Macy and Kylie pinned me with a fixed stare.

  “There’s only one woman at ACM who isn’t married, and who’s that squeaky clean,” Kylie said. “A female who has never had a single fling, or anything remotely questionable in her past. Nic, our staff isn’t that big. You and I are about the only ones who are the right age and single, and I’m sure as hell not doing it. I have some dirt that could be dug up if reporters looked hard enough.”

  Horror flooded me as I realized what she and Macy were contemplating. “Oh, no, I’m not going to pose as Damian’s love interest. Absolutely not. I own his PR agency. People would know it’s bullshit.”

  Kylie shook her head. “They’d never have to know that he hired you. You haven’t signed an official deal yet. You could wait until this whole thing is over to make it legal. Damian would never back out of the deal. The truth would actually be a good backstory. You and Damian met on a plane when he was flying on his own airline. You’re a businesswoman from the United States who just happened to be sitting next to him. You chatted the entire flight, and fell for each other over morning tea or something.”

  “I don’t really like tea,” I said in a panicked voice. I really didn’t like this idea at all.

  “Coffee then,” Macy answered. “Does it matter? You can make it a love story, whether you drank tea or coffee.”

  “You can do this, Nic,” Kylie encouraged. “You’re the ideal woman for him to fall for here. There’s not a bad word that anybody could say about you. You graduated with high honors from college, and busted your ass to get through law school. You worked as a corporate attorney until you turned your attention toward the PR business.”

  “Do I look like the kind of woman Damian Lancaster would fall for?” I asked. “Really? I’m overweight—”

  “Curvy,” Macy insisted. “You’re in great shape, Nic. We’ve been scuba diving together for years, remember? I know how physically taxing some of those dives were, so don’t even go there with me. We’re in the water every chance we get. You’re shapely, and fit.”

  “I’m way too tall—”

  “Models are tall,” Kylie interrupted. “And Damian’s a tall guy. You could rock some pretty high stilettos and still feel dainty next to him.”

  “I wouldn’t have a chance in hell of catching Damian Lancaster’s roving eye,” I said adamantly. “You saw those naked women in his bed. I am not his type.”

  “I call bullshit,” Macy said emphatically. “You’re beautiful, Nic. You’ve just never seen yourself that way.”

  Kylie raised her hand. “I call bullshit, too. Macy is right. And it’s pretty clear that Damian’s already attracted to you. I hate it when you sell yourself short just because no man has ever made you feel as gorgeous as you are, Nic. In my opinion, you’re way too good for somebody like Damian Lancaster, but you can always pretend that you’re slumming it.”

  “She’s absolutely right,” Macy confirmed.

  I looked at the two women who had been my greatest supporters for most of my life, and I knew they believed every word they were saying. How could I not adore both of them for seeing me way differently than I saw myself because they loved me?

  “I love you both,” I said as I broke into laughter. I had two very adamant defenders beside me, and had for most of my life. There was no way I couldn’t find joy in that, and be pretty damn grateful that these two amazing women would always be my fiercest allies, just like I’d always be theirs.

  I flopped onto my back, my heart still racing at the idea of playing Damian’s love interest.

  “I’m not sure I can do it,” I admitted.

  Really, I didn’t have a whole lot of choice if I wanted to be completely certain the truth would never come out.

  “Of course you can,” Kylie argued. “You’ve never failed at anything in your life. This will be a piece of cake.”

  “I haven’t completely decided that I’m the perfect woman to pull this off,” I warned them. God, there had to be some way to get me out of this, right?

  “If you don’t believe your two best friends, ask Damian,” Kylie insisted. “I doubt very much if he’d mind you playing the part of his love interest. Maybe I don’t completely trust him, but the way he was looking at you in the office was no lie, Nic. I think he’ll convince you that you’re absolutely perfect.”

  I sighed as I remembered that he’d already told me that I was perfect, and I hadn’t believed a word of it.

  CHAPTER 14

  Damian

  “THIS PLACE IS amazing.” Nicole’s tone was filled with awe, and her big blue eyes sparkled as she admired the view from the patio of my borrowed beach house. “You’re steps away from the ocean, and literally right on the sand.”

  All the glass doors were open, and it was a clear, balmy early summer morning in Newport Beach.

  When Nicole had called me earlier, I’d asked her to meet me here at the house since her office was closed on the weekends.

  I’d also wanted the advantage of having her in my territory in case she’d decided against taking on Lancaster International as a client. I’d have a better chance of changing her mind if she couldn’t just slam her office door in my face.

  “Can we sit here?” she asked, gesturing toward the lounge chairs on the patio. “Since I’ll definitely never own one of these homes, I’d like to admire the view while I can.”

  “Make yourself at home,” I insisted. “Can I get you some tea? I don’t think I have any coffee.”

  She held up a supersized to-go coffee that she’d brought in with her. “I came prepared. I stopped for my own coffee. I’m not that big on tea. I’ve never really understood the British obsession with it.”

  I grasped my mug of Taylors of Harrogate black tea as I plopped down on a lounger beside her. “How can you not like tea? There’s a blend for everybody.”

  She shrugged. “It’s not that I dislike it. But how can it ever compare to a good latte?”

  Obviously, the poor woman had never had a good cuppa. “Very easily. With tea, there’s a blend for every occasion, and you never run out of new ones to try. Coffee is just…coffee, no matter what you put in it.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to even try to argue with a tea-loving Brit.”

  I shot her a mock warning glance. “Best not. Never argue with an Englishman about his tea.”

  “Do you ever drink coffee?” she asked curiously.

  I shook my head firmly. “No. Nasty stuff.”

  She laughed at the look of disgust on my face, and for some damn reason, all I wanted was to keep her laughing. It might sound a little dramatic, but the sound was like music to my soul.

  Fuck! When in the hell had I gotten the least bit poetic about…anything?

  Not until…her.

  I studied Nicole, still trying to figure out why she made me so fucking crazy.

  Her blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail, and her attire was casual—jeans, a lightweight red summer top, and a pair of sandals.

  Nothing different there. It was the way most people dressed in this coastal city.

  She had a serene smile on her face as she gazed out at the water, and when she turned her head to look at me, that expression turned into a full-fledged grin.

  My dick was completely hard in seconds, and for some damn reason, there wasn’t a single thing I could do but smile widely right back at her.

  Nicole had some kind of inner radiance that spilled out when she was unguarded, and damned if that shit wasn’t contagious.

  Maybe I was drawn to the way she could find so much humor in a single comment. Or the way she’d made me feel alive—again—since the second she’d walked through my door this morning.

  I cleared my throat. “How was the date last night?”

  Okay, so maybe I hadn’t quite been able to forget about that. And dammit! I’d certainly tried. Hard. Nothing had worked. Not even my voice of reason.

  She smiled. “It was good. Kylie, Macy, and I always have a good time at the beach on our standing date nights.”

  I frowned at her. “You had a date with…Kylie and Macy?”

  She nodded. “Every Friday night. Going to the beach is a standing date for all three of us unless one of us has a real date or something. We’ve been doing it since I moved back to California.”

  Okay. I have to admit that I grinned like a damn idiot. Maybe I should be annoyed with myself for jumping to conclusions, but the only thing I could feel was a profound sense of relief. “So that’s why you turned down my dinner invitation?”

  “I’d already told Macy and Kylie that I was going,” she explained.

  “No problem.” I could be pretty magnanimous now that I knew that there wasn’t a single male at their standing date. “So you like my loaner house?”

  She let out a sigh that made my cock twitch. “I’ve always loved these houses. How could anyone not want to be right on the water? The second I hear the waves, I relax. I can’t imagine what it would be like to actually live here.”

  “I thought you did live here.”

  “In Newport Beach, yes. But I live in a city-view condo that I inherited from my mother. These homes are outrageously expensive. I make a good living, but not nearly enough for a waterfront of any kind in this city.”

  “I guess I’ve never thought about my income not being enough for…anything,” I told her.

  She chuckled. “That’s probably not something a Lancaster has to think about, but most of us normal folks have to stick to a budget.”

  I considered her comment as I took a swig of my tea. I’d been a billionaire since the day I was born. There was never much that was off-limits to me because I lacked the funds. Most of my friends were rich, too, so I had no idea what it was like to stay on any particular budget. I signed my name; I got what I wanted. Period. End of story. “I guess that makes me abnormal,” I said.

  She shook her head, and for a moment, I was distracted by the way her blonde ponytail bounced with that particular action.

  “Not abnormal,” she corrected. “Being rich and powerful is your normal. It just isn’t natural for most of the population.”

  I loved the way she could just accept the fact that I was obscenely wealthy without being enamored by that lifestyle.

  “So you’re happy with your own normal?” I asked.

  She thought for a moment before she answered. “For the most part, yes. I consider myself lucky. I’m well-educated, and I make a good living. I think it’s human nature to want to keep doing better, but money isn’t everything. I have great friends, and I get to spend time doing all the things I love to do.”

  “Such as?” I wanted to know more about her, find out what made her happy.

  “I spend as much time in and on the water as possible,” she shared. “I’m certified in scuba, so I spend a lot of time under the water. I get out for dives a couple of times a week when I’m not slammed at the agency.”

  I hadn’t expected her to say that. “So there’s a daredevil beneath your gorgeous exterior?”

  “There’s something really magical about spending time with aquatic animals in their own habitat, and it’s not that dangerous.”

  I nodded. “My brother Leo says the same thing. He’s a diver. Instructor level. He’s always trying to talk me into trying it.”

  “You should take him up on it. Life should never be all about work. Where does he dive?”

  I shrugged. “Everywhere. He’s away far more than he’s home. Sometimes I envy that. He’s a wildlife biologist who searches for extremely rare or probable extinct species across the globe. Leo has a large sanctuary and breeding program in England to help save animals that are near extinction. He’s never had any interest in Lancaster International. He was bought out when the estate was settled, but I don’t think he really cares about the money. Well, other than the fact that it helps him do what he’s always wanted to do.”

  I surprised myself with the casual observation that I sometimes coveted Leo’s lifestyle, but it was probably true.

  “I’m sure his life has some downfalls,” Nicole observed. “I couldn’t imagine being away from home all the time, and living out of a backpack or a suitcase. You travel, too, right?”

  “Yes. But not like Leo does,” I confessed. “Sometimes I’d like to travel simply for pleasure and not for business, but my life doesn’t work that way right now.”

  “I can understand that. My one and only trip to London was my first time outside the United States, and I didn’t get much of a chance to see anything because I was working. I was too worried about my presentation.”

  “Then I guess you’ll just have to come back,” I said hopefully. “You didn’t do any sightseeing?”

  “I tried. I got lost on the Tube. I thought I was going the right direction to get to the Tower of London, but it turned out that I was headed the wrong way. By the time I straightened it all out and got to the Tower, I didn’t have much time. I couldn’t see the whole thing.”

  She sounded so forlorn that it made my damn chest ache. “Take a taxi or an Uber next time,” I advised. “Everyone gets lost on the Tube unless they take it all the time.”

  “Well, I might get another chance,” she said, her tone nervous.

  I shaded my eyes from the sun and looked at her face. “You think so?”

  Fuck! I really hated the way I found myself anxiously waiting to hear what she had to say.

  “Maybe,” she said carefully. “If you agree with my proposal.”

  Okay, she sounded twice as apprehensive now. “What’s wrong, Nicole? You sound worried. Talk to me. What’s so bad about coming back to England? You’ll never have to do a pitch for my executives again. I swear.”

  “It’s not that.” She fidgeted in her lounge chair. “Look, I really do want a chance to help you fix your current situation.”

  “And I want you to do that,” I said eagerly. “I took your advice already, and made a public statement. So why is working with me a problem?”

  She took a deep breath. “I think I’ll need to go back to England with you.”

  “Excellent,” I agreed. “That definitely won’t be an issue. We’ll fly together. Take my jet. It’s a hell of a lot more comfortable than business class.”

  I wanted Nicole to go back to England with me, so her plan was the same as mine so far.

  “You need to find yourself a girlfriend,” she said in a rush, like she was having a problem forcing the words out of her mouth. “A woman who has a good reputation and background. Preferably American so she can go away quietly when the good publicity is over. The media needs to tell another story about you, Damian. Something positive.”

  I frowned at her. This definitely didn’t suit my plan. “I don’t know any American women, and I’ve never had a long-term love interest. I told you that, Nicole. I don’t have the time.”

  Nicole glared back at me. “Then it’s time for a change.”

  “Even if I was on board with your idea, which I’m not, where do you suggest I find this woman?” I was irritated. I had no desire to cozy up to some suitable woman just for the pictures and the positive press. Especially considering that my plan was to seduce Nicole.

  I’d just wait it out, let the whole damn thing blow over, and keep Dylan out of the country until that happened. There was no way I was going to pretend to be a pathetic, lovelorn idiot. Yeah, I’d do a lot for my mother and for the Lancaster name, but not that. Anything but that. I had no fucking idea how to romance a woman.

  “Maybe you already have found her,” Nicole suddenly squeaked.

  “I’m not following you.” I was getting annoyed, and all I wanted her to do was tell me her plan so I could simply refuse to cooperate.

  I wanted her in London, but we’d just have to come up with another plan. I wasn’t good at being charming or pretending, so the public would never buy my false affection for a woman I didn’t know.

  Dylan could have pulled this whole idea off, but I couldn’t.

  Nicole sounded anxious as hell when she started to speak. “I’m educated, and I haven’t had any scandals in my past. I don’t have skeletons in my closet. And I know exactly what has to be done. There’s no paper trail of you hiring me, so we can wait to sign an agreement until after this is all over. I’m willing to go play your temporary girlfriend if you’ll give it your best effort,” she said stiffly. “Believe me, I don’t like this plan any better than you do, but I don’t want any of this to go outside of ACM, even with a nondisclosure. The less people who know, the better, and I’m really the only person at ACM who can do it.”

  A large, glaring lightbulb finally switched on in my sluggish brain, and my lips curved up in a smile as I looked at Nicole’s flustered expression.

  Oh, hell, yes!

  I completely changed my mind about her proposed plan. It was absolutely brilliant, and it was going to mesh with my strategy perfectly.

  She was going to be the one to play the adoring girlfriend.

  She was going to be my love interest.

  She was going to go back to England to drum up some positive publicity about what a great guy I could be when I wasn’t participating in orgies.

  Now didn’t that just change…everything?

  I wouldn’t have to pretend that I was fucking obsessed with Nicole, and only Nicole, because that was actually my reality right now. No acting necessary. With her, my annoying fixation was very, very real.

  “I’m in,” I agreed, no questions asked. “But you do understand that we’re going to have to be up close and personal, right?”

  “Of course,” she snapped.

  “You’ll have to let me kiss you again, fondle you whenever we’re together.” I was completely warming up to this whole scenario.

  “No…fondling,” she said uneasily.

  I shook my head. “There will definitely have to be fondling to show how much I adore you,” I argued. “You want me to be your Prince Charming, don’t you?”

  She snorted. “You’re already charming enough as a duke, Your Grace. You can touch me, but no…groping.”