ROMANCE: THE SHEIKH'S GAMES: A Sheikh Romance (17 page)

“A fiancé.”

She gasped. “A fiancé? I have a few single friends but I assure you Mr. Steele I’m no matchmaker.”

He wanted to laugh at her ramblings. Goodness he actually thought they were…cute. He groaned inwardly and stood. “You misunderstand me Ava.” At her confused look he leaned forward until his face, his mouth was inches from hers. “You should get used to calling me Kade since you’ve agreed to be my fiancé for the next few months.”

“It’s just a date Sophie, no big deal.”

“No big deal?” Sophie looked around Ava’s empty bedroom as though she were addressing a crowd. “She’s going on a date with Kade Steele, mega hot billionaire and she says it’s ‘no big deal’!” Sophie was overexcited and a tad jealous of her friend. “How can you say this is no big deal?”

Because none of it is real, she thought sadly. Yes she had agreed to become Kade’s fiancé, fake fiancé she amended, but the fake part was to remain between them. So they had to go on few dates because in a town as small as Rainbow Springs, word of their relationship would spread quickly. Like a virus. Ava sighed sadly. Of course the first relationship she’d had in years would have to be with a gorgeous man totally out of her league, oh and completely fictional. “It’s just dinner.”

“With Kade Steele! Might I remind that you he’s hot enough to set a girl’s panties on fire? Your words, not mine.” Sophie smoothed Ava’s dress over her hips, “I hope you’ve decided to spare your panties death by smoldering,” she laughed, looking at her friend in the mirror.

Ava couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay yes he’ll make fine eye candy for a few hours. But I’m not expecting anything.” The truth was Ava rarely expected anything of men. After a few failed relationships on her travels Ava figured she wasn’t meant to have that kind of connection with anyone. Her most recent relationship with a dentist had ended two years ago when she surprised him with lunch at his office. Turns out she was the one surprised when she found him buried deep in his receptionist. She walked away and never looked back. She was content to be on her own, most of the time.

“You’re nuts Ava, you should be expecting everything!” She shook her friend with excitement. “Everyone knows Kade doesn’t date women in Rainbow Springs. If he asked you out, he must really like you.”

Ava released a long patient breath. “Sophie he doesn’t really know me. I’m sure he asked me out because I wasn’t impressed with him.” That much was true. She knew he could easily spot her attraction to him but she hadn’t angled for more than his help with her studio and that either surprised him or bruised his ego, hence this ridiculous proposition.

“That’s even better.” She shrugged, “This way he’ll know you’re not interested in him for his money.”

She couldn’t deny she was impressed by his success but it was his face and his body that had her most intrigued. Too intrigued. “Don’t get your hopes up, Soph.” Or mine.

Ava listened and tried to dress while Sophie continued to prattle on about how cool it would be if she and Kade got married and had gorgeous coffee & cream babies. It was impossible to block out her chatter so Ava tried to redirect it. “What do you think,” she asked and twirled in a borrowed red cocktail dress that hugged her waist and flared out at the hips.

“I think I’m coming over tomorrow morning for all the dirty details!” Sophie laughed and pulled a pair of red wedges with silky red ribbons from her closet. “Wear these and you’ll be happily married in six months.”

If only you knew, girl.

Kade waited, a bit impatiently, for Ava to arrive at the restaurant he’d chosen for their first date. He wanted to pick her up but she told him, “I don’t know you well enough for that.” He smiled even now, thinking about her answer. Normally he would have fought her on it but he understood a single girl had to be diligent about her safety. His gaze drifted to his watch yet again even though she wasn’t late. Yet.

He was used to women playing games and making him wait in hopes of blowing him away with some grand entrance. It never worked and it only served to piss him off. He hoped Ava wasn’t one of those women and quickly shook off the thought. Unlikely. She was an artist so chances were good she frequently lost track of time. “Holy hell,” he muttered when he caught sight of the vision in red sashaying his way. He stood to greet her.

“Hi,” she said softly when she was a few feet from him.

“Hi,” he barked out and cleared his throat. “You look beautiful,” he said, this time his voice was low and deep. Seductive.

She blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Thanks. You, uh, look pretty great too.”

Kade laughed and pulled her chair out. When he sat his laughter had subsided. “Thank you Ava. I can’t remember the last time a woman complimented me.”

It was her turn to laugh only it came out more like a snort of disbelief. “I sincerely doubt that Kade.” She refused to believe women let a moment pass without telling him exactly how mouth-watering he looked.

“Mouth-watering, huh?” He tried to hold in his laughter since she clearly hadn’t meant to say it aloud, but he couldn’t. “You’re good for my ego.”

When he flashed that smile at her, both dimples winking and those green eyes reeling her in, Ava knew this man could wreak havoc on a girl’s libido. Her smile was sweet, “I doubt you need any ego massage from me. After all you are the Man of Steele.”

Kade groaned as she mentioned his nickname. It was an unfortunate moniker that had stuck thanks to a particularly talkative bed partner of his. He knew he should be flattered but he wasn’t. His bedmates knew he was more than capable of pleasing them so the whole world didn’t need to know. “I guess you heard about that too.”

She chuckled but said nothing as the waiter approached. They ordered drinks and when the waiter left she leaned in conspiratorially, “Don’t worry Kade, your virtue is safe with me.”

He stared at her for a few seconds and then laughed. For the second time since she arrived. That had to be a personal best for his dates. “I’m wounded,” he clutched his heart with a smile, “you have no plans to ravish me this evening?”

“No not this evening.” Her face was totally deadpan and her smile broke when he tried to fight his laughter. “I like you Kade Steele, you’re a funny guy.”

Kade liked Ava too, a strange twist of events he hadn’t anticipated. She’d ordered a dark ale to drink, not wine, and she made him laugh. So far this was the strangest, most fun date he’d been on and the food hadn’t even arrived. “Thanks Ava.”

She took a sip of her beer and licked the foam from her lip. She did a damn good job of ignoring the groan coming from the other side of the table, thank you very much. “So what should we talk about? Stock market? Football? Babes?”

“Babes?” His face was going to ache from smiling so much but it was worth it. “If I said babes, what would you say?”

She shrugged. “I spent about six months doing fashion photography in Europe so I can talk babes all day,” she gave him a cheeky wink that was so unlike her she felt her skin heat with embarrassment.

“I thought you did portrait photography like your grandmother.”

Her eyes widened. “You knew my grandma?”

His eyes lit with amusement. “Who do you think did my ‘stuffy outdated’ headshots?”

She cringed as he repeated her words back to him. “Luckily you don’t know how to take a bad photo.”

He laughed. “Nice save.”

“Thanks.” They placed their orders and she spoke again, “I spent the years before Grandma got sick traveling the globe as a photojournalist. I covered the flooding in New Zealand, the drought in Zimbabwe and the refugees in Syria before coming back to Rainbow Springs.” She took a long sip of her beer. “Sorry I tend to ramble about my work and I haven’t dated in awhile so I’m a tad rusty.”

Kade stared at the brown skinned stunner across from him in complete awe. She was smart, ambitious, witty and she seemed to genuinely like him. Too bad you’ve forced her to be your fake fiancé. He was starting to think maybe Violet was right, he should have gotten a real girlfriend. “You’re a pretty impressive woman Ava.” He held his drink up and she knocked her glass with his. “I have to know Ava. You’re gorgeous, smart, funny and ambitious, why haven’t you dated in awhile?”

She shrugged and told him the whole sordid tale of Robert and her failed relationships on the road. She wasn’t ashamed, well maybe about the whole Robert thing, and it’s not like this was a real date anyway. Even if it felt like it was.

“I know what your problem is,” he said smugly, sitting back in his chair with those muscular arms folded over his chest.

She wanted to be offended except that teasing glint in those mesmerizing green eyes gave him way. “Oh yeah? Do tell.”

“The guys you date are blind, deaf and dumb.”

Now it was her turn to toss her head back and laugh, probably louder than was acceptable in a restaurant like the one they were in, but she couldn’t help it. “Present company excluded.”

Kade couldn’t tear his gaze away from the long column of her neck as she leaned back laughing. The tops of her breasts shook ever so slightly with laughter and he was enchanted, something he hadn’t been in a long time. “Damn straight,” he smiled in response.

“I’m moving in with Kade,” Ava figured it was best to tell her best friend by ripping the Band-Aid off.

Sophie looked up from her laptop, eyes wide with shock and something else. She tossed her laptop aside and jumped up, wrapping her arms tight around Ava’s neck. “Is this for real? Are you serious? Are you guys serious?”

Ava peeled Sophie’s strong arms from her neck and stepped back. She hated lying but she made a promise. “Yes I’m for real and quite serious. As far as us being serious,” she lifted up her hand to show off the ridiculous diamond Kade insisted she wear, “he’s asked me to marry him.” Ava braced herself.

Sophie jumped up and down screaming, “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!”

“Calm down Soph, I think all of Rainbow Springs can hear you.” She wished she could be as excited as her friend. Unfortunately Ava was stuck with truth and reality.

“Why aren’t you more excited? Don’t you love it, love him?”

This was it, the first test. Ava pinned a smile to her face and let her eyes go dreamy. “Of course I do Soph, but I can’t help but be skeptical. What does a billionaire want with me?” That stung a little, was a bit too close to home but luckily Kade didn’t really love her so it was a fictional sting.

“Get outta here,” Sophie wrapped an arm around Ava’s shoulder. “He’d have to be an idiot not to realize how stunning you look, that crazy sexy body and that wicked sharp intelligence. I know it hasn’t been long but you’re awesome and if he doesn’t know that, well send him to me and I’ll tell him a thing or two.”

“Trust me, I know,” a familiar voice boomed in her small apartment.

Both women turned at the deep voice and gasped. Sophie recovered faster. “Kade Steele you are one lucky man. Ava is the best,” she extended a hand out to him. “And just wow, you really are better looking in person.” She turned to hug Ava. “Let me know if I need to beat him up, okay? Call me, love you!” And she was gone and Ava was alone in her apartment. With Kade.

He laughed, “Your friend is quite the character. I like her.”

His kind words were enough to settle her nerves. “Yeah Sophie is my best friend. She’s crazy but I love her.”

“Not that crazy,” he stroked his chin, “After all she did say I was better looking in person.”

Ava laughed and tossed a throw pillow at him. “I said she was crazy, not blind.” She turned back to him, “What are you doing here?”

Kade frowned, “You’re moving in today.” At her blank stare his voice turned gruff. “I’m helping you move your stuff.”

She smiled. “Oh. You didn’t have to do that.”

Kade crossed the room in several long strides, his expression dark. “Let’s get one thing straight honey. I’m not about to let you move into my house all by yourself. That’s not how I do things.”

“Let? Kade Steele you may be the master of your universe,” she poked him in the chest, “but you can’t let me do anything. I don’t ask permission from you or anyone else. Got it?”

“As long as you’re not doing anything crazy or dangerous, maybe.” At her incredulous look he leaned down until her breath fanned his face. “Ava I take care of what’s mine and like it or not, you’re mine.”

Whoa. How could a girl not like being the focus of all that masculine energy? She sucked in a breath and closed her eyes to shut down the desire suddenly bubbling to the surface. “I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time Kade, and I’ve done just fine.”

Kade reached out and grasped her chin in his fingers, tilting her head so she was looking at him. “You’re not alone now Ava and for as long as that’s true I’m going to look out for you. Get used to it.”

There was no point arguing with him when he got all alpha, she realized and she removed herself from his grasp and walked to her bedroom. She looked over her shoulder, “Since you want to be so helpful, pack up the list in the kitchen, the box is on the floor.” She quietly closed the door behind her. Being in such close proximity to him was messing with her head, her body. It was making her want things she’d shut down years ago, after Robert.

Falling for and losing a man like Kade would destroy her.

“Is this okay?”

Kade turned at Ava’s soft husky voice. He held in a groan when she sank her teeth into that sexy red bottom lip.

“So…not okay?”

“No,” he spat and looked at her hurt expression. “I mean no, it’s not not okay.” He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “I’m saying no don’t change you look breathtaking.” She really did in the pink rose dress she wore that skimmed her knees and hugged her breasts. She wore a dark pink cashmere sweater and pink heels. She looked like the perfect fiancé and every dirty dream he’d had for the past two weeks.

“Really?” She didn’t want to believe him but the way he stared at her set her body on fire in a way that said he meant every single word.

“Hell yes. In that dress Henderson will have no doubts about how we’ll spend the evening once he leaves.”

She shook her head with a smile to cover her blush. “Kade, the things you say to me, I swear. No wonder everyone woman in town is in love with you.”