Sweet Deal

Chapter Two

“That’s crazy,” she breathed, still staring at him.

“Yeah, it kind of is.” He grinned. “But what the hell. Maybe it’ll get him to back off once and for all if he sees you with someone else.”

“You don’t have to do that. You don’t even know me.”

Well, he wasn’t going to insist. He was almost regretting making the wacky offer, so if she didn’t want to do it, fine. “Whatever.” He shrugged. “I’m not busy this weekend. But if you have some other way of dealing with it…”

“I don’t.” She sighed again. Golden eyebrows slanted down over those sexy eyes. “I just feel bad. It seems like a lot to ask of a complete stranger.”

“Hey, we’re not complete strangers. We see each other here every day. You know I have a steady job at least, and I’m not likely an axe murderer.” He smiled and the answering smile that spread across her face warmed him inside. Damn, she was gorgeous. No wonder her boss was hot for her. Who wouldn’t be?

But you had to have some kind of ethics in the business world. In a way, it would make him happy to piss off this guy who was being a dick to such a nice girl.

“Saturday. Four o’clock. At Pacific Park.”

“Should we meet there?”

She thought about that. “We should probably arrive together.”

“Give me your address. I’ll pick you up.”

She hesitated.

“Okay, never mind.” He smiled reassuringly so she’d know he wasn’t a serial rapist or something. “We’ll meet somewhere else and then go together. How’s that?”

“Um. Okay.”

“Let’s exchange phone numbers,” he said. She gave him her cell phone number and he punched it into his phone, and then she did the same with his. They arranged a meeting place and time.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” she said with a little laugh.

Jake shrugged and smiled. “Like I said, hopefully it will get him off your back.”

She nodded. “I should get back to the office.”

“Yeah. Me too.”

They both stood, picking up empty coffee cups that they tossed into the trash as they made their way through the other tables and onto the sidewalk.

“Good luck,” he said, and resisted the urge to reach out and move a strand of hair that had drifted across her face. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Jake.”

They turned and walked in opposite directions down Sierra Street, but when Jake glanced back at her over his shoulder, she was looking back too. His chest got a funny feeling inside it and he lifted a hand in a casual wave before striding down the sidewalk away from her.

Shelby.

Huh. He’d just wanted a quick break from the monotony of work and ended up with a date.

No. Not a date. He was doing a good deed, helping a damsel in distress. A smile tugged at his mouth. Him, doing a good deed? But hey, she was hot and cute. Spending a few hours with her wouldn’t be a hardship. He didn’t do relationships after the disaster his last one had turned out to be. Ironically, the only relationship he’d ever really had. Thinking about how his girlfriend and his best friend had betrayed him still made his gut cramp. He’d been an idiot to get involved with someone. He knew anyone he cared about would leave eventually. That’s why he was the one who left. Always. And he planned to continue that way.

But man, there was some kind of spark between him and Shelby. They’d made eye contact lots of times, awareness shifting between them. Maybe he would’ve asked her out at some point. Maybe this was a perfect excuse.

“What’s wrong with boinking the boss?” Shelby’s friend Myra demanded. She sat across the table from Shelby in the tiny sushi restaurant where the two of them, along with Shelby’s two other best friends, Riley and Kiara, had just finished dinner on Friday evening. “Where else are you going to meet men at our age, when you spend more time at the office than you do anywhere else?”

“You don’t really believe there’s nothing wrong with it,” Kiara said mildly to Myra. “It’s a bad idea. Isn’t it, Riley?”

Riley twirled a strand of brown hair around one finger. “Well. It could be a bad idea. But Myra is right in one way.” She shrugged and narrowed her exotic dark eyes. “It’s hard to meet men. Once you’re out of school or college, where else are you going to meet them?”

“That’s right.” Myra smiled. “Forty percent of people have had office romances.”

Shelby shook her head. Myra and her numbers and stats and spreadsheets. “I don’t want an office romance. Especially with my boss. Look what happened to me at RBM,” she pointed out, her stomach going tight at the memory.

“You just got involved with the wrong guy,” Myra said, tossing her auburn hair behind her shoulder.

“I don’t want to do that again,” Shelby replied, frowning at the chopsticks she was turning over in her fingers. “I lost my job over it last time. Plus had my heart broken. And besides, Andrew is married. That makes him totally off limits, even if he wasn’t my boss. Not happening.”

“Dating the boss is tricky,” Myra conceded. “And okay, yeah, a married man is a big no.”

“I also really, really want to keep this job,” Shelby said, leaning forward. “I had a hard time finding it and I really like it there. I don’t want to piss him off.”

“Well,” Myra said. “You don’t have to sleep with him. Just…take advantage of his interest.”

Shelby shifted her gaze to Riley then Kiara. They too exchanged glances. Then Shelby snorted. “I can’t do that.”

“He just gave you a primo project,” Myra pointed out. “He gave you tickets to Riverdance. He lets you leave early whenever you need to. There are all kinds of advantages to having a boss who wants to boink you.”

“Myra!”

“You know what I’m saying. And you said this project could lead to a lot of attention from the big shots. Maybe a big promotion. Take advantage of it.”

Shelby frowned. “Yes, I want to hang on to my job. But not that way!”

“I get it, Shelby,” Riley said with a sympathetic smile. “You want to be judged on your work.”

“Yes! Exactly. I just want to do a good job.”

“And you don’t want people talking about you.”

“Yeah. Like at RBM. Apparently they used to make bets on how long it would take Mark to leave after I did every night.” Bitterness edged Shelby’s voice. Her fingers tightened on the chopsticks.

Riley reached out and covered Shelby’s hand, giving it a brief squeeze. Riley still worked at RBM Pharmaceuticals, which was where they’d met and become friends, so she knew all the ugly details of that debacle. “I understand why you don’t want people talking like that. And Mark’s an asshole. There are already rumors about him and the new girl.”

Shelby grimaced. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

“We tried to tell you…” Kiara began.

Shelby groaned. “I don’t need another lecture about my pathetic love life.”

She knew they did it because they cared about her, but she’d heard enough of her friends’ analysis of all her romantic disasters, even as far back as high school when Myra had been her best friend. Myra, the analyzer. “And I can’t believe you’re telling me to take advantage of Andrew’s interest in me,” she said to Myra with growing heat. “What kind of friend are you? That’s exactly what I would have done in the past, all desperate for male attention!”

Riley intervened. “Shelby, you know you can’t take half the stuff that Myra says seriously.”

Myra sat back in her chair. “Yeah. You’re right. Sorry, Shelby. I wasn’t serious. I didn’t think you’d get so worked up about it.”

Maybe she was a little oversensitive about the issue. And she should know Myra didn’t always think about what she said. She was a great actuary, but not always so great with people, even though she had a good heart.

“Telling your boss you have a boyfriend was a great idea,” Kiara said, taking pity on Shelby, no doubt, and diverting the conversation. Shelby sent her a grateful smile, watching her friend sip her soda.

“It won’t work,” Myra stated.

Shelby lifted a brow. “Why not?”

“If he’s married, he’s a cheater. He’s not going to worry about you cheating on your boyfriend.”

Damn. She could have a point there.

“And the other problem is you don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Well, actually…I do.”

All three women gaped at her, mouths open wide enough to drive a truck in.

Shelby laughed. She loved when she could shock the unshockable Myra, who’d say and do just about anything.

“Shut the front door!” Myra said.

“Well. Not really.” Shelby had to relent and tell the truth. She related what had happened at the coffee shop earlier in the week with Jake.

“He offered to pretend to be your boyfriend?” Riley asked.

“Yes.”

A broad grin broke out on Myra’s face. “Wow. There’s a new pick-up line.”

Shelby still couldn’t believe she was doing something so ridiculous. She was sure she’d read a dozen romance novels where a man and woman pretended to be boyfriend and girlfriend, or even husband and wife for some crazy reason, but stuff like that didn’t happen in real life. Not with a freakin’ gorgeous guy like Jake.

“Maybe he was just kidding and he’s not going to show up.” And if he didn’t, that was probably just as well, because she had no idea if they were going to pull this off. They didn’t even know each other, for god’s sake!

“Why would he do that?” Riley asked.

“I have no idea.” Shelby grimaced.

“I’m telling you, he’s hot for you!” Myra grinned. “So what does this guy look like?”

“He’s really tall, and big.” Shelby licked her lips, warming inside just thinking about how Jake looked. “He has dark hair and eyes.”

“That doesn’t tell us much,” Myra said, with her usual let’s-just-get-to-the-point impatience. “Is he hot?”

“Yeah.” Shelby frowned. “Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“He’s kind of…scary.”

“Scary?”

She hitched one shoulder and looked down at her drink. “He’s really good-looking, but whenever I see him, he looks really serious. Intense.”

Myra looked disappointed.

“Wait. I thought you just met him,” Riley said.

“Er…well, we’ve seen each other before. Chatted a little in the coffee line-up. You know.”

“Uh-huh.”

“So he looks like a stick-in-the-mud,” Myra said.

“No, no! Not like stick-in-the-mud serious. Just like someone who’s maybe had some hard times. Maybe been hurt.”

“Ooh.” They all nodded, feminine interest piqued by that. “Interesting.”

“But he has a nice smile, and when we talked he was really listening. Not fake listening, you know? You can tell when people aren’t really paying attention. He’s always dressed to the nines. Expensive suits. Gorgeous ties.”

Myra lifted a brow. “Gay?”

“No!” Shelby would stake her life on that. “Not even metrosexual. Just very…well-groomed.”

“That is metro.”

Shelby had to laugh. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t go for manicures and pedicures. Although, he might use styling products in his hair.”

“Well then, this is perfect!” Myra leaned forward.

“It’s not real, My,” Shelby reminded her. “He’s just doing me a favor.”

Her cell phone buzzed in her purse and she reached for it without thinking. She blinked at the call display. Jake. As if he were someone who actually belonged in her contacts list so his name popped up when he phoned.

“It’s him.” She looked up at her friends.

The other three women made little noises of surprise and pleasure. The phone buzzed again as she studied it. Was he calling to cancel?

“Answer it!” Riley urged her.

Taking a deep breath she answered the call. “Hello.”

“Hi. Shelby?”

“Yep, it’s me.”

“Jake here. From the coffee shop the other day.”

“I know.” She smiled. “How are you?”

“Good. Listen. I was thinking about tomorrow…”

He was canceling. And damned if a small wave of disappointment didn’t wash over her.

“And if we want to fool your boss into thinking we actually have a relationship, we might need to know a little more about each other. So I thought maybe we should get together for a drink.”

“Uh…when?” She sat up straight, her mind racing.

“Tonight. In an hour? Or is that too short notice?”

She looked at her friends around the table all watching expectantly. “I’m with my friends right now. We just finished dinner.”

“Oh.”

“Let me just check with them about any plans for tonight.” She lowered the cell phone down beside her chair and whispered, “He wants to meet for a drink. Tonight!”

“Go!” they all said in unison.

“We’re done here,” Riley added. “And we didn’t have anything else planned for tonight.”

“I’m just going home,” Kiara said, folding her hands over her six-months-pregnant belly. “Adam’s not feeling well tonight. So go!”

Shelby bit her lip, studied Kiara’s serene face, her soft, brown hair lying on her shoulders, and briefly worried about the mention of Kiara’s husband not being well. Seven months ago Adam had been diagnosed with cancer and given only a few months to live. Only thirty-three years old, it was tragic. He and Kiara had demonstrated amazing strength and determination and love since then. They’d made some difficult choices that Shelby and her other friends had questioned among themselves, though never to Kiara’s and Adam’s faces. They were living the rest of Adam’s life the way they wanted to, even though things were going to be difficult for Kiara.

Then she lifted the phone to her ear again. “Okay, that works,” she said to Jake. “And you’re right, it would be a good idea.”

“There’s a little bar on the corner of Juniper and Sequoia. Amigos. Let’s meet there.”

“I know it. Sure.” She glanced at her watch. More insanity. “About nine o’clock?”

“Yeah. That sounds good.”

She lowered her phone to the table and gulped. Holy crap. Her body quivered.

“He thinks we should know a little more about each other so we can be convincing tomorrow.”

Myra folded her arms and leaned back in her chair, smirking. “See?”

Shelby scowled, her insides all fluttery. “I see nothing.”

“Well, he’s not going to stand you up,” Kiara said in her gentle manner. “If he wants to see you tonight.”

“This is not a date. Tomorrow is not a date either. He’s doing me a favor, probably because he feels sorry for me.”

And she wasn’t looking for a real boyfriend, anyway. She’d had enough of guys who’d only been interested in one thing. And it wasn’t her mind. She was entirely focused on her career, putting in long hours to prove she was able to take on all these assignments and projects Andrew kept giving her. She was determined to make a success of this job after what had happened with her last one.

In a way, it really pissed her off that she had to go to such lengths to get her damn boss off her back and let her be successful at her career on her own merits. Geez. Why did things have to be so freakin’ complicated?

“Yeah. Sorry for you. I’m sure that’s how he’s feeling,” Myra said, still smirking.

“Oh crap.” Shelby blew out a breath. “Don’t even start. You know my track record with men.”

“Oh, Shelby. You can’t let what happened with Mark turn you against all men.”

“It wasn’t just Mark.” She rolled her eyes. “And you know it.” A knot of pain lodged in her chest. In the past, she’d had the unfortunate tendency to fall into bed with guys. To equate sex with affection. And to then be hurt when she never heard from them again. Dammit.

“She has had a string of bad luck,” Kiara said to the other women.

“I know,” Riley said. “If we looked like her, we’d probably have the same problem. Instead of guys lining up outside my door, I can’t even find one guy to go out with.” She sighed dramatically.

“That is not true, Riley.” Shelby shook her head. “You’re just too picky.”

Riley snorted. “Yeah. Right.”

“You are. No guy ever meets your high expectations. Anyway.” Shelby leaned down and picked up her purse from the floor. “I better go. I need to change.”

“Shelby!” Riley exchanged amused glances with Myra and Kiara. “Why are you going home to change? It’s not a date!”

Shelby pressed her lips together, glad they’d already taken care of the bill so she could escape. “I know, but…but…oh never mind.” With a scowl she couldn’t stop from tipping up into a smile, she waved a hand as she hurried out of the restaurant.

Amigo’s was a fun, casual place, and she didn’t want to show up there in her suit and silk blouse. She took a mental inventory of her wardrobe as she drove home. Her new jeans, the flowery pink and blue top and her favorite shoes, the dusty-pink stilettos—that’s what she’d wear. Then she planned her time, something she was very good at, quickly coming up with a plan of action that would get her out the door, dressed, hair and makeup done, and to the bar by nine o’clock.

She did it, of course. Her anal tendencies—no, she was supposed to call it detail oriented—were what made her such an excellent project manager. She walked into Amigos at exactly nine o’clock and looked around the dimly lit bar for Jake.

He was there, sitting at a table for two in the back. She started toward him before he saw her, taking the opportunity to admire him—his strong jaw with that sexy dimple right in the middle, his chiseled nose and cheekbones. He was probably nearly a foot taller than her five foot two, and wide through the shoulders. He wore his dark brown hair long on top, artfully messy, with neat sideburns. He had a definite presence, an air of masculine confidence, but he sat there staring into space looking almost sad.

Her footsteps slowed. His expression tugged at something inside her.

An axe murderer. She smiled as she recalled his comment. Yes, she’d been cautious when he’d suggested picking her up at her home, because really, she didn’t know him from a hole in the ground, but she had no doubts he was an upstanding citizen—professional, successful, judging by the quality of the suit he’d had on, the Baume & Mercier watch on his wrist, the hi-tech phone he carried. He was well spoken, confident, and dammit, sexy as hell.

He looked up and spotted her, and the lost boy look changed into a warm, sexy smile that had her tummy fluttering.

Uh-uh. So not happening.

But she couldn’t help smiling in return as she dropped into the other chair at the table and hung her soft leather purse over the arm rest.

“Hi.” He held a beer between two hands. “I already ordered, but we’ll find the waiter and get you something right away. What would you like?”

“Um. A glass of wine, I guess. Chardonnay.”

Jake lifted a hand, and someone came over immediately. A pretty waitress with an eager smile for him. Sure. Shelby would just bet he got great service wherever he went, especially from females.

“So,” he said, after he’d ordered her wine. “I guess we need to get to know each other.”

“Yes.” She glanced at her watch. “We should be able to cover a lot of the basics pretty quickly.”

He grinned. “Efficient, aren’t you?”

She gave him a pleased smile. “Yes I am. Efficient is my middle name.”

“I’ll remember that tomorrow if someone asks me.”

She laughed and held up her hands. “Okay, okay. My middle name is really Rose. What’s yours? And what’s your last name, by the way?”

“Yeah, last names would be good to know.” He shook his head and smiled ruefully. “Jacob James Magill. I’m thirty years old; I’m a Senior Business Analyst and team leader at Coast Power Inc. Single, never married. I enjoy basketball and hockey—playing and watching—I’m a triathlete and I like to play Texas Hold’em with my friends.”

She laughed again. “You sound like a singles ad.”

He grinned. “Those are the basics. Now you.”

“Shelby Rose Leighton. I’m a project manager, as you know. I’m twenty-eight years old, and I could probably kick your butt at Texas Hold’em.”

His grin nearly melted her panties. “In your dreams, blondie.”

She shifted in her seat, feeling very warm and charmed by his easy teasing and sexy smile. “There’s something we have in common if anyone asks.”

“Favorite food?” he asked.

“Ice cream. I live for ice cream. Butter pecan is my favorite. You?”

“Steak. Well, any kind of beef. Rare.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Eeew.”

“Are you vegetarian?”

“No, I eat meat, I just don’t like to see blood on my plate. Favorite drink?” She nodded at the beer in his hand.

“Yup, this is it. Surf Coast Pale Ale. Yours?”

She lifted her wine glass with a smile. “Though I’m pretty addicted to caffeine.”

“Another thing in common,” he said. “So if anyone asks, that’s where we met, right? Java the Hut.”

“Right. Over our mutual appreciation of fine coffee. Um…family? Parents? Brothers? Sisters?”

A shadow darkened his eyes briefly, and she caught a glimpse of pain and vulnerability that made her insides soften and warm. Then the corners of his mouth turned up. “I have three sisters.”

Her eyes widened. “Omigod. Really?”

“You bet. I’m the youngest. They tortured me with unbelievable cruelty when we were kids. Curled my hair, painted my nails.”

She choked on a laugh and eyed his large masculine shape. “That seems very unbelievable.”

“I wasn’t always this size.” One big shoulder lifted and the smile still hovered on his lips. “There was a time when all three of them were bigger than me. No longer, I’m happy to say, and they don’t get away with that shit anymore.”

She sensed the affection for his sisters in his tone and dammit, she liked it. She liked the confidence he had in himself and his masculinity to share something like that with her.

“They’re all married now and I have eight nieces and nephews.”

She tipped her head to one side. “Holy crap. That must make for some crazy family get-togethers.”

“Well. We don’t get together that much.” He looked down at his beer, then back up. “We kind of lost touch when I was about fourteen. My mom left and took my sisters with her.”

Shelby could only blink at him in disbelief and dismay. “She took your sisters with her? But not you?”

He gave a careless shrug. “Yeah. She said she didn’t know what to do with a teenage boy. Thought I’d be better off with my dad. Who she didn’t want to be married to anymore.”

Her heart squeezed. She knew what it was like to feel unwanted, but that was just because her parents had basically ignored her. To be the one child left behind…how awful. How rejected and abandoned he must have felt.

“But I’ve connected with my sisters again,” he said with a smile. “It wasn’t their fault, what happened. My mom’s gone now, but I see my sisters and all my nieces and nephews sometimes.”

“That’s good.”

“What about you?”

“I’m an only child and my parents are separated. For the time being.”

He lifted an eyebrow.

“They have an unusual relationship,” she said carefully. “I guess what you’d call a love-hate relationship. When they’re together, they’re crazy for each other, then they start fighting, like, really fighting—doors slamming, things being thrown, smashing dishes—and then they split up. But when they’re apart, they’re even more miserable, so it usually doesn’t last long. I think this might be the seventh or eighth time they’ve split up.”

“Wow.”

“I know.” She smiled ruefully and hitched a shoulder. “What can you do?”

“Your hobbies?” he asked.

“I don’t have time for much fun these days. Too busy working. I do things with my girlfriends. I guess they’re kind of like my family. I’ve never been athletic, like you, but I do run to stay fit.”

“Do we run together?” he asked, arching a brow. She laughed at the crazy question.

“No.” She gave her head a firm shake. “You’d leave me in the dust with those long legs. But I am pretty good at poker and I like dancing.”

“Dancing. Ugh.”

Their eyes met and even though they had different opinions on dancing, amusement shimmered between them.

“I’m trying to get you to take ballroom dancing lessons with me,” she said, tapping her chin. “Because we watch Dancing with the Stars together and I want to dance like that.”

Now he gave a shout of laughter. “Dancing with the Stars, huh? Okay, honey.”

This was fun. Even though it wasn’t real. Maybe because it wasn’t real, it took away all the pressure of a real date, of really trying to get to know someone. Shelby had never felt so relaxed with a guy. Though awareness of him did create a few tingles. His big hands holding the beer bottle were lightly sprinkled with dark brown hair, his fingers long, nails neat and trimmed short, but definitely not manicured. The cuffs of his loose button-up shirt were folded back on strong forearms and she swallowed hard as her eyes moved over bulging biceps and the open neck of his shirt.

“So how long have we known each other?” he asked.

“Hmm. When do you think we first saw each other at Java the Hut?”

“April twenty-fifth.”

She blinked at him, her smile fading. “April twenty-fifth? Really?”

His cheekbones darkened, but he maintained the cheeky grin. “I remember it well. It was the day I got promoted to Senior Business Analyst.”

“Ah.” Whoa. For a minute there, she’d been a bit freaked out that he remembered the exact date they met. “Okay. Let’s go with that. We had coffee a few times, started dating.”

“Sounds good.”

They looked at each other, and the music and loud chatter in the bar muted, the rest of the room shrank away into dark corners, leaving them sitting in a circle of awareness at the small round table. Shelby dropped her gaze to the table then lifted it again, a tentative smile touching her lips. She licked them, then wished she hadn’t as Jake’s gaze fell to her mouth.

Heat slid down inside her, pooling between her thighs. Oh heavens. She was getting all girly mushy and this wasn’t even a real date. Shit.

“What kind of movies do you like?” Jake finally asked, his voice taking on a faintly rough edge.

They chatted about movies and music and their work. He convinced her to order another drink, and pleasantly mellow from the wine and a little beguiled by his charisma, she was happy to sit there and talk. He was so easy to talk to. He didn’t make her feel stupid. And though he’d given her admiring glances, he really hadn’t looked lower than her mouth, unlike most guys who seemed to think they had to talk to her boobs. His interest in what she had to say seemed genuine, and that was probably the sexiest thing about him.

She was tired of guys who thought she was a brainless, big-boobed blonde, guys like the last few she’d dated who’d never called again once they’d gotten her into bed. Guys who didn’t want to talk about current events or even play a smart game of poker unless it involved the removal of clothing.

She bit her lip as the thought entered her mind that maybe Jake was expecting more than she’d planned. It seemed far-fetched that he was going to all this trouble out of the goodness of his heart. For her.

“I have to go,” she said, standing so fast her chair wobbled. She grabbed her purse and forced a smile. “Sorry, but I have work to do in the morning.”

“Saturday?” He stood too, although more slowly, a faint frown creasing between his eyes.

“Yes.” She nodded vigorously.

She opened her purse and dug for her wallet, intending to pay for her drinks. He laid a gentle hand on her arm, and she paused, lifted her eyes to his face.

“I’ve got it,” he said quietly.

“No. I want to pay.” She rummaged farther, lips pressed together. She did not want to owe him more than she already did for agreeing to do this. Lord knew what he’d expect in return for drinks. Her stomach clenched painfully and she tossed a bill onto the table. “There.” She flashed him her brightest smile. “Thanks again for doing this.” She made her voice cool and brisk. She extended a hand to him and, after a brief pause, he took it. She gave a firm shake then released it. “We’ll still meet at the North Beach parking lot?”

“Uh. Yeah. Sure.”

“Great. See you then.”