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“I don't mind.” I shifted side to side in my seat. “Is...”

“Conner my real name?” he cut me off. “Yeah. Never occurred to me to use an alias. I get why you would, though. You're allowed to have secrets, Maya. You don't owe me anything.” He reached over the table, setting his heavy, warm hand on top of mine. My skin buzzed. “I hope you'll trust me enough eventually to share your deepest secrets, though.”

I had to unstick my tongue from the roof of my mouth. “Wait until you learn why I asked to see you again before you commit to sharing anything else in my life.”

His frown broke my heart. He pulled his hand away as the waiter returned with our drinks; I took mine, downing a huge gulp. He sipped his patiently, watching me over the rim. Waiting. Expectant.

I fought for one more minute where I didn't have to ask him to do me a favor. It was a glorious minute. “Okay,” I said. “Here it goes. You know how we played out that scene on Friday?”

Sin swam in his black pupils. “I've thought about if a hundred times since.”

Jesus. My pulse started to flutter. “You were really good at the game. Really intense, fully in your role. I need that from you again.”

“I like where this chat is going.”

Here we go. Jump with both feet. “How would you feel about pretending to be engaged to me?”

The edges of his eyes crinkled, giving him crow's feet that didn't belong there. I counted the passing seconds while holding my breath. “Pretend to be your fiancé?”

Covering my eyes, I groaned. “It's so dumb. Here's the truth—my mother needs me to prove to my grandfather that I'm invested in having a family. If I don't, she'll lose her inheritance, and she really needs it if she wants to retire. And as much of a pain as she can be, she's worked hard her whole life, raised me by herself, she deserves the security that money would bring.”

“So... by me pretending that we're going to be married... your grandfather will give your mother her inheritance.”

“Yes, exactly.”

He leaned back in the booth, looking down his nose at me. I couldn't read his expression. “Of all the reasons I thought you'd ask to see me again, I never guessed this one.”

“Are you upset? You're upset. Conner, listen, forget I asked. It's stupid and weird and I shouldn't have even—”

“Wait.” He held up his hand to quiet me. “Cherry—Maya. I didn't say I wouldn't do it. But we have to take this seriously, like any other scene.” His blue eyes flashed, his tone getting serious. “I'll be your fiancé. In name, in action, in whatever I can offer. But you have to give the same effort to me. It goes both ways.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. His words were getting me hot and I couldn't figure out why. “Of course. Fully committing is the only way we'll convince anyone that we're engaged.”

“Tell me the rules.”

This was just like our night in the hotel. Knowing that sent a brand new jolt of wet pleasure into my lower belly. My skin felt buttery from my rising excitement. “I've never been engaged before. I don't know what we should do. I thought as far as asking you, and deep down, I assumed you'd say no. Conner, are you sure you want to do this with me?”

“I'm more than sure.” His breathing became raspy. “It's a turn on, isn't it? Pretending we're engaged? It means we have to stay close. Eat together, sleep together... everything. People who are going to be married should know their partner's wants, desires, their bodies, inside and out.”

I'd been clutching the edge of the table so hard my finger-tips were white. “Wow,” I said softly, shaking my hands loose. “You make it sound like you want us to move in together.”

“Yeah, we'll have to.”

I blinked. “Conner, we don't have to stay in character anytime except when we're around my mother and her family.”

“And when they ask us about how long we've been engaged, when the wedding is, what we do for fun, how we met... all that stuff... you don't think there'll be suspicion if we aren't living together?”

“Plenty of people marry before moving in together.”

“Did you live with your past exes?”

Ben's face flitted through my mind;I grimaced. “Yes. Okay, you're right. But isn't it extreme?”

His hand cupped my knee under the table, making me gasp. “You asked me to do this because of how I commit to the role. Right?”

“Right,” I whimpered, shivering as his fingers slid higher along my leg.

“Maya, I'll be the most god damn devoted fiancé on this planet for you. But let me be clear.” His arms were long enough that he had no trouble brushing my inner thigh. I tensed up, holding back an excited moan. “Being engaged to me means giving in to my desires, too. The woman I choose to be my wife is a certain special person. She writhes for me, begs for me, comes for me, anytime I ask. Because she wants that. Can you do that as my fianceé?”

Pushing the back of my head into the booth, I thrust my hips towards his hand. He was stroking over my pants, driving me wild. I forgot we were in a public restaurant.

“Maya?” he asked firmly.

“Yes, god, yes, I can be that for you.”

“Good.” He trailed over my zipper, then pulled his hand away. I opened my eyes, staring at his pleased grin. “There's something we need before we begin this scene.”

“What's that?”

“I'll have to pick out a ring.”