Hot as Sin (Contemporary Romance Box Set)

by Katherine Lace

  This is not the way I wanted this conversation to go. Especially since I never wanted to have this conversation at all. “Just forget it.”

  “Forget it?” Her eyes are wide again. “She was your sister. This is a big part of you and Thor’s history. If you’re still upset, he’s going to know it.”

  She shifts in her chair, her knees bumping against my leg. A vivid rush of heat grips my chest as my gaze snaps to her thick thighs. I imagine my hands sliding underneath to grab her ass and drag her over my lap. I look into her eyes, which are still widened with shock. Then I lean in ever so slightly, breathing in the scent of her. “If you kiss me, I promise not to be sad anymore.”

  For a second I think I see little flames erupting in those dark pools. I feel her body burning for me. The tension’s damn near choking me out of the room. Then her parted lips suddenly shut into a firm line.

  I smile. “Just trying to lighten things up. You know, ease the sexual tension that’s got your legs crossed so tight.”

  She uncrosses them, her nostrils flaring at the word sexual. Then she fixes me a glare still simmering with heat, like I’m playing around with her. But I can tell she’s not going to let this go.

  “Lacey had cancer. She was in so much pain at the end that it was almost a relief to let her go. I know it was a relief to her. The family let her make all those decisions—put her in hospice, palliative care, ended the treatments when she said it was time… We had a long time to get used to the idea she was going to be gone.”

  “But you still miss her.”

  “Of course I do. She was my sister.” I take in a long breath, let it out slowly. “She left a big space behind. And her goddamn cat.”

  Maddy actually manages a slight smile at that, but then she frowns again. I can tell she’s rolling something around in her head, thinking, trying an idea on for size.

  “What?” I ask.

  “You need help in a big way.” She says it firmly, like she thinks I’m going to argue with her. I’m not. She’s so right. She has no idea how right she is.

  I laugh. It’s a little brittle. “You could put it that way.”

  Still looking very pensive, Maddy continues, “I think I can help you, but I need more.”

  “I can pay you more. Or I can take my shirt off and fix more shit for you. I can be your eye-candy repairman.”

  She frowns. “Something else.”

  Uh-oh. “Like what?”

  “I need a fake boyfriend.”

  Right after she says it, she winces, like she can’t believe the words just came out of her mouth. Frankly I can’t believe they did, either. I give her a long look, taking in that round, pretty face, her big green eyes, her messy, reddish hair that I want to fist.

  Her boyfriend.

  No, wait. Her fake boyfriend. Important distinction there. “Is this a role-play thing? That could be hot.”

  “No, no, listen for a sec.” She scoots so close to the edge of the chair I’m pretty sure she’s going to fall over on her face right onto her kitchen floor. “I was accepted into vet school. I can’t afford it by myself, so I need a loan. And I can’t get a loan because my credit is shit because my ex was also shit.”

  She pauses. I nod without interrupting. I’m following so far—I’ll hear her out.

  “I asked my parents to cosign on my loan, but they won’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because they think Christopher needs a father figure. As far as they’re concerned, I’m doing everything wrong, and the only way I’ll ever be able to pull my life together and raise my child and accomplish anything is if I find a man.”

  I can only stare at her for a second. She’s younger than I am; surely her parents can’t be so old that they think that’s how the world works. Actually, on second thought, it’s completely impossible since the world hasn’t worked that way since medieval times at least. If ever.

  Still, maybe they have a point. “Maybe you do need a man. You might be less uptight.”

  That sets her off. Those green flames go off in her eyes, and I can only smirk at the fact that she’s so easy to set off. I wonder if it’s that easy in bed. “I do not need a man. I’m doing just fine. Christopher’s dad was nothing more than a sperm donor, then he hiked off to who knows where and left me dealing with the baby and the bills and everything the hell else. I sure as hell don’t need that again.”

  “So if I say yes to this, what do I get?” Might as well get all the details out on the table.

  She doesn’t hesitate for a second, which makes me wonder how long she’s been thinking about this. Instead she starts ticking points off on her fingers. “I’ll take care of Thor, clean the house, clean the litter box, vacuum, dust, cook…whatever you want.”

  I have to admit, her offer is intriguing. “And what do I have to do?”

  “I just need you to come to some family things—dinner, maybe a holiday thing or something at some point. Just…do things my boyfriend would do.”

  “Does that include all the things your boyfriend would do?”

  She makes a scoffing sound, her face going pink. “Of course not. That’d be too much to ask.”

  Maybe she thinks I’m not good enough for her. That thought gets my hackles up. “You’re asking an awful lot for me to just get housecleaning services. I don’t need a maid. If I did I’d just go hire one off the Internet. I think I need a little more out of this deal.”

  The redness on her face has spread to her ears. “I don’t—”

  I wave her off. I’m not interested in turning this into a negotiation for fucking. If I get into her pants, it’s going to be the right way, not because of some kind of barter transaction. “If I have to go to your horrible family reunions or whatever, then you need to go to mine, too. Somebody besides me should have to suffer through Aunt Mabel’s goddamn goulash.”

  Her mouth tightens, then she nods, her face gradually fading back to its normal color. “Okay. Fine.” She sticks her hand out.

  I take it, chuckling, and give it a solid shake. Her hand is warm and small in mine.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “It just seems overly formal considering we just negotiated to be each other’s fake dates.”

  She slides her hand away. “You’d like to suggest something else?”

  “Maybe we should kiss on it?”

  The blush comes back. I like it. Making her blush is almost as fun as making her plant her hands on her hips in that way she has.

  “This is not a romantic arrangement,” she says crisply. “This is entirely a business transaction. I thought I made that clear.”

  “Not really.”

  “Maybe I should write up a contract?” Her eyes are flashing again, and I take it all back. This is way more fun than watching her blush. When she blushes, she’s embarrassed, and I don’t like making her feel bad. This, though… It’s a turn-on. Big time.

  “I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”

  “I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.”

  “No, I got it. Hands off. Pretend boyfriend. No tongue. That kind of thing.”

  “All right. Just so we’re clear.”

  “We’re clear.” Very clear. In that it’s very clear that I’m going to have to try to change her mind about some of those restrictions.

  Glancing up at the clock on the wall, she stands. “I need to get going. I’m supposed to work at the vet’s office this afternoon, and I need to get Christopher over to my sister’s.”

  With a decisive nod, I stand, too. “Great. I’ll pick you up after work, then. Five o’clock?”

  She blinks at me, uncomprehending. “Pick me up? Why?”

  I shrug, as if it’s obvious. “Some of the guys are getting together tonight for drinks. You’re my fake girlfriend now. I want to show you off.”

  “Okay, fine, whatever.”

  She starts to move toward the door, herding me that way. “Wait. Before I leave, do you need any more work done? Pictures
hung? Plumbing? Sticky windows? Anything like that?”

  Again, she looks perplexed. “No. Why?”

  “I need to take care of all your repair needs now that I’m your boyfriend.”

  “Oh, for God’s sake.” She waves me toward the door. “Fake boyfriend. Quit acting like it’s more than it is.”

  I open the brand-new door and am pleased by the way it opens, smoothly and silently. I do good work. “Well, honey, be sure to let me know if you need anything taken care of. I’ll be right over with my toolbox.”

  She’s still giving me a look when I lean forward and kiss her cheek. Her skin is soft, and I want so badly to shift my lips to the side and take her mouth.

  But I don’t. I’m just a fake boyfriend. At least for now.

  I give her a smile and head out, making sure she locks the door behind me.

  6

  Maddy

  Maddy

  It’s a few minutes past five, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous in my life. Aside from the day I went into labor, that is. I know it isn’t a real date, and it certainly won’t be anything as stressful as shoving a baby out of my body, but I’m still so self-conscious I can barely stand still.

  Calm down, Madison. Get a grip. It’s not even a real date. Jesse isn’t even my real boyfriend. It’s just drinks with some firemen. It’ll be fine.

  My phone buzzes with a text message, and I nearly jump out of my skin. I dig it out of my back pocket. It’s from Jesse.

  On my way, honey buckets! This is followed by a string of heart emojis, some with glittery effects. I roll my eyes.

  “Didn’t know what you were getting into, did you?” I mutter. Though there should have been a clue or two.

  I tug again at my denim jacket. I didn’t know what to wear, but I assumed from what Jesse said that I’d be uncomfortable in the business casual garb I usually wear at work. So I changed clothes in the bathroom, and now I’m wearing faded jeans and a denim jacket over a black T-shirt emblazoned with the logo for Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. It seems subtler than a Wolverine tee, and anybody who’s not really into X-Men won’t get it, anyway. It’s sort of stealth-geeky. I’ve got my hair down, and I touched up my makeup a little. I think I look pretty good, but at the same time I wonder exactly who I’m prettying up for.

  A big red truck pulls up in front of the vet’s office, and Jesse gets out. It’s a very shiny truck. Also very large. As he comes around the front of it to meet me, I catch full sight of him and my breath catches in my throat. How does he do that to me every damn time?

  He’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt, too, with a plaid button-down tossed over it. He’s also got on cowboy boots, which is damn sexy. His hair’s tousled, his face not-quite clean shaven. He’s just… God. What the hell is a guy like that doing pretending I’m his girlfriend? Surely he could find a real girlfriend who’s not a single mom covered in stretch marks.

  He gives me a once-over, too, and I steel myself for whatever funny-to-him-but-not-so-much-to-me comment he’s going to come up with. But all he says is, “Nice! Lookin’ hot, Mads.”

  “Thank you,” I answer, sure he’s just yanking my chain. That seems to be his specialty. “You too.”

  “Ah, this old thing?” He makes an exaggerated gesture at his outfit. “Just something I threw on.”

  Shaking my head, I start toward the truck. He opens the door for me then offers his hand to help me step up into the cab. It’s a nice gesture, especially since the cab is pretty high and I actually need the boost.

  “So where are we going?” I ask as he starts the truck up again.

  “Just a local hangout.” He swings the truck out into the street, and I notice the size of his hands on the wheel. They’re so big—I’ve noticed this before, of course, but it’s really hitting me right now for some reason. Big palms, long fingers, calluses, scabs on a couple of knuckles. It’s…manly. Hot as hell. I remember those hands on me, even though they were gloved at the time, and my body goes crazy for a second.

  I clear my throat, trying to get my brain and my libido back under control. “Why did you decide it was important for me to come? Is it a party or something?”

  “Nope. We get together a couple times a month just to hang out.” He slides me a glance, then his attention goes back to the road. “Ever since Lacey passed, the guys have been trying to fix me up. To get my mind off my troubles. I haven’t been able to follow through on any dates because of the cat, and I honestly haven’t been that interested, anyway.”

  I find that hard to believe. He seems like the kind of guy who’d be interested in about any woman he could get his hands on. “I see.”

  “My coworkers have horrible taste in women.” He chuckles. “Anyway. I thought it’d be nice to get them off my back. Show them I’ve got some suitable female companionship and they can stop trying to hook me up with so-and-so’s cousin, or what’s-his-name’s sister or whatever.”

  “No interest at all?”

  “Not really. Some of them are cute enough. I just don’t feel like getting serious with anybody right now, and a one-night stand isn’t going to make me feel any better about Lacey, you know?”

  He gives me another sidelong glance, this one more furtive, and I get the sense he’s being sincere, here.

  “I can understand that.” I’m pleased that our deal isn’t as one way as I thought it was going to be. He actually will get some benefit from our fake romance aside from me cleaning his house and training his cat.

  He pulls up in front of a sketchy-looking bar that is apparently our destination. He must catch me giving it the stink-eye, because he says, “It’s not as bad as it looks, I promise. Their burgers are actually really damn good.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.”

  I start to get out of the truck on my own, but he comes around to help me down before I quite get myself situated for the jump. When my feet hit the pavement, he doesn’t let go, instead tucking my hand into his elbow and pulling me close. My breath quickens, and I can suddenly feel my heartbeat pattering at the base of my throat. Goose bumps ripple up and down my spine. For a second I can almost believe this is real. That he actually wants to be with me.

  Jesse stops walking and looks down at me, not letting go of my hand. “You’re nervous?”

  “A little,” I admit, though I’m not sure why I am. “I haven’t been out with a guy in a really long time. Not even on a fake date.”

  He bends a little closer. “I can just kiss you now and get it over with. Will that help?”

  I should have known he’d say something like that. “No, that’s fine. Let’s just go inside.”

  The place looks a bit less sketchy inside—long, wooden tables, brightly polished stainless steel on the bar. There’s a group of young men in a corner, and they wave at Jesse as we come in. I recognize a couple of them from the fire, and suddenly realize they’ve seen me in nothing but a towel. Great.

  I get a couple of smiles as we approach the table, but nothing inappropriate, which is a relief. Except for one guy, who looks a little older than most of the others. The look he gives me isn’t lewd, but it’s not pleasant. Or maybe he’s looking at Jesse. It’s hard to be sure. I decide he’s just one of those people who hates everything, and let it go.

  “Chief King!” One of the guys comes to his feet and shakes Jesse’s hand heartily. “Who’s your friend?”

  “This is Madison,” Jesse says. “Maddy, this is Whitaker.”

  “Joseph,” he corrects, and Jesse looks at him in astonishment.

  “Dude! You have a first name? I had no idea.”

  Whitaker just slaps him on the shoulder and laughs. It’s genuine—he doesn’t seem insulted or annoyed at all. It occurs to me that the smart-assedness Jesse displays might just be the way he is, rather than something he does specifically to piss me off.

  He introduces me to all the rest of the guys around the table, though I know there’s no way I’ll remember all their names. I’ll remember
Whitaker, because he was first. And I’ll remember Curry, because he’s the one who’s looking at me with a healthy dose of disdain. I try not to take it personally, since he’s giving the same look to Jesse. Obviously there’s something going on there. I wonder if Jesse realizes this guy seriously hates him.

  Finally we settle into some chairs at the table and order drinks and a couple of appetizers to add to the collection already making the rounds of the table. Whitaker’s sitting next to us, which is okay with me. He seems nice. Like the rest of the guys at the table, he’s young and good-looking, which is intimidating, but he also has an air about him that reminds me of a lost puppy.

  “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend,” Whitaker says. “You haven’t said anything.”

  Jesse shrugs it off. “We haven’t been going out that long. I just figured it was time to introduce her to all you losers. If she sticks around after this…” He lets the sentence trail off while he gives me a meaningful look. Like he’ll be heartbroken if meeting his coworkers makes me dump his sorry ass.

  I move a little closer. “Oh, honey, don’t worry. I’m tougher than that.”

  He grins and puts his arm around me. “I knew it. See?” he adds to Whitaker, as well as a couple other guys who are paying attention to the conversation. “I knew she was a keeper.”

  “So how did you guys meet?” This is one of the other men, who looks like he stepped into the bar right after a GQ photo shoot. I’m starting to wonder why any of them would believe Jesse and I are a couple. He’s big and gorgeous, and I’m…me.

  “Funny story,” Jesse says with a glint in his eye, and I suddenly realize he’s going to tell the truth. Probably a good idea, since there are at least a couple of guys here who saw me that night. “Remember that apartment fire? The one where the older couple left the heating pad on?”

  There are nods around the table.

  “I rescued her ass from that fire.”

  “You did not,” I respond automatically. “My apartment wasn’t even smoky. I would have been fine.”