Page 36 of Villainous Summer

“Not if the engine blows up. I’ll look at it.”

“What? My oil? Why would you do that?”

Why indeed? Never in all my years of flings and short-term girlfriends had I offered to change their oil. Of course I knew how. It was one of the first things my father taught me.

“Do you want me to look or not?” I took a big bite of the cake and waited. Between the two of us, over half of it was gone.

As she crossed her arms, her boobs bulged over them.

I tried not to look but focused on her narrowed blue eyes.

“Do you know what you’re doing?”

“I’m an engineer, Summer.” I scoffed, my mouth still half full.

“And I’ve known enough mechanics to know that engineers are the ones they complain about the most.”

Touché.

I swallowed and set my fork on the counter. “It’s an oil change, not a transmission rebuild. Your car will be fine.”

She nodded, waving in acceptance. “Sure, fine. I guess this means I owe you a second cake.”

Crossing my arms, I stared her down. “Tell you what, I have a few work events in the coming week. I’ll expect you to join me and play the part of my girlfriend.”

“For how long?” She narrowed her eyes.

Before this, I wasn’t sure of the calculation on how long I would have to date someone to ward off being set up again. But with her in front of me, I blurted the number I felt was right. I didn’t need her to come with me any longer—not really, but I still wanted it.

“Until the end of summer. Nothing big, a few dinners and stuff. After that, you’re single.”

Her chin rested delicately on her hand as she surveyed me. “So, I’m supposed to be your girlfriend for the next nine weeks? The best time to have a fling with a hot fuck boy, and I’m supposed to give it up for you?”

At the mention of her finding some random guy to hook up with, my skin became too tight. Another man dancing with her, flirting, even kissing her. Someone else who got to pull her to his side and hold her close. Red heat licked my chest.

“Was that really your plan for the summer? Hooking up with assholes?”

“Not really your business how I spend my nights, is it? I won’t be shamed for it. You think I can’t tell exactly what kind of guy you’d be at a bar? I bet you haven’t had a long-term girlfriend in years.”

She was right, of course. And as much as it killed me to think of her with other men, it would never be my concern about who she spent her nights with. I had no rights to her.

“Almost a decade. And I’m not shaming you. I like a woman who knows what she wants. But that’s not what this is about.”

“Are you saying if we met at a bar, you wouldn’t try to take me home?” She scoffed.

“No, of course I would. Look at you. But if you can put aside your rabid lust for me for a few dates, I’m sure we can work something out.”

“Noted, Hot Rod.”

“Just don’t get any ideas or anything. I need to be clear right now. I don’t do relationships or commitment or monogamy. Don’t fall in love with me.”

Summer rolled her eyes. “Are you always this dramatic? That won’t be a problem, buddy.”

I frowned.

She could have been a little more hesitant about agreeing to that. But would my ego survive her?

“Considering I just got free of my last asshole boyfriend, you won’t have anything to worry about. I have my own rules.” She pursed her full pink lips in consideration. “No funny business. Don’t be a sleazeball and think that I owe you sex or something.”

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