Fake Wife (Taming The Bad Boy Billionaire 8)

“I didn’t say you can’t, but I’m still walking you. Besides, I need to meet all my future four-legged stepchildren anyway,” he added.

“You want to meet the rest of my dogs?”

“Yeah.”

“You know the way into my heart, don’t you?”

“Among other things,” he teased with a wink.

“Hush, you,” I said, trying to play coy. I had to admit that he did make my life a little more exciting, and at the moment, he was all I had going on. While my girlfriends were busy with work and their own lives, I was just floundering. I had hidden most of it well; Tammy was the only one who knew about the job, but I hadn’t confessed my eviction notice to anyone yet. I had until the end of the month to figure something out, and all I could think of was the one thing I didn’t want to do: calling my parents up to tell them how much of a royal fuck-up their daughter was.

“What’s with the look?” Charlie asked, his fingers gently turning my face. “Jaime?”

“Nothing. I-I’m fine,” I said and nodded toward the door. “C’mon.”

He frowned but didn’t push the issue, which wasn’t at all like him. Charlie was always insistent on knowing everything, and he had to know I was hiding something from him, yet he didn’t try to get it out of me.

I had barely put the key in the lock before all four dogs went crazy, barking and scratching on the other side. “Hang on just a second,” I called out. “Mama’s coming.” I opened the door, and three furry bodies rushed me, jumping up to assault me in a swarm of pink tongues. I laughed and petted each one in turn. Even on the worst days of my life, those little fur-balls managed to cheer me up.

As soon as I was through the door, all six canine eyes turned on Charlie, and Oreo, my big German shepherd, let out a growl and blocked his way.

“Uh, Jaime?” Charlie asked, holding up his hands as if he was under arrest, “a little help here?”

“Just walk in slowly and don’t look ‘em in the eyes,” I advised, finding it rather enjoyable to see him on edge for a change.

Charlie frowned but sidled inside and slowly closed my apartment door behind him. Oreo kept growling until Charlie slowly lowered his hand for him to sniff.

I kept a careful eye on the two of them as I moved to pet Max, who was lying on the couch, wagging his tail as I scratched his ears. Max had been doing much better since I took him in, but walking was still a struggle for him most of the time.

Billy and Tank, the golden retriever and yellow lab, moved in beside Oreo, all three desperate to sniff-check the stranger. After several nasal onceovers, they wagged their tails in approval and jumped on him, lovingly tackling him to the ground.

“Ugh! Call off your hounds!” Charlie said as he landed with a grunt.

I was laughing far too hard to say anything to him or my pooches.

He whined and gagged when Oreo covered his face and hands with doggie kisses. “You know, when I talked about tongues earlier, your dog’s was not what I had in mind.”

“Yeah well, that’s the only tongue action you’re gonna get tonight,” I told him firmly. Suddenly, the drink from the bar caught up with me, and I stood. “I gotta hit the little girls’ room. Don’t do anything stupid, or Oreo will eat you.”

“Haven’t you taught these critters any etiquette? Dog manners?” he asked, laughing.

I chuckled. “This is actually a good thing. It means they love you,” I yelled over my shoulder before I stepped in the bathroom and closed the door behind me.

After I went to the bathroom, I splashed water on my face and stared at my reflection in the mirror. All things considered, I didn’t look too damn shabby, but I knew that would all change any second. I couldn’t hold it together forever, and it was inevitable that the walls would eventually crash in around me. I would soon have no job, no money, and four dogs to take care of. To complicate matters worse, a man I never expected to see again was trying to convince me to marry him for money. Is this really what my life has become? I thought. It was like I’d been thrown into some kind of Lifetime movie, and I was sure it wasn’t going to be a happy ending.

“You got this,” I told my reflection. “No hot stud waltzing back into your life is gonna make you forget that you’re not a charity case. No matter how sexy or loaded he is, you’re not going to lower yourself to giving in to his antics, not this time. Men don’t change, especially Charlie.” With that lingering in my mind, I straightened my posture and, hoping I was strong enough to kick him out of my place for the night, walked back out to see Charlie standing against the kitchen counter.

“You’ve got nice puppies,” he said, smirking at me.

“Well, they seem to like you,” I responded, ignoring his ever-present innuendo. “I guess that’s a good thing.”

“What can I say? I’m a devoted animal lover.”

“Good, because my dogs are essentially my roommates. If you fake marry me, you have to say ‘I do’ to them too. We’re a package deal.”

“No worries. I gladly accept your package...and I know you want mine.”

Gosh, he’s nothing if not the king of double-entendres, I thought, shaking my head.