Best Fake Day (4 page)

Jack sat at his desk, gaze fixed on the surveillance monitors in front of him, completely ambivalent to her presence. She moistened her lips as her gaze swept over him. His chair was pushed away from the desk, his black trouser clad legs stretched casually in front of him. She worked her way up, taking in his lean hips and tapered waist. The black shirt fit him perfectly, enhancing his flattened stomach and broad shoulders. And then, just to ramp up the whole hot-sexy-guy-in-black look, his shirt was unbuttoned at the top, allowing her a teasing glimpse of tanned skin above the contours of his pecs.

When the door closed behind she flinched at the sound, the click jolting her from her drooling session. Jack’s Man Mountain had left and taken all of the air with him, making her breathing quicken. Or did it happen because Jack now pinned her with his steel eyed gaze?

Izzy skittered her hands over her slender throat, wanting to undo the constriction stealing her breath, but finding nothing there except the thrumming pulse beneath her fingers. Of course there was nothing there, she was wearing one of Ellie’s dresses and she didn’t do coverage.

“Why are you here, Izzy?”

“I took your note and business card to be a summons,” she said as she regained composure.

“It was.” He nodded. “But not tonight and not when you’re dressed like that.”

“Do I not meet the dress code?”

“For this place? Yes. For you? No.”

“I couldn’t turn up in my decorating overalls, now could I? Besides I had to wear a dress Ellie left behind. Most of my clothes were smoke damaged from the fire. No amount of washing would get rid of that stink.”

“I
invited
you here during daytime hours. In a few days when you’d had some rest.”

She stepped closer, wanting his full attention, as she noticed his gaze straying back to the screens in front of him. “Yes, but I couldn’t wait. It seems you made a mistake with the amount of zeros you wrote down.”

“No mistake. That’s the amount I gave Ellie.”

She stepped closer. “I didn’t come here to argue, Jack. I think we got off to a bad start this morning and I want to sort this out. We were friends once, right?” And how she missed that friendship.
Missed him!

“I can’t discuss this now,” he said, blatantly ignoring her question.

“It won’t take long. Besides, I’m here now.”

“Indeed you are,” he drawled, frowning as she walked over to his desk and perched herself up on it.

She wanted his undivided attention. There was no chance of softening him up if his attention was flicking back at the screen.

“But now it’s time to go. I have work to do. Come back tomorrow afternoon, and please wear your usual clothes.”

Izzy crossed her bare legs, exposing more of her thigh. “You don’t like what I’m wearing now, Jack?” she asked mock innocently as she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

“You look…fine. Tell Ellie she has great taste in shoes. For her.”

Izzy glanced down at the foot she was dangling in front of Jack. She grinned. “But these aren’t Ellie’s. They’re mine,” she said with satisfaction, pleased her favorite bank-balance-busting strappy black stilettos had gained his interest. She smiled at his brow raise. “I do have a life, you know. A busy one too, which is why tomorrow is inconvenient for me.”

“Izzy…”

“No,” she interrupted, ignoring his scowl as her bottom edged further along the desk, close enough that she could step between his thighs if she wanted to.
Tempting
... “Just hear me out. Please?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“Let me work off the money.”

She felt his gaze rake over her body, watched the clench of his jaw. “And how are you planning to work it off, Isabel?” he almost growled. “Is that what all of
this
is about?” he asked as his hand made an indicating sweep over her body. “Dress to impress so you can pay me in kind?”

“Oh God, no,” she spluttered. “
This
is me showing you I’m not the weak, naïve girl I used to be and I won’t be pushed around!”

The hard glint in his eyes softened slightly. “You were never weak. Naïve…” He trailed off. “So how exactly
were
you planning to pay me back?”

“Working here for you for free until I pay you back. I could collect glasses, work the bar, or clean.”

“And you have experience in any of those roles?”

“No. But I could learn.”

“But what about the house repairs?”

She shrugged. “I could do that during the daytime and work here at night. Then when I’m earning again from my day job I’ll pay you back.”

“And what exactly is your day job?”

“I’m a photographer. I could even do that here. Take photographs of the patrons and sell them for you.”

“You work freelance?”

“I have my own business.” She hesitated before elaborating, “As a wedding photographer,” she said quickly, hoping he wouldn’t snag the teasing opportunity.

Too late. The corner of his mouth quirked until it bloomed until a grin. “A wedding photographer. How appropriate. I knew playing dress-up with your mother’s veil and having teddy bears as your guests would have an influence on you one day.”

“You mean like wanting to have a traditional wedding where the groom doesn’t have to bribe the bride? Yeah, my childhood messed me up real bad,” she said with sarcasm.

“You’re not working here, Izzy. And this conversation is over.”

“No, it’s not. I’m giving you a solution to paying off what I owe. I’ll work off the amount Ellie paid for our debts and the rest you get from her. So when do I start?”

“You are not working here.”

“Why?”

“Do you really want to have some guy groping you as you serve drinks? Or a group of guys? I run a tight ship and look out for my staff, but sometimes it happens.”

“I can look after myself. I have been groped before, you know. I can deal with it.”

He slid his chair closer, bending his legs so hers surrounded him without touching, but close, very close. He looked up at her under dark lashes. “So if some guy puts a hand on your leg you wouldn’t mind?”

She shook her head.

“And if that hand strayed beneath your dress?” he asked as his hand reached out to graze the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, making her shudder.

She shook her head slowly, earning a dark look. Of course she would mind. But this was Jack.

He stood abruptly, stepping into the v of her thighs. “And if a guy tried to kiss you?”

“I have been kissed before, remember?” she said, inwardly cringing at how breathless she sounded.

“I remember being a boy kissing you as a girl. If I were to kiss you now I wouldn’t be holding back and I wouldn’t be kissing you as a boy—I’d be kissing you as a man.”

“Then do it,” she demanded.

Izzy gasped as he moved lightning quick to press against her, thighs touching, his arms caging her sides. Her pulse raced. Moisture flooded at her core. She arched back to look up at him with wide eyes. She felt like she’d just poked a tiger with a big stick only to find she was the one behind bars and he held the key. The only way to appease that tiger was to feed it.

“Do it,” she repeated as his soft breath teased her cheek.

Jack gripped her chin, tilting her head until their eyes met as mirrors of dilated pupils and unsuppressed want. Strong fingers cupped her jaw, scorching her skin. Those achingly beautiful bow-shaped lips were now a tongue stroke away. Those lips parted.

“No.”

“What?” she said, not bothering to mask her indignation.

“I’m not kissing you,” he said as he stepped away from her and dropped back into his chair. “Because you are now going home.”

“No. I’m not.”

“This conversation is over, Izzy. You are not working here. You want to pay me back you put on a pretty dress and a fake smile ready for your fake wedding day.”

“This conversation is
not
over!”

“Have it with yourself at home. I have important work to do over the next few hours.”

“Fine! Then I’ll wait until that work is done. And while I wait I’ll go have some fun and burn off some of my frustration!” she yelled as she stomped out the door and slammed it shut.

* * * *

Jack huffed a terse breath. Dragging a hand through his hair, he forced his attention back to the surveillance screen. He was supposed to be an extra pair of eyes for his security team. Somebody was dealing drugs in his club and he didn’t like it. He’d worked security himself, as he climbed the ladder to eventually become a nightclub owner, and had seen the devastating effects of drugs. Safety was his utmost concern. He was determined that the person responsible would be caught and handed over to the police.

And then Izzy walked in, adding fuel to the fire.

His plan to ignore and dismiss her had backfired magnificently. Instead of successfully sending her away, he’d virtually waved ‘see you later’ with the hard-on he was sporting. And it was for Izzy, damn it. Why was he having so much trouble remembering her as that little girl he’d grown up with? The promise he’d made to her father was becoming a difficult one.

He admired her determination to pay him back, but hell, it was never about the money. The last thing he wanted her to do was to pay him back, he needed her to go through with his updated plan. Which to suit her—and him—thankfully involved no legal binding whatsoever. All they needed to do was to wear a wedding outfit, pose outside a registry office, and have their photograph taken as evidence to show Daleford. Their cover story was simple. A hush-hush private wedding to avoid media attention. Simple. All Izzy needed to do was to turn up and put a pretty smile on that obstinate and frustratingly alluring face.

A flash of electric blue caught his attention. He leaned forward, propping his elbows on the desk as he watched that alluring face show up on the camera feed at the bar. And damn if her caramel-curled head didn’t turn to the camera and wink up at him.

His jaw clenched. The mischief on her face reeked of challenge.

She gave him her back. Sassy wench. Swallowing hard, his gaze took free rein as it raked over her body. He’d never seen her dressed that way before and it affected him in a way he couldn’t describe. He’d seen Ellie in far less than the dress Izzy was wearing now, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her, like a hunger he couldn’t sate. Izzy was taller and slightly curvier than her sister so the electric blue dress fitted her shape like his personal dream, its bodice highlighting her lush breasts, tapering to hug her slim waist then flaring out at those beautiful womanly hips.

A few muttered instructions later and he had arranged surveillance from his security team in designated areas. His area of surveillance was clearly defined. His eyes were wherever Izzy was. Right now she was saluting him with a drink in her hand and a grin on her face. Sinking back in his chair, he scrubbed a hand over his face. If that bastard didn’t turn up soon it was going to be a very long night.

* * * *

Izzy was having a great time. At first her actions were purely for Jack’s benefit, purely as punishment for refusing to talk to her. It seemed she was going to have to grab his attention in another way.

So she’d had a few drinks and was feeling pretty relaxed now.
Very
relaxed in fact. The inner tension Jack had built inside her was ebbing. But still she carried that need. She was embracing the music, seeking the distraction and the physical release of her taut muscles. He’d nearly kissed her, tempting her with what she wanted. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping it would delete the image of him between her thighs from her mind. Her inner thighs still bore the memory, still sensitized from his presence.

She popped her eyes open, dragging her back to the here and now and the reminder that she was giving her all on the dance floor in attempt to demand his attention. And she could sense he was watching her. She added an extra sway to her hips, tipping her head back and laughing as she twirled, feeling the short skirt of her dress skim her bare legs.

It wasn’t all for his benefit. Sure, she wouldn’t usually be at a club without friends, dancing alone, but it felt good being swept away by the pumping music. Losing herself to the beat and forgetting all about the building site she’d been living in for the past few months.

Or maybe this happy buzz was coming from the alcohol she’d already consumed.

She whirled again, her smile fading as she came to a halt facing the camera. The thought of Jack watching made goosebumps skitter up her spine. If only there was some way of knowing the thoughts behind those intense eyes. The feel of him against her had given her no doubt of his physical attraction but still it seemed she wasn’t enough for him. Not worthy of taking it that bit further. She raised a hand to sweep the curls away from her heated face, her breath coming in pants. She needed another drink.

Sidestepping the undulating crowd of dancers, she made her way to the bar, slotting into the nearest spot to wait. The bump of a hard thigh against her hip made her turn her head to the side just as the attractive blond male turned his attention to her. She offered him a weak smile and averted her eyes as she waited to be served.

“Can I buy you a drink?”

Izzy turned back to the smiling face. It was a very attractive one, she thought as she noted his lean body. His voice was deep, yet smooth and friendly.

Izzy hesitated, her eyes flicking up to the camera seated in a discreet corner. “I...ah.” What harm could it do? “Yes, that would be lovely, thank you,” she said with a smile. After all, he seemed nice enough.

Minutes later she’d almost finished that drink, even though it seemed much larger than the ones she’d ordered earlier. Oh well, she must have been mistaken, but her head sure was feeling like she had drank more than usual. And she was definitely feeling relaxed now. She was craning her head and laughing at something Ian—or was it Ryan?—had said. He was actually good company. Although she wasn’t attracted to him he was very easy on the eye, and
he
was giving her his undivided attention. He’d led her to a quieter area of the club, unfortunately maybe an area slightly obscured from the camera’s reach, she realized with a frown.