Page 2 of Flynn (Foxy’s Rent-A-Date #4)

Sofia and Ellis’s wedding was in five days, and we were all here at the resort to enjoy pre-wedding festivities before the big day.

Most of the guests would not be arriving until day three or four.

At present—besides immediate family—the only other guests here were the wedding party, including Sofia’s other bridesmaid, Kate.

Sofia, Ellis, Chloe, Kate and I all grew up in the same small town.

Ellis lived across the street from me growing up.

Sofia and Chloe were sisters, and they lived a few blocks away next to their neighbor, Kate.

We had been inseparable, and where one of us was, you would almost certainly always find the rest. When Ellis and I started dating, we were sixteen, and honestly, I’d only done it because it was expected.

For years my friends had teased me saying how cute we were together, how it was inevitable we’d end up together.

So, when we’d kissed one night after playing spin the bottle and he asked me out a few days later, I’d said yes.

But the chemistry had never been there. A few months out of high school, we broke up.

I’d ended things when he started getting pushy about sex.

It’s not that I didn’t want to try having sex, but there’d always been this stone in my stomach at the thought of sleeping with Ellis, and I just couldn’t do it.

I’d grown up with incredibly strict parents with rules and values instilled in me that I struggled to weigh against my own desires and moral compass.

I wasn’t the rebelling kind as a kid. I didn’t drink or smoke.

I snuck out a handful of times and only one of those resulted in what they would consider unscrupulous behavior.

It was the night of my first kiss when I was sixteen.

But sleeping with a boy I wasn’t even sexually attracted to wasn’t going to happen.

A few months later, I started dating someone new, a guy from my college, and I ended up sleeping with him just to get it over with.

No, it wasn’t love, but I’d still felt more chemistry with him than I ever had with Ellis.

That relationship had died after about six months.

I was just reaching for my phone to see if my hired guy was on his way when a shadow fell over me.

“Hey.” An automatic and welcoming smile was already on my face as I lifted my head to greet whoever it was when my breath caught and my head spun.

I hadn’t expected to see him here. He and Ellis hadn’t spoken in years.

They were on the outs last I checked. But here he was, both arms covered in tattoos and a black tee stretched over his wide chest and shoulders.

His hair was still thick and dark, his eyes that same emerald-green I remembered.

I hadn’t seen him since he was eighteen—a boy in the process of becoming a man—heading off to join the Army as a last-ditch effort to get his life on track.

“Flynn,” I whispered in shock. That crooked, tempting smirk tugged at his full lips and several sex-deprived parts of me sat up and paid attention.

“Good to see you, Ara.” “Uh...” My brain short-circuited.

Flynn was the only person who had ever given me a nickname because my parents demanded everyone call me Chiara, no nicknames permitted.

It was so strange to hear him say it again after thirteen years.

“Wha...what are you doing here?” He cocked an eyebrow and I wanted to smile at the familiar expression.

Shaking my head at myself, I stood. “I mean, you’re Ellis’s cousin, of course you’re here.

But I wasn’t expecting you. I didn’t see your name on the seating chart, and no one told me you’d be attending.

I thought that news would have been big.

” Ellis’s father—Trevor—had adopted Flynn when he was almost sixteen after his parents had died in a car wreck.

Everyone knew the adoptive brothers had gotten into a massive fight years ago and hadn’t spoken since.

Ellis and I had been at the end of our relationship when the two of them had gotten into it.

I’d thought Flynn would be staying home after returning from his first deployment, but he’d almost immediately reenlisted.

I always wondered if Flynn and Ellis’s fight had something to do with it.

I’d asked his aunt and uncle about him here and there, but they didn’t say much, just that he was safe—and honestly—that had been all I’d needed to know.

Flynn had lived across the street from me for a little over two years, and while I knew he’d opened up to me more than he did a lot of people, we hadn’t exactly been close.

Still, I’d worried about him. It was hard not to when thoughts of him always brought with it the memory of the last time I’d seen him in his dimly lit bedroom all those years ago.

Flynn took the seat opposite me as I sat back down, and I couldn’t stop myself from taking all of him in.

He had always been hot and had that bad-boy edge as a teenager, but as a fully grown adult, complete with a litany of tattoos and facial hair, the man was freaking sexy.

“You’re right. Ellis and I aren’t in a good place, but I received a last-minute invitation I just couldn’t refuse,” he answered.

The deep cadence of his voice sent a shiver of anticipation through me, and I had to force myself to push past it.

“Oh, from who?” I asked, struggling to bring up a mental image of the seating chart so I could figure out where to put him.

“You.” His response took several moments to sink in, and when it did, my brows drew together.

Me? I didn’t invite him; I had no power to add guests to the list. “I didn’t invite— ohmygod !

” I blurted, slapping a hand over my mouth when realization dawned.

Flynn’s smirk turned into a full-blown grin, and I groaned and covered my face.

“You’re the-the—from Foxy’s ?” I asked, whispering the last word.

He nodded. “I’m surprised you don’t remember hiring me.

” I gaped. “I didn’t hire you. I-I...

I was drunk and felt miserable. I was desperate because I am an idiot with a big mouth, and I didn’t know it was you !

” Flynn raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “You didn’t see my photo?

” I frowned. “What photo? There was no photo, which I thought was a huge oversight on the company’s part.

” Flynn took out his phone and tapped away on the screen for a moment before turning it toward me.

It was his profile from Foxy’s Rent-A-Date, but where I’d seen a large blank box was a photo of him looking aaalll kinds of sexy.

I pulled out my phone to bring up the contract I’d saved, which had apparently failed to load the photo, and showed him.

His gaze darted down and then laughed. “So, you hired a guy without seeing a photo? You really were desperate.” I scowled.

“You saw my request I assume, so you know the blunder that led to me needing to hire a date. Of course I’m desperate!

” His white teeth flashed again, and I internally gave a whimsical sigh.

“Hang on,” I said and held up my hands. “I know you get to have some say in who you accept a contract from. All my information was there for you to see. You had to have known it was me and for whose wedding I was attending. You still came?” Flynn tucked his phone away again and nodded.

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” I glared.

“You wouldn’t miss seeing me in my most mortifying of moments, or you wouldn’t miss showing up to your cousin’s wedding when you know it’ll tick him off?

” His grin was knowing and devious. “We both know you can’t lie to save yourself.

I’m assuming that hasn’t changed over the years.

I wanted to help you out.” I squinted at him and his eyes danced with laughter.

“Seeing you was absolutely the driving force,” he admitted with a sexy little smirk.

“But pissing off Ellis was a definite highlight.” “Don’t swear,” I chastised immediately, the words pure reflex.

Flynn chuckled, and I couldn’t help the way my lips curved at the sound.

He shook his head. “Same old Chiara. Except now you get drunk and hire male escorts.” My mouth fell open in shock.

“So, you-you’re...you sleep with women for money?

” I asked, astounded. “Would if make you think less of me if I did?” he asked jokingly, but there was a sliver of seriousness in his emerald eyes.

“No,” I said at once, leaning forward. “No, I don’t believe people who have sex for money should be devalued or penalized.

People who do strenuous manual labor are literally using their bodies every day to do their jobs, and no one has a problem with that as long as someone else is profiting more in the long run and their bodies are being used in a way government supports,” I started.

When he continued to stare at me, my mouth kept running, unable to stop now that I’d started.

“People having sex for money is much harder to track, especially if cash or goods is preferred as a payment method. The government can’t profit from that, or prove a transaction was made and that it wasn’t just recreational sex.

Sex workers should be a recognized job and maybe if it were considered less shameful, there would be less trafficking and less sexually transmitted diseases because then it could be properly managed, and healthcare would be easier to access.

” Flynn’s eyes grew wide, and a smile spread over his face before he gave a short bark of laughter.

“I didn’t expect an essay-style response, but I should have known better when it comes to you.

” “Sorry,” I said, my cheeks warming. He reached across the table to place a hand on my wrist, and my gaze jumped to his at once.

“Don’t apologize. I’ve always found that fascinating about you.

And I happen to agree with everything you said.

But just to make things clear, I’m not an actual escort.

The contracts state specifically that we are not required to have any sexual intimacy with our dates.

” I nodded. “I did see that, but I wasn’t sure if that was just a legal cover.

Since there are no plans on sleeping with my rented date, I didn’t really care,” I admitted.

“No, Foxy is legit. She doesn’t provide sex-workers, just dates.

” I raised an eyebrow. “And you’re telling me you’ve never slept with a date before?

” Flynn looked amused and nodded. “Actually, yes. I like to keep my personal and business life separate. I’ve worked for Foxy for over three years now, I set my own schedule, and I accept contracts I’m comfortable with.

I mean, some of the other guys have slept with their dates, but it wasn’t for the money.

And Foxy prefers not to know so she can claim deniability.

” I laughed. That was fair. It’s not like she could control her escorts’ actions on their dates, and if they wanted to have sex, then who was she to say no?

Sighing, I looked at him again, unable to believe he was actually here.

“How are we meant to pull this off? We’re supposed to have been dating for months, and everyone is going to think it’s odd I never mentioned my supposed boyfriend is you.

Then there’s the fact that I don’t know anything about you anymore, where you’ve been, or what you do.

” Flynn took his hand back and pulled a folder from his backpack.

“I have that all covered here. I created us a backstory that still follows the one you gave me but adds in elements of the truth. We just have to set aside some time to take some photos and make them look like they were taken at different times over the last few months and have them on our phones in case anyone needs further convincing.” My head was swimming, and I rubbed my temples.

I’d always sucked at lying, and this was definitely the biggest lie I’d ever told.

“Do you want to do this here, or somewhere else?” Flynn asked after a moment.

I sighed. “Uh ...the hotel room would probably be best. We’re too public out here.

Everyone is out doing other activities, so I can sneak you in without them knowing and we can get organized before anyone sees you.

” “Straight to the bedroom,” Flynn said with a wink.

“I like the way you think.” I glared at him, and he grinned.

When my hormones did a little jig in response, realization began to dawn.

I was totally and utterly screwed. Getting to my feet, I mentally updated my List of Awkward Truths .

Updated And Now Painful List of Awkward Truths

Will be attending ex’s wedding.

My best friend is the bride.

I am the bridesmaid Maid of Honor.

Made up a fake boyfriend.

Rented a fake non-refundable boyfriend for the entirety of the wedding get-away.

Accidentally hired ex’s despised adopted brother as my fake date to said ex’s wedding.