Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 91285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91285 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 456(@200wpm)___ 365(@250wpm)___ 304(@300wpm)
“Nothing.”
My eyes narrow. “Why don’t I believe you?”
A tiny exhale leaves her, and for the first time since I found her here, she looks uncertain. That’s new. Cheyenne Benson is a lot of things, but uncertain isn’t one of them.
Instead of responding, she rises to the tips of her toes before pressing her lips against my cheek. My eyelids feather closed as I greedily inhale her perfume. It’s something light and airy. Like bottled-up sunshine from the beach.
Fuck me.
I’ve spent too many nights dreaming about her decadent scent, wondering why it feels imprinted on my soul.
The kiss is fleeting. Almost innocent. She lingers just long enough to fray my nerves.
A groan sits trapped in my chest as I fight the urge to turn my head and capture her mouth with my own. To bury my hands in her hair and see if kissing her feels as explosive as I’ve always imagined.
I’m pretty damned sure it would.
Which is a problem.
The moment stretches until it feels like I’m standing on the cusp of something I won’t be able to come back from. Just when I’m on the verge of cracking, she draws away.
My eyes pop open as I meet her gaze. “You never answered the question, Chey.” I congratulate myself when the words come out calmly. “What are you doing here?”
Her smile pulls tight as the tension I caught a few seconds ago returns. There’s no mistaking it this time.
“I need a small favor.”
3
Cheyenne
His forehead furrows as he stares at me like I just offered him a glass of poison. I’ve known Knox for a while, and this is always the kind of guarded expression I get from him.
Honestly?
I’m pretty sure this guy doesn’t even like me.
If there were anyone else I could turn to, I’d do it in a heartbeat. The problem is that I’m desperate and out of options.
“Exactly what kind of favor are we talking about?” The caution in his tone is almost laughable.
My teeth sink into my lower lip as I stare at him. Why does this guy have to be so damn handsome?
It’s disconcerting.
Actually, it’s way more than that.
Up close, Knox McNichols is all hard angles and controlled intensity. He’s the kind of man who looks like he’s holding himself back even when he’s standing perfectly still, and I never know what to do with that. Most men are easy to read. Especially the ones in my orbit. They smile, flirt, and perform like show ponies.
Knox just observes, silently assessing the situation.
I open my mouth, prepared to say something smooth and halfway dignified, but nothing comes out. That’s all it takes for my pulse to kick harder.
Why is holding a simple conversation with this man so difficult?
“Chey?” he snaps.
With a blink, I realize I’ve been stalling. I can only imagine he wants to get rid of me as quickly as possible. For all I know, some booty call is on her way over as we speak.
“I need a boyfriend,” I blurt.
His eyes widen.
“A fake one,” I rush to add.
Well, hell.
I’d really hoped to ease into this conversation. Maybe lay a little groundwork before springing it on him.
An uncomfortable hush falls over the room.
His expression remains blank for a moment or two, as if there’s been some kind of processing error, before understanding dawns.
“Wait a minute. Me?” His hand flies to his chest. “You want me to pretend to be your boyfriend?”
A dull heat crawls up my cheeks.
For one wild second, I consider backtracking and pretending he misheard me. That I need a fake landscaper. Or an accountant. Honestly, just about anything would be better than the stunned way he’s staring at me.
Instead, I take a small step in retreat before forcing myself to straighten my shoulders and lift my chin. “Yes, I do.”
Laughter tumbles from his lips as they tilt upward for the first time since he walked in. “Why do you need a fake boyfriend?” He gives his head a slight shake before holding up a hand. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. I can’t do it. Sorry, sweetheart.”
Well, I knew it was going to be a long shot. This man is barely able to tolerate my presence for ten minutes before finding the nearest exit. Of course he’s not going to help me. Asking him was a miscalculation on my part. I need to get out of here while I still have a few scraps of my dignity intact.
I force a shrug. “Okay. I’ll check with your brother.”
He snorts. “Colby isn’t going to pretend to be your boyfriend. For fuck’s sake, he’s married to your sister.”
I roll my eyes. “I meant your other brother. Brooks.”
His eyes go flat in a way that makes me wonder if I just hit a nerve.
Huh. Interesting.
He jams his hands into his pants pockets and glares. “He won’t do it either. He’s busy.”