“And why’s that a problem for you?”
“Well, his new wife Valerie happens to be someone I went out with a few times. Unfortunately, when I attended an industry function last week, I bumped into Valerie. I didn’t know then that she just got married. She flirted with me outrageously and I flirted back. And of course, James Coyte saw and gave me the coldest look as he escorted his wife away.”
“You had to flirt back, didn’t you?” Lexie said dryly.
“I was just being friendly. Just three months ago, Valerie was still calling me, wanting to hook up again. Apparently she and James got married after dating for only five weeks. How was I supposed to know she wasn’t single anymore?”
“Oh, Brad,” Lexie said with a shake of her head. “The women you go out with.”
“Hey, I stopped entertaining her calls a long time ago when I figured out she was a gold digger. Obviously, James has no clue what his wife’s really like. But that’s his problem, not mine. My problem is that James might have put my firm out of contention because of a rumour that has started to go around.”
“What rumour?” Erin asked.
“Apparently, there are whispers that I’m still keen on Valerie. I’m not surprised someone’s out to hurt my chances of winning the contract. This business is as cut-throat as anything, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Warren Oliver who started it. He’ll do anything—”
“Wait a minute,” Lexie interrupted. “Warren Oliver, who used to be your biggest rival in school, and is now your fiercest competitor in business, is going for the same contract? What are the odds, huh?” she added sarcastically.
He sniggered. Everyone close to him knew the competition that had been going on between him and Warren for many years. These days, they battled against each other for multimillion-dollar projects instead of the top marks in class and the hottest cheerleaders.
Their rivalry had been friendly and polite in the past. But three years ago, when Warren had won a contract they’d both competed for, their relationship had escalated to enemy level.
Brad’s firm had been the frontrunner for that project, but ultimately hadn’t been awarded the deal because of whispers that his company was having cash flow problems. Brad had no doubt that the false rumours had been started by Warren. No one else had a powerful enough motive to make him lose out on the contract since their respective firms had been the only two that had made the final round of consideration. And it hadn’t been the first time Warren had tried to trip him during a race to get to the finish line first. Unfortunately, he had no concrete evidence to prove his suspicions that the rumours were all Warren’s doing.
“I can’t believe you’re still locking horns with that guy,” Erin said teasingly. “In almost everything.”
“And I’m not letting him win this contract,” he said with determination. This new job was, by far, the most lucrative and prestigious he’d ever gone after. No way he’d hand this one to Warren’s firm. No fucking way.
“So what do you say, Erin?” he asked with a wink. “Would you be my fake girlfriend?”
“What exactly does that position entail?” she asked.
“It means going out with me to dinners and industry functions so relevant people will see us together as a couple. That should stop rumours of me wanting to have an affair with James Coyte’s wife.”
“And will you pick me up at work so Kevin and Paula can see I’m not single anymore?”
“However you want me to act around them, I’d be more than happy to comply.”
Lexie sighed loudly, her disapproval apparent. “Why don’t the two of you just find yourselves real dates instead of getting into this fake relationship thing with each other?”
“You know my workaholism doesn’t go well with real dates, sis,” he quipped. With past girlfriends having accused him of being married to his company, he’d learned to stay away from relationships.
“You know what, Brad? You have a deal,” Erin said, holding her hand out for a shake.
“Deal,” he said with a wide smile, grasping her hand and squeezing it.
Excellent. Erin was the best fake girlfriend he could hope for. Truth be told, she was absolutely freaking gorgeous. Not only that, she was caring and sweet, and she could hold intelligent conversations with anyone. She’d be great when they had to hobnob with potential clients.
Pity this was a no-sex arrangement. If there was anyone among his friends that he’d love to take to his bed, it was Erin. But he cared too much about their friendship to mess around with her. Plus, he truly didn’t have any interest in being in a romantic relationship with anyone.
His firm was growing at a phenomenal rate and he wasn’t ready to take his foot off the accelerator. While he’d achieved so much in the last few years, including winning industry awards and prestigious contracts, he was still far from his loftier goal: taking Mead Commercial and Corporate Designs worldwide—and doing it before Warren Oliver’s firm did.
He simply didn’t have time for a relationship. He’d decided long ago to not be in one until... well, he didn’t know when. One thing was for sure, it wouldn’t be in the foreseeable future. Having a casual shag whenever he wanted one suited him far better than dealing with a partner who’d ask for more than he could give. And Erin most definitely wasn’t a casual-shag type of person.
Yes, that was a real pity.
CHAPTER TWO
Erin caught a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye and started typing furiously. If she looked super busy, maybe Kevin wouldn’t stop by her desk.
Darn her professionalism. If she hadn’t said it was “absolutely no big deal” when her boss had asked if it would be a problem if she and Kevin worked together, she wouldn’t have had to suffer working with the man—and have him occupying the desk right next to her little corner of the office.
“Morning, Erin,” Kevin said, setting a store-bought cup of coffee on her desk. “Here you go.”
“Thanks, but you can have it,” she said tersely, not taking her eyes off her computer screen.
“But this is the mocha you like.”
“Kevin,” she said in a low voice, not bothering to hide her irritation. “I already told you to stop getting me coffees or fruits or cakes. People are starting to wonder if there’s something going on between us again.”
Kevin smiled. “Would that be so bad?”
She gaped at him in disbelief. “Are you kidding?” After her lunch with him and Paula two weeks ago, she couldn’t believe his comment.
The first few minutes of that lunch had been pleasant enough, but it had quickly turned to one of the most agonising she’d sat through. Kevin and Paula had started bickering. In front of her.
But that hadn’t been the most uncomfortable part. She’d wanted to zip Kevin’s mouth when he’d brought up Paula’s propensity to overreact, and then said that Erin had never shouted at him like a banshee the way Paula always did.
Paula’s friendliness towards her had cooled very quickly after that. And Erin still wanted to throttle Kevin for bringing her name up while in the middle of an argument with his wife.
“Erin,” Kevin said, placing both his hands on her desk to lean closer to her. “What’s wrong with being friends again?”
“Kevin,” she said with gravity. “We’re not best buddies. Ease up.”
“I can’t help it,” he said, staring into her eyes.
She looked up to the heavens, letting out an exasperated breath. What the hell was this guy up to? “It’s making me very uncomfortable, okay? Please stop this.”
“Okay, but can we talk? Have lunch with me today.”
“What for?” she whispered almost furiously.
“Please,” he said, his eyes darting around the office.
That made her glance around as well, and she caught a few of their officemates looking away. Amy, her closest work friend, raised her eyebrows at her in question.
She sighed. Best to have a talk with Kevin elsewhere, she suppo
sed. She didn’t relish the thought of being the centre of office gossip.
“Fine. Lunch, then. At the food court downstairs.”
“I have another place in mind—”
She shook her head stubbornly. “Food court, Kevin. At twelve.”
“Okay,” he conceded.
*
Erin sat down at a table Kevin had been saving for them in the almost-full food court.
“Looks yummy,” Kevin commented as he checked out the grilled chicken and avocado salad she’d bought. “Start eating while I get mine.”
She did start eating as Kevin went to get his food. Normally she’d wait for her companion to come back, but she was annoyed enough to not want to show him the usual level of consideration.
Kevin didn’t take long. He was back with a burger and smiled at her as he sat back down. “Why are you so short with me, Erin?” he asked softly.
Her brows lifted. “You waltz around the office like we’re more than the best of friends. You’re actions are over the top. Don’t you see that you’re being quite inappropriate? You’re married, and I’m your ex. And you’ve made your wife suspicious of me.”
“Erin,” Kevin said, reaching for her hand.
She instantly pulled it out of his grasp. What the hell was wrong with him? Hadn’t he heard what she’d said?
Kevin sighed. “Haven’t you noticed anything?”
“What?”
He raised his left hand and wiggled his fingers.
She blinked. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.
“I moved out of the house last week.”
“I see,” she said coldly. “What’s that got to do with me?”
“I made a mistake, Erin,” he said, trying to reach for her hand again.
She let out an incredulous laugh.
Kevin sat back on his chair, taking a long, deep breath. “I’m going about this the wrong way, am I not?”
“I’m not remotely interested in getting back together with you, Kevin.”
He smiled patiently. “I know you’re still angry at me. What I did to you was hurtful and callous. I let you down. But what I did—marrying Paula and breaking up with you—was a huge mistake. I was so very wrong.”
She gawked at him, sheer disbelief coursing through her. “Surely, you’re not expecting to pick up where we left off?”
“No. I know I have a lot to do to make up for what I’ve done. All I’m asking at this time is the chance to do that.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, Kevin. I don’t want another chance.”
“Erin...”
“I saw you in a totally different light after the way you handled your marriage and our break-up. I’m not interested, Kevin. Sorry.”
Kevin nodded his head. “Okay. I’ll wait.”
She frowned. “I said I’m not interested. There’s no point in waiting.”
“I heard what you said. But I know you, Erin. I know how you used to feel about me. That kind of commitment just couldn’t die, even after all this time and what we’ve been through. I know deep inside you still want me—because I still want you.”
Her jaw dropped to the ground.
“You’re very different from Paula,” Kevin continued. “You were loving and supportive. You never yelled when we fought. You didn’t have tantrums. You helped me make good decisions. I want you back, Erin. Let’s work things out.”
She gave him a dirty look. “You’re still married, Kevin. It was only two weeks ago that I had lunch with you and your wife. Shouldn’t you be trying to work things out with Paula rather than propositioning me?”
Kevin exhaled gustily. “Like I said, you’re very different from Paula.”
“So why did you marry her in the first place?”
“It was just the sex. Paula is... wild and passionate and exciting in bed. We had this sizzling sexual chemistry that was undeniable. Unfortunately, she’s too demanding and high maintenance. And when she’s angry, boy, does she blow up. I don’t need that. But you, you’re calm and cool in every situation. You’re always reasonable and rational. With the kind of pressures I need to deal with at work, I realised I need someone like you by my side if I’m to achieve my career dreams.”
Heat crept up Erin’s face. What the hell did he mean by that? That she was boring in bed? That all he’d ever want her for was to advance his career?
“But wouldn’t you miss Paula’s passionate ways in bed?” she said with saccharine sweetness, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Well, better sexual performance can be learned.”
“What do you mean by that?” she asked coldly.
“You have to admit there’s plenty of room for improvement there, Erin. Maybe read some books, or even go to a sex coach—”
“And what makes you think I’d want you back when you never set my body on fire?” she asked, her jaw tight, before standing up and walking away.
What a certified asshole!
She blinked back her tears. Kevin was nothing but an insensitive jerk, but his words had still stung.
Couldn’t he have criticised her in a less humiliating way? As if he hadn’t hurt her enough in the past! And it wasn’t as if he was the hottest man on the planet or an expert lover, either. Far from it. Their sex life had been average because... well, neither of them had bothered putting in a lot of effort on it! It wasn’t just her fault.
Ugh. She still had no idea what had made her stay with that self-centred man for two freaking years.
And there were four more hours to go before she could leave work for the day and stop seeing Kevin’s face.
At least Brad would be at home waiting for her. He should be settling into her apartment right this minute.
Her lips tugged up. She couldn’t wait to see him.
*****
Erin inserted the key into her lock, excited like a little kid opening up a present. It was unexpected, really, this thrill she was feeling. And it made her nervous. Why was she so looking forward to this?
“Erin! Welcome home!”
Her heart skipped. There he was, grinning as he walked to her and kissed her on the cheek.
“Hi! How did the packing go at your house today?” she asked.
“Good. All my stuff, apart from my clothes and personal items that got brought here, are now either in storage, donated to charity, or chucked in the dump. But it was hectic sorting through what needed to go where!”
She chuckled. “What did you expect? You had it all done in one day.”
“Well, one day was all I had. Anyway, come with me. I want to show you what my sister’s old room now looks like.”
She followed Brad to his new room, and she laughed in delighted surprise. The room looked amazing, with the colour scheme of royal blue making this very much Brad’s domain. Even his clothes were hung or folded in a neat, ordered manner in the wardrobe, which was open for her inspection. Whoever had unpacked for Brad had done a marvellous job.
“What happened to the old bed?” she asked, sitting and bouncing herself on the one that now stood proudly against the main wall, covered in luxurious cotton sheets of high thread count, by the feel. Even the old headboard was gone, replaced by a more masculine wooden panelling.
“This is my own bed,” Brad said, sitting next to her. “I had your old one put in storage along with my other stuff because it just looked too girly for me. You don’t mind, do you?”
“No, of course not. This room looks great. How many people were here to stage this today?” she teased.
“What? You don’t think I did it myself?”
“This has the feminine touch,” she said dryly. “Great as you are with commercial interiors, bedrooms are not your forte.”
Brad chuckled. “The people who packed my stuff also unpacked for me here. Turns out they’re great at decorating too.”
“Well, it looks good. But how come the living room still looks the same? I thought you were gonna bring your bigger TV? I was looking forward to that.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wanted the latest model, so I bought a new one.”
She shook her head. “You and your penchant for the latest and the best, Brad.”
He shrugged. “It’s called supporting the great inventors of new technology.”
She smirked. “Is your super-duper coffee machine now in my kitchen?”
“Yup. Couldn’t leave that behind,” he answered, standing up and pulling her along with him.
“You do know that’s all I want from you.”
Brad laughed, putting an arm around her shoulders and steering her to the kitchen. “The Chinese I ordered should be arriving soon. Do you want a drink before dinner?”
“Apart from Lexie, none of my other previous flatmates ever offered me a drink upon coming home. I’m already starting to like you being here.”
“Good! I’ll even make you coffee after we eat. For now, let’s open a bottle of wine.”
She sat on a bar stool and watched Brad move around her kitchen, getting two crystal glasses and retrieving a bottle from the fridge. He’d clearly already made himself familiar with where things were kept. And, frankly, he looked like he belonged in her apartment.
She bit her lip, stopping herself from smiling too widely. There was that thrill again, running through her body.
Brad turned around and placed the glasses on the breakfast nook.
“I was meaning to talk to you about Elsa, my cleaning lady,” he said as he poured the wine. “You wouldn’t mind if she comes regularly to help us, would you?”
She gave him a mock frown. “And there I was, promising Lexie that I wouldn’t let you get away with not doing your share of housework. I should have known you’d get Elsa to do it for you.”
“What I meant was for her to do everything around here,” Brad said, clinking glasses with her before taking a sip. “I want to keep Elsa employed for the same amount of time that she used to come to my place because I don’t want to lose her. She’s fantastic. So reliable and trustworthy. If she starts working for someone else, I might find it hard to get back the hours she currently works for me. She can come here twice a week to clean and cook. She can also buy our groceries, do our laundry, send items to the dry cleaners, change our bed sheets—those kinds of things.”
The Unintended Fiancé (Captured by Love Book 4) Page 2