh-clenching smiles curved his lips.
On cue, her heart rate increased and her legs turned to jelly.
His direct gaze met hers, his warm, hazel eyes more green than brown today. But no matter the color, when they were trained so intently on her, so warm and spellbinding, she had to remind herself to breathe.
Inhaling deeply, she tamped down her attraction to him so she didn’t do or say something foolish, and when she was finally standing beside him, she returned his smile.
“Hi, Max.” At least she managed to sound composed and business-like.
Now that they were on a friendlier basis, they no longer shook hands, which she secretly missed. It had been her one valid excuse to touch him, to feel his long fingers sliding along her palm so sensually before engulfing her hand in the warmth of his. He had nice, big, strong hands, and . . . she really needed to reign in her misbehaving thoughts.
“Hi, Hailey. I know this was a last-minute call, but I’m glad you could make it,” he said, his smooth, naturally seductive voice causing the tips of her breasts to tighten and rasp against the lace lining of her bra.
Stupid, traitorous nipples. She didn’t have to look down to know they were making themselves known against her blouse, like two twin hussies trying to get Max’s attention. She was grateful that he wasn’t one of those kinds of guys who would deliberately look and smirk. No, Mr. Sterling had impeccable manners when he was around her. Hell, he’d probably never even noticed that she had breasts, or most likely, he just didn’t care because she wasn’t his type. Even better, since she was engaged, she reminded herself.
The Book Boyfriend Series Box Set Page 17