Page 13 of Pick Six

“I can’t think of anything at the moment, but I’ll let you know.” Anywhere I would be going is no place for him, but it’s thoughtful of him to offer.

“We’re gonna have to be able to do other things though. For the cameras.” He sits back in his chair, draping his arm over it.

“Like?” I raise my eyebrow.

“Touch. Kiss. Look like we actually like each other.”

That all sounds like danger. Especially for me and my as of yet uncontrolled stomach flips and heart palpitations.

“I like you just fine. Maybe we’re just not PDA people.”

“You ever seen a tabloid cover of a couple where there wasn’t some PDA involved?”

“No,” I grump, realizing he’s right.

He looks at me like he enjoys my revelation, and then takes a sip of his drink.

“But we need to have boundaries.” I point out the obvious. He’ll want them too. I doubt he wants me in his business acting like a real girlfriend would.

“Like?”

“It can’t go farther than that. Whatever we have to do publicly to have people think we’re a couple as long as it’s within reason, fine. But beyond that, we should keep our distance.”

“Worried you’re going to fall for me, Saint?”

Terrified is more like it.

“Worried people will get the wrong impression.”

“Can’t have that. So that’s your boundary then?”

“Yes,” I answer, but then immediately wonder why he asked. If that’s his way of implying it’s not one he cares about.

He nods, pursing his lips a little as he does it. “That’s fair. My boundary is that you aren’t dating or talking to anyone else.”

“What?” I scoff.

“You heard me.”

“I’m recently divorced. There’s lost time to make up for.”

His brow furrows. “I’m not having headlines saying you’re cheating on me.”

“Unlike some people, I can be discreet.”

“That’s my boundary, Saint. I’ll respect yours. You respect mine. That’s how we keep it from getting messy, right?”

“Great. So now I have to waste even more time.” I shake my head, a sarcastic laugh coming out as I do it.

“You’ll live.” He gives me a tight smile.

“Fine. The same goes for you then. No women. Anywhere. Anytime. Not in real life. Not in your texts. Not in your DMs.”

“Okay.” He lifts his shoulder nonchalantly.

I roll my eyes. “I give it a day.”

“Can’t wait to surprise you, Saint.”