Crazy for Your Love (Boys of Jackson Harbor 5)

She whispers something in his ear, and he smiles, but it seems forced, and his eyes dart to me.

“I’ll text you,” he tells her gently.

“You’d better,” she says. She winks at him before walking away, smacking her hand against his ass as she goes.

I snort out an awkward bubble of laughter. “Did she just spank you?”

Carter has the good sense to look mildly embarrassed—pink cheeks and all. He clears his throat. “Sorry. She’s . . . um, a friend.”

“Clearly more than that.” I hate the bite I hear in my tone. Am I jealous? Why? Because he has something with her that he’s also offered to me? It’s ridiculous. This is Carter. He’s not mine. He shrugs, as if it doesn’t matter that he’s involved with Myla and was propositioning me for sex this morning. Maybe that’s the only sign I need that I can’t go there with him.

“What’s the favor?” he asks.

I swallow, taking a beat to get my mind back on track, to push aside my other thoughts and focus on why I asked him here. “My sister’s getting married on Saturday. The wedding is here, in Jackson Harbor. A long weekend of parties and brewery tours and family stuff.” I feel ridiculous. “Any chance I could convince you to be my plus one?”

“Can’t talk any of your girls into keeping you company?” he asks, laughing.

“I mean . . .” I toy with a cardboard coaster, tapping it on the bar before looking at him again. “I’d like you to be there as my boyfriend.”

He blinks at me, and though his body doesn’t move, I can feel him pulling away. “Teagan—”

“Like last night,” I blurt. Then, softer: “Pretend, Carter. I’m not asking you to go steady. Just to continue last night’s ruse until the wedding is over.”

He swallows, his shoulders dropping a bit. “Good.”

I try not to wince and fail. Maybe it makes me a hypocrite, but his relief stings. Sixty seconds ago, he was trying to seduce me all over again, then I said the word boyfriend and he looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a big rig. “I’m trying not to be insulted.”

He shakes his head. “Sorry. Shit. I . . .”

I roll my eyes. “It’s fine.” Even though that’s a bit of a lie, my conflicted feelings about Carter don’t really matter right now. What matters is making it through this week.

“You want a date for the wedding. A fake boyfriend.” He nods. “Sure. I’ll have to switch shifts with someone, but I should be able to get Saturday off.”

“It’s a little more involved than that.” I bite my bottom lip. “My mom rented out the Hayhurst mansion for the event.”

Carter frowns. “I thought the reception was at the Jackson Brews Banquet Center?”

“The reception is, but Mom wants everyone to stay in the mansion together for the event—Wednesday through Sunday, I mean. And since she thinks you’re my boyfriend, she wants you to stay too.”

Across the bar, Myla is sitting with two other equally peppy girls. She ignores them as she messes with her phone. When Carter’s phone buzzes, she lifts her gaze to watch him, but he doesn’t even pull it from his pocket. He keeps his attention on me, and his lips curve into a smile. “You’re asking me to stay in some swanky mansion-turned-bed-and-breakfast for four nights while pretending to be your boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

He arches a brow and gives me such a lascivious grin that my insides do the cha-cha. “Where do I sign up?”

My attention returns to Myla. She scowls and types something else on her phone. Carter’s phone buzzes again. Have they been dating and I missed it? I didn’t even realize they were more than acquaintances, but Carter has gotten a bit of a reputation lately, and sleeping with the hot cheer coach falls right in line with the things I’ve heard.

He continues to ignore his phone.

I shake my head. “We won’t be sharing a room or anything. My parents are way too conservative for that. But they want to get to know you, so if you’re supposed to be my boyfriend, they expect you to join us at the mansion. They’ll probably put you in a room with Saanvi’s fiancé or my cousin Trevor or something.”

“Oh.” He rubs a hand over his scruffy beard. “That’s definitely less appealing than four nights with you. Do you know if Trevor likes to cuddle?”

I smack him in the stomach with the back of my hand—and feel the rock-hard evidence of his workouts beneath his shirt. Damn. “We’d have to make it believable.”

He grins. “I think last night proved we’re pretty good at that. I’m not a great liar, but I didn’t find it that hard to pretend you’re my girl.” He tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. The simple touch sizzles through me, leaving need in its wake and making me pull away before I can lean into him. “Do you think you can handle it?”