Chapter 4

"Um, no." Finally, she snapped out of her trance. "No, I don't hate it."

"Then what's with the funny expression on your face?"

She gave an unsteady chuckle. "I'm stunned you would make such an offer. For me. Like this."

"Hey." He tried to smooth his features. "That's what friends are for, right?"

"Don't you have your own women to romance? Do all the romance crap with? I'd hate for some jealous female to show up and scratch my eyes out."

"No." He shrugged. "No one special."

"And what about all the stuff the Warriors always do over holidays? For instance, I happen to know the owner and his wife have a huge party every year. Remember, we did a story about it last year?"

"One night. Big deal. When's your shindig?"

"On Valentine's Day itself. A week from Saturday."

"Well, there you are." He leaned back and took a calming sip of his beer. "The Warriors party is on Friday night. No conflict. Anyway, all I have to do is put in an appearance there then split." His eyes lit up. "Hey! Why don't you come with?"

Stacy frowned. "Get real. I don't fit in with that crowd. I refuse to wear a barely-there cocktail dress, flaunt my boobs, and trowel on enough makeup to pave a sidewalk."

Max laughed. "I should be insulted, you know. Don't you think I have better taste than that? Besides, there are a lot of really nice women at these parties. Wives, fiancées. Like that. So does that mean you won't be my date?"

"I think Saturday night will be enough obligatory duty for you. Thanks anyway, though."

"You know I mean the invitation," he insisted.

"And I appreciate it." She chewed her thumbnail again. "You know this will get in the papers. The starting quarterback has been hurt so often, you've played in a bunch of games the past season. It certainly elevated your profile. The media will sniff out what's happening and be all over it like white on rice."

He laughed. "I'll have a hotshot writer on my arm. And a gorgeous one at that. Besides, it will be a big improvement over the women they usually pair me up with."

"Hah!" she snorted. "As if."

"Whatever." How could he tell her no woman measured up to her in his mind? She'd never believe him. At least, not right now. "We'll put on a good show and have some fun doing it, right?" He waited another heartbeat. "So, what's the answer? Shall we do it?"

"Uh, well, okay. If you're positive you want to." She grinned at him. "There's going to be gossip for sure. Everyone will be stunned that a handsome stud like you has scooped me up."

"Stacy." His voice sobered. "You sell yourself way too short in that department. I keep telling you, you're—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she spat. "All those things you said. So, how do we go about it? When do we start?"

"Tomorrow's good for me, if it works for you. It's Monday, and we have almost two full weeks until Valentine's Day. By then, we'll have the jerk begging you to take him back. How about if I pick you up for lunch?" He held up a hand when she opened her mouth, objection written all over her face. "No, you're not meeting me at the restaurant. The plan only works if we do it where everyone can see us. Right?"

"Uh, right. Okay. Wow!" She took a sip of beer. "This will be an eye opener for everyone."

"Which is exactly what it's supposed to be." He set his empty bottle aside and stood up. "I should probably let you get to sleep so you can be bright-eyed and sharp tomorrow."

"So I can play my part." She nodded.

"Absolutely." But I won't be playing at all. For me, it will be real.

"Thanks again, Max," she told him as she walked him to the door.

"My pleasure, sweet lady." He turned and put his hands on her shoulders. "I probably will kiss you when I come to get you tomorrow, so maybe we should have a couple of practice ones. You know, so we can get it right."

"K-kiss?" She swallowed hard. "P-Practice?"

"Sure." He grinned. "It's easy. Let me show you."

Arms around her, he cupped her head in one hand. Expecting he'd have to take his time, coax her into it, he brushed his lips over hers very slowly and carefully. At first, she stiffened, but he kept her in a light embrace and continued to tease at her mouth. Then he pressed a little harder before running the tip of his tongue across the seam of her lips. He didn't know what he expected. It certainly wasn't the jolt of electricity that singed its way through his body.

When she opened for him with a sigh, his tongue slipped inside. Nothing he had imagined even came close to the hot sizzle of the kiss, to the explosive connection between them. Jesus! His cock hardened, butting against her thigh. Lucky for him, she didn't try to pull away. He couldn't have backed off if his life depended on it. The taste of her mouth was so sweet, her tongue like liquid velvet. Unexpectedly, she slid it across his and joined him in a sensual dance.

He wanted to keep at it all night. This, and a lot more. But some remnant of his brain told him not to push the issue. With more control than he thought he had, he lifted his mouth from hers and eased his hold on her. He had to swallow a smile at her stunned expression.

"Yeah, I think this will work okay. Don't you?"

She nodded, touching her lips with the tips of her fingers.

"Okay, then. Lunch, tomorrow. I'll be at your office at twelve-thirty. Oh, and wear something sexy."

He could almost feel her eyes boring into his back as he walked away.

Tomorrow was the kickoff.

He had one chance to let Stacy know how he felt about her. If his plan worked, maybe they could finally have the relationship he'd been dreaming about. But as he walked next door to his own place, two questions rattled around in his brain. How would he get to sleep tonight with a shaft hard enough to pound nails? And how could he keep their little charade from blowing up in his face?