Fake Dating the Unsuspecting Heiress Page 6

  The doctor’s brows rose so high, they nearly reached his hairline. “The fair? How…quaint.”

  “Isn’t it though?” Colton said, his tone dry.

  Dr. Hellman looked to her as if for confirmation. She managed a shrug beneath Colton’s arm. A sort of silent I already said yes to the fair. What’s a girl to do? It was enough, thank goodness, because she wasn’t sure if she could handle another fib right now. Not when her head was spinning, both from Colton’s blatant lie and from the feel of his arm against her skin.

  Yup. The room was definitely spinning.

  “Deep breath.” Colton’s voice was a low, husky murmur in her ear and it did nothing to help the spinning.

  But his words did the trick. Breathe. Right. She could do that.

  The doctor sniffed, his irritation obvious as he regarded the two of them. His gaze finally settled on Addison and she stiffened at the look of disappointment on his face.

  Not disappointment like he was disappointed that she already had a date. No, no. He looked disappointed in her. It was the kind of look she’d expect to get from her father if she got anything less than an A in one of her college courses. This was a judgy sort of disappointment, and it made her spine stiffen. She tilted her chin up to face him squarely. “Sorry, but as Colton mentioned, I have other plans.”

  He made a huffing sound. “Another time then.”

  She kept her mouth shut. No. No other time. Definitely not. She’d met his type before—the kind who thought her shyness meant she couldn’t make decisions for herself. He had a bulldozer of a personality and she had a feeling he liked women he could push around.

  But that wasn’t her.

  The doctor walked away and the moment they were alone, she shrugged Colton off and turned to face him. His smirk was back. “You’re welcome.”

  “I didn’t need you to save me,” she said.

  “Of course you didn’t need me to, but I did it anyway.” He placed a hand over his heart. “Some might say I’m a hero like that.”

  She let out a little huff of air. Okay fine, maybe it was a laugh. He was just so…conceited. But annoyingly, frustratingly adorably so. Not many men could pull it off like he did.

  Not that she’d ever tell him that. It would likely only make him even more conceited.

  “Yeah, you’re a real knight in shining armor,” she said. “A regular Prince Charming.”

  “Nah,” he said with that same cocky confidence. “I’m no Prince Charming…but I’d settle for you referring to me as your hero from here on out. Deal?” His smile made her knees wobble. He really needed to be careful with that thing.

  She reached out for the back of a chair just as two nurses walked in announcing that it was time to end the fun and go back to their rooms for lunch.

  “Bye, Miss Mack,” a few called out.

  “Bye.” She smiled and waved as they paraded out. “See you in a few days.”

  When the last walked out and they were once again alone, Colton turned to her. “So…tomorrow night then?”

  She stared at him blankly. “Tomorrow night, what?”

  A sneaking suspicion was forming but she tossed it straight out of her head. He was not asking her out. No way. It was crazy enough that Dr. Hellman had asked her out. What were the odds that she would be asked out twice in one day? Besides, even Vanessa believed that she wasn’t his type.

  She headed over to start cleaning up the art supplies and tried not to be so very aware that he was following her doggedly across the room.

  Stalking her like prey.

  She jammed some pencils into their case as she lectured herself. Don’t be so melodramatic.

  “Tomorrow night,” he repeated, amusement clear in his voice. “I’ll pick you up around seven.”

  She stopped what she was doing and straightened. “Pick me up for what?”

  He arched his brows. Oh yeah, he was amused right now. She was a laugh riot over here, apparently. “The fair,” he said so slowly he might as well have said ‘duh.’ “I’ll pick you at seven so we can go to the fair.”

  She folded her arms across her chest. If Dr. Hellman was a bulldozer than Colton Parker was a dang steamroller. “I did not agree to that.”

  He tilted his head to the side, his mouth pursing a bit as if stewing it over. “Yeah, you kind of did. I mean, your acceptance was implicit in your lie.”

  “I didn’t lie,” she said.

  “You said you had other plans for tomorrow night.”

  “Maybe I do.”

  “Of course you do,” he said, that smirk back in full force. “With me.”

  She forgot to be embarrassed. Annoyance had the ability to break through even her most innate introvert tendencies. She uncrossed her arms and planted her hands on her hips. “You’re impossible, do you know that?”

  “So I’ve been told.” He grinned like it was a compliment.

  She rolled her eyes. “Maybe I have plans with someone else.”

  “Do you?”

  “Maybe.”

  His lips were twitching as he struggled not to laugh. “Don’t try and convince me that you had plans for tomorrow.”

  She jerked her head back. Was it so very farfetched to think she might have plans? She opened her mouth to say just that but he surprised her once again by leaning forward so closely she could smell the peppermint from the gum he’d been chewing. “I play poker too, you know.”

  Oh my. His voice was so low, so secretive, so…intimate.

  And then the words registered and she felt heat wash over her cheeks. Stupid blushing, it gave her away every time. “Okay, fine. So maybe I didn’t have plans. That doesn’t necessarily mean I want to have plans with you.”

  He threw his hands up, his brows drawn together in confusion. “Why not?”

  She blinked. Why not? Really? How egotistical did he have to be if he couldn’t even fathom rejection?

  But then again, what kind of woman rejected this guy? Not one who was single…or straight…or who had a pulse.

  She’d just described herself, along with half the women in town.

  Maybe that was it. Realization dawned and with it a bitter sort of triumph at proving herself right. It was a small town. Of course the pickings were slim. Maybe that was why he’d been following her around and attempting to talk to her.

  Maybe that was why he was insistent on taking her to the fair.

  He sighed. “What?”

  “What what?” she asked, thoroughly confused.

  He shifted his weight so he could lean back and see her better, his gaze moving over her body and her face until she was so self-conscious she found herself readjusting her glasses and tugging at the sleeve of her cardigan.

  And yes, she was once again wearing the baggy cardigan. But, really, it was so very comfortable, and between Vanessa’s arctic apartment and the AC at the hospital, she was in danger of freezing to death in the middle of June.

  “Go to the fair with me,” he said.

  She pursed her lips. “Is that a command?”

  His lips twitched, but his gaze softened. “Please.”

  She threw her hands out to the side with a sigh. “Why? I just…I don’t get why.”

  “Why what?”

  “Why do you want to go with me?”

  His brows drew down as he studied her again. “Addison Macks, are you fishing for compliments?”

  She gasped, her mouth flapping open and closed. “What? No. I didn’t—I wasn’t—”

  “Relax, Addie. I was kidding.”

  She exhaled loudly. There was that nickname again, but this time she didn’t mind it so much. In fact, she didn’t mind him so much. The more time she spent with him the easier it was to be around him.

  Maybe she was becoming immune to his good looks.

  He reached for her hand and clasped it between his, the heat and roughness of his large hands warming her to her toes and making it impossible to breathe.

  Perhaps immune wasn’t the right word for i
t. But she was getting used to this feeling—the heightened sensations and the fluttering in her belly. It wasn’t so terrifying anymore. Now, it was almost…exciting.

  “Please, Addie,” he said softly, his gaze surprisingly gentle. Tender, even. “I know we started off on the wrong foot—”

  “We started off with me being knocked off my feet,” she said.

  He laughed. “Exactly. Not exactly the best start to a new friendship. But I do want to be your friend.”

  “Friend,” she repeated. The word echoed in her skull and seemed to taunt her. Friend. He wanted to be friends. “Just friends?” Had she really said that aloud? Her face felt like it had been scorched by lava as she watched him nod his affirmation.

  Just friends. Of course he only wants to be friends, you ninny. You’re still not his type, and you never will be.

  But even ‘just friends’ seemed like a stretch. From the way people seemed to respond to him—from the girl at the coffee shop to the nurse who’d practically tripped over herself to get close to him—she had a hard time believing he was lonely.

  Unlike me.

  “Just friends,” he said. “What do you say?”

  He hadn’t let go of her hand so she found it difficult to say much of anything at all. She was a little afraid what noise might escape if she opened her mouth.

  After a long silence, he sighed and let go of her hand. She was able to draw in a deep, steadying breath.

  He shoved his hands into his pockets and some of his bravado seemed to seep out of him as he slouched before her. “Look, half the town will be at the fair. If you’re going to be in town for a while, I can introduce you. Show you the lay of the land…”

  He trailed off with his brows arched in question.

  She opened her mouth and shut it.

  “You still don’t trust me, huh?”

  She felt a stab of guilt at the hurt that laced his voice. But even as she gnawed on her lower lip, trying to think of what to say to make him feel better, she could still hear Vanessa’s voice telling her to run away.

  “Honestly? I don’t know who to trust.” That was the truth, and she hoped it would suffice to make him feel better. Don’t worry, it’s not just you I don’t trust.

  His gaze moved over her. “Fine,” he said, his voice stronger now. Determined. “You want to know why I want to be your friend?”

  No. She pressed her lips together. Not really. Wariness rose up in her making her tense and on edge. She steeled herself for his answer even as her mind rushed to fill in his silence with the worst case scenarios. He knew who she really was; he needed her money; he’d been dared to befriend the weird new girl in town; this was all part of some prank…

  Her mind was racing so loudly she almost missed it when he finally spoke.

  “I have a weekly poker game,” he said with a rueful shrug. “I need a new player.”

  He looked so serious, his voice so mild…

  She burst out laughing.

  His answering grin made her belly do a backflip, but she didn’t even care. Her body would just have to get used to the nervous sensations he brought out in her, because she had decided—she’d trust him. It wasn’t like she had so many friends that she could afford to be picky, right? And this guy, for whatever reason, seemed intent on being her friend.

  If she was really going to start fresh, maybe she ought to start by letting people in and giving them the benefit of the doubt.

  “Okay,” she said quietly as she picked up her purse and led the way to the door.

  “Okay?” he repeated, his tone so eager and so happy, she couldn’t regret her decision even if the thought of going out alone with this guy was mildly terrifying.

  “You’re not going to regret this, Addie.” He nudged her arm with his elbow. “You and me? We’re going to have fun.”

  8

  We’re going to have fun?

  Had he really said that? Yeah. He had.

  The weird part wasn’t that he’d said it; it was that he’d meant it.

  The next night he went to pick her up and he was still shaking his head over that ridiculous statement. We’re going to have fun. Right, because clearly nothing said fun like taking a strange, prickly cat lady to a county fair.

  The last time he’d been to a fair it had been to work security as part of his day job. It was hardly his idea of a fun date. And yet…

  He picked up his pace as he headed up the block to her apartment building.

  And yet, here he was, eagerness in his every step. A simmering anticipation that he couldn’t deny. And for what? A night out at the fair? Really?

  The idea had come to him in the moment. The sight of that slimy doctor with his hands on Addison, of the way he’d talked to her—like she was a child or something. The lady might be meek, but she was hardly a mouse. He’d seen her claws when she chose to flex them, and they were sharp. Heck, she’d even called him out on his lies. When had anyone ever done that before?

  Some of his eagerness likely came from the fact that he’d won. He’d always been a competitive sort, and having her slip through his fingers this week had been a blow to his pride. Even after he’d gotten her to agree to go out tonight, he’d half expected her to bail.

  But surprisingly enough, she hadn’t.

  This morning she’d texted him her address, which of course he’d already known. Just like he’d known that she’d be at the hospital, and that she was planning to stay in town for the whole month.

  One month and then this silly charade would be over. She’d be safely back in her father’s keeping, and he’d be well on his way to quitting the sheriff’s department and owning his own business.

  One month. He could do this. No problem.

  He shook out some of this bizarre tension in his limbs as he stood before her door. His muscles had been knotted up all day, and not even a long run had relaxed him. It wasn’t just anticipation, or the triumph of having scored a win with this date. It was…something else. This weird new sensation that made his gut clench with anticipation as he waited for her to answer the door.

  Excitement.

  He was excited for this date. Or…outing. Friend hang?

  Whatever it was, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about it ever since she’d said yes.

  He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her.

  He shook his head in exasperation as he ran a hand through his hair to make sure it was lying flat. Of course he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. She was his client. He was getting paid to think about her.

  The door opened and his jaw dropped.

  Adorable.

  That was the first word that popped into his head.

  Hot.

  That was the second.

  Her smile of greeting turned wary. “Is this all right?”

  He nodded, too dumbfounded to speak. He shouldn’t have been so shocked—he knew that she wasn’t as plain as he’d first thought. The more he’d seen her, the more he’d interacted with her, the more he’d realized that when she forgot to be self-conscious, she was really quite pretty.

  But this was the first time he’d seen her looking like she knew it.

  And that…that was sexy.

  “Do you want to come in?” she said, stepping aside and holding the door open. “I just need to grab my purse.”

  “Yeah, sure.” He’d finally managed to make his throat work.

  He watched the pale pink skirt of her sundress twirl as she spun away from him and headed toward the back of the apartment.

  “I’ll be right back.” She looked over her shoulder as she said it and his mouth went dry.

  Her hair was loose and it softened her features. She must have been wearing a little makeup because he’d never seen her eyes quite like this. She still had her glasses on, but he could see her eyes in vivid detail. Her lips were pinker than usual and the sundress did nothing to disguise the fact that beneath that frumpy sweater, she’d been hiding the perfect hourglass figure.
Petite but perfectly proportioned.

  The skirt swooshed again as she disappeared into a bedroom and she was back before he could get his pulse back to normal.

  Clearly it had been too long since he’d gone out with a woman if he was this flustered by a pretty lady. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d lost his cool like this over anyone, let alone a shy little creature with impossibly warm brown eyes.

  She wore a small smile as she headed back toward him, a purse in one hand and a light gray cardigan dangling from the other.

  He eyed the thin sweater with a mischievous grin. “You sure you’ll be warm enough?”

  She pressed her lips together and feigned annoyance, but he could tell she was trying not to laugh.

  He had the craziest desire to hear her laugh. He’d heard it once at the hospital—a real genuine laugh—and he’d give just about anything to hear it again.

  Man, what was wrong with him?

  He closed the distance between them so he could finger the soft material. “I mean, this is nothing compared to that sweater you normally wear—”

  “Hey,” she said, pulling the material out of his grip. “I’ll have you know that sweater is very warm, and very beloved.”

  “I can tell,” he said. “It’s the grown-up version of a blankie.”

  She rolled her eyes but she didn’t try to deny it. Instead, she surprised him by arching her brows in challenge. “I’m not bringing it tonight, now am I?”

  A warmth spread through his chest as he rocked on his heels and pretended to ponder that. “I guess that means you feel safe with me.”

  She let out a little huff of amusement, but once again…she didn’t deny it.

  His chest swelled with pride. He’d done it. The so-called ‘bad boy of Cyrano’ had earned her trust. He hadn’t needed Trent, after all.

  “Shall we?” he said, gesturing toward the door. “My car’s parked just down the road.”

  “Sure.” Her hesitation was so brief he’d almost missed it.

  “Just friends,” he said in what he hoped was his most soothing voice. “I promise, I won’t bite.”

  She nodded. “Just friends. I know.”