The Weekend Girlfriend (2 page)

***

“I can’t believe you up and quit,” Gretchen replied tightly as we sat at our desks the next morning. “What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t know,” I said quietly, the computer screen blurring in front of me. Gretchen was pissed because my brash decision had also hurt my best friend. Without my paycheck, there would be no way we could afford that apartment and unless I found some other job quickly, Gretchen and I would have no choice but to move. That thought was very unsettling with me to say the least. I was hurt but it hurt me more to know I was royally screwing with Gretchen’s future as well.

Sighing, I sucked up the tears and clicked on the next job search site. Today was a new day and I had to forge on, starting with the résumés. Maybe I could just leave him off as a reference of past work experience and start all over again. Or maybe I could go to one of his past flames and chalk up a friendship. No doubt they would sympathize with me. Besides, I had all of their contact information in my Rolodex anyway.

The door opened to the office and Kyle walked in, looking splendid as usual in a sharp suit and dress shirt, his blue eyes picking up the moss green of the shirt as they settled on me, causing me to squirm under his stare. Surprisingly, he looked as if he had a rough night as well, his customary clean-shaven face showing a hint of stubble, which instead of making him look horrible, made him look delicious. Maybe it was the guilt he was feeling about the way he treated me, but probably more because he made up with what’s her name. Either way, I wasn’t going to budge, not this time. My résumés were updated and awaiting delivery. My cardboard box was already picked out.

I forced my gaze elsewhere, back to my computer and pretended I hadn’t seen him. I would not break down in front of him. I could do this. He was not the only sexy attorney in town. Well, he was the sexiest but I wouldn’t be staying for his sex appeal. Crap, what was wrong with my hormones?

“Ms. Harwell, may I see you in my office?” he asked quietly, his shadow coming across my desk.

Not surprised, I looked up, my eyes colliding with his intense gaze. Maybe he had changed his mind about my contract, wanting to fire me now. How soon could one draw unemployment anyway? By my calculations, my cookie dough budget wouldn’t get me through the week. Uncertain whether to turn tail and run to the nearest grocery store now, I stood, smoothing my professional-looking tan skirt over my knees before following his retreating form. I had always thought his office was a thing of beauty, the massive oak desk taking up much of the room. His various diplomas and testaments to his achievements in the community were on display behind him, filling up the built-in shelves that matched the desk. His desk was full of papers and law books, a spillover of the work from the day before. Kyle closed his office door behind me and gestured toward one of his leather chairs that flanked the massive desk.

“I want to apologize for my actions last night,” he finally said as he perched on the end of his desk next to my chair. “It was highly improper of me to seek you out for my indiscretions. I acted like an ass.”

I was inclined to agree, but I stayed silent, knowing that there was an invisible “but” to the apology. That “but” was going to kill me on the spot, make me move back in with my parents. It was going to throw Gretchen out in the street and force her to reside in another, less desirable apartment.

Kyle sighed and looked down at me, causing me to look away at the eye contact. My nerves were on edge, but I resisted tapping my foot. I didn’t want him to see I was on edge. I didn’t like to be scrutinized, not in this situation, nor did I like being in this office, alone with him. My job was to be preparing his cases with Gretchen, not having an awkward stare-down in his office.

“I’d hate to lose you,” he finally admitted, surprising me. “But I respect your decisions. I know I haven’t been the easiest employer.”

“Thank you, sir,” I replied, stealing a look at his face to see if he was laughing at me. Lord, the man was too attractive for his own good, even with the seriousness of his gaze. I found myself longing to run my hand through his dark blond hair and smooth it, to feel the silkiness under my fingertips. I also wanted to touch his jaw, feel the stubble under my fingers. There was nothing sexier than a bit of stubble on a strong jaw. Oh God, this sexual thinking had to stop, especially about him. Where was this thinking coming from anyway? Sure, Gretchen and I had talked about him and his various attributes in the three years, but I hadn’t thought this much into it in a long time. Was it because I didn’t have to look at him in a professional manner much longer?

“I do need one more favor however.”

It was then I noticed the uneasy look on his face, as if he were uncomfortable at the moment. “It’s on the personal nature side of things, I’m afraid.”

I was rooted on the spot, my face rapidly becoming a fiery shade of red. Personal nature? What could that mean? What had I been doing for the last three years? Surely one couldn’t put scheduling dates on one’s résumé!

“I am a bit embarrassed on having to ask you this,” Kyle was saying, running a hand through his tousled hair. “But I have asked everyone and have been turned down by all of them.”

Now I was thoroughly confused. Surely he didn’t mean anything in that category related to his love life. I mean, I had a Rolodex full of women he could call if he needed a “fix.” Hell, Gretchen might even take him up on his offer, she was more of his type anyway. I hadn’t seen any women like me coming through his revolving door that was his love life.

“I guess your assumptions were right about my love life,” he continued, coming to stand before me, a sheepish look on his face. It didn’t help that his crotch was at level with my face. Oh Lord, I was going to combust, incinerate in this chair. “Because apparently I have burned quite a few bridges with the women that seemed to know me the best.”

“And what does that have to do with me, sir?” I nearly whispered, not trusting my voice. Oh, the suspense was killing me! Did he need a bed partner, a date, a housekeeper?

“I need you to accompany me to my sister’s wedding,” he finally said, his voice soft. “In North Carolina. They are expecting to meet my new girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend? But you don’t have one,” I blurted out. He hadn’t had a steady bed partner since I had started working for him. Didn’t one have to stay around at least a month to qualify for a girlfriend? His women tended to only stay around for a week, two at the most if they were lucky or blond.

“I know,” Kyle sighed, his shoulders sagging. “I’m sure you know how parents can meddle in your personal life. It was easier to lie.” He then looked at me, his face holding a sly smile. “Now I’m truly caught and you owe me.”

“How is that?” I squeaked out, a million questions running through my mind. A girlfriend? He wanted me to be his girlfriend? Could I really be hearing him right?

“You ruined my options for a girlfriend when you got those names mixed up,” Kyle explained, crossing his fingers over his washboard stomach. “I was planning on proposing the trip to one of the girls last night. Now neither one of them will talk to me.”

“Serves you right,” I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. I was finding it hard to drum up sympathy for him. “I feel sorry for you, sir, I really do but there would be no way I could do such a thing. You will have to find someone else.”

“I will double your salary for the next month,” Kyle interjected, his voice going up a notch. “And write you a glowing recommendation. I’m desperate here.”

I hesitated then, thinking of how much the double salary would help out. It could keep me afloat for one, two months. With a little padding in my account, I could take my time finding a job and not worry about having to leave Gretchen or our apartment.

“I’m not one to beg,” Kyle continued. “But I will.”

The thought of him on his knees in front of me drummed up some dirty thoughts on my part, causing me to flame once more. Geez. “No funny business?” I finally asked, my voice coming out in a squeak. Funny business? What was I, in a 1960s movie? I really should think of my words before they come out of my mouth sometimes!

“Of course not,” Kyle answered quickly, clearing his throat. “Strictly in a business sense. Afterward, you are free to go and I will come up with something to tell my family. Considering my luck as of late, that shouldn’t be a problem. I just need you to be yourself, as my girlfriend of course.”

I could easily think of a million reasons not to do this, my sense of self-worth, my pride, but considering I didn’t have a million dollars to fall back on, the choice ultimately wasn’t that difficult. “Okay,” I finally said. I was going to regret this, I just knew it.

***

“This is craziness, Jess. I mean who asks things like that?”

“Apparently our boss,” I replied, taking a sip of my drink. We were meeting at our usual drinking hole, Mitzy’s, a bar that was a far cry from the ritzier ones uptown. Actually, it was one of those places where you didn’t wear any shoes without a strap on them, lest you might walk out of them due to the sticky floor. The drinks were cheap, the atmosphere an eclectic crowd of blue-collar workers, college students, and random people off the street, and enough free pretzels to go around.

“I just don’t know about this,” Gretchen was saying, her hands picking at those free pretzels. “What if you have to kiss him, Jess? What if he decides to make a move on you?”

“He won’t,” I sighed, thinking that if he did, I would find it difficult to turn him down. It had been two, no three years since I had kissed anyone, much less worry about someone putting the moves on me. I wasn’t one for a casual fling, though Kyle would definitely be someone who would test my ability to turn him down.

“You never know,” Gretchen grinned, stirring her drink idly. “Honey, I wouldn’t put it past him. Who knows? You might be just what he needs.”

“Shh, here he comes,” I said, watching Kyle walk through the door. A note had been left on my desk a day after his proposition, for dinner and a chance to iron out our story before making the trek to his parents’ house. I held my breath as I took in his sexy profile, clad in a gray suit and blue tie, the way the bar seemed to fade away as his eyes locked on mine, a hint of a smile showing on his handsome face. He moved like a predator stalking his prey, drawing looks from every woman in the building as he moved through the crowd.

“You’re drooling, girlfriend,” Gretchen’s voice said just above my ear. “He’s smoking hot and I hope you take every advantage of this, Jess. I mean you are practically working on being a virgin again.”

“K-Kyle,” I stumbled over his name as he approached our table.

“Are you ready to go?” he said, checking his expensive watch on his wrist. “We have reservations.”

“Go on, have fun,” Gretchen smiled, waving us off. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!”

I pushed off of the stool and straightened my dress, finding my legs a bit wobbly in the process. I had taken some time with my wardrobe, wanting to let him know I could take this seriously. The wrap dress accentuated my curves and the girls, or so the saleswoman had said, paired with my favorite pair of sling-backs in a deep red. Right now I felt like I was walking on stilts, the effects of two vodka and cranberries hitting me hard.

I followed Kyle out of the bar and into the warm evening, the sun just setting behind the buildings in front of me. A sleek, silver Porsche waited at the curb and I felt the first stirrings of nervousness build at what I was about to embark on as Kyle held the door open, letting me slide into the leather interior. I had never ridden in a Porsche before and as Kyle climbed into the driver’s seat, the closeness of the interior filled immediately with his expensive cologne. “I like your car,” I said, unsure of what to talk to my boss about other than work. “It’s small.”

“Well, that’s the whole point,” Kyle chuckled as he expertly shifted the gears. I found something extremely sensual about that movement for some reason. “I don’t find myself having issues with parking.”

“Oh well, that’s good,” I said, swallowing as I looked away from his long fingers and the dirty thoughts that seemed to follow.

“Don’t be nervous, Jessica,” he said softly, looking at me with those gorgeous eyes of his. “We will get along just fine. Just relax.”

“I’m fine,” I said softly, forcing a smile. “Where are we going to eat?”

Kyle’s eyes shifted back to the road as he moved in his seat, his jaw working in the dim light. “I lied when I said we had reservations.”

“Oh,” I said, a little bummed that I had bought this dress for no reason. Maybe Gretchen wouldn’t come home for a while and I could make up a story. I didn’t want her to know he had actually stood me up. “Okay, well it’s not anything important if you don’t want to go out. I can wing it.”

“Oh no, I have plans,” he interrupted, cutting me off. “But we will be going to my house for dinner.”

“You-your house?” I asked, truly intrigued now. I had never been to his house before, only knew his address to be in the nicer neighborhood and a long way from my apartment along the highway.

“Yeah, I couldn’t take the chance of rumors,” he said, his jaw tightening. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, of course not, I understand,” I stumbled through the words. Of course, we weren’t to be a real couple and to be seen in public would have rumors running rampant. That was why he picked Mitzy’s to meet me. Though it was practical thinking on his part, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of hurt in the process. No woman wanted to be hidden, tucked away from prying eyes and felt to be a secret instead of a prize. Shaking out of it, I forced a smile as he turned the car into a gated community, the houses like something out of magazines. I had no right to be hurt because he didn’t want to be seen with me in public. We weren’t supposed to be.

Kyle made a few turns and finally pulled into a driveway, guiding the car into a large garage before killing the engine. I opened the door and crawled out as ladylike as I could, noting the BMW and large SUV occupying the rest of the space. Yep, he was definitely successful. No doubt he would get a good laugh if he saw my beat-up Honda.

“This way,” Kyle motioned, climbing the stairs to a side door and opening it, the chimes of an alarm system echoing in the dark space. I made my way through the door and into the welcoming air conditioning, finding myself in a dimly lit kitchen. It was massive, lined with stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, and dark cabinetry. A large island sat in the center, the décor looking like something out of a magazine. Kyle set his keys in a bowl on the island and motioned for me to follow him, my heels clicking against the tile floor as he led me through the dining room, which looked rarely used, out to a patio that overlooked a golf course. A table was set up near a covered hot tub, the candles flickering in the warm night. It was intimate, much more than any cozy restaurant would be and I begin to get nervous again, way out of my element.

“I don’t cook much,” Kyle was saying as he led me over to the table. “So I ordered out. I hope you like steak.”

“Steak’s fine,” I said, taking a seat on the cushioned chair. There was a salad, no doubt from some restaurant I’d never visit, and a glass of cold red wine near each place setting of delicate china. An elegant warming dish in the center of the table was no doubt keeping the steak at just the right temperature.

Kyle sat across from me and took a sip of his wine, his eyes focused on me as I sat there, unsure of really what to think. “You have a lovely house,” I finally said, looking around the backyard. “I hope you have really good coverage on your windows, being this close to the course.”

“I have excellent coverage,” he laughed, the deep sound causing my cheeks to flush. “I hope this isn’t making you uncomfortable. I confess someone else set all of this up and apparently thought it was supposed to be romantic.”

“I’m sure they were just used to your other dates,” I said wryly, taking a big sip of the wine. I didn’t usually like red wine and was surprised at the fruitiness as it slid down my throat.

“You are probably right,” he grinned, a hint of dimples showing on his face. Oh God, they were downright sinful. “So, what should I know about you?”

“Well, I am an only child,” I started, feeling the effects of the wine calming my nerves. “My parents live in Arizona. I like to read, I love cookie dough, and Gretchen is my best friend.”

“Any past engagements, criminal records?” he asked, his long fingers drumming against his glass.

“No, no nothing of the sort,” I smiled. “I’m a very good law-abiding citizen. What about you? Anything I should know about?”

“A brother and sister, both older than me,” he said, frowning. “Overbearing parents who think I’m a screw-up, a black sheep. Do you need some more wine?”

I was stunned by his admission as I held out my glass to him, allowing him to pour me some more with those long fingers of his. “But you are so successful,” I blurted out, pulling my glass back. “I mean look at your house, your car, your successful practice. You are one of the best attorneys in Texas. Surely they would be proud to have you as their son.”

Kyle looked up at me with a surprised look on his face, a smile hovering on his gorgeous lips that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “You think I’m the best?”

“I said one of the best,” I shot back, noting how he was turning the conversation away from his parents. Great. I didn’t think it was going to be easy to win over the people who knew him best but now that I had some history, it was going to be damn near impossible.

“See? This is why I picked you, Jessica. You can hold your own,” he said, his grin becoming wider. “I am glad to see I didn’t make a mistake.”

“You didn’t have much of a choice,” I grumbled, wondering if I should be offended or flattered. I was surprised at how easily I was having this type of banter with my boss of all people, someone I hadn’t talked to in any other way than work related. It was nice to know that he wasn’t as bad as I thought, though those wicked grins were starting to have an effect on me.

“We should eat,” he said, draining his wine. “Or I can give you a tour of the house, your choice.”

“Tour,” I said, my stomach still too nervous to eat. Picking up my glass, I followed him indoors, where he shed his jacket and tie to my surprise, unbuttoning the first couple of buttons on his shirt. I struggled to keep my mouth closed as the small patch of golden skin came into view, the desire to run my fingers over his chest hitting me full force.

Ruffling his hair, he grinned at me, looking much younger than I had originally thought. “Kick off your shoes, make yourself at home, Jessica.” I wanted to touch him, but instead I kicked off my heels, feeling my bare feet sink into the plush carpeting as he showed me the living room, a massive TV above the stone fireplace that dominated one wall of the large room. Here I felt marginally better, the furniture was dark but comfortable-looking. I could easily see him lounging on the large sofa, watching his Cowboys play football when he didn’t attend the games, since I knew he held season tickets. His house was masculine in nature with the furniture and wall colors, but airy and surprisingly modest given the neighborhood.

Upstairs, he showed me three spare bedrooms and another bathroom before throwing open the master suite doors, his spicy scent drifting out of the room. It was a large bedroom, a king-sized bed taking up much of one wall with dark furniture dotting the others. I tried not to think of him sleeping on it as we walked past, where he had a large bathroom with a whirlpool jetted tub and glassed-in shower. A pair of French doors stood open and I walked out to find a large round chaise lounge on an iron balcony, overlooking the course as well.

“Wow, you just have to have the biggest bed in Texas, huh?” I teased, draining my glass. My head was swimming a little, but I felt deliciously warm and more at ease. Liquid courage at its best. “I’m sure the ladies really like it.”

“Actually you are the first woman in a long time I’ve had in this room,” he grinned, leaning against the doorframe. “I can’t take the chance of stalkers and the like knowing where I live. I usually end up leaving their beds.”

“Wham, bam, thank you ma’am,” I said with a smile. “Smart.”

“I don’t know if I consider it that,” he laughed, his eyes twinkling. “But you of all people know I like my women.”

“I don’t think there’s many left,” I replied, hiccupping. “Maybe Shirley in the doctor’s office downstairs. I don’t think you have hit on her yet.”

“Yeah well, she’s fifty,” Kyle reminded me. “But I didn’t have to do anything. She hit on me, trapped me in the broom closet. I had never felt so dirty from getting hit on by an old lady before.”

“Oh my God,” I giggled, gripping the railing. “That is too funny.”

Kyle had the grace to blush and I felt the warmth spread to my toes, taking in the simple sight of him. “And there’s Gretchen,” he continued, pushing off the doorframe. “But she’s a bit intimidating even for me.”

“I think you could take her,” I swallowed as he took a step toward me. “She’s dating someone right now but that’s never stopped her. Oh I didn’t mean she’s a slut or anything.”

Kyle’s grin grew wider as he stopped before me, reminding me of how tall he was. I barely reached his shoulders, I realized as I looked up at him. “And there’s you.”