He shifted in the easy chair his mom had claimed when she’d still been well enough to sit with the family. Across from him on the more weathered leather couch, Cam and Leo stared in expectation.
Ryder shrugged and reached for his beer. He dangled it by the neck. “Who?”
Cam snorted. “Who.”
Leo crossed one leg over his knee as he leaned back. Even though it was a casual Sunday, he still wore pressed pants and a cashmere sweater. “Just the fact that you’re avoiding talking about it proves it’s more than the usual date and ditch.”
As Ryder tried to wind his way through his twin’s logic, Cam shouted at the TV in frustration. “Damn it,” he grumbled. “Don’t know why I watch this every year. Might as well quit since we never get any better.”
Ryder and Leo exchanged an amused glance. Every year their dad would say it, and every year he cleared his schedule to watch from preseason to post. It had been like that since Ryder and Leo had moved in at thirteen.
“Y’gonna answer your brother?” Cam pushed after a minute, gaze still glued to the TV.
“Yeah, Ry.” Leo grinned. “You gonna answer me?”
“Ask me a question.”
“All right.” Leo put two fingers to his mouth in thought, the gold flecks in his eyes swimming. “Are you dating her now?”
Definitely not. Ryder didn’t do dating. Smacked too much of commitment. Now, rebound fun might be in the cards if Hailey would agree to his brain wave idea, let him show her how to have fun, get past some of those hang-ups she used to build a wall around herself, and, on the way, admit how much she wanted him.
And he knew she wanted him. Those green eyes telegraphed everything.
The worst thing was all he’d done was kiss her hand and it’d fueled one hell of an erotic dream of Hailey spread on his sheets, wearing those three-inch heels she loved so much and nothing else. He needed to get laid.
Strange, though. He kept coming back to the dream, and the fact that it had taken place in his bed. Funny, since he’d never had a woman over to his place.
Ryder brooded on that for a minute, his gaze moving around the clutter in his dad’s front room. Half were the china ornaments and pretty nothings his mom had loved, all frosted with dust. The other half was pure Cam: piles of baseball magazines, books, empty glasses, and a cactus Jeannie had bought him on their first anniversary after a major fight about children. It was the only domestic thing Ryder knew his dad to tend to. For everything else, Ryder and Leo had hired a woman to come in and tidy once a week.
“Silence,” Leo mused. “Interesting.”
“No, not silence. I just think it’s funny you think a kiss equals a relationship.”
“So you’re not dating.”
“We’re friends,” he said firmly, taking a pull of his beer. “That kiss was me helping her out. I don’t know why everyone’s making such a big thing out of it.”
“Probably had something to do with the way you were practically bending her in two,” Cam commented. He gestured at the screen in annoyance. “No game whatsoever.”
“Yeah, unlike Ryder.” Leo’s foot wagged. “Game, set, match from what I saw.”
“You’ve been reading too many romance novels, brother. In reality, it’s called doing someone a favor.”
“Wish I had someone to give me favors like that.”
“Don’t you have a brunette warming your bed this week?”
Leo turned guarded. “How’d you . . . ?”
“I have my sources.”
His twin recovered quickly. “Well, anyway, your description of her doesn’t do her justice.”
“I said she was attractive.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t say she could give a holy man a hard-on.”
Ryder’s fingers tightened around the bottle’s neck.
“Whoa. Do you see the scowl on his face?” Leo whistled. He shook his head in apparent disbelief. “You like her.”
Discomfort wrapped around his throat. His shoulders rolled. “Of course I do.”
“No, I mean you like her, like her.”
“Am I gonna meet this girl?” Cam wanted to know. “If she’s special enough to have you blushing, I want to meet her.”
Dear God, he was not blushing.
Please, God, he wasn’t blushing.
“She’s not special.” Except she was, kinda. Something to not think about later. He exhaled, gestured with his bottle. “The woman Hailey was eating with was being a pitying bitch, so I—”
“Swept in and played hero,” Leo finished with a smirk.
“Why does everyone keep using that phrase?”
“Would you prefer white knight?”
“I’d prefer to watch the game in peace.”
“Ah, if wishes were horses . . .”
“Boys,” Cam admonished. He pierced Ryder with a glance, the look he’d given when Ryder had snuck back in after losing his virginity to Alyson Peckham. It was a look designed to make him squirm. “You ain’t messing with this girl, right?”
“No.” Honest insult colored Ryder’s voice. He exhaled, staring down at his bottle. “Look, this isn’t something to spread around, but because of that kiss, Director Clare is insisting Hailey and I go on Lisette’s Hour. Pretend to be dating.”
Leo made a small sound of mixed disbelief and amusement.
Sometimes he could throttle his brother. “She doesn’t want anyone’s attention focused on the auction,” he threw at Leo with a scowl. “No scandals. And because I drew attention to Hailey, the press is digging for a story. We just have to give her one.”
“Such a damned hero.”
Ryder flicked his fingers and Leo jumped as he was jolted with magic. His twin glared at him, but didn’t reciprocate. Leo had hang-ups of his own when it came to using power.
“Boys,” Cam said again, warning. “As long as this girl knows it’s pretense. Don’t let her build hopes you don’t intend to see through.”
Ryder thought he might pop a blood vessel. “For the love of . . . She knows exactly where we stand. I’d never do anything to hurt her.” The idea actually made his stomach churn. “She’s planning Leo’s party, I’m granting her a wish at the end. We’re only playing at dating for the cameras so Director Clare doesn’t freeze my balls off.” He scorched them both with a glare. “Can we drop it now?”
Leo held up his hands, still with that smirk. “Dropping it.”
Cam just grunted.
12.
She’d thought about it, of course. Hell, Hailey hadn’t been able to think of anything else.
Once, when she’d been speaking to Quentin about wedding music, she’d said “Ryder” instead of “recorder” and he hadn’t let her live it down since.
You say when.
On the one hand, what he offered was so not her scene. She hadn’t even done the blowing-off-classes thing in college, let alone a one night stand. That tattoo of responsibility ran right through from her head to her toes and every bone in between, but still his proposal intrigued every good-girl inch of her.
And not just the dirty half.
We do all the crap that scares you.
You’d have to do what I say.
Hailey was aware she was one more category notepad away from anal. For the most part, the work part, it was a definite strength, but for the personal part—hell, even Max said Hailey held the reins too tight. Ryder could help with that. Take her out of her comfort zone, shake her up a bit. Take control out of her hands. Show her how to be impulsive. Fun.
Lord knew, she clearly couldn’t do it herself. Look at the mess she was in when she tried.
And maybe, the devil whispered, if she learned to let go, she might be able to move past her hang-ups. Finally stop hearing those damn whispers in the middle of the night.
She could’ve said a straight-out no—at least, she’d like to think she could have—if he’d left her to mull it over. Instead, he insisted on texting to “catch up,” to tease and to make her smile, to sh
oot over very honest comments about the wishes he was taking care of or the people he met who adored Genies. She was being trained like a Pavlovian dog; as soon as her text tone signaled, her heart pumped faster.
He was just so . . . easy. Fun. Like a friend, but a friend who you really, really wanted to see naked. And he was offering her that: no strings, no issues, no pasts. But was it the right thing?
As well as obsessing over Ryder’s proposal, the beginning of the week was besieged by meetings with vendors and clearing up loose ends from the previous weekend’s weddings. Hailey had a vicious blister on her heel from her new stilettos and a banging headache due to unbearable pressure both the weather and WFY were pushing onto her. She already knew she’d say yes to Lisette’s Hour—she’d feel too bad for Ryder to say no—but the prospect of standing in front of that many people and lying made her temples kick like a toddler midtantrum.
To cap it off, she’d also gained two pounds, which the eagle-eyed Duchess had commented on as soon as Hailey had swung by the office. Before she’d jumped in and asked if Hailey had spoken to Ryder about an introduction to Jax Michaels, of course.
All in all, when Kate rang on Tuesday morning and asked if Hailey would mind coming down to the charity’s headquarters to help sort thank-you notes and little gifts for those who’d attended the auction, Hailey had probably left marks in her haste to get out of the office and away from conversation about Ryder.
* * *
Kate had other plans.
“I just think you should be careful.” She sealed an envelope and slid the personal note under the bow Hailey had attached to the jewelry boxes they were giving out as tokens of appreciation. Inside each was a personalized silver key ring.
“With what?” Hailey worked on getting exact creases in the wrapping paper she was using to cover the boxes. She reached for the tape. “I’m not involved with Ryder.”
Yet.
“But Genie Gossip said . . .”
“Why is everyone so shocked that GG isn’t a reputable informant?” Hailey ripped off some tape and stuck down the paper. With deft movements, she tied a ribbon around it and passed it on to Kate. “You know the real deal—Ryder told me you had to sign a similar secrecy contract to mine.”
“Yes . . .”
“So you know he’s letting me plan the party in exchange for the money I was short.”
“And he was kissing you because . . . ?”
Hailey’s face went hot. “Because he heard Ethan’s fiancée giving me grief about needing to move on. The kiss was a stupid, impulsive, let’s-show-her way of helping me out.”
“So you’re not attracted to him?”
“Hang on.” Hailey held two fingers to her wrist for a couple of seconds. “Okay, I’m not dead so, yeah, I’m attracted to him.” Kate smiled as Hailey reached for the next box to wrap. “Doesn’t mean I’m gonna go all Sandra Dee and moony.”
Although “I’m out of my head” sounded about right.
“I know what Genies are like on a woman. They make you . . .” Kate made a fluttery movement toward her belly. Her smile was decidedly dreamy. “Especially when they look at you with those colored lights in their eyes.”
“Maybe you need to be careful.” Hailey examined her as she stretched for the tape. “Your friend Luka?”
The dreamy smile made a sharp turn into wry. “Just friends. I mean, I’d be blind not to notice him, but he’s good at keeping people at a distance. You never know where you stand with him. And I’m not interested in dating at the minute.”
“No word from Scumbag Ian, I hope?” Kate’s last boyfriend had been a real leech, a so-called actor who’d glommed on to the impossibly nice Kate because her last name was Worth—as in the worldwide-selling soap. When Kate had finally told him to pack his bags, he’d never really left.
Kate’s face blanked. “He still shows every now and then. With Charlie living at Jax’s now, everyone keeps telling me I need to move, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet.” She shook back her curls, nose wrinkling as if she didn’t understand what the big deal was about living alone in an apartment in the middle of a rundown, crime-ridden area with a lock a junior criminal could pick. That was the thing about Kate; she refused to see the bad in people.
Kate shrugged it off. “How’d we get on to me? We were talking about you.”
“So glad you remembered.”
Kate’s necklace, a simple silver chain, swung as she bent over her card. “I’m only saying nobody would blame you if you did fall for him a little. Lord knows, Genies have that irresistible charm going for them. Charlie swore she’d be in hell before she dated a Genie and now she’s engaged to Mr. Genie himself.”
“Yeah, how did that happen?” The story had been reviewed in all the magazines, and in one cheesy Lifetime movie, but Charlie and Jax had never fully divulged the details.
Kate licked another envelope. “Let’s say Jax brought out the big guns.”
Though she was dying to know more, Hailey had to respect Kate’s loyalty. She wrapped another box in silence before she spoke again. “Ryder’s a player, right?”
“According to the Genie shows and the spots he does on Lisette’s Hour. I’ve only ever seen him with a woman or his twin.” Kate fanned herself at that, pink touching her cheeks. “If I met both, I think I’d never be able to speak. It’s hard enough with one.”
“I know the feeling.” Hailey toyed with the ribbon. “Kate?”
“Yes?”
Ryder wants to show me how to have irresponsible fun. Thoughts?
Instead she said, “WFY wants me to go on Lisette’s Hour. To avoid anybody digging into the auction and the wish—because of the publicity surrounding the kiss.”
Kate dropped the card. Excitement flushed her cheeks, brightened her eyes. “Oh, my God,” she squeaked. “That’s so exciting!”
“You were just telling me I shouldn’t get more involved with Genies.”
“Lisette isn’t a Genie—she’s a national icon. And on TV!” Her sophisticated friend had gone goony. It was endearing.
“Right.” Hailey rubbed the paper between her fingers and pursed her lips. “But the catch is, I’d have to pretend to be Beyoncé to Ryder’s Jay-Z. Together, Kate,” she added when all she got was a blank look. “As in hot and heavy, curl-my-toes, tangle-the-sheets together. Keep the focus on us, instead of the wish.”
Kate looked dubious. “Pretend to be his girlfriend, you mean?”
“I don’t think our fake relationship has gotten that serious yet.” And thank God. Even the word made Hailey break a sweat. Too soon.
“Huh.” Kate nibbled on her lip. “For how long?”
“I think just the interview, maybe a little after. Hot affairs cool fast, you know.” Unless Hailey took him up on his proposal. The memory of his hands on her skin drew a shiver down her spine.
“Is that a good idea?”
No. Yes. “That’s what I’m asking you.”
“Well . . .” Kate stared down at the ribbon in her hand, passing the curl through her fingers. “WFY asked you to help them out?”
Hailey nodded. “Ryder says Luka’s taking a lot of heat for him because of the kiss. I think they’re worried if they don’t give the press something, they’ll go digging and turn up a scandal.” Like Ryder had said, if the paparazzi looked at the facts (her bidding when she didn’t have the money, WFY helping her out, her “affair” with the Genie in question), it looked pretty damning.
“Then I think you should do it,” Kate said. “If they’ve done you a favor by helping you out, it’s only fair to grant them such a small request.”
“Yeah, small.” Hailey huffed a laugh. “Only go on national TV and be interviewed about my fake affair with a hot-as-hell Genie.” She waved a hand. “So small.”
“I’m sure Ryder will help you with what to say. He’s a professional.” A faint blush lined Kate’s cheeks. “And no woman will wonder why you rushed into an affair with a Genie. They’re all so . . . magn
etic.”
Hailey eyed her blush with amusement. “Look at you going all giddy. Don’t you rub elbows with them at functions and stuff?”
Kate’s wattage dimmed a little. She returned to her envelope stuffing. “I don’t go to functions much unless I’m on the board. People always want to go through me to Jax or Luka—or my father.”
Hailey handed over the next box without comment.
Kate shot her a grateful smile. “I know you’re only pretending to be with Ryder, but you’ll still be careful, right? He’s broken a lot of hearts, and I’d hate to see you get hurt again.”
“Jeez.” Hailey forced a laugh, pushing the feel of Ryder’s mouth paying homage to her hand out of her mind. You say when. “We’re just friends, if that.”
“Yeah, that’s what Charlie used to say.”
* * *
“I’ll do it.”
Hailey heard Ryder’s chuckle with an internal clenching of muscles. “Do what?”
She twiddled pens on her desk, organized them into parallel lines. “I’ll go on Lisette’s Hour.”
His breath whistled down the line. “Thank you,” he said, fervent. “Luka’s been popping up like the proverbial weasel every damn minute. He’ll be thrilled.”
“Will you send over the questions?” She’d only go on the show if the humiliation factor was zero. Or as close to zero as she could make it.
“I’ll bring them over personally.”
“Great.”
The clock above the door ticked off a few seconds as Hailey rubbed her thumb over an eraser. She placed it in the office tray, next to the sharpener and ruler.
“What about my other idea?” His question set off the bomb in her jittery stomach.
She left the organizing and gripped her chair. Her computer screen teased her with the article she’d Googled about casual relationships.
His Command Page 12
