Charlotte
Ilinger in bed, thinking about last night. Even the memory of Jack’s mouth on mine makes my toes curl. It’s never been like that, so hungry and demanding. Then, stupidly, I told him to stop.
Why the fuck did I stop him?
I groan into my pillow. I want to hate him. Hating him is better than having feelings for him. But, maybe I don’t. Maybe I just really need to get laid. It can be that simple. It has to be. I haven’t had sex in more than six months, and my brain is going crazy after getting a taste of Jack.
That’s all it can be. I don’t want to care about someone again. Once I show I care, people leave. I’m too loud, too much, too needy, or too whatever. And I’m always the one who ends up hurt. I exhale and tap my foot on the floor, hoping that will make my breakfast cook faster.
“I choose whom I invest in.” I remind myself.
Easy to say, harder to do, considering I really just want to find Jack, drag his mouth back to mine, and finish what we started last night.
Rather than let myself fantasize, I focus on the day ahead. Eating, getting dressed, then going for a jog. It’ll help with the frustration, and the horniness that’s steadily churning inside of me.
After thirty minutes of running, I head back to the condo. I feel gross, sweaty, and out of breath. And then, of course, I see Jack. He’s a little rumpled, but still mouthwatering. I lick my lips and slow my pace.
“Charlotte,” he greets as he joins me. “Busy morning?”
“Uh…yeah.” I’m not sure if I should expect the kindness from last night to continue. “How about you?”
He chuckles. He’s not angry, but there’s something up. “Definitely busy. Glad to see you.”
I smile slightly. “Can we talk after I shower?”
Jack’s eyes grow hot and he looks me over slowly, as if I were naked again. I swallow and tuck some hair behind my ear. He exhales sharply. “As much as I would love that, we should talk now.”
“About last night.” I nod. “I don’t know why I ran.”
If he gets pissy and angry like people have in the past when I didn’t put out, this will be easy. We’ll go back to avoiding each other, radio silence, and the “what if” will still be a beautiful fantasy.
“Did I do something wrong?” he asks, taking a step closer.
I shake my head. “No, no, you were…shockingly, a gentleman.”
“You did drop your towel, so I thought I read the signs right.”
I laugh anxiously and nod. “You did.”
“Charlotte, I know we’re rocky, but…I have a favor to ask.”
Please let it be to go back to his place right now for a fun afternoon. I chew my lip as he takes another step toward me.
He exhales slowly and shakes his head. “I don’t ever ask for things like this.”
“Must be pretty big, then.” I squirm slightly. “Or really kinky. Unless you’re asking—”
“Please stop guessing. I’m trying to be serious.” He scoffs. “I need a fiancée for a lunch get-together.”
“Want me to find you one online, then?” I ask, crossing my arms. “They still take some time to fly in, so…”
“I’m asking you.”
“To be your fake fiancée?” I laugh. It’s impossibly ridiculous. “We made out once and now you want me to play fiancée?”
“Yes or no, Charlotte. I’m not asking you to make fun of me.”
“You’ve given me so much shit for being ‘fake’ online and now you want this?” I snort.
He opens his mouth, and I put my hand up immediately. I’m sure somewhere my old therapist gets the random urge to tell me to put down my defenses. “You better have something life changing to say or you’re about to go for a fucking swim, Jack.”
Jack arches an eyebrow at me. “I’ll pay for lunch and as many drinks as you want. I’m not asking you to be anyone but yourself.”
“Really?”
“Really,” he agrees. “The only thing I’m asking is for you to play the role for one lunch.”
“And what if the people we’re pretending for stay?” I demand.
His face is drawn, furious and depressed. He rubs his jaw and shrugs. “I guess I’ll figure it out. Thanks.”
Jack starts to walk away, but I catch his arm and pull him back to me. “I haven’t given you my answer.”
“You’ve made it perfectly clear.” He shakes me off.
“Tell me why. It’s obviously important to you.” I murmur. I want to help him. I’d rather see him cocky, angry, or eye-fucking me than like this. “So explain it to me.”
“They’re people from my past. They’d love to see me lonely, miserable, and failing,” he answers, watching me carefully. “I stupidly said I was engaged.”
I nod, then take his hand. “One lunch.”
“You’re saying yes?”
“I am. But you owe me a favor,” I say. “I can cash it whenever I want.”
“No free rent,” he warns.
“I’m not that cheap.” I wink at him and head toward the apartment. “Pick me up in an hour.”
“Yes, dear.”
I hear the sarcasm, but it makes me grin. We haven’t settled anything about last night, but having lunch with him might help me get my brain in gear.
After getting to my condo, cleaning up, and getting ready, I feel stronger. I choose something casual and breezy for lunch—a dark-green sleeveless sundress. It makes the most of my curves, but is still appropriate and won’t make me feel out of place.
I step into my wedges and grab my purse just as a knock sounds.
“Who is it?”
“Maintenance,” Jack answers.
I open the door with a roll of my eyes, welcoming him into the condo. He glances around quickly. “Any problems I should know about before we do this?”
“Jack.”
“I want to make sure you’re not going to give me a bad review in person.” He shrugs.
“Keep this up and I will.” I arch an eyebrow.
He chuckles, then walks to me. Taking my hand, he sets a black velvet box in my palm. “I think it’s better if you open it.”
“Doesn’t feel much like we’re engaged if I put the ring on myself,” I tease. “How are we supposed to tell the proposal story if you don’t even choke out the words?”
Jack glowers at me, but snatches the box away and closes the space between us. His eyes ensnare me as his nose brushes mine. I can feel the heat of his body and can’t help but remember the last time we were this close. My chest tightens.
“Charlotte?”
“Yes?” I breathe.
His lips are only a millimeter away, and I can feel his words against my mouth. “Will you be my fiancée for today?”
I nod. “Yes, Jack.”
“Good girl.” I feel the ring slide on my finger. It’s a little loose, but no one will notice. Jack’s other hand slides along the back of my neck. “Are you going to run away if I kiss you?”
“I don’t think it counts as an engagement unless you do,” I murmur.
He chuckles, then presses his mouth to mine, parting my lips with his tongue. I moan and brace myself against his chest. One kiss becomes more, then I feel his fingers knot in my dress for a moment. I nip his bottom lip and pull away first.
“How did we meet, Charlotte?” he asks.
“Obviously, you were a very eager fan who messaged me and caught my attention.” I giggle.
He rolls his eyes. I take his hand as we leave my apartment. I decide on a different tactic. “Or, I reached out to you when I moved here because I needed a local sponsor and you wanted another way to showcase the renovations you’ve done.”
“We will go with that one.”
“Anything I should know?”
He winces slightly. “We’ll be meeting my ex.”
I stare at him as we head toward the restaurant. “Jack? How the fuck am I supposed to compete with an ex? She’ll know everything about you. She’ll know right away that we’re lying!”
“Don’t worry, Charlotte. We’ll be fine. It’ll be great.”
“Good to know,” I scoff.
Jack pins me with a look just outside the restaurant. “Please, Charlotte. One hour, that’s all I’m asking.”
“Fine. One hour,” I say. But why does it bother me to know that after an hour, we’ll go back to being nothing? We’ll be back in some gray area where he hates my life choices, but clearly doesn’t hate me. I swallow all those problems for later and put on a smile. “Okay, let’s do this.”
“Are you sure? This is your last chance to back out, so please, if you’re having cold feet—”
“I know how to fake it,” I assure him, frustrated enough that I don’t hide the sharpness of my tone.
Jack opens the door for me, takes my hand, and leads me to a table where a stylish and elegant couple sits. They ooze beauty and success. Her glossy hair falls in gorgeous waves while he flashes a perfectly straight, white smile.
I go to sit down and Jack already has my chair out. I look up at him and notice he’s only watching me. He smiles hopefully and I sit, letting him push me in. Normally I hate the nice-guy routine, but I have to admit, it’s nice that Jack’s doting on me a bit, even if it is fake.
“Serena,” the brunette reaches her hand across the table to introduce herself, “and my fiancé, Max.”
“Charlotte.” I shake both their hands and look over to Jack, rubbing his knee under the table.
“So, Jack. Tell us all about her.” Serena’s voice sounds nice, but I notice the way she looks at him and the way she bites her lip, like she desires him. “Tell us all about how you’ve been.”
He goes over the story we agreed on, embellishing some details, but being honest about my career. He doesn’t even flinch when he calls me an influencer. Serena smirks and leans back in her chair.
“So you post on social media and hope people pay you? Isn’t that something younger girls do?” she jabs at me.
“Serena.” Max pats her hand. “Be nice. You must have gotten used to the views here, Charlotte.”
“Never.” I smile. “Waking up every day to the beach and the marina is amazing.”
“That’s the only view you like?” Serena jumps in immediately.
“That’s the only view I’ll talk about.” I smirk, stirring my mimosa and shooting the bartender a thankful look. “Jack and I have agreed that our private life is private. I don’t post anything about it and we don’t talk to anyone about it. That’s the sort of thing younger girls do.” I say with an obnoxious smirk on my face.
“That seems counterproductive for your… hobby.” Serena’s foot bumps mine under the table, but I know it’s not me she’s going for.
“It’s a career,” Jack defends immediately. “And she’s damn good at it.”
My eyes flick to my drink as I fight to hide my smile. Something as simple as him defending me shouldn’t be sending butterflies off in my stomach, but it does. The smallest taste of validation, even if it’s because I’m doing him a favor is worth dealing with his ex.
Jack kisses my hand, flashing the ring obviously, even though his eyes sear mine. He leans forward to whisper in my ear. “I take back what I said about you being a bitch.”
He winks at me and then gives his attention to Max. “When did you propose to Serena?”
Max’s face pales as Jack drags my chair closer to him. I grin and lean forward, eager to hear his answer. If they’re going to be catty, then it’s time for us to go on the offense.