The words came low, insinuating hidden promises and dark secrets, and my heart lurched in my chest. “You haven’t even asked what exactly this role entails. For all you know, I could be asking impossible things of you. Like…” I threw my hands up in exasperation as my words failed me.
“I’m strong enough to fend off any unwanted advances,” Chase said. “I’m cool if you want me to be.” Something in his tone made me turn back to him. His facial expression was serious now; even the glint of amusement in his eyes had disappeared.
“There won’t be any sort of advances,” I said sharply.
“My life philosophy is ‘deal with whatever’s thrown your way when the time comes,’ Laurie.” The way he said my name sent a tiny shiver down my spine.
Sexy.
Forbidden.
As if he knew me already. Too personal for my taste.
I gawked at him, both confused and irritated by my strong reaction to something as basic as the way he pronounced my name. It wasn’t like me to be so—
Animalistic?
That’s what sex is all about, isn’t it? An instinct. A pull that isn’t reasonable or easily understood. I hadn’t been with someone like him in a long time. Rewind that. I had never been with someone like him. Someone who exuded sexuality in such an obvious yet non-intrusive way.
The fact I had never experienced what sex felt like, and then sitting opposite what I assumed might be the world’s sexiest man alive, was painful in both a physical and mental sense. I was craving what shouldn’t be craved, seeking what I should have run from.
Chase rolled up his sleeves, exposing strong arms, and leaned forward. My heart rate spiked and my body temperature began to rise—the result of a lack of air conditioning, I assumed. Or maybe it was because my mind kept creating images of him in bed, and I kept wondering if his kisses would be as delicious as he looked.
As if sensing my thoughts, Chase leaned back in his chair, and his gaze settled on my mouth for a second or two. My lips parted of their own accord, as though inviting him to savor them, even though that was the last thing I wanted. He raised his eyebrows, and his lips slowly curled into a sexy smile. And there it was again—a spark of something way too intimate as our eyes met.
“Do you believe in destiny, Laurie?” His voice was deep and dark, the strange tone drawing my attention back to him instantly.
“No. I just believe in reality.” I swallowed hard. “If it’s destiny, then it’s a heck of a cruel life. Never to be able to guess what happens next, always having to find a meaning. I want to make a choice, not be thrown in it.” I paused and looked up. He was watching me intently, his expression unreadable. “Do you?”
“I think it takes two to meet true destiny and two to hold on to it. To me, it’s not a matter of a superpower at play, but more a higher awareness of what you need and can achieve when it comes to what you want. True destiny is a complex interplay of two people playing and working together,” he said. “I can help you, Laurie. You just need to ask if you want to work with me.”
His hand touched mine, scorching my skin. I took a sharp breath, my gaze instantly drawn to our hands. But before I could withdraw from his touch, he pulled away.
Chase’s willingness to come close, to touch and probably be touched, screamed that he was open for more. But he wasn’t pushy about it.
You need to get laid.
Jude’s voice kept echoing in my head. If it hadn’t been for her calling Chase to arrange this meeting, I would never have been in such a situation.
Damn her and her idiotic plans.
Damn her for finding the one specimen who was too sexy to ignore.
My hands began to tremble just a little bit. I interlaced my fingers the way I always did when I needed to stop them from shaking, and inclined my head.
Was it a wise move to go through with this? Probably not. But I was a grown-up woman who had her emotions and bodily urges under control. Whatever was going on today was an exception. Maybe the result of stress or nerves, but certainly nothing to worry about.
“We’ll give it a trial run,” I found myself saying. “Let’s see how the evening goes, and then we’ll take it from there.”
“No.” He shook his head, his lips twitching. “You need to make a decision now. It’s either you take me or not. So, Laurie.” My heart stopped in its tracks as he pushed his chair back and went down on one knee, grabbing my hand in the process. “Will you give me the honor and be my fake wife?”
I stared at him, struck speechless. He made it sound so simple. Uncomplicated. No further questions. Exactly what I needed for my plan to work. Maybe I was overthinking things.