23. Mila #3
“I would never do that,” I said and dialed the credit card phone number on my cell and put it on speakerphone.
I shook my head at Lara as she grinned at me, waiting eagerly to hear what the limit was.
I have to admit that I was a little excited myself to find out what the limit would be.
Not that I would come close to using all the money.
Or even using the card again after I bought this dress.
I didn’t want Ryker to think I was taking advantage of the situation.
My heart felt sad as I thought about him and the situation we were in.
I was happy that we were kind of dating, if dating was what we could call our situation.
I just didn’t know. We were seeing each other.
We were having sex. I liked him—well, loved him.
I thought he liked me. However, I was also his fake fiancée, and I wasn’t sure if that negated everything.
Was he my boyfriend? Would he ever really be my boyfriend?
I tried not to dwell on all the things in my mind.
It made me doubt the relationship I found myself in.
I looked down at the phone and listened to a voice welcoming me to American Express.
I punched in the numbers on the card and waited for them to ask me to verify some password, so that I could look at Lara and say, “See? I can’t find out that info.
” I was shocked when the voice asked me what I wanted to do next.
I pressed 2 to hear my available balance, and Lara and I both gasped when the voice said, “You have an available credit limit of one million dollars. Contact us if you need to spend more.” I pressed END on the phone and looked at Lara with wide eyes.
“Did I just hear that correctly?” I said, feeling slightly dazed.
“If you heard one million dollars, then yes.” She grinned at me, her eyes bright. “I cannot believe it.”
“I cannot believe it either.” I put the card back in my wallet. “He’s crazy.”
“Yeah, he is,” Lara said. “Does he not know you?”
“Whatever.” I giggled as we pulled out of the driveway. “I’m responsible.”
“Since when?” She raised an eyebrow at me. “Last week?”
“Last week is as good as ever.” I laughed. “Seriously, though, I’m not going to take advantage of the situation. It’s just for this dress.”
“Uh-huh,” Lara said. “And some new sexy bras, underwear, heels, maybe a new trench coat, a leather jacket, um?—”
“A leather jacket?” I said, interrupting her. “Why would I be getting a leather jacket?”
“Because they’re so cute.” She giggled. “I notice you didn’t ask why you should get the trench coat.” She winked. “Bow chicka bow wow.”
“Lara, you’re so immature. I’m not going to go crazy on the card, and I’m going to pay back whatever I spend.”
“Okay.” Lara didn’t bat an eye, but her voice was unbelieving. “Whatever you say.”
“I am,” I defended. “Though it might not be in terms of cash.”
“Like I said, bow chicka bow wow.”
“Ha ha, he’s lucky.” I giggled. “Most guys would love to have this.” I danced around in my seat, feeling light and happy. “And if anyone ever saw me or heard me saying that, they would think I was a ho.”
“A ho, ho, ho.” Lara nodded and looked at me. “So where shall we go, then? To the boutiques downtown?”
“I guess so.” I shrugged. “You think they’ll have anything there?”
“Yup.” She nodded. “There’s this new haute couture dress shop next to the cupcake store. I think they have vintage Chanel, Vera Wang, and some Versace gowns.”
“That sounds expensive.” I frowned.
“Says the million dollar lady.” Lara laughed.
“I don’t wanna be the million-dollar ho.” I giggled, though my heart was racing. I could buy anything I wanted for a million dollars.
“Who, you?” Lara said as she turned on her radio, and I turned it up as it connected to the Bluetooth on her phone, and the latest Pitbull song started playing. I stared out of the window as Lara drove. I felt excited about the evening, though I wasn’t sure what to expect.
“Your phone is ringing, Mila.” Lara tapped me on the shoulder to break me out of my daydream.
“Oops,” I said as I grabbed my phone out of my bag. “Hello,” I said as I placed it next to my ear.
“Where are you?” Ryker asked softly, his voice sending a warm feeling down my spine.
“I’m in the car with Lara. We’re going to the new boutique downtown to get a dress and a few other necessities,” I added, feeling slightly guilty.
“Good.” He sounded pleased. “Tell Lara that I’d be more than happy to treat her to a new dress as well, for taking you out.”
“What?” I said, surprised by his generosity, though I really shouldn’t have been. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to,” he said. “Tell her to get something nice, and we can have her and Parker over this weekend, right after you move in.”
“Like a double date?” I asked hesitantly, not sure if that was such a good idea.
“Or just a dinner,” he said smoothly. “Just four friends eating together.”
“Okay,” I said, disappointment swelling in my belly. Friends. That dreaded word that made me come back down to earth again.
“There’s no need for expectations,” he continued. “We can’t make them get together. They aren’t us.”
“So, are we together?” I asked, wanting to know exactly what we were to each other. Hope once again filled me. Maybe he really was into me after all.
“Of course, we’re together—you’re my fiancée,” he said, and I wanted to interrupt him.
I wanted to say that part was a lie and ask what the truth was between us, but I was scared that he would say there was nothing real between us.
I was scared that he would say that this was it.
And I didn’t want to hear that. I couldn’t hear that.
It would break me. And right now, I wanted to believe that it was more, even if that was just a farce.
I didn’t want to know the truth. I didn’t want my bubble to burst already.
Not now. Not yet. I wasn’t sure I could go through with all my plans if I thought he didn’t have any real feelings for me.
If I thought that I was just a booty-call to him.
Maybe I could make him fall in love with me.
Maybe if I played this role perfectly, he would realize that he didn’t want this to be an act.
A cold chill ran through me as I realized how much of my heart I was putting on the line here.
All of a sudden, I felt sick that I was letting myself in for a big fall, and it scared the hell out of me.
“Okay, well, we’re pulling up to a music store that Lara wants to go into now,” I lied as I looked out of the window at some trees. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Send me photos of the dresses you’re choosing between,” he said. “I want to help you choose.”
“You don’t care.” I laughed, my heart racing at the thought of him helping me choose a dress.
“I want to see them before you choose which one you’re going to buy,” he said softly.
“Okay,” I said, though I knew that I wasn’t going to be sending him any photos.
“When do you think you’ll arrive at the store?” he asked again. “I have a meeting in an hour, but it won’t last more than an hour.”
“Oh, I’m not sure,” I said honestly. “It’s some place that Lara knows, but I’ve never been there before.”
“Text me when you arrive,” he said.
“Um, okay,” I said. “I’d better go now. Lara is waiting on me to get out of the car.”
“Okay, text me,” he said and hung up the phone. I placed the phone back into my bag and looked at Lara, who was glancing at me with a smile.
“What was that about, Ms. Liar?” Her eyes searched mine for a few seconds before facing the traffic again.
“Why are you calling me a liar?” I asked, my face pink as I stared in front of me.
“You’re not going to send him photos of any of the dresses. And we didn’t pull up to any boutique.” She laughed. “He’s going to be sitting there waiting, and he’s going to be very disappointed.”
“I don’t think he’ll be disappointed.” I laughed, but all of a sudden, all I could think about was that—once again—what he wanted from me came down to something sexual.
“Sure, he will.” She pulled down a one-way street and glanced at me. “Men are visual creatures. He probably can’t wait to see.”
“Oh, well, he’s in for a disappointment,” I said as she pulled up to a store. “I’ll text him and let him know we’ve arrived, but I won’t be sending any pics; that way he’s not waiting and wondering.”
“Oh, Mila.” Lara grinned at me.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She shrugged. “Text him.”
“I’m going to.” I grabbed my phone and started punching in my message, feeling angry and not really sure why.
Well, that’s a lie; I knew why I was angry.
I was angry that I cared so much. I was angry that the only real interest Ryker seemed to show in me was in regard to sex.
I was angry that I couldn’t control my feelings of worry and hope that intermingled with the love I felt for him in my heart.
Even though we were closer now than we’d ever been in our lives, I felt the most distant from him.
I didn’t feel like I was able to be myself with him because I was so scared of letting him in.
I was scared that I’d fall in love with him and start telling myself he felt the same way.
I was scared that if I started to believe in my dreams and fairy tales, my whole world would come crashing down around me.
I turned away from Lara and typed into my phone, suddenly letting my anxiety feed into anger.
Me: I don’t need your help picking a dress.
Ryker: I didn’t say you needed my help, came the immediate reply.
Me: Good.
Ryker: Send me photos.
Me: No.
Ryker: Stop being childish.
Me: Stop acting like my dad.
Ryker: Your dad wants to see you in your underwear?
Me: You’re disgusting.
Ryker: That’s not what you said last night.
Me: Grow up.
Ryker: I thought I was acting too adult.
Me: Goodbye, Ryker.
Ryker: Send me nudies then.
Me: You wish.
Ryker: I do. :)
Me: Ryker!
Ryker: Mila!
Me: You’re insufferable.
Ryker: You’re sexy.
Me: Whatever.
Ryker: I can picture your lips right now.
Me: Whatever.