The Bookworm and the Beast

by Charlee James

  “So now you not only have to find a woman to play the role of your adoring girlfriend, but she also has to pretend to be Izzy Simon as well?” It was laughable, but his slumped shoulders and the defeated look in his eyes sobered her expression. Surely the reason he couldn’t find someone was a personality issue.

  “Unless the real one agrees to help me,” Derek pleaded. Could he be serious?

  “Absolutely not.” She was already fed up. He’d tried to get rid of her less than an hour ago, and now he was asking her to stay as his mock girlfriend? There was no way she’d add another layer of frosting to the towering cake of complication currently baking inside the castle’s curved walls.

  “I don’t have time to find someone else,” he said.

  “That’s your problem.” Izzy bent down and grasped the strap of her duffel with one hand and her suitcase with the other. “I have to go.”

  “I’ll compensate you for your time. In addition to your temp fees, I’ll give you twenty-five hundred a week.” Derek sat completely still, waiting for her response.

  Izzy had to clench her teeth to keep her jaw from dropping open. What planet was he from that he could dole out that kind of cash, and what did he expect her to do for it? The money would help her get ahead in her payments to Silver Acres, but she wanted to know the terms first. It would be nice not to scrape by for a few months, but she didn’t want to sell her soul to the devil to do it, either.

  “What exactly does being your girlfriend entail?” Izzy planted herself back on the couch and leveled her gaze with his.

  “My stepmother’s parents live an hour from here. I host the holiday so that they can get there for lunch on Christmas Day. You’d need to sit next to me at meals, hold my hand a bit, attend Christmas Eve dinner, and open presents on Christmas Day. It’s only three people—Janet, her young daughter, and my father.” His dark eyes were sincere and pleading.

  “And you think that’s enough to convince them?” Izzy took a pillow off the couch and clutched it to her chest. Was she actually considering this?

  “A peck on the lips now and again wouldn’t hurt.” The left corner of his mouth curved up a tiny bit. It was the closest thing she’d seen to a smile since her arrival.

  “And your parents won’t find it odd that your live-in girlfriend doesn’t share a bedroom with you?”

  Derek was quiet for a moment.

  The crackling fire wrapped the room in a cozy heat. She looked at the flames dancing wildly in the hearth as her conscience had a heated struggle. It was deceitful to string along his family. He was lucky to have people who cared about his happiness and well-being. It seemed he was selfish with his family, too, only thinking of how entertaining a single woman over Christmas would disturb his life, inconvenience him.

  Maybe Izzy was being a bit critical, but it was hard to feel sorry for him because his loving stepmother and father were trying to set him up. Maybe she should take a lesson from him and think about her own problems for once. Izzy’s bank account was dangerously low. How long could she continue paying two rents? Would his parents even fall for it? It wasn’t like their relationship had been even cordial up to this point—Derek had even tried to bribe her to leave.

  “There’s a secret hallway that runs throughout the house. It’s in my office and connects to a door in your closet. You can use that at night to get back to your bedroom.” His deep voice broke through her thoughts.

  Izzy breathed in, then out. She was going to do it. Not just be his temp, but the girlfriend of a dashing bachelor in a gorgeous castle. She really should just enjoy it, because it was the closest she’d ever come to living one of the fairy tales she always read. It was going to get her a step ahead of her finances, too, something she hadn’t been able to do in a very long time. Izzy always lived paycheck to paycheck, and there wasn’t much left over after bills.

  “Okay. I accept, but I have some ground rules.” She clutched the pillow like it was going to grow legs and run away. Her insides quivered at the prospect of doing something so crazy and very un-Izzy.

  “Of course. Just name them.” He leaned forward, and the endless black pools of his eyes glowed.

  “You’ll pay me as soon as the two weeks are up, and help me decorate the house for the holidays, including a tree. If a child is spending Christmas here, the house ought to be done up right.” The dog shifted and lay closer to her feet.

  “I never decorate. The house is fine as is. Besides, Mary’s practically a teenager at this point.” He crossed his arms over his chest in one defiant motion.

  “All the more reason to give her some holiday magic while you still can. And don’t you think a girlfriend would insist on dressing the house up?” She angled her head and waited for his response.

  “I suppose so,” he grumbled and pressed his lips together so they disappeared into a hard line.

  “Oh, and no sex.” She looked away from him and fiddled with the cuffs of her coat. Izzy didn’t want him to get the wrong idea. Her first time would be with someone special.

  “Naturally.” He said with a hint of a smile on his face. Heat rushed up to her cheeks, and she was sure they were as red as Rudolph’s nose.

  “All right, then we have a deal.” She leaned over the coffee table to shake hands with him. The contact of his rough skin sent a zing up her spine. Yowzer.

  “Oh, just one last thing,” Derek said as Izzy was gathering her bags to go back upstairs. “Perhaps you can make a trip into the city with me. I need to pick up some gifts.”

  Her brows shot up. “You haven’t done your shopping yet? The malls are going to be mobbed.” They’d be like fish swimming against the current in a shopping plaza at this time of year. She already had new knitting supplies, a book, and some perfume tucked in her suitcase for Gram. Izzy didn’t exchange with her mother who lived in Florida with husband number four.

  “I’m a bit of a procrastinator.” The sheepish look made the hard lines of his face look almost boyish.

  “I’ll say. We should go as soon as possible. Oh, and on Christmas Day, I’ll need some time to visit my grandmother.” She placed the pillow back on the couch.

  “Where does she live?” He shifted and rose to his feet.

  “Silver Acres retirement home. It’s only a half-hour drive.” The fire had died down to shimmering embers, and the room was wrapped in heat like a cozy down comforter.

  Derek nodded. “Then we have an agreement.” He shoved his hands into his pockets.

  “Okay then.” Izzy got up, and the dog followed. “Do you want to go into the city tomorrow?”

  “I’m on a deadline. When it’s done, I’ll let you know.” He tapped his foot against the floor ever so slightly.

  “In that case, your family might not be getting their gifts until Easter.” She raised one brow at him.

  The sour look on his face returned. For a moment, it had been like they were partners in something bigger, but he’d just been on his best behavior until she agreed. Now that she had, he’d gone back to the brooding, scowling man who had greeted her this morning. Izzy gathered her things and turned to leave the room.

  “Good night,” she said politely. Just because he was in a constant state of brooding didn’t mean she had to be.

  “Night,” he said, already seeming miles away.

  Izzy wheeled her baggage back up to the room with the dog clip-clopping at her feet. Once she shut the door, she leaned back against the solid wood and let out a full breath. There was no doubt she’d be getting a pile of coal from Santa with the lies she’d be telling his parents. How would Derek’s family buy their story given the current rapport the two of them had? They’d assume the relationship was hanging on by a tethered thread. But Izzy would do what she could to uphold her end of both bargains—the one with the agency and with Derek.

  Atticus hesitated, then scrambled up on the bed with surprising agility for such a large dog. He circled a few times before flopping down with a dull thud.

  “Why not?
” Izzy’s voice echoed through the large room. For the second time that day, she unzipped her suitcase and started taking the precisely folded clothes and tucking them into the cherry drawers. The attire she’d brought was straightforward and casual. She’d been prepared to be scrubbing, cleaning, and cooking all week, not attending holiday events with Derek’s family. They’d think her very dowdy if she didn’t purchase a few new things for the occasion. Was their opinion of her worth dipping into her meager funds? Sure, she was getting paid handsomely, but she wanted to hold on to every penny so when she returned to her normal life on a librarian’s salary she could afford to eat and pay for Silver Acres.

  It didn’t matter what they thought. This was just an act to get Derek’s stepmother off his back. After the holidays, she’d be gone, and no one would be the wiser. Izzy had been used before in a fake relationship. The problem was, she had been naive and believed with her whole heart that she’d found the one. She’d been so blinded by puppy love that she didn’t see that everyone on her college campus was laughing at her until it was too late. Her throat constricted, and her scalp tingled.

  Six years after graduation, she still couldn’t let the hurt and embarrassment go. Izzy’s hopes and dreams were much simpler now. She liked the quiet life she led. It was fulfilling to be a librarian in the small town where she grew up. Every Saturday, she ran the children’s reading and craft circle. It was satisfying to know she might be helping those kids develop a lifelong love of reading. For her, it was an escape from everyday pressures. She could get lost in a world where she wasn’t abandoned by her mother or ridiculed by her first love. It was a place of dreams and adventure.

  Up until this week, the amount of excitement in her life had been null and void. Now, she’d been dropped into one of the fantasy novels she always had her nose in. Big castle, a handsome man—knee-wobbling, palm-sweating type of handsome—and a kind-of heroine. Hey, a girl could play make-believe. She’d taken more risks on this venture than she had in a lifetime. It made her slightly queasy to imagine all the repercussions that could come from it.

  Derek had only mentioned his father and stepmother. Maybe they shared more than they realized. Of course, he could have a loving mother somewhere who visited at a different time of year, or perhaps she had passed away. Maybe his rough demeanor was covering up some past hurt? The holidays were a difficult time for many people. Maybe she should cut him some slack.

  Izzy put away the last shirt and slipped on some flannel pajamas. The room was drafty, but she didn’t want to sleep with a fire going and burn the house down. She slipped between the sheets and the thick down comforter. Atticus’s tail thumped against the bed a few times, and he army-crawled a few inches closer to the top of the bed. Izzy snuggled up to the big dog and closed her eyes. Tomorrow, she’d try to root through the house and find some holiday decorations. Her nerves were quickly unraveling at the thought of holding hands with Derek and of meeting his family. It was only for the holidays, though. What was the worst thing that could happen?

  Chapter Four

  After flipping on the light box, Derek laid out a piece of cartridge paper over the original sketch. Using a pastel pencil, he outlined the dog’s face, working carefully to avoid smudges.

  He’d received approval from his agent on penciled illustrations for the next book in his series. The tales he wrote of a boy and his dog had far surpassed his wildest dreams and had become an instant success. Derek had dreamed it up as an adolescent, during a time when he’d needed to escape. To this day, working on the story was one of the only ways to block out the racing thoughts that plagued him. Where was his mother now? Was she still alive? He’d considered hiring a private investigator many times but wasn’t sure how he’d react to finding her. She’d left him, after all.

  He heard the front door open and close downstairs and tried not to think of Izzy and their agreement, but it was nearly impossible. Part of him was relieved she’d jumped on board with the plan, but the other part still wanted solitude. The first week had crept by with overly polite conversation and manners. They shared meals together and kept to their own routines in between. Though it was awkward at times, it was the price of keeping his family from setting up speed dating in his living room on Christmas.

  When Derek had first told Izzy about the plan, she’d looked appalled at the idea of pretending to be his girlfriend. Then he’d mentioned the price tag, and everything had changed. Did she have serious financial issues, or did money always sway her moral code? For now, he’d give her the benefit of the doubt. Her clothes weren’t fancy, and she didn’t wear jewelry. The car she’d driven past his gate looked like it might crumble into a pile of rust at any moment. Plus, who would work over the holidays if they didn’t have to? She seemed down to earth, although many people hid behind a veil of deceit. His mother had been a pro at it. Izzy was the first woman in the house, besides his staff, since his mother had slipped out of his life. It was unsettling that they both shared an aura of innocence, and when Izzy leaned down and planted a kiss on the dog’s wet nose, it was like a flashback of his mother doting on his childhood mutt.

  Whoops of breathless laughter made him halt his sketching. Derek didn’t want to mess up the final piece and have to start over. He closed the door between his office and bedroom, picked up his pencil, and began peppering the paper with soft, feathery strokes. The sealed door wasn’t enough to drown out the gleeful yips and merriment going on outside. He spun around when he heard a soft thud against the house. He stalked to the window and looked out. Izzy was below, the hood of her red coat was pulled over her head, and dark hair spilled over the material. She was forming snowballs in her gloved hands and tossing them to Atticus, who bounced around like a giant bunny. When was the last time the dog had this kind of energy? Usually, his faithful companion didn’t leave his side, but since Izzy’s arrival, he’d turned traitor. Glittery flakes of snow began to drift down from the clouds, and she looked up with a smile stretched across her face. Derek was suddenly very aware of the steady thrum of his heart beating like a war march. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest.

  He stood at the window and brooded. If only Izzy would stop baiting the dog, he could get some goddamn work done and avoid looking down into the snow globe below. Each noise from outside was amplified by his growing annoyance. Why did he find her so appealing? A long, joyful howl vibrated against the windows, and he tossed the pencil down, walked to the edge of his room, and swung open the door.

  As he stomped down the long staircase, he muttered to himself. He’d never make his current deadline with those two screaming like banshees outside. He opened the front door, and icy air blasted into the room. Before he could get a word out, cold and wet mush covered his face and slid down his shirt onto his bare chest. Izzy’s hands flew up to cover her mouth, and a sheepish smile crept out from the corners.

  “What was that for?” he yelled and brushed away the cold snow.

  She lowered her hands to her sides and grinned. “Your move, Derek.”

  He planted his feet on the first step. “I don’t have time to play childish games. I have work to do, and if you could keep it down—” Another snowball struck him hard in the shoulder. Where had she gotten that arm? He was going to put an end to this once and for all. He plodded down the steps and scooped up a pile of snow. Pins and needles prickled over his skin as he formed a tightly packed ball. He pulled back his arm and launched it. A satisfactory thud told him it found its mark. He didn’t have time to look, as he was already forming a pile of ammunition at his feet. He’d drench her and retire to his room for the day in a haze of satisfaction after beating her at her own silly games.

  A shudder passed through his core as the wind blew around his thin sweater. With every movement, snow crept through the gaps in his shoes, soaking his socks. He’d been so distracted that he hadn’t bothered with the proper winter gear. It was too late to turn back now. If he went inside for a coat and gloves, Izzy would have all the time she
needed to prep fresh snowballs.

  As he was bent over, a clump of snow connected with the top of his head, but he didn’t let it slow him down. The woman had great aim, he’d give her that. Atticus hopped through the snow, yipping with excitement. Izzy chased after him. The two looked so ridiculous, he had to laugh. The sound was foreign, and he wondered how long it had been since he’d smiled. For a moment, her eyes met his, glowing, triumphant. His breath caught, and his body tensed. He wasn’t sure how long they stood there, eyes locked, but a message passed between them, strong and clear.

  She broke the gaze, dodged behind a bush, and reappeared with fresh ammunition. He wouldn’t let her win on his homestead. Forgetting his worries for the first time in years, he fell into the game, quickly piling up balls of snow and firing them at will. They threw and dodged and ducked until they were both soaked and gasping for air. Her laugh of pure joy rang in his ears, and something stirred inside his chest. She ran for cover at the edge of the forest, and he followed, still sending a hail of snowballs flying in her direction. One connected with the side of her face and caught her off guard, sending her into the snow. He jogged over to see if she was all right and extended his hand to her. Instead of getting up, she kicked out his legs and pulled him down with her. His shock gave her the opportunity to push to her knees and gain the upper hand. Izzy’s hair fell in a curtain around her face, as she smiled down at him.

  “I think we have a victor.” She spoke happily, her cheeks and lips rosy from the cold.

  “I wouldn’t be so sure.” His voice was hoarse and edged with danger. In one quick maneuver, he pinned her to the ground. Wet slush seeped through his pant legs, and his hands were buried in the snow above her head. Suddenly, the world around them melted away, and all he could focus on was the rise and fall of her chest beneath him. She stared into his eyes, unblinking. Izzy looked so innocent, so vulnerable. His nerve endings stirred and tingled. His hands slipped slightly in the snow, and the flutter of her heart drummed against his chest. The scent of her hair, lavender and vanilla, made his mouth go dry. Their lips were just inches from one another. He only had to angle his head to taste them.