❝ꋬⲧℓᥲ𝖘❞

What in the actual fuck?!

First, Narssica didn’t own anything that could even remotely be considered business casual. She’d ended up wearing tight-ass leggings to breakfast.

Fuck me and my hard-on.

Her ass in those black pants was walking temptation. Then she called Belinda Myers, a woman who never put her elbows on the table and always wore pearls, a badass, and fist bumped her.

Now this?!
Why is God punishing me?

“You’re telling me you have no idea what racquetball is? Yet you agreed to play a game with three of the most important women here this weekend?” I dug the heel of my hand into my eye to stop it from twitching.

She shrugged.

“Belinda said to meet her downstairs at the courts, so I figured it was like basketball or volleyball. But a racket is the thing you use in that other sport with the yellowish-green ball, right? Crap. What’s that called?”

I groaned.

“Tennis?”

She snapped her finger.

“Yes! That’s it.”

We are so screwed.

But maybe…

“You’ve played tennis before?” I asked, my tone lifting at the end of the sentence hopefully.

“Nope. But I’ve seen it on TV.”

My shoulders sagged.

Definitely screwed.

“It’s sort of like tennis. I’ll walk you down to the courts and give you a quick rundown.”

“I’ll be fine. Fake it till you make it, right?” She adjusted her sweater as it slipped low on her shoulder. “Can I wear leggings?”

I snorted. Other than one dress and a pair of jeans, that was all she’d brought. We’d have to go shopping after all. But first Erin had to make it through racquetball without ruining my chance with the Myers family.

When we stood outside the court, my last vestiges of hope withered away.

Erin furrowed a brow and crossed her arms in the middle of the hallway.

“What’s wrong?” I braced myself for the ridiculousness I knew she’d spew.

“Why is the door so small?” She tipped forward at the waist.

Without my permission, my eyes snapped from the door to the scoop of her tank top and sports bra.

Good God, she has great tits.

“This door barely reaches my hip. I’m supposed to go in there?”

I focused on the door again. Some of the newer gyms had courts with glass walls, but traditional racquetball players liked the wooden walls. So, naturally, a resort that catered to old money had nothing new age.

“What am I, Alice?” she asked nonsensically.

“Who?” I blinked.

“You know. Alice.”

I shook my head.

“From Alice in Wonderland” She laughed and curtsied dramatically.

Fuck. There is no way this wouldn’t end in disaster.

I ran my hands through my hair, praying she’d up her acting game when the time came. Otherwise, Belinda would see through this whole farce.

Without a word, Narssica ducked through the door, letting it slam behind her. I stood in the middle of the empty hallway, frozen in indecision.

Should I leave her?

But what choice did I have? The purpose of playing the role of a happy couple this weekend was so he could land the Myers account.

I had to go to this meeting.

After I’d gone over the rules and shown her the basics, like how to hold the racket, I left her there. Throughout the duration of the meeting, even during my pitch, my focus didn’t drift far from my crazy fake fiancée.

How is it going on the court?

When I finally stepped out of the meeting, I texted Erin.

Me: What happened?

She didn’t respond right away, leaving me in what felt like utter hell as I waited almost half an hour for her response.

Crazy girl: With what?

Me: The racquetball game.

Crazy girl: Well I was a little disappointed when I didn’t end up in Wonderland.

A slap to my back startled me as I was rubbing my eye to stop the twitching.

“You okay?” Devin mumbled as he stepped up next to him.

“Yeah, my eye keeps twitching, and I can’t seem to get rid of her—I mean it.”

Devin’s brows rose to his hairline, and he chuckled.

“They don’t get easier, but it’s worth it in the end.”

I forced my shoulders to relax and actively engaged in conversation with the Myers brothers as they made their way to their table, but all the while, he scanned the room, searching for Erin.

When I finally found her, I couldn’t stop myself from openly appraising her in tight jeans and an off-the-shoulder sweater. She tossed her head back and laughed. I halted in the middle of the room as I watched her. Not only was she unquestionably beautiful, but there was a lightness about her that few people possessed.

Erin turned, and our eyes locked. Although the room was crowded and noisy, for that second, it all disappeared. She raised a single brow, and every nerve in my body came alive.

Devin nudged me.

“See? You’ve already forgotten about whatever she did to drive you insane” He huffed a laugh. “That’s the magic of a woman.”

I forced a smile. Although Devin wasn’t wrong, the interaction I’d just had with Narssica was unsettling.

“Yup,” Belinda’s husband, Eric, agreed. “They drive us to insanity, but we wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Devin chuckled.

“Come on. Their tongues will be wagging if we stay here yapping any longer.”

I shook my head and followed my companions to the table.

“How was your meeting, babe?” Erin popped up and pecked my cheek.

I stared at her with wide eyes before quickly schooling my features.

“It was good, but I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

An “Aww, that’s so sweet” came from the other side of the table, but I couldn’t pull my attention away from the woman in front of me to respond.

The corner of Erin’s mouth turned up in a slight smile before I pulled my gaze away from her.

“How was racquetball?”

“So much fun. I won two out of the three games.”

“Youth has its perks,” Belinda teased.

I fought back a look of surprise at her announcement. That was not how I’d seen it playing out. And I hadn’t expected to not receive an invitation to drinks with the Myers before dinner tonight.

But when I discovered they had a brief meeting with another marketing firm scheduled, I understood and could appreciate their due diligence in comparing my father’s firm to the competition. Though I couldn’t help the niggling disappointment.

“What’s wrong?” Erin asked me once we were back in the elevator.

“The Myers are meeting with a competing firm over drinks before dinner. I was hoping for an invite, you know, to size up the competitor.”

“Is that at the Parks and Gardens bar?”

I nodded.

“Yes, why?”

“Belinda invited us. Apparently, she doesn’t like the guy’s wife. She asked if I could come to chat with her. Like a buffer. I told her it should be fine, but I wanted to check with you.”

My breath halted in o lungs, and without a thought, I yanked her to me and planted a kiss smack on her lips.

This woman was unlike anyone I’d ever known.

Erin jerked back.

“Are you going to yell at me again?”

“No” I laughed. “I’m thrilled that you scored an invite. Especially with how worried I was about how racquetball would go. By the way, how did you win?”

Erin shrugged, and her blue sweater slipped off her shoulder. My attention lingered on the smooth skin. The dip of her collarbone. The lines of her neck.

Words. She was saying words. Ones I was supposed to be listening to.

“—easy to catch on to. I’ve always been athletic. Played a bunch of different sports in high school. Drove my dad nuts that I couldn’t stick with one thing. Hmm…I guess that could explain the nursing school thing.”

I was seriously impressed. Not many people could pick up something the first time they tried it.

I draped my arm over her shoulder and pulled her close.

“How do you feel about shopping?”

She froze and cocked her head to the side.

“Are you going to snap at my hand with a diamond necklace box?”

Lord only knew what my crazy girl was talking about now, but it made me laugh regardless.

***

❝乇𝕣ίŊ❞

This man.

He literally didn’t look at the cost of anything.

I balked at the prices of the designer dresses a couple of times, but Atlas just shook his head like I was ridiculous for caring about how much stuff cost. And not only did he not care about the cost, but he didn’t complain when I wanted to try things on. He hadn’t rushed me at all. And he’d even picked out a few things, including the dress I currently had on.

I ran my hands down the silky material.

Now this is the definition of curve-hugging.

I liked to actually eat food instead of moving it around on my plate, and I wasn’t shy about it. But the look on Atlasʼ face as I stepped out of the dressing room in this navy blue cocktail dress had made me feel like a goddess.

With my hair and makeup now done, I made my way to the common area of our hotel room. My breath caught in my throat as I locked eyes with Atlas. My body warmed at the intense way he looked me over. I could feel it across my skin, his open appraisal of my body.

“I want to regret talking you into that one, but damn, I can’t,” he mumbled before he locked his jaw tight.

“Wait till you see the back. My ass can’t bounce a quarter like yours, but it looks good in this dress” Wearing a grin, I spun so he could get a good look.

I peered over my shoulder just as he groaned and brought his fist to his mouth.

Ha!

“Come on, let’s get down there before I get my priorities mixed up…” He trailed off with a shake of his head and moved toward the door.

I wanted to be annoyed by his comment, but I looked good enough to make this stick-up-his-butt serious man forget that his life revolved around work. And that sent my confidence soaring.

Being pretty isn’t the only thing, but it feels good all the same.

Instead of talking, Atlas used the elevator ride to fidget with his red tie. It was cute watching his nerves getting the better of him. His shoulders were pulled tight, and his jaw was locked as he put his hand in his pocket and then took it out again. Then he adjusted his tie once more, this time leaving it slightly off-center.

I chuckled and stepped close. Atlas’ eyes shot to mine, but I focused on his tie. The spice of his cologne washed over me, and I angled closer, unable to stop myself from enjoying a deep pull of his essence. He rested a hand on the curve of my hip, the heat of his palm scorching my skin through the thin fabric.

“What—” Atlas croaked, his fingers biting into my hip as he cleared his throat, “—what are you doing?”

Slowly, I lifted my hands, triggering a shiver from him when the backs of my fingers brushed against the skin above his white shirt. His tongue came out and wet his bottom lip.

I imagined doing the same but quickly blinked myself out of my stupor and focused on his throat, mesmerized by the way his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed.

“Just... straightening you out” I centered the knot of the bright red tie between the lapels of his navy suit. Instead of stepping back, I rested a palm on his smooth cheek. “Don’t be nervous, Atlas.”

The hitch of his breathing echoed in the silent elevator. And like a magnet pulling me, I drifted so close that almost no space existed between us. He dipped his head toward mine, the move causing a thread of desire to pull tight in my stomach.

“Ahem.”

Startled by the cough behind me, I jumped back and spun toward the open silver doors and the elderly couple waiting somewhat impatiently for them to exit the elevator.

“Sorry,” Atlas smiled at the couple and guided me through the doors.

The old woman patted his arm and sent me a knowing smile.

“I remember what new love is like.”

“What?” I glanced over my shoulder at the couple.

The old man was shaking his head in annoyance, and his wife was still smirking.

“Come on, crazy girl” Atlas rested a large hand on my lower back and steered me toward the bar.

The stupid nickname should have been annoying, and it could definitely be called rude, but somehow, the way he said it, his voice a low rumble, made the term feel affectionate.

Just outside the entrance to the bar, Atlas paused, tipped his head left and then right, and shook out his shoulders. He was gearing up. But the calm, turned-up smirk and his calculating eyes were all too familiar.

This was the look he’d given me when he talked me into this fake dating ordeal.

Like a politician about to shake hands with voters.

I frowned and yanked on his arm.

This business deal was important to Atlas, but this wasn’t going to help him. I’d seen enough of the Myers siblings to know they liked real.

Not whatever the hell this weirdness was.

“Why are you being weirder than normal?” I asked.

“What?” Atlas scanned the hall, his eyes darting back and forth, and lowered his voice. “Shh. What’s your issue now?”

“This whole plastic vibe” I waved a hand up and down. “It’s just ew.”

With my nose scrunched, I shook my head.

Atlas glared and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

“It’s bad. Won’t work in there” I pointed to the bar.

He raised a brow, doubting me yet again.

“My business face won’t work at a business meeting?”

How could I explain this so he’d get it?

“The Myers are totally, you know, Be Real.”

He blinked twice and sighed.

“Be real?”

I nodded.

“You know, the app.”

“You’ve lost me.”

How did he not know Be Real. Like, what?

“You know. You get a notification on your phone, and you snap a selfie. Right then. No, like, wait a second, I have to change, or I gotta do my hair, or wow, I’m doing something stupid. You just put out what you’re actually doing that second. Like, you have to be real.”

He cocked his head, his mouth pulling into a tight line.

God.

“Like TikTok now, only less lame?” I tried again.

His expression didn’t change.

“Wow, you’re so old” I shook my head. “Do you even TikTok?”

With a deep exhale, he shut his eyes and rubbed at his forehead.

“Narssica. Focus.”

“On what? Social media?” I looked back at the crowded bar. “Oh. That’s right. The Myers. “Yeah, so, the Myers like real. So be Seth Atlas” I waved her hand at him again. “Not whatever that weirdo was.”

Atlas surveyed the bar, and I followed his line of sight.

“I don’t know if I can compete with that guy” he nodded to where the Myers were standing with a man and a very pregnant woman by his side. “His wife is pregnant.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” I asked. “Is one of the job requirements must have children?”

Atlas scoffed.

“Because personally, I think the Myers will hire someone based on their ability to do their job, not their ability to knock up their wife.”

Atlas opened his mouth and then closed it just as quickly. He frowned, looking from me to the couple and then back to me.

“I’m telling you, Atlas. Be real.”

“Says the woman pretending to be my fiancée.”

I bit back a laugh.

“Yeah, see? You have enough fake to deal with. And for the record, I’m on birth control, so don’t get any ideas. I’m willing to help you, but I’ll draw the line waaay before getting pregnant.”

Atlas chuckled, and his shoulders relaxed a bit.

“You really think I can get the job just by being myself?”

“No. Have a good pitch and a plan and show them that Seth Atlas Moreno is the best man to head the marketing campaign. But not by being a manipulative weirdo. Now, come on” I grabbed his hand and pulled him toward his future clients.

I had faith in him, even if he didn’t have any in himself.

To my surprise, he didn’t try to pull out that fake smile again. And it didn’t take him long to relax as we chatted with Belinda and her husband and a few others.

“We’ve analyzed our findings, but we can’t figure out why potassium isn’t being absorbed the way it should be” Belinda huffed out a frustrated breath.

Ooh, chemistry. Now this is my thing.

“Have you tried—”

Atlas nudged me with a gentle elbow to the side.

What?

I couldn’t decipher the look he was giving me. His drink wasn’t empty, so maybe he had to pee.

Shrugging, I turned back to Belinda.

“Maybe you could—”

Atlas nudged me again.

“Babe,” he mumbled, his voice low and harsh, like he was warning me to be quiet.

I didn’t get it, though. Chemistry was my strength. He’d had no problem leaving me to my own devices at the racquetball court, yet letting me contribute to a conversation about what I’d spent the last several years studying made him nervous.

“For Pete’s sake, Atlas, let the woman speak,” Belinda said. “I’d love some feedback. The solution is probably staring me in the face, but I’m just too close to it.”

“See?” I shook my head at Atlas before turning back to Belinda. “What about adding or increasing the amount of magnesium? It’ll bond with the potassium and help it absorb.”

“I did think that. Our tech assures us we have the right amounts of each” Belinda sipped her wine and looked across the room thoughtfully.

Hmm. This is tricky without seeing the formulas.

“What’s the ratio of calcium to magnesium?”

“You know chemistry?” Belinda’s eyes widened, and her lips pulled into a smile. “Atlas, why didn’t you tell us?”

I doubted he even knew.

“It was my major in college” I shrugged.

I could feel Atlas’ eyes on me, and in my periphery, I caught his look of surprise before he clamped his mouth shut and schooled his expression.

“When I got the degree, everyone told me I should be a nurse. But I couldn’t do nursing school.”

Allegra doesnʼt even like it there.

“Why?” Belinda asked, her brow furrowed.

I blew out a breath, making my bangs flutter.

This part made me seem ridiculous.

“Blood. I can’t stand the smell of blood” I shuddered.

“You, Miss Cahill, are full of surprises” Belinda chuckled and patted my arm. “Come to the lab with me tomorrow? I would love another set of eyes on this thing. I think my whole team is missing something.”

“Sure. Sounds fun. Labs were my favorite part of college...” I paused. “Well, besides the parties.”

Belinda laughed again.

Within minutes, our group made its way to our table for dinner. I followed the crowd contentedly until Atlas grabbed me by the elbow and pulled me aside.

“Chemistry?” he asked as he braced one hand against the wall above my head and leaned in.

“What?” I questioned.

If he meant the way it echoed between us, then yes, I could feel it too. Because even now, my body was humming at how close he stood.

“You have a degree in chemistry?”

“Yeah. Well, biochemistry” I shrugged. “I graduated with honors last spring.”

Atlas’ brows were hanging out at his hairline, and his mouth hung open, but he didn’t speak. I pulled my lips together.

“I don’t see why that’s like oh my goodness, no way. Cʼmon.”

“Well… it’s literally hard to explain how super-duper very, like, totes shocked I am…” Atlas trailed off with a chuckle.

“Not everyone who’s smart uses big SAT words” I huffed and crossed my arms.

He angled in farther, his breath dancing off my skin.

“Very true. And Belinda is right—you are full of surprises.”

The whisper in my ear sent a shiver down my spine. His nose lingered in my hair while he breathed me in.

“Come on, Miss Cahill, let’s go before this dress distracts me from my primary focus.”

“Yes, getting the water contract.”

He chuckled.

“Jack and Jill went to the Myers to get the water contract.”

My mouth fell open.

“Hey, I said that first! And youʼre right, itʼs not even our names.”

“I know, but at that point, I just thought you were crazy” His gaze burned into mine.

“And now?” I asked, breathless.

“I know you are, but I like it now” He smirked and turned, tugging me by the wrist toward our table.