Wicked Dirty (Stark World 2)

"Are you kidding? I'd love for you to walk him tomorrow."

She stared at him, clearly confused, until finally Jacob said, "Duh. Joy called. Said you needed to skip?"

"Joy said?"

"She's wrong?"

"No--no, that's all good." Her brow furrowed, and Lyle could tell that she was trying to decide if she'd forgotten about some plans she'd made with Joy. "Anyway, I'll see you Wednesday, then."

"Cool." He shut the door, and she hesitated on the stairs.

"Let's get back," she said. "I need to phone Joy."

"You don't," Lyle said as they reached the bottom of the stairs. "She called him as a favor to me."

"To you?"

"I told you. We have business to take care of today."

"And so you had her call out for me? From everything?"

"Just today and tomorrow."

They'd reached her gate, and she paused, looking more than a little put out. "You do know that the loan's not the only thing I need money for. There's still the pesky matter of food, utilities, transportation, and taxes. Plus, on occasion I like to go to a movie or buy a book."

"I'll have my assistant email you an expense report," he said dryly. "Full reimbursement for all funds lost due to any activity you undertake in the capacity of my faux fiancee. Fair?"

"Pushy and controlling--and a lot annoying since you didn't run it by me first--but on the whole it's fair enough."

She was, he noted, fighting a smile. A fact that he considered a very good sign.

"So what is this business we have to deal with, anyway?"

"First off, I thought we'd go to Tiffany's."

"Why?"

"Well, you need a ring."

"Oh. Right." She glanced at her hand. "I hadn't thought of that."

"And then we need to hit your bank and take care of your loan."

>

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Really?"

"That was the deal, wasn't it?"

She swallowed. "Well, yeah. But I thought--well, I figured I had to play the part first."

He couldn't help but smile. "You planning on backing out on me?"

"Of course not."

"Then let's go. I don't like that it's hanging over your head."

She blinked, and he saw tears in her eyes.