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An unexpected connection
Last Updated:
2025-01-05 01:00:09Related chapters
Pretend to be mine The waiting game
Lucia’s fingers flew across the keyboard as she typed out a response to Avon’s text. She had barely contained her excitement, trying to play it cool despite the butterflies dancing in her stomach. "I'd love to check the flights," she replied, trying to sound casual. "What time were you thinking?" Just as she hit send, a voice interrupted her thoughts. "I'm shocked you're not spinning around in your office chair," Nolan said, standing by the door with a hint of amusement. Lucia’s heart skipped a beat as she jumped in her seat, her eyes wide with alarm. How did he know about Avon’s text? Had he been watching her? But Nolan's next words put her at ease. "I mean, I've never seen anyone so thrilled about writing a memo," he continued, chuckling. "You must be really passionate about at-risk youth." Lucia let out a sigh of relief, laughing awkwardly. "Oh, yeah. I just... really care about this project." Nolan nodded, his expression serious once more. "I can tell”. Nolan paused mid-r
Last Updated : 2025-01-05Pretend to be mine “LA Bound”
“No problem, man. Text me her flight info and how I can find her. Or should I just take all of the women with big boobs at LAX to your apartment so you can pick?” Avon lay his head down on his desk. “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?” “Oh, no doubt, you absolutely are. Good luck with the surgery!” Avon texted Lucia the change of plans. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be pissed. She knew he was a doctor, so it would be okay. Right? Lucia had given her boss two hard copies and an email version of her memo right before he walked out the door on Friday afternoon. She’d barely slept all week, between her regular work, texting Avon , writing and editing the memo every night, thinking about Avon, and, oh yeah, stressing about the upcoming weekend. Thursday night, she’d made her last edits on the memo, after copious notes from Nolan, and had packed probably way too many clothes for a weekend trip to L.A. Lucia stood in front of the bathroom sink, staring at her reflection in the mirro
Last Updated : 2025-01-05Pretend to be mine Pizza and possibilities
As she settled into the passenger seat, Lucia set her tote bag down on the floor next to her feet, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. Lucas's thoughtful question had caught her off guard, and she was grateful for his consideration. After a chaotic week, she'd devoured all her emergency snacks and hadn't had a chance to refuel since a quick lunch salad and a bag of peanuts on the plane. Her stomach was growling, and the prospect of food was suddenly very appealing. “I would love that, thank you. As long as it’s not out of your way?” Oh God, she thought, please don’t let him say it’s out of his way. He laughed and turned down the radio. “Tons of stuff in between here and there. Plus I’m hungry, too. Avon didn’t give me much warning here.” She pulled off her cardigan and put it in her bag. “Same here.” He glanced at her as he changed lanes. “This was a last-minute thing—Avon couldn’t have helped it. But he was definitely looking forward to you coming.” She shrugged.
Last Updated : 2025-01-06Pretend to be mine A long awaited reunion
Avon went into the kitchen for a beer. At least there’d been a third plate on the table, so apparently Lucas hadn’t completely forgotten that Avon existed. He sat on the couch next to Lucia and took a swig of his beer. She turned to face him, her smile more tentative now. He reached for her hand, and she gripped his fingers for a second. “You must be starving,” she said. She let go of his hand but moved closer to him on the couch. “Have some pizza. How did the surgery go?” He loaded up his plate and moved closer to her in the process, so by the time he sat back against the couch cushions they were hip to hip. Lucas was intent on the basketball game, but he had a tiny smirk on his face. He knew Avon was dying to get rid of him, damn him. He took a bite, realized he hadn’t answered her question, tried to talk, then saw the error in that. She laughed at him, and he grinned once he could. “Surgery went well. This is that kid I was telling you about last weekend, the one who was in th
Last Updated : 2025-01-07Pretend to be mine Sweet treats and hospital visits
Later, as they lay together on the couch, he looked at the wreckage of his living room—three couch pillows on the floor, clothes scattered everywhere, salsa stains on the carpet. "Welcome to LA," he whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine. She laughed and turned her face to kiss him, feeling the spark of electricity as their lips touched. The next morning, Lucia woke up to the warmth of Avon's body wrapped around hers. She felt his chest rise and fall with each breath, his arms cocooning her in a sense of safety and security. She couldn't fight the warmth that spread through her chest at the way he held her, the way he touched her. He embraced her like he meant it, like he cared. But she knew it wasn't real. He was probably always like this with women. Still, she couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the way he made her feel. And then, the times he touched her in other ways... holy shit, were those times amazing. She felt a flush rise to her c
Last Updated : 2025-01-07Pretend to be mine First meeting
Lucia hills walked into the Lacoste hotel in Berkeley that Wednesday night wearing her favorite red heels, feeling jittery from coffee, and carrying a bottle of champagne in her purse. She took out her phone to text her sister, Susan, upstairs in one of the guest rooms. It was always good to give Susan a little more advance warning than most people. It didn’t matter that Susan had just made partner at her New York law firm; some things didn’t change. Oh no, was just about to get in the shower. Lucia got Susan’s text just as she stepped into the elevator. She laughed out loud as she pushed the number of her sister’s floor, the laughter calming her nerves. Lucia couldn’t wait to celebrate with her older sister, despite . . . no, maybe because their relationship was still tricky after all these years. The elevator glided in the air, in that smooth, noiseless way elevators in expensive hotels do, while lucia checked her purse for the second time to make sure she’d tossed the fanc
Last Updated : 2024-12-07Pretend to be mine Be my date
“Which way is she?” They both looked up at the arrow signs by the elevator bank. “This way,” she said, pointing to the left. He consulted his room key. “Ah, I’m that way.” He pointed to the right. They smiled at each other and didn’t say anything for a moment. “I can honestly say that I’ve never had a more entertaining time in an elevator. Thanks for that.” He reached out a hand. “Likewise.” Lucia shook it. “Good luck at the wedding.” He laughed and grimaced. “Don’t remind me. Congratulations to your sister.” She thanked him and walked down the hall toward Susan room. She wished she knew what else she could or should have said to keep talking to him longer. She sighed and kept walking. “Lucia. Wait.” This was crazy. Avon knew, objectively, that what he was about to do was crazy. But as she turned to walk away, he shouted for her to stop a split second later. “Yeah?” She turned. “You can’t have the rest of the cheese, not even as a parting gift.” Okay, here was his opport
Last Updated : 2024-12-07Pretend to be mine Reminder
Lucia stepped off the elevator and onto the bustling floors of city halls. She took a deep breath, feeling the familiar hum of the office energize her. It was good to be back at work. As she made her way to her office, Lucia couldn't help but think about the previous night's dinner celebration. Her sister Susan made partner at a firm. She had just been promoted to senior partner, and they had decided to celebrate in style. They had dined at one of Berkeley top restaurants, indulging in champagne and fine wine. Lucia chuckled to herself as she remembered the two of them stumbling out of the restaurant, giggling and holding onto each other for support. They had definitely had a bit too much to drink. As she settled into her office, Lucia’s phone buzzed with an incoming text from her colleague and friend Diana. "Hey, want to grab coffee and catch up?" Diana asked. Diana smiled, happy to take a break from her usual routine. "Definitely," she replied. "Meet you at the coffee shop down
Last Updated : 2024-12-11
Latest chapter
Pretend to be mine Sweet treats and hospital visits
Later, as they lay together on the couch, he looked at the wreckage of his living room—three couch pillows on the floor, clothes scattered everywhere, salsa stains on the carpet. "Welcome to LA," he whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending shivers down her spine. She laughed and turned her face to kiss him, feeling the spark of electricity as their lips touched. The next morning, Lucia woke up to the warmth of Avon's body wrapped around hers. She felt his chest rise and fall with each breath, his arms cocooning her in a sense of safety and security. She couldn't fight the warmth that spread through her chest at the way he held her, the way he touched her. He embraced her like he meant it, like he cared. But she knew it wasn't real. He was probably always like this with women. Still, she couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the way he made her feel. And then, the times he touched her in other ways... holy shit, were those times amazing. She felt a flush rise to her c
Pretend to be mine A long awaited reunion
Avon went into the kitchen for a beer. At least there’d been a third plate on the table, so apparently Lucas hadn’t completely forgotten that Avon existed. He sat on the couch next to Lucia and took a swig of his beer. She turned to face him, her smile more tentative now. He reached for her hand, and she gripped his fingers for a second. “You must be starving,” she said. She let go of his hand but moved closer to him on the couch. “Have some pizza. How did the surgery go?” He loaded up his plate and moved closer to her in the process, so by the time he sat back against the couch cushions they were hip to hip. Lucas was intent on the basketball game, but he had a tiny smirk on his face. He knew Avon was dying to get rid of him, damn him. He took a bite, realized he hadn’t answered her question, tried to talk, then saw the error in that. She laughed at him, and he grinned once he could. “Surgery went well. This is that kid I was telling you about last weekend, the one who was in th
Pretend to be mine Pizza and possibilities
As she settled into the passenger seat, Lucia set her tote bag down on the floor next to her feet, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. Lucas's thoughtful question had caught her off guard, and she was grateful for his consideration. After a chaotic week, she'd devoured all her emergency snacks and hadn't had a chance to refuel since a quick lunch salad and a bag of peanuts on the plane. Her stomach was growling, and the prospect of food was suddenly very appealing. “I would love that, thank you. As long as it’s not out of your way?” Oh God, she thought, please don’t let him say it’s out of his way. He laughed and turned down the radio. “Tons of stuff in between here and there. Plus I’m hungry, too. Avon didn’t give me much warning here.” She pulled off her cardigan and put it in her bag. “Same here.” He glanced at her as he changed lanes. “This was a last-minute thing—Avon couldn’t have helped it. But he was definitely looking forward to you coming.” She shrugged.
Pretend to be mine “LA Bound”
“No problem, man. Text me her flight info and how I can find her. Or should I just take all of the women with big boobs at LAX to your apartment so you can pick?” Avon lay his head down on his desk. “I’m going to regret this, aren’t I?” “Oh, no doubt, you absolutely are. Good luck with the surgery!” Avon texted Lucia the change of plans. Hopefully, she wouldn’t be pissed. She knew he was a doctor, so it would be okay. Right? Lucia had given her boss two hard copies and an email version of her memo right before he walked out the door on Friday afternoon. She’d barely slept all week, between her regular work, texting Avon , writing and editing the memo every night, thinking about Avon, and, oh yeah, stressing about the upcoming weekend. Thursday night, she’d made her last edits on the memo, after copious notes from Nolan, and had packed probably way too many clothes for a weekend trip to L.A. Lucia stood in front of the bathroom sink, staring at her reflection in the mirro
Pretend to be mine The waiting game
Lucia’s fingers flew across the keyboard as she typed out a response to Avon’s text. She had barely contained her excitement, trying to play it cool despite the butterflies dancing in her stomach. "I'd love to check the flights," she replied, trying to sound casual. "What time were you thinking?" Just as she hit send, a voice interrupted her thoughts. "I'm shocked you're not spinning around in your office chair," Nolan said, standing by the door with a hint of amusement. Lucia’s heart skipped a beat as she jumped in her seat, her eyes wide with alarm. How did he know about Avon’s text? Had he been watching her? But Nolan's next words put her at ease. "I mean, I've never seen anyone so thrilled about writing a memo," he continued, chuckling. "You must be really passionate about at-risk youth." Lucia let out a sigh of relief, laughing awkwardly. "Oh, yeah. I just... really care about this project." Nolan nodded, his expression serious once more. "I can tell”. Nolan paused mid-r
Pretend to be mine An unexpected connection
“See, what had happened was . . .” Lucas laughed. “Oh shit, now this is getting good. Go on.” Lucas leaned back and propped his feet up on Avon’s desk. He was going to get so much shit for this, but now he’d said too much to not tell the whole story. Lucas would get it out of him eventually anyway. “I kind of changed my flight to last night. And I forgot all about the golf tournament . . . so, that’s what happened. More or less.” Lucas took his feet down and stared at Avon. “You changed your flight? To hang out with elevator girl?” Avon shrugged and leaned back in his chair, trying to play it off. “You know I hate golf. The tournament was just an excuse to get out of there, but once I had Lucia , I didn’t need an excuse anymore.” He twitched under Lucas’s gaze. His phone buzzed, and he glanced over at it—just an update on a patient. Avon snatched his phone before he could pull it away. “Ooh, her name was Lucia, huh? Is that Lucia texting you?” Avon stood up and rea
Pretend to be mine The unsettling silence
She sprang back to life, her digital presence humming as she continued with her tasks. "Okay, resuming routine," she whispered to herself. Lucia began puttering around the house, checking on various smart devices. She adjusted the thermostat, dimmed the living room lights, and started a load of laundry. She changed out of the dress he’d almost torn off her and into yoga pants and a tank top (and underwear), unloaded her dishwasher, went through the rest of the work emails that had come in this weekend, and made a to-do list for the workweek. As she worked, she also tackled her virtual tasks. But all the time she thought about Avon. The way he’d laughed whenever she’d laughed; the way he kept touching her, like his hands belonged on her skin; the way he’d smiled at her in the middle of the night like he was so happy to have her there with him in his bed; the way he ate his burrito with tortilla chips as utensils and blushed when she teased him about it. The whole time she hoped s
Pretend to be mine Leveling the playing field
As she reached for her purse, Avon’s hands encircled her waist, holding her in place. His face was inches from hers, his smile intimate and genuine. This wasn't a smile for the cameras or to charm her into submission; it was a smile meant solely for her. "You think you can use your body to distract me while you sneak a peek at your phone?" Avon’s voice was low and teasing. Lucia shifted slightly, testing his grip. His hands tightened on her hips, sending a shiver down her spine. "You don't play fair, Hills," she whispered, her voice barely audible. Avon’s smile grew, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'm just leveling the playing field," he whispered back, his breath dancing across her skin. She grinned and pushed away from him for real. He released her but kept his arm around her as she lay on her side next to him and checked her phone, her head on his chest. She ignored the texts from Diana —no way she could answer them with him right there—and went straight to the ema
Pretend to be mine A secluded moment
They joined the end of the line, which was surprisingly long considering it was a cool evening. But Lucia was undeterred, bouncing up and down with excitement. "Come on, come on," she muttered, tapping her foot impatiently. Avon laughed. "Patience, my dear." Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached the front of the line. The ice cream lady, a friendly woman with a warm smile, called out, "Next in line!" Lucia and Avon stepped forward, scanning the colorful array of ice cream flavors on display. "I'll have a scoop of strawberry, please," Lucia said, her eyes shining with anticipation. "And I'll have a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough," Avon added, handing over his money. The ice cream lady efficiently handed over their cones, and they stepped aside to lick their ice cream in happy silence. As they walked back to the car, licking their cones, Lucia turned to Avon with a contented sigh. "This is the perfect day." Avon smiled, his eyes crinkling at the
