Fake Summer Boyfriend

I was incredibly grateful to whatever stupid glitch in the security system at work had given me a whole day to hang out with the man who was steadily tugging on my heart strings.

Something deep inside me had already cracked open, and real feelings were taking hold.

Even if his size still made me nervous, and I didn’t know him nearly well enough yet, everything else about him was absolutely perfect.

Chapter 8

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Leif

After breakfast, Hayden and I decided to be responsible adults for just two hours. She studied and continued writing a paper, and I worked in my home office. I insisted that she take her laptop outside, and sit under an awning beside the pool.

Then we decided that we would have pizza delivered while we watched movies that evening, so I drove us to a nearby bistro for ridiculously fancy sandwiches for lunch.

She didn’t say a word about me taking a different car, but it was clear that there was no way for Craig to see us, if he happened to be looking around.

Even though I could tell by the tracker on my phone that he was at a coffee shop near Hayden’s office.

By the time we got back to my house, it was four o’clock, and we’d already spent hours discussing our favorite books, the histories of our favorite bands, and how we were both deeply terrible people for not going to the theatre more often. We made a very solemn pinky swear to remedy the last point as soon as we walked in my front door.

“Next on the summer fun agenda,” I announced, “swimming. By which I mean standing around in the pool and splashing a bit.”

Hayden frowned slightly. “I didn’t think to pack a bathing suit.”

“Wear anything. A bra and underwear covers more than the average bikini,” I shrugged nonchalantly. “I could lend you a tank top and some running shorts, but they’d be huge on you. You’d swim in th em.”

My palm smacked my forehead as I realized the bad pun that had just flown out of my mouth, while Hayden laughed brightly.

“I’ve got my sleep shorts. If I could borrow a tank top, that would be good enough, I guess.”

We went upstairs, and she followed me to my bedroom, then into my massive closet. “Wow,” she breathed.

“I know,” I said, rolling my eyes. “The closet came with the house. I’m not even into fashion. I don’t know anybody who needs to hang their clothing with special lighting, as if it’s some kind of fine art.”

I found a dark gray tank in a drawer, and handed her a pair of black running shorts as well. “Yours might be better, but whatever you’re comfortable with.” I jerked my thumb to the wall behind me. “Hell, you could wear my tuxedo in the pool if you want, as long as you’d let me take photos.”

She laughed again, then stopped, her head tilting to the side as she looked at me strangely. “You’re weirdly charming, do you know that?”

Stepping closer, I placed a finger under her chin. “It’s never happened before. It must be the proximity to such a stunning young lady.”

Her nose crinkled as she giggled, then she darted back to the guest room.

I threw on a pair of baggy board shorts, then walked by her door, calling out, “Take your time, but I’m already in the pool.”

Bringing a couple of sparkling raspberry-and-soda-water drinks in neon green plastic glasses out to the shallow end, I slipped into the water, glad for last year’s heater upgrade. In the summer, the water was always just a pinch cooler than the temperature, making it refreshing without being chilly.

It was impossible not to stare when Hayden came out through the sliding kitchen doors. Her hair was piled up on top of her head in a messy bun, and even though her swimming outfit was baggy, I couldn’t miss the seductive, curvy figure underneath. Even her pink tipped toes were exquisite.

Walking carefully down the steps, the water of the shallow end barely covered her nipples, making it tricky not to stare at the tight peaks through the thin fabric.

“Well, I’ve gotten you to a beach, and a pool,” I said, steepling my fingers like a cartoon villain. “My mission of forcing summer upon you is working, muah ha haaaa.”

“I really appreciate it,” she grinned, stretching out her arms to float them across the surface of the water. “Wow, this is the perfect temperature.”

Walking toward her, I reached for the drinks over her shoulder. “And these are the perfect summer mocktails,” I started to say, then I realized the slight widening of her pupils.

The stiffening of her shoulders.