Page 7 of Playing Pretend

“I guess you’ll find out next weekend when I’m your boyfriend.”

Her eyes narrow, her thoughts loud as she stares. She wants to give in, to take the challenge.

I know it’s because she’s hungry for this job, that the temptation is too great. But a part of me wants to think it’s for other reasons. That she’d like to experience being mine for a weekend. That she’d love the opportunity to get up close and personal.

She cocks her head to the side. “This isn’t a five-star resort. Will someone of your wealth and privilege be able to handle a room without a private butler?”

“I’m sure I can manage.”

“You’d need to pack a suit. The boss usually schedules a formal event on the last night.”

“He lives in a suit,” Rett drawls.

“And arrive at the resort on your own,” she adds. “I want separate cars so you can’t taunt me the entire drive there.”

She also wants a backup plan in case she needs to send me packing, but that’s fine. “I can handle that.”

She falls silent, the seconds ticking by with my thundering heartbeats.

“Have we made a deal?” Rett asks.

She doesn’t respond. Doesn’t break our gaze.

Come on, Pip.Say yes.Give me the green light to make you mine, even if only for one weekend.

She clears her throat, nervously licks her lower lip, then focuses on her brother as she says, “Yes, we’ve got a deal.”

CHAPTER3

Piper

I pauseat the bottom step leading to the entrance of the Laguna Beach resort.

I spent the last two and a half hours stuck in traffic, giving myself a pep talk about thick skin. I won’t let Rome get to me this weekend. I’m going to take the opportunity to claim my dream job early and run with it.

I won’t lose.

I pin my shoulders back, raise my chin, then drag my suitcase up the three stairs and into the lobby.

The pretty female receptionist greets me with a smile. “Welcome to the Garden City Resort. How can I help you?”

“I have a room booked for Piper Sheffield.”

“Ahh, yes.” She types into her computer. “Your companion has already checked into your suite. But I can give you a second room card if you’d like.”

I raise a brow. “Rome is already here?”

Of course he is.

I deliberately told him I’d arrive right before dinner because I wanted to get here first to slip the receptionist a fifty in the hopes of getting our room changed to a double. I also planned for the extra time to gain my bearings.

He saw straight through me.

“Yes, ma’am.” The receptionist nods. “He arrived about an hour ago.”

Dammit.“And I assume you fell for his hypnotic charm, seeing as though he gained access to the room even though his name isn’t on the reservation.”

Her eyes widen. “I’m so sorry. He said—”

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