“My usual. And a Glenlivet. Thanks.”

  He watched her walk away. He shifted uncomfortably. “I didn’t realize you don’t like calamari.”

  “How would you? We barely know each other. Why would you order for me?”

  He rolled his shoulders restlessly. “I don’t know. Habit.”

  “You mean you always order food for women like it’s a 1950s mobster movie?” I laughed, even more relieved than before that this was just a casual dinner rather than a date. Yes, that commanding aura could be hot—but if it meant putting up with him making all the decisions and just expecting me to fall in line? No thanks. No amount of hot was compensation enough for that. “What if they don’t like what you pick?”

  The corners of his mouth turned down. “No one has ever complained.”

  I snorted. “And is that because they genuinely like what you pick? Or do you think just maybe it’s possible that they pretend to be okay with your pick because, unlike me, they’re worried about offending you?”

  “I…” He started to protest then stopped. He smiled, rueful. “It’s possible you have a point.”

  Awkward silence descended on the table.

  Was it really that unheard of for him to come across a woman who wasn’t afraid to be honest with him? I leaned back in my seat and reminded myself that Theo’s problems with women were none of my business. Once we were done eating, there’d be no reason for us to cross paths again. His issues were his problem, not mine.

  “Did you get what you needed?” Theo asked me as Sally brought our drinks.

  “Excuse me?”

  “The photos. For the new campaign.”

  I wouldn’t actually know for sure until I got back home and looked at the photos full-size on my screen. No photographer did. But that wasn’t what clients wanted to hear. So I put on my professional smile. “I think so. It was easy, the place is gorgeous.”

  “Thanks, appreciate that.” Theo took a draw from his glass. “Can I see?”

  I’d brought my camera bag with me since there was no way I was leaving my prized piece of equipment in my car. So technically I could show him the photos.

  Still, I hesitated. If, God forbid, something weird had gone wrong with my equipment, or the photos just weren’t as good as I remembered, I didn’t want to find that out with the client peering over my shoulder. Especially not this client.

  “I don’t know if that would be helpful at this stage,” I said. “I still need to select the best ones, punch up the lighting, that type of thing.”

  Theo sipped his whiskey. “Max. I’m paying you. And I’d like to see the damn photos.”

  Aaaaaand, there was the arrogant bastard side of his personality, back again. “Fine. Maybe we can get through the preliminary round of photo selection now. But keep in mind the images are raw. I can do a lot with editing.”

  I pulled out my camera. In spite of the situation, the weight of it in my hand instantly relaxed me. I felt invincible when I was behind the lens, like my Nikon was a magical shield that gave me a cloak of invisibility and protection.

  I sort of felt like I needed both sitting across from the smoldering billionaire. I’d caught him studying me a few times, and I didn’t like the resulting flutters. I needed to keep reminding myself that Theo Barnes was not my type. And I’m sure I wasn’t his either.

  I flicked through the photos before handing my camera over to him, internally releasing a little sigh of relief. I’d still need to see them at full size, but at a glance, they really were as good as I remembered.

  Theo studied the photos, frowning in concentration.

  I opened my mouth to remind him again that these hadn’t been edited yet, but then he looked up and caught my eye.

  “These are incredible, Max. What time did you board in order to get that sunrise?”

  I grinned. “You don’t want to know. It was painfully early, but that’s part of the job.”

  “No wonder you fell asleep.”

  “Oof.” I bowed my head in shame. “Please don’t remind me.”

  “Okay, I love this one, but I’m worried the attention is on the view, not the yacht itself.” He scooted his chair closer and leaned in, so that we could both see the screen. We scrolled through the photos discussing the merits and drawbacks of each one, and by the time our food arrived, we’d mapped out a rough schematic of what the final images would look like. To my surprise and annoyance, Theo actually had a great eye and had even suggested some shots I hadn’t considered.

  I didn’t want him to have a natural eye for photography. The man was dangerous enough as is.

  The food was fantastic, but between a full stomach, some alcohol, and the very long day, I felt like I could fall asleep in the corner of the booth by the time I pushed my plate away. Theo signaled the waitress for our check.

  He was studying me again, like he had before he invited me to dinner.

  “What?” I blurted. “What are you thinking?”

  Theo tilted his head, considering me. “I’m thinking,” he said slowly, his voice deep, “that we make a good team. I’m thinking that Ford and Pam may expect me to produce my fake girlfriend again at some point in the future. And I’m thinking that you might want an easy way to earn money for that internship of yours.”

  Oh. So that was why he invited me to dinner.

  A part of me was tempted. Ford and Pam were a nightmare, but I did need the money, plus I’d get to see Theo again.

  Maybe kiss him again.

  Something fluttered in my stomach.

  Which was exactly why I couldn’t do it. The last thing I needed was to risk developing a crush on a hot, arrogant billionaire. Better to keep our relationship clean and professional—as much as that was possible when I already knew he kissed like a god.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said. I made myself smile. “No amount of money is worth dealing with Ford and Pam again.”

  He grimaced. “Yeah, I kind of thought you’d say that. If I end up needing you, I’ll reach out again so we can find out what amount of money will change your mind.”

  “Didn’t you hear me? I said no.”

  He flashed me a cocky smile. “In business, no is just opening negotiations, Max. You should know that.”

  I blinked, trying to wrap my mind around the magnitude of his arrogance.

  He paid the bill, and we headed out into the night.

  “Thanks for dinner,” I said when we paused just outside the door. I wanted to steer the conversation back to photography, where it belonged. “I’ll send over the final images within the next two weeks or so, if that’s okay.”

  “Works for me. Let’s go,” Theo said, starting off toward the distant parking lot where my car was parked. “I’m walking you to your car.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to,” I protested. “This is a safe area.”

  “No arguing,” he ordered as he walked away. I rolled my eyes and jogged to keep up. Somehow, he made even being a gentleman come across as rude. Theo seemed to live life by the mantra “my way or the highway.”

  But I had to admit that in this instance, I secretly appreciated it. The sidewalk to the parking lot wasn’t well lit, and I was a little afraid of the dark. Not that I’d ever tell him that.

  I glanced up at him as we walked. I couldn’t figure the guy out. He was conceited but, in his own gruff way, kind. Rich as hell but a regular at a neighborhood pub. Not at all my type, but I still found myself drawn to him.

  Maybe it was just animal attraction? He’d rolled up his sleeves over dinner and I found my eyes drifting to the dark scrolls on his strong forearms. And I loved the way his whole face crumpled in delight when he laughed. For some reason, I got the distinct feeling there was more to him than what he revealed to the rest of the world.

  Maybe it was my photographer’s instinct, but there was a part of me that wished I could peel back the layers to get to know the real Theo Barnes.

  Because I had a feeling that there just might be more to him buried underneath the overabundance of cocky attitude.

  “Are you okay to drive?” he asked. “Because I can call a car for you. You’ve been working for like twelve hours now, and you had a beer.”

  “Oh my God, I’m fine you worry-wart,” I said. The fresh breeze off the water had me feeling more energized and awake. “I didn’t even finish that beer,” I reminded him. “I’m absolutely okay to drive.”

  Plus, if I didn’t drive home tonight, I’d just have to come back and get my car tomorrow.

  The moonlight was surprisingly bright, illuminating Theo’s handsome face as he scrutinized me.

  “Are you sure about that, Sleeping Beauty?”

  “I’m one hundred percent sober, officer,” I joked.

  “Okay. Well.” He looked down at me, his hands in his pockets.

  “Yeah.” I realized I still had no idea how to say goodbye to this man. In a way, he was my boss. But he was also a stranger I’d kissed. A man I sort of liked, despite myself. Someone I’d probably never see again.

  We stared at each other.

  He cleared his throat. “It was great meeting you, Max. You’re obviously a talented photographer. And I can’t thank you enough for your… extra help today.”

  I blushed, wondering if he was thinking of the kiss too. “You’re welcome.”

  It felt so much like the end of a date, I half expected Theo to pull me close and press his lips to mine.

  I held my breath as Theo’s eyes traveled my face. I’d made the first move last time, so I wasn’t about to do it again. I could’ve sworn Theo inched toward me, and my heartbeat sped up.

  It was happening.

  I took a deep breath as the corner of his mouth kicked up.

  Then, the crunch of gravel and headlights pierced the darkness between us, killing the mood.

  What the hell was I thinking? I couldn’t kiss Theo Barnes. It was one thing if we were pretending. Something else entirely if it was real.

  “I’ll wait for those photos, okay?” Theo said, taking a few deliberate steps backward.

  I cleared my throat. “Yup, okay. Thanks again for the opportunity.”

  “Have a nice life, Max.”

  “You too.”

  Then he left, and to my surprise, I couldn’t stop staring at the dark figure walking away from me.

  5

  THEO

  “So what’s the real reason for the lunch date, Mom? Because I can tell something’s up.”

  She widened her eyes at me. “Why would you think that?”

  “You can’t hide anything from me. Now spill it.”

  My mom, Elena, had shown up at my office unannounced and basically demanded we go to lunch. Normally I eat at my desk, but we both knew I wasn’t about to say no to her. I wasn’t too proud to admit that I was a total momma’s boy. She’d raised me on her own since my father passed when I was thirteen. She was basically my hero, and as soon as I made good, the first order of business for me was to use my money to make her life soft and easy. Every win for me was a win for us.

  I watched as my mom try to find the right words for whatever motherly dictate she was about to throw down. I definitely hadn’t gotten my poker face from her—she was so expressive that anyone could tell at a glance exactly what she was thinking. And I could tell right now that she was trying to find the right words to scold me. It wasn’t something I’d take from anyone else, but I’d put up with just about anything to make her happy.

  Forget all the toys and trappings—my favorite thing about being rich was seeing the stress lines on her face melt away into smiles. When I was a kid, she’d seemed tired and drawn most of the time—though she always tried to stay upbeat whenever she was with me. But now, she really was upbeat and content. With her bobbed honey-colored hair and cute round cheeks she looked a good ten years younger than her true age. She’d always known how to dress, but my personal shopper had helped to take her big box style to the next level. Today, she was wearing some sort of loose dress and a chunky necklace that made her look like she was out for a day of gallery tours. Elegant but fun, just like her. She could scold me all the livelong day if she wanted—I was just happy to see that fussing at me was the biggest issue in her life right now.

  “Do you realize that Jessica’s wedding is just two months away?”

  “Yeah, it’s going really fast.”

  My cousin Jessica was more like a sister to me. Her mother had passed when she was young, and she’d quickly been absorbed into my mom’s nurturing warmth. I was footing the bill for the event, but with everything I was juggling in my life it was easy to forget just how close it really was.

  “And there’s more to it than just the wedding and reception, you know. She has a bunch of events before and an entire weekend planned out. It’s a big deal, Theo.”

  I leaned back in my chair, unsure why my mom was making the wedding an issue. “Okay, that’s fine. She knows I’ll support her in any way I can.”

  “Hon,” she said, placing her hand on mine. “It’s going to be a family affair. The first time we’ve all gathered in ages. It’s basically a huge family reunion. Which is why …”

  I steeled myself. Here it comes, whatever “it” is.

  “… you need to think long and hard about who you’re bringing with you.”

  I burst out laughing. “That’s why you staged an intervention with me? My dating life?”

  She frowned at me. “Yes. You’ve made some…interesting choices over the years, you have to admit it.”

  I finally managed to stop laughing. “Okay, sure. Yeah, I date a wide variety of women. But they all know how to behave at a wedding. It’s not like they’re rude or something.”

  “No, I’m not saying that at all,” she protested weakly. “But …”

  “Hold on, hold on. Let’s go through my recent dating history, shall we? You can tell me why they’re not appropriate for a family event. I was seeing Marietta last. She was a knockout, super funny, and very talented.”

  My mom’s mouth went into a tight line. “I never had a chance to meet her, so I’ll take your word for it. But Marietta also made you go viral when she started doing circus tricks in her thong bikini on the beach. You could see her entire … heritage in that handstand photo!”

  I chucked at the memory. Marietta Linz was a Cirque de Soleil acrobat who wasn’t shy about her body or her art, which meant that she considered the world her stage. According to the paparazzo shots, our casual beach day looked more like a trip to the strip club thanks to her barely-there white bikini.

  “I’m sure she’s lovely, but she also seems like the kind of woman who enjoys being the center of attention… perhaps even at someone else’s wedding?” my mom said.

  “Okay, point taken,” I admitted. “I could see Marietta upstaging Jessica at the reception. Before her I was seeing Amanda Connor. She’s a newscaster—that’s a fine, upstanding profession.”

  “She’s a drinker,” my mom countered. “Don’t you remember how drunk she got during your last yacht party? She vomited off the side, Theo!”

  I bit my lip and squinted. “Right. Forgot about that part.”

  “And what about that girl, what was her name? The model … you know the one I mean.”

  “Yaz Brouillard,” I smiled at the memory. “Now she was something else.”

  “She had such bizarre and unhealthy food rules. Remember that brunch we went to? She forced the chef to make her an unseasoned egg white omelet that she didn’t touch. And she made me feel terrible for enjoying my waffle, saying I was poisoning myself.” My mom huffed at the memory.

  I laughed at her. “Okay, okay, I get it. You don’t appreciate my taste in women. Maybe I’ll just come solo and woo one of the bridesmaids.”

  She was shaking her head before I even finished talking. “Off limits. Jess already warned them about you.”

  “Oh come on. I’m really that bad?”

  My mom leaned closer and held my gaze. “Honey, no, you are absolutely perfect. Any woman would be lucky to have you. But you clearly don’t want to settle down and it’s breaking my heart.” She leaned back in her chair, frowning. “I wish you’d just find a nice girl.”

  “What if the nice girl I fall in love with is an exhibitionist with a drinking problem and an eating disorder?” I teased.

  She just shook her head, refusing to be baited. “Honey. If it’s real, you know I’ll love whoever you love. But for whatever reason, you keep choosing women who don’t actually want something real.”

  There was something in her expression that triggered me. A longing. Maybe the excitement about Jessica’s wedding made her realize that she’d never have the same experiences with me. I hadn’t exactly come out and said it, but she could probably tell I wasn’t one for long-term commitments. I’d seen what losing my father had done to her. She’d been so destroyed by his death that she refused to even consider dating, even all these years later. I wasn’t about to put myself up for that kind of pain. No way. I was more than happy to fuck and run.

  But … I felt like I owed it to her to at least try to do what she was asking of me, at least for the wedding.

  “So that’s what you want? For me to bring a nice girl who wants a real relationship to the wedding?”

  “It’s my dream.”

  I nodded. “Okay, you got it. Lemme see what I can do. I can’t think of any nice girls off the top of my head, but I’ll figure something out.”

  “Thank you, sweetheart. I appreciate it.”

  We were finally able to relax into our usual roles: my mom gossiping about every relative and neighbor she knew and me trying to keep up. But my mind wandered as she chattered away. Nice, single girls who wanted a real relationship? Did I know any?

  And if I did, wouldn’t it be a dick move to invite them to a family wedding, knowing they wanted a relationship when I didn’t?

  Once I was back at my office, I tried to dig back into the latest scheduling issues, but my mom’s request kept derailing me. I stared out my window to the blue horizon and wished I was out there instead of dealing with the minutiae of running a business inside. I did my best thinking on the water. It felt like my second home.