He grinned as I smiled.
“I have a very good reason for being here.” He handed me the gorgeous bouquet of flowers. “These are for you, pretty lady and I’m not stalking, I’m admiring an old-friend-soon-to-be-wife and wooing her with my witty charm.”
I took the beautiful roses and breathed them in. I really hated him now.
“This is a bit of an unexpected surprise, Charlie, but thanks. They’re absolutely gorgeous…and not from the supermarket. They must’ve cost a hundred bucks.”
“Only the best for you.”
“I thought you were broke,” I scolded. “You could have given me that hundred as a down payment on the loan, you know.”
“Where would the fun have been in that?”
“Forget the fun. I could’ve paid my gas bill for the month. Hot water’s a lot more practical than roses.”
“I’m sure a girl like you could get into all kinds of hot water,” he teased with a wink, “but a beautiful girl like you needs to be spoiled with beautiful flowers.”
I winked back at him. “Well, don’t forget the chocolates next time.”
“They can’t possibly make chocolate sweeter than you and your smile.”
I stared at Charlie for a moment, and I noticed he was looking at me in a way he never had before.
We’d sparked some kind of connection last night and if I wanted to be honest, I’d come clean and tell him my dreams had been filled with our little encounter going a hell of a lot farther. He was looking at me as if I’d captured his undivided attention, like he was seeing me for the very first time. A shiver ran down my spine and a sudden want pooled low in my belly. I really needed to get laid more often. That’s all this was, had to be. It was pent-up lust and nothing more.
“Such a charmer,” I said, “and I bet you had no trouble charming Phoebe down a few bucks at the floral shop. She’s such a sucker for romance.”
“Wow. Am I really that transparent?” he asked and reached out a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers lingered on my ear, trailing down my neck before they fell away.
“What do you want? Are you going to propose to me again? Are you going to suggest that we take all the boring formality out of dating and just skip straight to the good stuff by hooking up on our honeymoon?”
“Hey, that’s not a half-bad idea.”
I playfully smacked him. “Charlie…”
“You think I’m a player.”
I chuckled. “Think? Honey, I know. Everybody knows. Your picture’s next to the word in the damn dictionary. The whole damn town knows and half of them have personal experience with it.”
“You shouldn’t base everything on an old reputation,” he argued and shoved his hands in his pockets. “Maybe I’ve changed. It’s been a dozen years since you last saw me. A lot can happen in that time.”
I raised my brows. “It hasn’t been quite twelve years, but it feels like it. But I still remember everything like it was yesterday. Do you remember the things you told me?”
“I remember confiding in you. You always gave me your advice, but you never judged.”
“Maybe I should’ve. You had three girlfriends at the same time for well over a month! Who does that?”
He had the decency to look sheepish for a moment as he shrugged his muscular shoulders, straining his t-shirt even tighter over his chest. “Okay, I admit I was a little wild, but—”
“A little? Charlie, rabbits were envious of you.”
“Fine. I’ll accept that, because I guess it was true about me then, but I really have changed.”
“Prove it. What’s been your longest relationship since you left Blue Ridge?”
He opened and closed his mouth quickly before he pulled out his fingers and counted under his breath. I worried for a minute that he actually had a relationship last a few years until he said, “A few months, but that’s not the point. I never stayed in one place long enough.”
“See? That proves nothing except that you’re still not ready to commit, even to a fake marriage. Two years is a long time to stick with something.”
“I can hack it. The question is, can you?”
“Why would I want to?” I asked.
“I can give you a half-million good reasons to commit to our fake nuptials.”
“I’m not really into that kind of intense role-playing. Bullshit doesn’t impress me much.”
“But just think of how much fun we could have pulling off a sham marriage? You were always my backup before, when I needed a fake date, fake girlfriend, or hell, a fake fling. You used to love stunts like this. We’re just upping the ante!”
He gripped the roses hard in his fist and stared at me, begging me to just say yes.
“That’s just it. Those were just stunts, practical jokes, and they were temporary.”
“This one will be too. I told you, I only have to stick it out for two years to fulfill the terms of the Will.”
“I’ve never pulled a stunt of this magnitude,” I said.
“Remember when you got all pissed off at Marcie Roberts and pretended to kiss me at that party, just to get back at her? Man, what a kiss!”
I nudged him. “Hey! I put my hand over your lips and kissed my own hand.”
“Well, it looked mighty convincing to everyone else.” He paused and looked at me with a very serious expression on his face. “Look, I really think we could be something great. By all logical standards, I’m the perfect companion for you. You already know I’m willing to talk, listen, and completely support you.”
“For two years? You’re quite the catch. Maybe I’ll throw you back and get someone who will keep me for a little longer. I mean what if I miss my chance to be with the one guy I’m meant to be with?”
There had to be a way out of this, but the longer we talked, the more this deal actually sounded like a good idea, but Charlie never settled down. He never kept one girl on his arm for long. Did I really want to risk putting up with that for two years? Having him betray me after he promised he wouldn’t?
“I know I’m not perfect, not by a long shot,” he said. “But I know without a doubt that the right guy is standing right in front of you.”
“For two years,” I reemphasized and his lips thinned. I had him there and even he couldn’t deny that point. “You’re quite the catch, but honestly, I don’t think I’m so bad myself. Maybe I’ll throw you back and fish for someone who’ll keep me a little longer.”
“You’re right. I’m an idiot. It’s crazy for me to even ask you to consider something so crazy. You’re a good girl, beautiful, smart and I don’t deserve someone like you,” he said and reached for my hand.
I gazed into his blue eyes and couldn’t help notice how the sunlight made them glitter. I wished I wasn’t still attracted to him, but I was and it only made everything worse. The chances of me actually finding my one true love anywhere were slim, especially if I could never get my ass out of this town. “You need to find the right girl to settle down with, and I don’t think you’re going to find her in a month, especially with, uh…limited resources in this town. She’ll come in good time. And I think she’s going to sweep you off your feet, but it’s not me, Charlie.”
“I don’t have time to wait for her. Time crunch, remember? The clock is ticking away.”
“Then you shouldn’t be wasting your time with me,” I insisted. “This town is your oyster, date away. Find the princess of your fairytale. Your Cinderella awaits.” I turned to finally head inside to work, but he reached out and took my arm, dragging me back toward him.
“Listen, I know my bullshit lines won’t work on you. You’ve always been able to see right through me so I’ll be blunt. We used to be great friends.”
“Charlie,” I said, looking down at my phone, “I’ve gotta clock in so I don’t get in trouble for being late. I can’t afford to get fired from this assignment. The clock is ticking.”
“Yeah, I know the feeling.”
“How can I he
lp you? And don’t say by putting a ring on my finger.”
“I have a proposal.”
“Yeah, but I’ve already turned it down.”
“Just hear me out.”
“I’m listening,” I said, tapping my foot impatiently.
“We’re friends, right?”
“Right.”
“Well, who says we can’t stay that way? We’ll both know the marriage is a big fucking scam, but I’ll give you two wonderful years, and I won’t cheat on you that whole time, not even once. I can promise a helluva ride—and I mean that literally, if that’s something you’re into. When it’s over, I’ll walk away after signing over a bunch of my money to you, and I won’t say one word to anybody about our little con, because the last thing I wanna do is screw up your reputation or make mine worse. We’ll just part as friends, and in the meantime, you’ll make me the happiest man on the planet.”
My jaw dropped. “Wow. That has to be the most romantic proposal I’ve ever heard,” I deadpanned.
“It comes with my heartfelt sincerity and expensive roses.”
“Expensive roses you probably got for free…and you didn’t even get down on one knee.”
“Are we really to the point of ordering each other to our knees already?” he joked.
“Not funny,” I said, though the idea did intrigue me.
He grabbed my hand. “Do you know what a half-million bucks could do for you?”
“And don’t forget the thousand,” I corrected.
“Right. It could change your entire world, Jaime.”
“Maybe, but I’m afraid we’d both suffer drastically in the process.”
“Not necessarily.”
I smirked and trailed a finger down his chest. “You mentioned a helluva ride. Are you putting sex on the table?”
“We both know how hot we are. By far, you’re the prettiest girl in this town. You really always have been. Besides, my last name would look glorious next to your first one. So, yes, I’m putting sex on the table because that’s what happily married couples do.”
“Haven’t you ever seen that movie, the one with that McDreamy actor in it?”
“Can’t Buy Me Love?”
“Exactly.”
“Well, haven’t you ever heard Tina Turner?” he retorted.
“Huh?”
“What’s Love Got To Do with It?”
“Very funny, Charlie.”
“Have you heard a word I’ve said? It’ll have nothing to do with love at all. It’ll just be…a business arrangement.”
Exactly why I didn’t want any part of it!
I chuckled. “Okay, well, thanks because now I feel like a prostitute.”
“Sorry. I’m always putting my foot in my mouth.”
“Kinky,” I teased.
“Very funny. It’s just… Well, I thought any girl would jump at that much money. I guess this isn’t going to be as easy as I thought.”
I playfully slugged him. “I don’t think it’s the money. It’s spending two years with you.”
“Ha! And here I’ve been thinking I’m a catch,” he said with a charming grin and a wink.
“Charlie, it’s not as easy as paying some chick an obscene amount of money.”
“What is it then?”
“Well, the truth is, I’d find it far too tempting.”
“Tempting?”
“Don’t play coy with me, Charlie. Everyone knows you’re good in bed, but the trouble would come when feelings get involved. You say you won’t cheat, but you’ll always be a flirt. I’d get jealous, and then we’ll end up fighting. I’ll say horrible things to you, and after the two years is up and we can finally put a cap on the divorce, we’ll never speak to each other again. Is any amount of money really worth that, worth losing a good friendship?”
He sighed. “We’ll part amicably. If there’s any woman who could pull this off with me, it’s you.” He winked. “For old times’ sake.”
“We don’t even know each other anymore,” I argued, grasping for straws.
“You say that now, but there are no guarantees.”
His intense eyes met mine. I remembered looking into those eyes and seeing my future with him. Yeah, I was quite the dreamer in high school. Everything was always more beautiful and vibrant when he was around me. When his eyes connected with mine, he always got what he wanted.
Not this time!
“We’ve always been friends, Jaime. Nothing will change that.”
“You said yourself that you’ve changed already. We don’t even know each other anymore.”
“So we can get to know each other again,” he said sadly, as if he already knew he’d been shot down. “We used to have a blast. Don’t you remember all the fun we had, all the trouble we got into?”
“Do I have to?”
He softly nudged me. “C’mon. You know it was great.”
“Great? Like the time when you crashed my car and—”
“Hey! I told you not to take the blame for it.”
“You didn’t have insurance…and you were drinking!”
“You always protected me before. Why not now?”
I wanted to say I wanted to have protection for a change. I wanted someone to be there for me and make all my problems go away, someone to lean on when the world crumbled around me, but doing it this way just felt wrong. As much as I always wanted Charlie to see me, he still waited too damn long. “You’re a grown man now. You don’t need me anymore.”
“I need you more than anything.”
“You’d say anything to snag a wife right about now.”
“I’ve always cared about you,” he added gentler, his thumb tracing circles on the back of my hand. I sucked in a deep breath and remembered to stay focused on what else Charlie made me feel. Anger, annoyance, rage at him abandoning me.
“You never even picked up the phone to call me,” I whispered and stared down at the ground. “I’ve always cared about you. That is one thing that’s never changed…and never will.”
“I was afraid to.”
“Afraid?”
“I felt guilty, Jaime. I stiffed you all that money, and—”
“So in other words, I paid you $1,000 to disappear? If that’s the case, it was the worst investment I ever made! Maybe I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
His grip tightened on my hand when I tried to pull away, he lifted my chin with his fingers until his blue gaze locked onto mine. “Sometimes I’d be stargazing at night wherever I found myself and I’d think about us. And I’d wonder what you were doing at that exact moment. I never forgot your birthday. Every August, I’d pick up the phone to call you on your birthday, but I chickened out every damn time.”
“You remembered my birthday?” I asked quietly. Why did he have to do this shit to me?
“How could I ever forget it? I used to think about you all the time, Jaime. I just couldn’t bring myself back to this small town.”
“A world traveler, huh?”
“Yeah, and I loved every single place I ever visited. The only thing missing was… Well, never mind.”
“I’m glad you went out and lived your dreams, traveled all around the world.”
“It’s funny. I never wanted to come back here, but now, when I look in your eyes, I can’t ever imagine leaving again.”
I wanted to believe him, but his reputation was against him so I said nothing.
“That is so sweet,” I said, but I wasn’t sure if he meant it or if he was just playing me, spinning the same sappy shit he spun to all the girls he wanted to bed down with. He was laying it on pretty thick, and I feared it was just because he needed my name on a wedding certificate so he’d later have his name on a big, fat check.
“I’ve missed you, Jaime. I truly have. You can break into my home anytime you want.”
“Promise not to tackle me against the wall and poke me with your sword?” I asked with a smirk.
“Shit. I am so sorry about that, but as for poking you…”
“Charlie!”
“Sorry,” he said, but his grin said he wasn’t.
“No, I should be the one apologizing. I broke into your home, and that was awful of me. I’m so sorry. Really.”
“It’s okay, but it is gonna cost me a few pennies to repair the wiring you cut. I guess your cut will have to be, uh…” He paused to use his fingers to count out the simple math. “I figure your cut will be a half-million plus $980, less whatever Home Depot charges for tax.”
I laughed and started to walk away. “I haven’t said yes, Charlie.”
“Not yet, but you will.”
“You think I’ll succumb to your charms?”
He winked. “Darling, I know you will.”
Chapter 6
The lady that was going to help me with Max’s therapy gave me plenty of exercises to do with him daily so I would only have to visit her once a week, if that. She had enough faith in me to know I could do it without her being there every step of the way. I planned on taking Max to swim, but the weather turned quick and I knew with that northerly wind gusting, the outdoor pool would be too damn cold for the little guy.
“I don’t know, Max,” I said, staring down at the puppy in my arms. “Maybe we won’t get to swim today…or maybe we will.”
For the few brief moments I’d been at Charlie’s house, I swore I caught sight of a window toward the rear of the house that led to a pool. An indoor pool maybe, or heated at least. I sighed, not wanting to put myself in the line of Charlie’s charm again, but Max needed his therapy and I promised I’d get him to walk again. I didn’t call Charlie, but grabbed my bikini, towels, threw on some jeans and sweater, then headed out to the car. A few minutes later, holding my little puppy, I knocked on his door and wondered what he would do to me this time.
He opened it after the second knock, leaning in the doorway with a grin. “I knew you’d come back. It seems we have much to discuss. Including adopting a dog?” he said, nodding at Max.
Begging for Bad Boys Page 126
