The Silver Fox (Red's Tavern 3)

“Oh, yes,” I said quickly. “The rooms are great, Sadie. I appreciate your help.”

She gave a quick nod. “Perfect. I’ll leave you two, but I’m down at the front desk anytime you need me, and all the phone numbers you might need are on the list on top of the nightstand. My personal cell phone included.”

“You’re a rock star, Sadie, I can tell already,” Rock said.

When she had left, Rock stared at me, waggling his eyebrows. “Just you and me, babe,” he said.

I rolled my eyes. “That was a close call with the real name thing,” I said. “Anything else you need to tell me about yourself?”

“I’m a fantastic swimmer. I only like yellow Skittles. I am not afraid of saving people from a burning building, but I will absolutely lose my shit if I see a tarantula. Even a photo of one. No tarantulas, ever.”

“I promise there aren’t any tarantula-related events planned for the reunion.”

“Better not be. You’d see me scream like a little girl.”

I let out a long sigh. “This week is going to be a disaster, isn’t it?”

“Hell no,” he said. “I’m already having a great time,” he said.

“Really?”

“Of course,” he said. “This place is gorgeous. I only saw one or two definite fire hazards in the dining room. Your brother seems great.”

“He is great,” I said. “I feel so awful lying to him.”

Rock shook his head. “You’re doing this to help him. It’s just a temporary thing. Like a Band-Aid.”

“Our fake relationship is like a Band-Aid?”

“Yes,” Rock said. “Your family is wounded right now. Once they’ve had time to heal a little, things will slowly get to a new normal. But right now… I’m more than happy to help and be a distraction.”

Distraction was an understatement.

“This room is…”

“Homey.”

“I was going to go with tiny, but yes,” I said.

“Guess we can’t go with the original plan of one of us sleeping on the floor, huh?” Rock said, staring down at the miniscule amount of space between the bed and the wall.

“Guess not,” I said, my chest curling a little tighter.

“It was a silly idea, anyway,” he said, plopping down onto the mattress and splaying his arms backward. “We’ll both be more comfortable up here. And holy shit, this is a nice mattress.”

I sat down on the edge of the bed and he sat up again. Suddenly I was hyper aware of how close he was to me—his laundry-fresh scent mixed with the slightest hint of masculine sweat.

It was intoxicating. I hadn’t been so close to another man in… well, way too long.

“Listen,” he said, his voice low. “I know this is going to be… kind of awkward at first.”

“Kind of awkward?”

“Okay, maybe very awkward. But only at first,” he said.

I shook my head. “I’m out of my mind,” I said. “I barely know you. I didn’t even know your real name. My mom is going to be here in a few hours, and if she finds out I’m faking this entire thing, it’s going to be even worse for her than it already is.”

“She isn’t going to find out, Perry,” Rock said, reaching out and gripping my hand. “I promise you. I won’t let it happen.”

My eyes shot upward to meet his gaze. I hated that his big, brown eyes comforted me like a damn old sweater on a cold day. I really didn’t know this man, but somehow I believed every word he said. When he promised he’d take care of something, I trusted it, even though I had no reason to.

“Okay,” I said finally, feeling like I’d just opened Pandora’s box. From here on out, there was no going back.

“We’re gonna look like the happiest couple they’ve ever seen,” he said, one of his dimples appearing on his right cheek.

As soon as I was looking at his lips, I felt like I was having a million little heart attacks all over again.

I was paralyzed. That was the problem. Even if we knew every little fact about each other, it still wouldn’t work if I was melting into a puddle of mush every time I looked at Rock’s face.

“Have you ever heard of immersion therapy?” I blurted out.

“Hm?” he said. “Is that where they dip you in a pool in a dark room or something?”

“No. It’s where you’re really scared of something, so you expose yourself to that thing over and over again.”

“Right,” he said. “Yes. And then you’re not scared anymore, because it just feels normal. Boring, even.”

“Yes,” I said, squeezing Rock’s hand.

“If we’re going to make this thing work, we’re going to have to do it,” I said, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Do it, huh?” Rock said, raising an eyebrow. He puffed out a breath of air, his eyes going wide as he stared into the distance. “Well, shit, Perry, I didn’t think we’d actually fuck this week, but if that’s what you need for the realism—”