Chapter 27 #2
“Technically, we’ve been sleeping in staff quarters. Though I don’t have residential staff at the house anymore.”
“Staff?”
At the top of a staircase that led from the kitchen, yeah, that wasn’t the master suite. She hadn’t been thinking, what a surprise. In her defense, the bedroom she’d used was huge. Except given the size of the kitchen, she probably should’ve figured out it was more than a regular two-bedroom house.
“Don’t get upset,” he said quickly. “Don’t think I was trying to deceive you. After your accident, it was just easier. I didn’t want to overwhelm you. You’d had a tough night and were reluctant to come to mine. I didn’t want you to have an excuse to leave, and—”
“Bastian,” she cut him off, he’d keep going until she forgave him. No need to open old wounds and fight about the same issue over again. “Next time, can I see your bedroom?”
Another silence. Why did he do that? Where was his head?
“Want to see it right now?” She laughed more with him than anyone else. “I can come over there, pick you up. I’ve got some very fast cars and—”
“Do you have a big TV?”
“In the foot of the bed,” he said. “No open fire in the master bedroom, yet. If it’ll get you in there, I’ll build you one.”
“With your own bare hands?” she teased.
“Sure, but that would take longer than writing a check,” he said. “I’m not sure I can wait. I’d have to be trained and—”
“Bastian,” she said. “You can show me tomorrow, after your parents’ party.”
“That a promise?”
“If we have time to watch a movie.”
No better treat than relaxing with Bastian in comfort and forgetting the world for a while.
“We’ll make time,” he said. “That’ll give me something to think about instead of my speech.”
As previously established, he wasn’t worried about talking at his parents’ party.
“Glad I can help.”
“Bring some things,” he said.
She frowned at her doodle. “What things?”
“Whatever you need to make yourself comfortable overnight, for a few days, leave it at mine.”
Her lips circled in understanding. Guy would be sick of her plundering his wardrobe. No chance of his shorts falling off if she wasn’t wearing them in the first place.
“Okay.”
“I’ll pick you up tomorrow—no arguments. No one would believe we’re together if I don’t pick you up. I won’t have your family, or mine, thinking I’d disrespect you like that.”
No big deal that a date wanted to pick her up. Except that left her with one rather large, expensive problem.
“Okay,” she said. “But I still have your car.”
“What car?”
“What car?” It was just crazy he could forget something so extravagant. “The Porsche.”
“Oh yeah…” he said like he really hadn’t remembered. “Keep it.”
She almost swallowed her tongue. “Keep it?” she said. “Why would I do that?”
“All part of my plan to make you beholden to me,” he teased. “It’s just a car, Sweet. I have more of them.”
Though there was no way in hell she’d keep the car, it did make sense to take one vehicle to his parents’ party rather than two.
“I’ll keep it for now, but not permanently. I can drop it off to you.”
“Good. That gives you a second excuse to come to my place. Bring it back to me on Sunday night. I’ll take you to work on Monday.”
This was getting out of hand. Every plan they made begat another plan.
“We’re already spending tomorrow night together, now you want to add Sunday too? Is two nights in a row believable?”
He sighed. “Sweet, you should be staying at my place full-time by now.”
That suggestion was almost offensive. “I’m not your other girlfriends,” she said, hackles rising. “I’m not interested in your money.”
“That’s not what I meant, Sweet, but I’ll give you time to figure it out. Pack a bag, we’ll leave it in the car during the party… unless you want to sleep naked at mine.”
“You wouldn’t give me a tee-shirt?”
“Nope.”
“Such a gentleman,” she said to his tease. “Okay, I’ll throw some things in a bag. If I have clean clothes, I’ll be able to shower at yours.”
“Bring your scented stuff.”
Odd request, but a kind of flattering one too. “A man who wants me for my body lotion, how romantic.”
“Do you want to get dinner?”
“Tonight?” she asked, flabbergasted by the whiplash. “Now?”
“Yes.”
With the amount of time they’d spent on the phone, she’d probably be in the office until midnight making up the lost time. That aside, they would be distracting each other all weekend.
“We’ve just discussed spending Saturday night at your parents and Sunday night together. Next week we’ll be eating with my family.”
Bastian didn’t miss a beat but missed her point entirely. “What do you want to do for your birthday?” he asked. “What’s your wildest dream? You’ve got a boyfriend who can make it happen.”
Reining him in when he was on a role was impossible, so she just went with it.
“I’m not sure I should tell you,” she whispered, restraining her humor. “This isn’t a secure line.”
“Now I’m interested.”
A knock on her door interrupted them. Her next appointment.
“I have to go, Knight. I have a client.”
“Okay,” he murmured. “I won’t let this one go.”
“Color me surprised,” she said. “We’ll talk later.”
The minute she signed off and hung up, she wanted to pick up the phone and start over.
Smart and funny, Bastian understood her crazy talk and gave it straight back. They were on for a busy week. They’d pull it off. He was the best fake boyfriend anyone could ever have.