“What can I get for the two of you?” the barista asked, pulling Eric’s thoughts and attention to the girl waiting for their order.
He glanced at Evie. “Don’t disappoint me,” he said humorously, referencing the boring cup of coffee she’d mentioned.
A cute, daring smile flitted across her mouth before she looked back at the barista. “I’ll take a white chocolate mocha with an extra shot of espresso and whipped cream.”
Damn. Was it crazy that he was totally turned on by the fact that she hadn’t ordered one of those ridiculous skinny, nonfat, sugar-free lattes that made a mockery of a designer coffee? This was not a girl who’d opt for a salad if she was offered a burger or pizza, and thank God for that. His attraction to her just increased tenfold.
“I’ll have an Americano,” he said, and handed the girl his credit card.
Once they gave the barista their names for the drinks, they found a small, round vacant table and sat across from each other. He took another sincere look at her pretty features, and combined with her witty, engaging personality he wondered why some guy hadn’t already taken her off the market.
Then again, who was he to judge, when he’d made being single and avoiding anything more committed than sex an artform for his entire adult life?
Still, he was curious enough to ask. “So, the million-dollar question. Why would a beautiful woman like you need to hire a fake boyfriend?”
She exhaled a deep breath, prepared to enlighten him just as the barista called out their names for their drink orders. Before she could speak, he held up a finger to stop her.
“Hang on to that thought,” he said with a wink as he stood up. “I’ll be right back to hear your answer.”
CHAPTER THREE
Evie watched as Eric walked to the counter to retrieve their order, his stride confident enough to turn a few female heads, not that she could blame any of them for appreciating such masculine perfection. He was even better-looking than his profile pic, and she was still trying to recover from being on the receiving end of those striking green eyes, that breathtakingly sexy smile, and that flirtatious wink.
She pressed a hand to her stomach in hopes of calming the commotion happening inside. She wasn’t supposed to be experiencing butterflies. Being attracted to him was one thing . . . feeling like an infatuated schoolgirl was another considering this wasn’t a typical date. It was a meeting to discuss the part she needed him to play—a business transaction and nothing more.
As he headed back toward her with both of their drinks in hand, she regained her composure. By the time he sat down across from her again and she had her first sip of her caffeinated latte, she felt like she could carry on an intelligent conversation with him.
“I have to say, hiring someone to be my boyfriend isn’t something I’d normally do,” she said, not sure why she thought she had to justify her actions to him, but doing it anyway. Maybe because the scenario seemed so . . . desperate, and that’s the last thing she wanted him to think. Even if it was partially true.
His eyes twinkled at her from above the rim of his cup as he took a drink of his own coffee before replying. “And offering my services to impersonate a woman’s boyfriend isn’t something I’d normally do, either.”
She laughed at that. “You’re the one who signed up to be on the Boyfriend Experience app.”
The corner of his mouth quirked with humor. “Touché,” he said, as if there was more to his story than met the eye, but he didn’t share anything more.
Whatever his reasons for being on the app, she wasn’t about to judge. She figured he needed the money, or maybe he just enjoyed randomly dating women and playing the part of a doting boyfriend. Clearly there was a demand for that kind of service, and someone had to fulfill the requests.
“So, back to my question,” he said, leaning back casually in his seat, causing his shirt to tighten across his chest, just enough to hint at the toned body beneath. “Why would a beautiful woman like you need to hire a fake boyfriend?”
Her cheeks warmed at his flattery. He definitely had the charm part of his persona down pat, along with a sense of humor. He’d already proven to be kind and considerate by insisting to buy her drink, and overall, he was easy to be with. Maybe because this wasn’t a real date. She didn’t have to impress him since she’d be paying him to do a job, and there were no expectations between them other than what she required from him.
“To make a long story short, my ex cheated on me after four months together,” she said, getting the humiliating part of the story out of the way. “He was supposed to attend a family reunion with me over the Fourth of July weekend and meet my parents and relatives for the first time.”