Chapter Eight #2
A bubble of laughter erupted out of Gigi, that she tried to halt but failed dismally, as merriment suddenly had her almost doubled over for a few seconds. “Who knew you were hilarious.” Wiping her eyes. “Get attached to you? You? As if.” She grinned broadly, shaking her head in clear disbelief.
Something sparked in Nico’s gut at Gigi’s reaction. That she could so blithely dismiss the idea of ever falling for him because if he decided to put in some real effort, he’d have her on her back, naked, wanting, needy, pleading. Saint Medard, he was crazy.
Worse, Nico’s pride was irked, unable to shut the hell up for some reason.
“We might have our differences, Cookie. But we’re about to spend a lot of quality time together over however long it takes for me to crush this curse.
Assuming the creator of the curse reveals themselves eventually, and we smack down their evil ass.
In the meantime, staying within fifty feet of one another is going to be challenging enough.
On top of which we’re being forced to play make believe couple out in public.
I don’t want you getting confused when all I’m doing is acting like a good guest.”
“Huh.” Gigi’s grin hadn’t dropped. “I’d already considered the ramifications of what might happen between us given all this enforced time together we shall inevitably be sharing.
Perhaps it’s a guy thing that you went down that particular path, assuming that we’ll probably end up fucking.
Oh, sorry, I meant making love, given you’ve cast me in the role of wide-eyed ingenue, one who will be unable to stop herself from foolishly succumbing, thanks to sheer proximity, to all your rough, irritating grumpy charms and fall in love with you by the sound of it. ”
“And there’s no danger of that happening?”
“Please. None. You and me hooking up? Never. And even if by some crazy chance we did, don’t worry, I’d never be na?ve enough to assume any real emotions were involved.
It’s funny though, once I knew I was stuck with you for the foreseeable future, I instantly assumed we’d inevitably end up killing one another.
Perhaps that’s just me? But I’m pretty sure I’ll eventually be making an attempt on your life.
So heads up and all that.” Her cheerful smile never wavered.
“Which reminds me, I need to rearrange things in my freezer. It’s starting to get a little crowded in there but never fear, there’ll always be room for one more.
Night.” On that breezy note Gigi sauntered off to her bedroom, quietly shutting the door behind her, leaving Nico at the kitchen benchtop, locked in place, cleaning cloth in hand forgotten.
Had Miss Happiness – let’s everyone put their best foot forward – Gigi DeWitt just threatened his life? Yes, he thought she had. And why, by the storm tossed seas, did he find that so incredibly hot?
Mierda.
* * *
It didn’t seem possible, but day two of faux dating Nico Yanez was even worse than day one.
As a relentless never-ending wave of curious and well-meaning relatives streamed into Gigi’s shop, keeping Daisy, Bee and Gigi mega busy.
Every customer feeling impelled to impart a little bit of advice before they left.
The most common theme being to remind her of how suave, debonair, and worldly Nico was, broadly hinting that Gigi was more than a little out of her depth.
It was beyond frustrating. Her dating track record was pretty solid. Full of smart, capable, dashing men. Yet, her family, for some strange reason, were convinced Nico swam with sharks both on land and in the water on a regular basis.
It was proving harder and harder as the day progressed to keep her cheerful dynamic entrepreneurial smile in place.
She was a competent business woman. A grown up.
Thirty was looming rather near on the horizon.
Yet it felt like the entire family had held a secret meeting overnight and taken a vote of no confidence when it came to the idea of Gigi and Nico in a relationship.
If Gigi had a dollar for every time someone patted her on the hand and with the best of intentions asked if she’d really thought this through, well, she would be draining her fourth very expensive cocktail right about now.
Hmmm, cocktails, Nico was a bartender, perhaps there was a perk to this whole farce that she hadn’t factored in yet.
Which would be nice, just one perk.
Because so far, Gigi was feeling kind of put out. Here she was keeping Nico sane and safe from potential hordes of drooling lust-struck femmes, and what exactly was she getting out of all this? Besides a full cash register, a blister on her right heel and another burgeoning headache?
Hah, headache, no faux sex for Nico tonight.
Heavens, and now she was thinking about sex with Nico again. Okay, faux sex. But ever since he’d brought up the topic last night she’d been kind of like a needle on a record, stuck.
She’d given herself a pat on the back for her snappy retort when he’d mentioned it. Of course it helped that he’d intimated that if they were to have sex, it was a foregone conclusion that she would fall in love with him. Fall in love? With Nico Yanez? The man would have to have a magic cock then.
Although maybe that was part of the curse deal, gifting him a magic cock.
Bloody hell. Stop thinking about Nico’s cock. Concentrate on smiling, being polite and filling up Great-Great-Aunt Margot’s purple and white striped foil bag with her favourite Espresso Mocha Latte Truffles.
Head down. Just get through the day. As soon as they closed the doors, Gigi intended to soak in a bath whilst quaffing several glasses of medicinal wine.
And perhaps she might have made it through the work day unscathed, but as she handed over the bag of truffles, Margot - means well, big of heart - patted Gigi consolingly on the hand and imparted some sage advice. “Guard your heart, dearest girl.”
Guard her heart! Guard her heart? Like she was a virginal romance heroine under siege by some nefarious rake.
It was too much. Gigi let her entrepreneurial cheery persona drop for just a split second.
Great-Great-Aunt Margot was quite deaf, and stubbornly in denial.
A bright smile would be response enough and her relative would never hear her whispered sarcastic response. “No need. I’m just using him for sex.”
Except Margot paused, a broad smile breaking across her features.
“Really? That’s such a relief. Did you hear that everyone?
” Margot looked back over her shoulder to the crowd of relatives in line behind her, the overhead lights glinting off her all but imperceptible brand spanking new hearing aids.
“Gigi tells me she’s just using that young man of hers for sex. ”
The round of loud applause was way over the top. Merciful Lady, where was a sinkhole when you needed one?
* * *
Nico watched Gigi storm down the external stairs from her apartment, clutching a bottle of wine and two glasses. Sitting down across from him at the outdoor table on the sundeck, she shared out the wine before huddling back in her seat, wrapping one arm around her chest.
“You okay?”
“I think there’s something wrong with the water heater. I just tried to have a bath and it was beyond icy.”
Ah, thus explaining the long red jumper, cream yoga pants and matching shoes she was wearing, despite it being a reasonably warm late afternoon. The mild Queensland days of Autumn and Winter had definitely played a major factor in why he and Matias had chosen to settle in Haven Bay.
Absently Nico raised a hand and waved, responding to a warm greeting from an older couple directed their way who were walking along the beach. “That’s weird.”
“What’s weird about Great-Great-Uncle John saying hello?”
“All morning I was getting nothing but cold looks and huffy sighs directed my way. Suddenly, everything changed an hour or two ago and every second couple are smiling and waving.”
“Oh.”
“Why do you suddenly have guilt face, what did you do?”
“I don’t have guilt face.” Gigi reached for the bottle, refilling her glass almost up to the brim. “This is my normal face.”
“I beg to differ.”
“Well, I can only guess that what I said to Great-Great-Aunt Margot would have hit the grapevine about two hours ago. In my defence, it had been a very long day of patronising advice and consoling worried looks. I didn’t think she’d even hear me.
She’s deaf. No one mentioned she’d recently gotten hearing aids. ”
“What did you say?”
“That I was just using you for sex.” She glanced Nico’s way, trying to gauge his reaction. Annoyed? Amused?
“I think we might have a little problem then. Your brother and Cam McKenzie stopped by earlier to have a little chat with me.”
“My brother? Benedict?”
“In uniform no less. It felt kind of official.”
“Official how?”
“Like an interrogation official. Basically it came down to him wanting to know exactly what my intentions are towards you.”
Oh, Good Lady Above. “Intentions?” How humiliating. Even her closest family members appeared to be under the impression Gigi was some dewy eyed na?ve love starved waif who was about to be used, abused and thrown away by studly, worldly, experienced Nico.
“So I kind of suggested, hinted, that I might be falling for you and that my intentions were honourable.” Nico glanced down the beach, noting another older couple strolling by along the water’s edge, this one giving him the stink eye still.
At least now he had an explanation of the hot and cold responses he was receiving.
“Really? That has to be the best news I’ve heard all day.” Gigi relaxed back into her chair, knocking back a big swig of wine. “Thank you.”
“You don’t think our conflicting stories will cause problems? That we should maybe clear things up?”
“Clear things up? Heavens, no. The muddier the better I say. Keep the family guessing and confused. The betting books will be running hot with speculation as to whether we will or we won’t. Am I really just using you for sex? Is your heart really in play? Will you eventually woo and win me around?”
“One thing though, I’m not sure I know how to go about proving my intentions are honourable.
” He hadn’t played the boyfriend role in over a decade and even then, things between him and the seemingly older Kristiah had been decidedly sexual in nature.
Honourable intentions? What the hell did that even mean?
“Will holding your hand and the PDA’s be sufficient? ”
“I don’t see why not. And if anyone asks us for an update status we say we’re just getting to know one another, that we need privacy and aren’t ready to go public as yet.
Perfectly ambiguous. And it also gives me a good reason to refuse the dozens of family invites to parties that have been lighting up my phone for the last two days. ”
“Okay.” Still, Nico felt like he was missing something important here, and sought a little more clarification.
“So, you’re saying nothing has changed when it comes to this faux relationship thing we are perpetrating as a cover for our covert activities, as we attempt to identify and disband a Cabal of Deities intent upon Earth domination? ”
“Very succinct.” Gigi acknowledged, thinking over his question.
Had anything changed? Well, she was no longer being cast in the role of lovelorn waif.
She needed a title for her new role. Salacious strumpet?
Hmmm, maybe, it had potential. But Nico didn’t need to know of her role swap.
And as far as she could tell his role in this would remain unchanged.
“But as to your question. No, I can’t foresee any problems.” Things were starting to look up.
It felt like the balance in this partnership was finally beginning to even out.
Only one thing would maybe tip the scales in her favour, if she could somehow convince Nico to step up.
“Say, just how good a bartender are you?”