Of course some of that role wasn’t exactly brotherly.
He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, the glare of the morning sun tightening the band of pain inside his head. If this headache was punishment for failing as a protector then he knew he deserved far worse.
Protective wasn’t what he was feeling at all. The urge to kiss away the anger and defiance from those lush lips clawed at his insides.
He hadn’t achieved everything he had by being soft and he wasn’t about to start now. He needed his focus back. The fact that he’d lost it and hadn’t noticed the gaping hole in his plan concerned him. What was it about the woman that had ignited his blood?
Her words rebounded in his head. It had been a long time since he’d had to fake anything. Especially anything involving a woman. He turned his attention back to the coffee he should be making, stirring the drinks slowly in time with his churning mind as her soft voice echoed in his mind. They were both desperate and he was searching for a solution.
Yet again she may have given one. But he didn’t think she’d like this one either.
He grabbed both mugs, a smile of satisfaction curling his lips. He hesitated before turning, wondering if she would have any of her tools lethally pointing in his direction. Unfortunately, holding mugs in his hand left his groin seriously unprotected. And yes, she was looking that mad.
His smile slipped as he turned. Long lashes rested on high cheekbones. Silky strands of caramel hair fell over her chin, spilling onto the table where her face rested on her outstretched fingers. Jack put down the steaming mugs, reaching out to gently brush the strands away to expose her parted lips as her even breaths of sleep puffed against his hand. His brow furrowed as he succumbed to the temptation of trailing his fingers down the delicate softness of her cheek, his groin tightening as she emitted a gentle sigh.
He snatched his hand back. Whatever was going on in his head—and his groin—was going to have to wait.
Because now he was wondering how he was going to convince her to fake it.
Chapter 3
Fake it! Why had she let those words escape from her lips?
Izzy stood outside Club Vita.
She’d known for the past few years that Jack owned this club but she’d never visited. Why torture herself with hope of seeing him again, of him being single and not having one of the beauties he was usually pictured with draped over his arm? Denial was far less painful.
Until yesterday when he’d turned up at her door. And the thoughts she’d had of him when she’d woken with his note stuck to her forehead and finger grooves in her cheek? Not entirely fond ones. She rubbed her forehead absently as if expecting the smudged ink imprint of multiple zeros to still be there. She had been cross when she’d read the note and the supposed amount of debt he thought she was going to have to pay. She had been fuming when her reflection taunted her with it too.
He wouldn’t be expecting her quite so soon so she was hoping to catch him off guard.
If he had one of those.
She took a deep breath and willed the butterflies away. This was no place for the weak and delicate. Jack might still consider her the weaker more sensible of the two sisters, but she was about to show him otherwise.
She’d denied tiredness to Jack but admittedly her exhaustion had left her vulnerable. It also made her snappy too. She was hoping his brusqueness was out of character also. Now she was hoping for a calm, rational conversation when she would then tell him where he could stick his faking it plan!
Izzy smoothed down her dress, pushed back her shoulders, and smiled sweetly at the door supervisor who was now studying her with interest. She adjusted her posture, trying to look as though she wasn’t at all fazed by being the only female alone in the long queue of people waiting to get in. It was bad enough she had to resort to paying for a chance to speak to Jack. The burly, keen-eyed door supervisor spoke into his headset as he looked in her direction. Didn’t some women flaunt their assets to get ahead in these queues? Izzy cocked a hip and offered a smile as his gaze remained on hers. If this was what it took to get inside on this chilly summer’s night then so be it. She hoped as her forced smile disguised her soon-to-be chattering teeth.
The eyes of the man mountain narrowed as he murmured into the headset again. His long arm stretched out to beckon her in. Funny, she thought as she ignored the glares of those waiting ahead of her, but as he opened the door for her, the look he was giving her now didn’t seem at all friendly.
She paused, allowing her eyes to adjust to the dimly lit entrance. Already she felt the rhythmic pulse of music beat at the soles of her feet. It seemed to coincide with the frantic beat of her heart. She took a calming breath. As long as she maintained a cool exterior she could do this.
Mr. Big-and-Burly moved close behind her, making her whip around in surprise as the door closed with a thud. Something told her it wasn’t her charms that had gotten her in so easily.
“Mr. Carter would like to see you in his office. Follow me,” said the man mountain in his deep timbre. He proceeded to lead the way without even looking to see if was obeying his command. As if she dare not!
Izzy didn’t budge. She swiftly scanned the corners of the dark entrance. Locating one of the cameras she offered it a scowl, hoping Jack was the beneficiary of her icy glare as he’d obviously been watching the whole time.
Not so much a surprise visit after all.
“And,” she said in a voice loud enough to penetrate the bass of the music and reach his hearing, “what if I don’t want to see Mr. Carter?”
He stopped and turned, silent. The only hint of reaction was his raised eyebrow and insolent gaze. Then he turned and walked away. His silence spoke volumes. Obviously nobody refused to see Jack Carter. Reluctantly, she followed. She couldn’t help but wonder if plucking out lonely females was a regular part of his job. How many women had been lead up to Jack’s office for a personal meeting? She lifted her arm to absently rub against the sudden tightening in her chest that blossomed at the thought. When man mountain stopped to open a door for her, she dropped her hand and took a deep, fortifying breath, her eyes widening at the sight before her.
Jack sat at his desk, gaze fixed on the surveillance monitors in front of him, completely ambivalent to her presence. She moistened her lips as her gaze swept over him. His chair was pushed away from the desk, his black trouser clad legs stretched casually in front of him. She worked her way up, taking in his lean hips and tapered waist. The black shirt fit him perfectly, enhancing his flattened stomach and broad shoulders. And then, just to ramp up the whole hot-sexy-guy-in-black look, his shirt was unbuttoned at the top, allowing her a teasing glimpse of tanned skin above the contours of his pecs.
When the door closed behind she flinched at the sound, the click jolting her from her drooling session. Jack’s Man Mountain had left and taken all of the air with him, making her breathing quicken. Or did it happen because Jack now pinned her with his steel eyed gaze?
Izzy skittered her hands over her slender throat, wanting to undo the constriction stealing her breath, but finding nothing there except the thrumming pulse beneath her fingers. Of course there was nothing there, she was wearing one of Ellie’s dresses and she didn’t do coverage.
“Why are you here, Izzy?”
“I took your note and business card to be a summons,” she said as she regained composure.
“It was.” He nodded. “But not tonight and not when you’re dressed like that.”
“Do I not meet the dress code?”
“For this place? Yes. For you? No.”
“I couldn’t turn up in my decorating overalls, now could I? Besides I had to wear a dress Ellie left behind. Most of my clothes were smoke damaged from the fire. No amount of washing would get rid of that stink.”
“I invited you here during daytime hours. In a few days when you’d had some rest.”
She stepped closer, wanting his full attention, as she noticed his gaze straying back to the screens in f
ront of him. “Yes, but I couldn’t wait. It seems you made a mistake with the amount of zeros you wrote down.”
“No mistake. That’s the amount I gave Ellie.”
She stepped closer. “I didn’t come here to argue, Jack. I think we got off to a bad start this morning and I want to sort this out. We were friends once, right?” And how she missed that friendship. Missed him!
“I can’t discuss this now,” he said, blatantly ignoring her question.
“It won’t take long. Besides, I’m here now.”
“Indeed you are,” he drawled, frowning as she walked over to his desk and perched herself up on it.
She wanted his undivided attention. There was no chance of softening him up if his attention was flicking back at the screen.
“But now it’s time to go. I have work to do. Come back tomorrow afternoon, and please wear your usual clothes.”
Izzy crossed her bare legs, exposing more of her thigh. “You don’t like what I’m wearing now, Jack?” she asked mock innocently as she fluttered her eyelashes at him.
“You look…fine. Tell Ellie she has great taste in shoes. For her.”
Izzy glanced down at the foot she was dangling in front of Jack. She grinned. “But these aren’t Ellie’s. They’re mine,” she said with satisfaction, pleased her favorite bank-balance-busting strappy black stilettos had gained his interest. She smiled at his brow raise. “I do have a life, you know. A busy one too, which is why tomorrow is inconvenient for me.”
“Izzy…”
“No,” she interrupted, ignoring his scowl as her bottom edged further along the desk, close enough that she could step between his thighs if she wanted to. Tempting... “Just hear me out. Please?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Let me work off the money.”
She felt his gaze rake over her body, watched the clench of his jaw. “And how are you planning to work it off, Isabel?” he almost growled. “Is that what all of this is about?” he asked as his hand made an indicating sweep over her body. “Dress to impress so you can pay me in kind?”
“Oh God, no,” she spluttered. “This is me showing you I’m not the weak, naïve girl I used to be and I won’t be pushed around!”
The hard glint in his eyes softened slightly. “You were never weak. Naïve…” He trailed off. “So how exactly were you planning to pay me back?”
“Working here for you for free until I pay you back. I could collect glasses, work the bar, or clean.”
“And you have experience in any of those roles?”
“No. But I could learn.”
“But what about the house repairs?”
She shrugged. “I could do that during the daytime and work here at night. Then when I’m earning again from my day job I’ll pay you back.”
“And what exactly is your day job?”
“I’m a photographer. I could even do that here. Take photographs of the patrons and sell them for you.”
“You work freelance?”
“I have my own business.” She hesitated before elaborating, “As a wedding photographer,” she said quickly, hoping he wouldn’t snag the teasing opportunity.
Too late. The corner of his mouth quirked until it bloomed until a grin. “A wedding photographer. How appropriate. I knew playing dress-up with your mother’s veil and having teddy bears as your guests would have an influence on you one day.”
“You mean like wanting to have a traditional wedding where the groom doesn’t have to bribe the bride? Yeah, my childhood messed me up real bad,” she said with sarcasm.
“You’re not working here, Izzy. And this conversation is over.”
“No, it’s not. I’m giving you a solution to paying off what I owe. I’ll work off the amount Ellie paid for our debts and the rest you get from her. So when do I start?”
“You are not working here.”
“Why?”
“Do you really want to have some guy groping you as you serve drinks? Or a group of guys? I run a tight ship and look out for my staff, but sometimes it happens.”
“I can look after myself. I have been groped before, you know. I can deal with it.”
He slid his chair closer, bending his legs so hers surrounded him without touching, but close, very close. He looked up at her under dark lashes. “So if some guy puts a hand on your leg you wouldn’t mind?”
She shook her head.
“And if that hand strayed beneath your dress?” he asked as his hand reached out to graze the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, making her shudder.
She shook her head slowly, earning a dark look. Of course she would mind. But this was Jack.
He stood abruptly, stepping into the v of her thighs. “And if a guy tried to kiss you?”
“I have been kissed before, remember?” she said, inwardly cringing at how breathless she sounded.
“I remember being a boy kissing you as a girl. If I were to kiss you now I wouldn’t be holding back and I wouldn’t be kissing you as a boy—I’d be kissing you as a man.”
“Then do it,” she demanded.
Izzy gasped as he moved lightning quick to press against her, thighs touching, his arms caging her sides. Her pulse raced. Moisture flooded at her core. She arched back to look up at him with wide eyes. She felt like she’d just poked a tiger with a big stick only to find she was the one behind bars and he held the key. The only way to appease that tiger was to feed it.
“Do it,” she repeated as his soft breath teased her cheek.
Jack gripped her chin, tilting her head until their eyes met as mirrors of dilated pupils and unsuppressed want. Strong fingers cupped her jaw, scorching her skin. Those achingly beautiful bow-shaped lips were now a tongue stroke away. Those lips parted.
“No.”
“What?” she said, not bothering to mask her indignation.
“I’m not kissing you,” he said as he stepped away from her and dropped back into his chair. “Because you are now going home.”
“No. I’m not.”
“This conversation is over, Izzy. You are not working here. You want to pay me back you put on a pretty dress and a fake smile ready for your fake wedding day.”
“This conversation is not over!”
“Have it with yourself at home. I have important work to do over the next few hours.”
“Fine! Then I’ll wait until that work is done. And while I wait I’ll go have some fun and burn off some of my frustration!” she yelled as she stomped out the door and slammed it shut.
* * * *
Jack huffed a terse breath. Dragging a hand through his hair, he forced his attention back to the surveillance screen. He was supposed to be an extra pair of eyes for his security team. Somebody was dealing drugs in his club and he didn’t like it. He’d worked security himself, as he climbed the ladder to eventually become a nightclub owner, and had seen the devastating effects of drugs. Safety was his utmost concern. He was determined that the person responsible would be caught and handed over to the police.
And then Izzy walked in, adding fuel to the fire.
His plan to ignore and dismiss her had backfired magnificently. Instead of successfully sending her away, he’d virtually waved ‘see you later’ with the hard-on he was sporting. And it was for Izzy, damn it. Why was he having so much trouble remembering her as that little girl he’d grown up with? The promise he’d made to her father was becoming a difficult one.
He admired her determination to pay him back, but hell, it was never about the money. The last thing he wanted her to do was to pay him back, he needed her to go through with his updated plan. Which to suit her—and him—thankfully involved no legal binding whatsoever. All they needed to do was to wear a wedding outfit, pose outside a registry office, and have their photograph taken as evidence to show Daleford. Their cover story was simple. A hush-hush private wedding to avoid media attention. Simple. All Izzy needed to do was to turn up and put a pretty smile on that obstinate and frustratingly alluring face.
A flash of electric blue caught his attention. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the desk as he watched that alluring face show up on the camera feed at the bar. And damn if her caramel-curled head didn’t turn to the camera and wink up at him.
His jaw clenched. The mischief on her face reeked of challenge.
She gave him her back. Sassy wench. Swallowing hard, his gaze took free rein as it raked over her body. He’d never seen her dressed that way before and it affected him in a way he couldn’t describe. He’d seen Ellie in far less than the dress Izzy was wearing now, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her, like a hunger he couldn’t sate. Izzy was taller and slightly curvier than her sister so the electric blue dress fitted her shape like his personal dream, its bodice highlighting her lush breasts, tapering to hug her slim waist then flaring out at those beautiful womanly hips.
A few muttered instructions later and he had arranged surveillance from his security team in designated areas. His area of surveillance was clearly defined. His eyes were wherever Izzy was. Right now she was saluting him with a drink in her hand and a grin on her face. Sinking back in his chair, he scrubbed a hand over his face. If that bastard didn’t turn up soon it was going to be a very long night.
* * * *
Izzy was having a great time. At first her actions were purely for Jack’s benefit, purely as punishment for refusing to talk to her. It seemed she was going to have to grab his attention in another way.
So she’d had a few drinks and was feeling pretty relaxed now. Very relaxed in fact. The inner tension Jack had built inside her was ebbing. But still she carried that need. She was embracing the music, seeking the distraction and the physical release of her taut muscles. He’d nearly kissed her, tempting her with what she wanted. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it would delete the image of him between her thighs from her mind. Her inner thighs still bore the memory, still sensitized from his presence.
Best Fake Day Page 3