Chapter 13 #2
Blake, however... if I had to put a bet on it, I’d say he thrives on structure, rules and boundaries.
It’s why he got so annoyed when I showed up late to our appointment, bounding into his life unexpectedly.
And why he was so irritated at having missed a single signature upon his new apartment lease.
He likes things to be perfect, clear cut from start to finish.
I don’t know what he wants out of life, but I’d say a doesn’t-have-her-shit together, unorganised, hot mess of a woman – i.e. me – isn’t it.
I refuse to shrink beneath his hands, but the realisation is starting to set in that maybe showing up here wasn’t the best idea.
“I’ve got twenty-twenty eyesight, Calla. Of course I’ve seen you. You make it too difficult to look away.”
What the fuck does that mean?
Before I can ask Blake to expand on that tidbit a little more, he’s moving away, ripping open the door to his fridge.
“Beer?”
“Please.”
I watch as Blake grabs two glass bottles from the shelf, unscrewing one of the lids and handing it to me. I dump my gym bag by the door and take it, trailing behind Blake as he sits upon his worn looking sofa.
“I think the issue is that Thomas McAvoy is having the same problem.”
“Hm?” I tear my eyes away from the stack of brown cardboard boxes piled high, each labelled with a scrawl of black marker, taking up space beside Blake’s TV.
“I said, I think Thomas is having the same problem. He can’t stay away from you.”
I fake a quiet huff of a laugh through my nose and swallow down a mouthful of ice-cold hops. “Tell me about it.”
“Why don’t you just tell him to fuck off?”
I shake my head and smile, although I know it falls a little flat. “It isn’t as easy as that.”
Blake quirks a brow. “Isn’t it?”
“No.”
“You could report him.”
I take a larger mouthful this time. “As if they’d believe me over him. I’d be fired on the spot.”
“Is that such a bad thing?”
I shoot Blake a glare, but he doesn’t shrug away. “Yes. I like my job… and the money. Plus, if I left it would be like letting Thomas win and over my dead body am I willing to allow that to happen.”
“So, what’re you going to do?”
I pop my shoulders and wipe away a cool bead of condensation sliding down the neck of my beer bottle. “I’m not quite sure yet.”
“Do you think he’d back off if someone else was in the picture?”
“Oh, for sure.” I bob my head in agreement.
“There you go, then.”
I frown, meeting Blake’s stare. “I’m not following.”
Blake sits up straighter, pressing his upper thigh into mine. I repress a shiver at the feel of his body heat seeping through the thin material of my gym shorts.
“Find somebody to parade in Tommy boy’s face. That way he might finally fuck off and leave you alone.”
“That’s stu—Hm.” I stop myself from shooting the idea down completely.
Maybe it’s the beer settling upon my empty stomach, entering my bloodstream and widening my boundaries of what is a good idea and what’s a bad idea, but for some strange reason…
“You know, that actually isn’t a bad idea.”
Blake grins boyishly and I get the strange urge to lean forward and kiss his smile straight off his lips. “See. Problem solved.”
“Sort of,” I huff. “Where on earth am I going to find somebody?”
“Any male friends?”
I shake my head.
“Roommates?”
I shake my head.
“Co-worker?”
“Absolutely not.”
A heartbeat of silence falls upon us like a blanket, until Blake speaks again.
“I’ll do it.”
It’s my turn to frown. “You’ll do what?”
“Be your fake date. Your fake boyfriend.”
I’m rarely speechless but right now, Blake has stolen most of my words. Every. Single. One of them.
Except for… um…
What the fuck?
My eyes must be as wide as saucers, as I scratch at my hairline wondering how on earth I got here.
One minute I was coming over to check Blake was alright, the next growing hot and bothered under his intense stare, picturing his sweaty body writhing above mine, tangled up in his sheets and now I’ve somehow snagged myself a faux boyfriend in order to get my boss’ sleazy nephew off my back.
I mean… it’s not a terrible idea. After all, Carmen and I were the ones who came up with it in the first place.
But I’m just surprised is all – or perhaps suffering from whiplash – because I wasn’t even aware that there was a real position as my fake boyfriend, let alone find a willing applicant.
Huh.
“You okay, Calla?” Blake cups my shoulder. “You’ve gone white.”
“I’m fine,” I choke out. “Just surprised is all.”
With my eyes closed, I feel rather than see, Blake’s hand come to rest on my bare knee.
“You don’t have to say yes, Calla, I just—”
Cracking open one eye, I peer at him. “What’s in it for you?”
Blake shrugs, retracting his hand. “Nothing. I’m just helping out a friend.”
“We’re friends now, are we? I didn’t know friends were people who have seen each other naked and slept together?”
Blake narrows his eyes at me. “What would you like me to call you then?”
“If I agree… then girlfriend makes the most sense, don’t you think?”
It’s Blake’s turn to choke.
Good.
I want him to be just as surprised and as dumbfounded as I am; that way we’re both on the same page.