Fake Zoned: A Fake Date Anthology

by Malone, M.

  But seriously, did she think a guy who looked like the human equivalent of skim milk could satisfy her?

  Unaware of his torment, Olivia threw her head back and laughed, completely at ease with his glasses-wearing rival.

  Skim milk could make her laugh, apparently. Damn it.

  When they walked through the doors leading outside, King followed at a discreet distance. He couldn’t just barge out there. After the way he’d spoken to Olivia he wouldn’t be surprised if she never wanted to talk to him again. He needed to approach her carefully.

  Then someone else opened the doors and his heart dropped. Olivia had her arms around the guy’s neck and was kissing him passionately.

  He closed his eyes. It looked like she was fully committed to moving on from him. He walked to the bar and ordered a drink. His plan was going to require some adjustments.

  As crazy as it made him to see Olivia wrapped around some other guy, he wasn’t giving up. He’d never been as lost as he’d been this past week. They hadn’t been together long but he didn’t need more time to see the obvious.

  She made his life better. She made him better.

  He was an asshole and he’d messed up. But he was hoping she’d felt something for him, too. If there was any chance she was willing to forgive him, he had to try.

  He paused with his drink in his hand when he saw nerd boy come in.

  Alone.

  Where the hell was Olivia?

  He watched as the guy left the ballroom. Maybe he was pulling up the car. This might be his only chance to talk to Olivia alone.

  He stuffed a twenty in the tip jar for the bartender and rose. From the signs in the entryway, this was some kind of award ceremony but he couldn’t figure out what industry it was for. Most of the attendees seemed like the serious type so he wondered if it was some sort of academic function.

  When he stepped outside, Olivia looked up. She was sitting on a bench right in front of the doors.

  She laughed bitterly. “Of course you’re here. What do you want? Another chance to slum it with a dirty stripper?”

  Although her tone was angry, King didn’t miss the genuine hurt in her voice.

  “I don’t know what you heard…”

  “Yes, you do. You know exactly what I heard.”

  Caught, King told himself it was time to lay it all out there. Because she was right. If he was going to apologize, it couldn’t be a half-hearted effort. He had to own all his shit and put the blame where it belonged. Squarely on his shoulders.

  “You’re right. I know exactly what you heard. Me and my equally idiotic best friend talking about you like another business deal.”

  She crossed her arms. “Well, at least you admit it.”

  “I do. That’s exactly how I’ve always thought of relationships. Something that I had to accomplish to make my parents happy. Or to piss them off. Or to keep control of the family empire. That’s what happened that night at Club VIP. My father had forced me into a corner and I thought, you know what, I’ll really stick it to the old man. I’ll bring home someone that’ll shame and embarrass them. I’ll make them sorry they ever tried to marry me off. But then something insane happened.”

  He sat on the bench next to her. She scooted over so their legs wouldn’t touch.

  “The girl I brought home to embarrass them, charmed them. The girl I was stupid enough to think was beneath me, taught me what it meant to be happy.”

  She swiped at her face but still wouldn’t look at him. He realized in that moment just how deeply he’d hurt her.

  “Everything I thought I was so sure about turned out to be completely false. And in the midst of all of that, I fell in love with you.”

  Olivia scoffed.

  “You don’t get to say that to me. This is not love. You don’t talk about someone you love like that. I told you things I’ve never told anyone. And you were judging me the whole time.”

  A curl had escaped from her low bun and his fingers itched to push it back behind her ear. It felt like it had been years since he’d touched her. He wished he could go back and do so many things differently but he’d especially cherish those last moments before he’d shattered the trust between them.

  You never think your last moments with someone will the last ones you have.

  “You’re right. This is not how you treat someone you love. You don’t treat her badly and then think I’m sorry is enough. Then you don’t follow her like a stalker and watch while she’s kissing another man.”

  Olivia didn’t even smile.

  “I want you to go, King. If you care about me like you say you do, then you’ll give me some time. I’m not sure I can forget the things you said so easily.”

  He stood, wishing there was something else he could say. But in the end, all he could do was respect her wishes. His biggest mistake before had been reacting out of anger and not trusting her.

  If they were ever going to have a chance, he had to be willing to do what Georgie had said. Put in the work.

  “I’m going to leave because it’s what you want. But that doesn’t mean I’m giving up.”

  As he walked away, he thought he heard her whisper, “I hope you don’t.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  For the next week, Olivia took the vacation days she’d been saving up. It had been over a year since she’d taken off more than a few days at a time. It was strange not to go to the club everyday and not as relaxing as she’d thought it would be.

  Without work to distract her, it gave her nothing but time to reflect on just how empty her life was.

  The anger had numbed her at first. She’d been so awash in hurt and pain thinking about the things King had said that she hadn’t had a chance to reflect on the hole he’d left in her life. But now that the shock and anger had faded with a little time, it was evident in the little things.

  Whenever she saw something weird she wanted to call and tell him about it. When she had a great idea for the Club, he was the one she wanted to share it with. When she was sad or missed her mother, his arms were the ones she wanted to hold her.

  Over the past month she’d gotten used to him being there as her sounding board, confidante and comfort.

  She missed him. How stupid was that? He was the only man who’d ever torn her heart out and she missed him.

  The doorbell rang and Olivia stood. She’d been in the house for four days straight and was starting to forget what fresh air felt like. This wasn’t healthy. She’d asked for space from King and he’d respected that but now she was starting to wish he hadn’t suddenly decided to listen.

  When she opened the door, she jumped back at the explosion of flowers before her. A kaleidoscope of colors, the bouquet was so huge she couldn’t even see the guy holding them. That was probably a good thing since she was only wearing a long t-shirt and her hair was up in a ratty bun.

  “Delivery for Miss Olivia Reyes?”

  “Yes, that’s me. Here I’ll just take these.” She managed to wrap her hands around the vase and then deposited it carefully on the entryway table.

  The delivery man held out his clipboard so she could sign. After he left, she searched through the huge bouquet looking for a card, strangely let down when she didn’t find one. Not that there was any doubt who they were from. She shook her head.

  Only King would send her such a ridiculous bouquet. He never did anything in half-measures.

  Even hurting her. He’d hit right at the heart of her deepest insecurities and it had torn her up.

  The doorbell rang again. When she opened it, King looked up. He was wearing his usual suit but for some reason, he held a pair of boxing gloves.

  “May I come in?”

  She stepped back so he could come inside. He smiled when he saw the huge bouquet. Then he turned to her and held out the gloves.

  “These are for you.”

  Confused, Olivia accepted them. “Boxing gloves?”

  “Yeah. I hit below the belt and now you can, too. Go ahea
d. Take your best shot. Georgie told me both James and I deserve a nut punch for how we’ve behaved.”

  It was so ridiculous, so King, that Olivia was startled into laughing.

  “Well, at least you’re laughing this time. I’d rather see that than tears. I never want to see that again.” He ran his hands over his hair.

  For the first time Olivia took a close look at him. The bags under his eyes were darker and more pronounced and he sported what looked like three days worth of stubble on his face. She’d never seen him like this.

  “You look like shit,” she whispered.

  “That’s better than how I feel. I hurt the only woman I’ve ever cared about.”

  “You did. Hurt me, I mean.” She put the boxing gloves down on the table next to the flowers. “But I realized something this past week.”

  “What did you realize, baby?”

  Her heart fluttered a little at the endearment.

  “For a long time, I never cared what anyone thought of me. I did what I needed to do and I didn’t look back. After years of trying to gain my father’s approval, I realized his love came with conditions. He believes in sin but not forgiveness. So I stopped trying and relied only on myself. I built everything I have on my own.”

  “And you should be proud of that. I had no right to talk about you or the club that way. I was such an idiot.”

  “Yeah, you were. But I realized the only reason it hurt so much is because I care about what you think of me. I care about you.”

  He pulled her into his arms and she finally stopped resisting. He held her face between his hands gently and kissed all over her face.

  “I’m so sorry, Olivia. Forgive me. I’m not so good at this love thing. It’s never happened before.”

  She bit her lip. “You love me? When you said it before I didn’t want to believe it.”

  “I. Love. You.” Each word was punctuated by a kiss and every single kiss punched straight through to her heart.

  “I love you too, King. Even when I don’t like you very much.”

  He cut off her words with a kiss on her mouth and suddenly their hands were everywhere, frantically caressing and yanking at their clothes. Yes, Olivia thought. She wanted him all over her. Wanted to be as close to him as she could physically get. They walked backward, their mouths still connected until they landed on the couch.

  “Hurry,” she whispered and he moaned against her lips.

  He felt it too, this urgency to seal their emotional connection with a physical one. She loved him and he loved her. All the hurt, the pain and the apologies seemed not to matter now that they were together again. He’d hurt her but forgiveness was something she was intimately acquainted with since she’d worked so hard to gain it herself.

  He pushed his pants down and her t-shirt up. When he thrust into her, her head fell back and she closed her eyes, savoring having him back where he belonged. He rested his forehead against hers, not moving, just breathing with her.

  “Don’t leave me again, angel. Scream at me, hurt me, hell, give me a nut punch if you need to. But don’t leave. I need you too much for that.”

  “I need you, too.”

  He started to move then and she wrapped her legs around his back. Everything faded away and all that was left was the two of them. She arched under him, the physical sensations suddenly too sharp.

  After living without him, she was overwhelmed by how much he was. He was it for her and all the feelings she’d tried to hold back for the past week rushed her full force. She clung to his shoulders as all of the emotions, the pain and the love coalesced into a storm of pleasure that dragged her into a shattering release.

  King clenched her so tightly, like he was scared she’d escape if he didn’t hold on tightly enough. He leaned up slightly and kept his eyes on hers so she got to see it when he lost himself. On his face she saw nothing but naked desire and all-consuming love.

  Afterward, he lifted her and sat on the couch with her in his lap. She cuddled up against him, enjoying being in his arms again. He shifted slightly and tipped up her chin so he could see her face.

  “I meant what I said. I love you. And I’m going to make sure you never have a reason to doubt that. I’m not a good person, Liv, but you make me want to be better. Every day. I’m the one who isn’t worthy of you.”

  Her heart swelled and she buried her face in his shoulder. Although she’d believed him when he’d apologized, it meant even more that he wanted to make sure not to ever hurt her like that again.

  “You’re not a bad person. You’re just a bad boy type. My bad King.”

  “Maybe one day you’ll be my bad Queen and keep me in line.”

  She jerked back so fast she almost fell off his lap. “Don’t even joke about that.”

  “Who’s joking?”

  Olivia punched him in the shoulder. “Ow. Where are my boxing gloves?”

  King kissed her again. “It’s okay, I’ll convince you eventually. I always get what I want remember?”

  “Stop.” She put a finger over his lips but secretly Olivia was looking forward to finding out what a future with her bad boy would look like.

  He lifted her in his arms. “Convincing you could take awhile. Maybe I should get started now.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Not too far in the future…

  If anyone had ever told King that he’d be one of those pathetic men who couldn’t even go one night without his girlfriend, he would have laughed in their face. In fact he would’ve wagered half his net worth that it would never happen.

  He’d be quite a few million lighter in the wallet by now if that had been the case. It had only been a few minutes since he’d left Olivia in the car and he was already wondering what she was doing or if she needed anything.

  Pathetic.

  But also exactly why he was standing in the lobby of a rustic mountain cabin.

  “So everything is set for tonight?” King glanced over his shoulder to be sure Olivia hadn’t followed him inside.

  He’d told her to relax in the car while he got them checked in. Pulling her away from the club in the midst of December had been a hard sell but she’d eventually agreed they both could use a weekend getaway. The remote cabin resort in the mountains of Virginia was perfect.

  “Yes sir, Mr. Kingsley.” Mrs. English, the cheerful proprietor of The Olde English B&B, had been his primary contact setting up this important weekend.

  “Good. Because we almost got in an accident on the way here and then we had a flat tire. I’m starting to feel like the universe is conspiring against me.”

  Although he couldn’t understand why. The universe should know better than anyone that he needed Olivia like he needed air.

  The past few months had only proven what he’d known since the moment he’d thought he lost her. She was his reason for getting up each day and his comfort when he went to sleep each night.

  Not only did she make him happy but she fit right in with his family like she’d always been there. She smoothed the rough edges of his relationship with Colin and kept Georgina from blistering his ear with TMI details that he did NOT want to know.

  He didn’t even want to think about what he’d interrupted in his sister’s room a few weeks ago.

  Ugh.

  He was still trying to bleach his brain of images that could scar him for life.

  But through it all, Olivia had been there. She made life better. She made him better. Obviously she was way too good for him.

  He was selfish enough to ask her to marry him anyway.

  “There’s no need to worry. Your dinner tonight will be spectacular.”

  “It’s dessert that I’m worried about.”

  Mrs. English smiled. “Her tiramisu will be perfect.”

  King immediately felt his blood pressure start to rise. “Chocolate mousse. The tiramisu is mine.”

  “Of course. I misspoke. The chocolate mousse will be perfect.”

  King tugged at the collar that was sudde
nly strangling him. “Maybe we should–”

  Mrs. English cleared her throat suddenly and tilted her head to the left, his only warning before Olivia appeared at his side.

  “Hey! I decided to get out and stretch my legs.” She nodded hello to Mrs. English.

  “Hey, baby. Perfect timing. Our room is ready now.”

  With a meaningful glance at Mrs. English, he picked up the ancient-looking key she’d placed on the counter and offered his arm to Olivia.

  Before the day was done, she’d be the future Mrs. Kingsley.

  * * *

  King figured he’d been crappy company since he was so nervous about their special dinner that night. Olivia hadn’t seemed to notice though, completely charmed by every aspect of their mountain cabin getaway.

  She’d cajoled him into taking a short hike around the property even though it was damn near freezing. Then she’d insisted on sitting downstairs in the quaint sitting room to enjoy the fire. Now it was finally time for dinner and he was starting to get worried that he wouldn’t be able to get her out of the room.

  “Aren’t you hungry?”

  Olivia rolled over and buried her face in the pillows. “Not really.”

  “Because I’m starving. You know, after all that hiking.”

  “I’m sleepy.” She curled up and put her hands beneath her cheek the way she always did right before she fell asleep for the night. Oh god. He knew that look. It was her comfy, my-bra-is-off, sleeping position. Which meant that if he didn’t figure out how to get her down to the dining room his plan was ruined.

  “Chocolate!” He yelled, desperate.

  Her eyes popped open. “What is going on with you?”

  “Nothing. I just heard they have a really good chocolate mousse here.”

  She sat up looking completely alert. “Really? That’s worth getting up for!”

  King let out a sigh of relief. He hadn’t thought the hardest part of proposing would be getting her to leave the room.

  An hour later they were seated in the small dining room finishing up a delicious steak dinner. He’d snuck off ten minutes ago to meet Mrs. English in the kitchen. She’d promised to make sure the custom engagement ring he’d had designed for Olivia was placed right on top of her chocolate mousse.