Yeah, it would be much better if he continued to sleep and she slipped away to nurse her confusion in peace. Because that was exactly what she felt: utterly bamboozled.

  Being intimate with Cash last night had made her feel emboldened and powerful and sexy.

  Three things she’d never felt with Adrian. With her ex, she’d deferred to him in everything, including the bedroom.

  But Cash was a very different man and he made her feel...feminine. Something she didn’t get to feel too often with her hands stuck in dirt or mulch.

  Cash seemed to see beneath her detached exterior and she responded by allowing her natural playfulness to come through.

  It felt great. In fact, it felt downright amazing and that more than anything made her want to flee before he tempted her into staying.

  Because he would, no doubt about it. He’d roll over in bed, all sleepy and tousled, and reach for her. Wanting a repeat of last night, and the way she was feeling now she’d be all too willing to acquiesce.

  No, she had to escape now.

  With her gaze riveted to Cash’s sleeping form for any signs of movement, she eased towards the side of the bed and slid out onto the floor sideways.

  Cash didn’t move and she breathed a sigh of relief. Relief short-lived when she glanced around and couldn’t find her underwear.

  Mentally cursing her wanton abandon last night, she crawled around the end of the bed, spying her bra and panties within reach.

  She wriggled into her panties, refastened her bra and stood, casting a last longing look at the bed.

  Cash slumbered on and, for one crazy second, she wanted to climb back into bed and kiss him awake.

  The way he’d made her feel last night...exhilarated, wild, alive...multiple orgasms plus sensational sex, with a guy she could actually like.

  If any of this was real.

  That thought was enough to propel her feet towards the door.

  Last night had been fabulous. But it had been a one-off. A few hours of unbridled pleasure between two people who had fostered an attraction by their play-acting.

  The sooner they got back to faking it, the better.

  * * *

  ‘Lucy, Mrs Gramola at the deli said she saw you kissing some hunk online.’ Gram slid another pancake onto Lucy’s plate. ‘I told her she was cuckoo.’

  Uh-oh. The last thing Lucy needed after a sleepless night was to face one of Gram’s legendary interrogations.

  She didn’t want to have to discuss Cash in any way, shape or form. Not after the best sex of her life. All night long, as he’d promised. She had a lot of respect for a man who kept his promises.

  Lucy quickly shovelled a forkful of pancake into her mouth and tried not to choke.

  ‘She is cuckoo, right?’ Gram hovered over her, waving the spatula in the air.

  Lucy chewed and mumbled a non-committal response.

  Predictably, Gram wouldn’t be deterred. She banged the pan back on the stove, ditched the spatula and sat opposite Lucy.

  ‘What’s going on, missie?’

  ‘Nothing,’ Lucy said, prevented from forking more pancake into her mouth when Gram laid a hand on her forearm.

  ‘Would you prefer I head back down to the deli and hear the gossip from Mrs Gramola?’

  Considering the Gramolas were known for their notorious gossip spreading with every sale of small goods, Lucy had no choice but to set Gram straight.

  She laid her fork on her plate and nudged it away. ‘You know I’m doing that mega landscaping job in Williamstown?’

  Wariness pinched Gram’s mouth. ‘For that handsome man paying fifty grand for his new garden?’

  Lucy nodded. ‘Yeah. Well, Cash wanted something in return.’

  Gram’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. ‘To attend a few functions, right?’

  ‘Um...yeah.’ There was no way Lucy could sugar-coat this so she blurted it all in one go. ‘And to pose as his girlfriend for a week in a PR stunt leading up to Valentine’s Day.’

  Gram’s mouth dropped open.

  ‘I know, sounds crazy, huh? But there’s not much to it, really. We attend a few functions, the couples are filmed and snippets posted on the PR firm’s website for people to vote.’

  ‘Vote for what? The most delusional, exhibitionist pair of losers?’

  Lucy chuckled, buoyed by Gram’s signature bluntness.

  ‘Honestly, Gram? I feel the same way. But it seemed a small price to pay to save your house.’

  Gram sighed and shook her head. ‘I should never have agreed to accept that money from you.’

  Lucy patted her hand. ‘I wanted to do it.’

  ‘But to parade around on the Internet...kissing some stranger?’

  ‘Cash isn’t a stranger.’

  Not any more. Not after last night. She now knew his body in intimate detail: where he liked to be licked...stroked...nibbled...the ticklish spot near his armpits, the zigzag birth mark on his left hip pointing to his sizable...assets.

  Gram tilted her head to one side, studying her. ‘Well, well, well. Never thought I’d see the day.’

  Lucy ducked her head and stared at her pancake drowning in maple syrup. ‘What?’

  ‘You’re blushing.’ Gram sniggered. ‘And you’ve got a glow I haven’t seen since...’ She trailed off and cleared her throat. ‘Never mind that. I’ve seen his pic that first time you showed me online. Now tell me more about this young man you’ve been kissing in public.’ Gram winked. ‘And don’t spare the details.’

  Lucy didn’t want to talk about Cash kissing her. Because then she might be tempted to relive in exquisite detail every kiss last night...every caress...every touch.

  ‘Cash is a good guy. We get on okay—’

  ‘I want to see him.’

  No way. She knew Gram. Inflicting her on Cash would result in a catastrophic attempt at matchmaking or interrogating or both.

  ‘He’s a busy guy. I don’t think—’

  ‘I meant see him online, with you,’ Gram said, exasperation audible.

  ‘Oh, right,’ Lucy said, not knowing what was worse. Launching Gram on Cash in person or showing Gram their X-rated pash at the disco.

  ‘I’m not getting any younger, dear.’ Gram drummed her fingers on the table with exaggerated impatience.

  Without any other excuses to dredge up, Lucy fired up her electronic tablet, clicked on her bookmarks and opened up the PR firm’s website.

  She’d already watched the footage countless times, and had moved on from cringing to being transfixed in voyeuristic heaven.

  They looked like a real couple on that dance floor. A couple that couldn’t keep their hands off each other. A couple in love.

  Didn’t surprise her they’d ranked the highest after that little impromptu make-out session. Pervy people loved that sort of thing. Problem was, she did too. Loved Cash kissing her as if there were no tomorrow, that was.

  Heat flushed her cheeks just thinking about the very inventive ways he’d kissed her last night.

  ‘Whoever can make you look like that, my dear? I have to see this kiss.’ Gram pointed to her cheeks and mock fanned them.

  ‘Here. Knock yourself out.’ She thrust the tablet at Gram and inadvertently braced.

  Gram was a pretty good judge of character. She’d called Adrian a sleazy, heartbreaking upstart after the first time she’d met him. Turned out, Gram had been spot on. Which made Lucy all the sadder that Pops had fooled her for so many years.

  Gram hit play on the video clip and settled back in her chair to watch while Lucy took the opportunity to finish her pancakes. A girl couldn’t face an impending interrogation on an empty stomach.

  ‘Oh my Lordy...’ Gram stared at the tablet, her wide eyes almost a perfect match for her O-shaped mouth. ‘You’ve got a live one there, my girl.’

  And didn’t Lucy know it.

  She’d been so smug at the start of this week, thinking she had the upper hand by almost doubling her fee for the job in exchange for a little harmless acting.

  She’d expected to breeze through the functions with an updated wardrobe, a new haircut and a few simpering smiles.

  She hadn’t expected Cash Burgess to be so darn appealing, with deeper facets to his personality than she’d ever imagined.

  Like his ability to trust her, and gain her trust, enough for them to exchange details of their painful pasts. Throw in his charm twenty-four-seven and a body that would tempt a nun, and she’d never stood a chance.

  When the clip finished, Gram laid the tablet carefully on the table and stared at Lucy with a mix of awe and glee.

  ‘You said you’re pretending to be his girlfriend?’

  Lucy nodded.

  Gram beamed as if she’d just won the lottery. ‘Luce, I love you, but you’re stark raving bonkers if you think for one second there’s anything remotely fake about the two of you being together.’

  Lucy’s heart sank. She’d been afraid of this. Gram latching onto her very temporary romance with Cash and turning it into a grand passion.

  ‘Gram, we’re attracted, and it’s been a while since I’ve dated, so that kiss kinda happened out of the blue—’

  ‘When do I get to meet him?’

  ‘Gram...’ Lucy shook her head. ‘This thing with Cash isn’t real—’

  ‘Bollocks.’ Gram leaned forward and grasped her chin, ensuring she couldn’t look away. ‘I knew this man must be special the moment you walked in here this morning. You’re radiant.’ Gram paused, as if weighing her next words carefully. ‘I’ve never seen you look like this. Ever.’

  Gram’s polite way of saying that included Adrian.

  But Gram was wrong. She had loved Adrian, had been smitten by him. Her feelings for Cash weren’t remotely close to...

  Feelings?

  Oh no. No, no, no. Lucy didn’t have feelings for Cash. She couldn’t. It wasn’t part of her plan to fake it.

  Gram released her chin and folded her arms, her expression smug. ‘And you say you’re doing this man’s garden even after this week is up?’ Gram winked. ‘Clever girl.’

  Then why did Lucy feel incredibly dumb?

  Agreeing to Cash’s scheme in the first place might have seemed a good idea at the time but now? Working for him would’ve been okay, if she hadn’t slept with the guy.

  So much for Valentine’s Day putting an end to her misery.

  After what they’d done last night? Looked as if the festivities were just getting started.

  * * *

  Because of the time he was investing in the PR functions, Cash had scheduled back-to-back work meetings all day.

  Which would’ve been okay, if he’d managed to get more than an hour’s sleep last night.

  Not that he was complaining. What had kept him busy into the small hours had blown his mind.

  His only regret after a sensational night was that she’d crept out before five-thirty a.m.—and he’d let her.

  He should’ve stopped her, should’ve said something. Instead, he’d taken the coward’s way out, feigning sleep as she slipped on her underwear and did the walk of shame from his bedroom.

  That had been half his problem: not knowing what to say. If he’d said thanks, he would’ve sounded like a schmuck. If he’d asked what she was doing today, ditto.

  The truth was, he’d wanted to say all that and more. But the words wouldn’t come and by the time he’d made up his mind to speak up, she’d gone.

  He could’ve called her, but he’d been tied up all day and had just finished his last meeting of the day, at nine p.m.

  Thankfully, his plan was working, and the positive feedback from the Valentine’s Day competition had ensured several clients in danger of walking had re-signed. In fact, it was all his clients wanted to talk about, before getting down to discussing money business. He accepted their ribbing with grace and played up the hokey romance angle.

  But when clients asked about Lucy, he artfully dodged the questions and steered the conversation onto safer ground. Namely, away from the woman he was in danger of falling for.

  Ludicrous, for a guy who would never entertain the thought of a relationship that lasted past a few dates, let alone a full-blown commitment.

  Yet the time he’d spent with Lucy, both in and out of the bedroom, had him contemplating what could be, given half a chance.

  And that thought alone was enough to have him grabbing his mobile phone to send her a message.

  He needed to establish distance. Something he should’ve done first thing this morning when he’d found himself mooning around the office.

  Cash didn’t do relationships and, despite outlining last night that they’d have sex without strings attached, looked as if his heart hadn’t got the memo.

  Lucy had had no problem leaving this morning without looking back. And she certainly hadn’t picked up the phone to see how his day had been after what they’d shared.

  So this terse message he had to send to re-establish equilibrium? It was for his benefit.

  His thumb tapped on the screen.

  2 busy to catch up before skate date.

  Will C U there

  Brief to the point of rudeness. Cash hesitated a second before hitting send.

  He wanted to establish that nothing had changed post-sex. Prove to himself that the potent memories of intimacy plaguing him were nothing more than sleep deprivation.

  But when he found himself staring at the phone, willing Lucy to respond, he knew it would take more than a pithy message to re-establish some much-needed distance between them.

  Her succinct ‘OK’ reply should’ve made him happy. It didn’t. Once again, he was back to thinking about Lucy: what she was doing, how did she feel about last night, whether she’d be up for a repeat.

  Cursing his obsession, he flung himself into his office chair, unwittingly drawn to the computer screen. He shouldn’t watch that clip of them at the disco again, he really shouldn’t, but after a hellish day with little sleep he allowed himself the indulgence.

  He hit play, clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back, glued to the passion unfolding on the screen.

  Cash never lost his head. He weighed up every decision, usually with dollar signs in his eyes. Yet staring at the way he’d steamed up the screen with Lucy, he’d moved way past losing his head and landed straight in uncharted territory.

  God, Lucy was hot. She had no artifice, her genuine responses a major turn-on. Something she’d demonstrated last night in the privacy of his bedroom; and how.

  If he had any sense, he’d pick up the phone right now and call her.

  And say what? Sorry for the a-hole text. Come over. I’m lonely. I miss you?

  With an angry growl he sat forward and hit the escape key, the screen instantly reverting to a saver.

  Yeah, as if that would get Lucy out of his mind.

  Ideally, their tryst should end on Valentine’s Day, but with her making over his garden she’d be here daily for weeks...wearing those tight shorts and tank tops...exposing tempting expanses of tanned skin...skin he’d tasted...

  He cursed again and strode towards the door.

  One more function to get through tomorrow—roller-skating—then the ball, and he was home free.

  Objective achieved. Reputation intact. Business booming. Money rolling in.

  He should be ecstatic.

  So why the annoying niggle that he’d be missing out on something once this week ended?

  TEN

  ‘Sorry I didn’t call yesterday, got caught up in meetings all day ’til late.’ Cash hated how trite his apology sounded, when in reality he’d been unsure of his reception and her reaction following their night together.

  So he’d sent her an impersonal text instead to push her away. Nice.

  ‘Not a problem.’ She glanced up from lacing up her skate. ‘I had a busy day too.’

  Cash knew he had to broach what had happened between them but, for the first time in his life, he was clueless and inarticulate.

  She finished lacing up and stood, her teasing smile indication she had a zinger incoming. ‘Though have to admit, I thought you were being a wuss and avoiding me.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Post-coital embarrassment?’ She threw it out there, casual as you like, another classic example of her signature bluntness.

  ‘From what I recall, nothing to be embarrassed about,’ he said, lowering his head to whisper in her ear. ‘Unless the many times you screamed my name made you feel uncomfortable—’

  ‘Shh!’ She shoved him away but the dreamy look in her eyes spoke volumes. ‘What happened in the bedroom stays in the bedroom.’

  ‘That doesn’t include you stripping downstairs. Or that feisty little sprint up the stairs—’

  ‘If you’re trying to make me break my leg, you’re going about it the right way,’ she said, her frown as fake as the pout.

  Because, like him, she was reliving those moments he’d just mentioned: the flirting, the sizzle, the passion.

  They’d been incredible together and merely thinking about it made him hard.

  So much for re-establishing distance.

  ‘Stop trying to distract me with...’ She trailed off, a faint pink staining her cheeks, and he laughed.

  ‘With scorching memories of how we burned up the sheets?’

  ‘Something like that,’ she muttered, casting him a coy glance from beneath her lashes. ‘Though have to admit, I’m surprised you’re talking about it.’

  ‘Why?’

  He’d talk about their sexy interlude all day long if it made her look flushed and flustered and incredibly cute. With the added bonus of focusing on the physical between them, keeping it light made him feel better about the idiotic way he was floundering out of his depth and contemplating more than sex.