Temporarily Yours (Shillings Agency #1)(16)
Author: Diane Alberts

It wasn’t until Cooper cleared his throat and forced his eyes northward that Kayla remembered one tiny little detail. She was freaking naked. He might have seen it all last night when she’d had the courage of vodka in her, and she might have been A-Okay with that then.

But now, in the light of day?

Yeah, not so cool with it.

She whipped the comforter off of the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Fine. You’re not sweet. But what the hell are you?”

He shrugged. “I’m in town earlier than I need to be, so I have nothing to do besides wait to ship out. You needed a man, and since your family heard me over the phone, I offered to fill that position. We already get along nicely, and I’ve obviously enjoyed spending time with you,” he said dryly. “So it’s hardly a hardship for me to spend more time with you. That’s who I am. That’s me.”

Kayla watched him. This guy, this man, was an anomaly. She couldn’t read him at all. Ninety percent of single men would say anything—hell, do anything—to get laid. And the married men weren’t much better. But that wasn’t what he wanted. He’d already gotten that without asking. But he seemed to care.

What was she supposed to do with that?

He got out of bed, obviously not worried about his state of undress, and strode across the room wearing nothing but his tattoos. Grabbing a glass off the counter, he filled it with water. She knew she should look away from his bare ass, which was not inked, but she didn’t want to. She wasn’t that hung over. And, hell, if he was going to walk around with it all hanging out…who was she to complain?

“Let me guess,” he said, his eyes on her as he crossed the room to his luggage. “You’re no longer drunk, and now you’re ready to bolt from the mistakes you made last night. In my car. In the bed that you’re now refusing to look at. And, if I recall correctly, on that wall right next to you.”

“Oh, God.” She closed her eyes, each detail he named coming back with crystal clarity. “It’s just…I don’t know you.”

He laughed. “You knew me well enough for me to make you scream my name repeatedly. Isn’t that enough?”

“For a one night stand? It’s plenty.” She clutched the comforter tighter to her chest. “But for you to meet my family? My very traditional family who will badger you with questions every opportunity they get? Yeah, not so much.”

“I fought in a war against enemies with deadly weapons. I think I can handle inquisitive parents.”

“You’ve never met mine.” She shook her head and headed for her luggage. “I really don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into here. Thanks for offering to help me, but no thanks. I’d rather come up with some lame excuse now than have our story poked apart mid-ruse.”

“I want to help you. Let me help you.” He stepped in her path. “What are you going to tell them? I flew all the way down here, only to run away in the morning? That’s not realistic.”

“I’ve got it!” she said, thinking fast. “I’ll tell them you got a call from work at the last minute—”

“No. Absolutely not.” He crossed his arms. And he was still blessedly naked. Holy mother of God, those abs…she could freaking wash laundry on them. “At the very least, I have to show up for day one. Then I could get called away. If you try to play that off too soon, your mom will call you on it.”

“What makes you so sure you know my mom so well?” He was right, but that wasn’t the point. “You’ve never even met her.”

“You told me all I needed to know last night. And I heard her on the phone.” He grabbed her hands and squeezed. “Your mom is just like mine. I know how moms like that act. You don’t want her getting suspicious. You’d spend the whole wedding dealing with the millions of questions she would throw your way. Let me take those questions. And you never know. Maybe if she sees you happy with someone, she’ll focus on your sister, the bride.”

Kayla bit down on her lip and studied him. “Do you seriously want to do this?”

“I do.” He smiled at her, his eyes warm. “You want to know what’s in it for me, but you’re too polite to ask. Am I right?”

She laughed. “Now you can read me and my mom? If this wasn’t a fake relationship, I’d marry you.”

“You’re moving way too fast for this fictional relationship.” He chuckled and hugged her close. She almost pushed him away. It was too…too…real. Hugging was intimate. Hugging was for actual boyfriends and girlfriends.

She was much more comfortable keeping things purely sexual.

“I do want to know what’s in it for you. I mean, you’ll get free room and board, and good food.” She looked down at her bare toes and wiggled them. “And more sex. But is that really worth dealing with my parents?”

He flinched. “Ouch. That almost hurts my ego that you have to ask me that question.”

“As if your ego is that fragile. Puh-lease.” She rolled her eyes. “Men that look like you and f**k like you aren’t easily broken. You’re as hard as your abs.”

“Whoa, there. Hold up a second.” He pressed a hand to his forehead, feigning shock. “That was almost a compliment. If you’re not careful, I might think you actually like me.”

Despite herself, she laughed. “You know, keeping you around might not be so bad after all. You’re as entertaining out of bed as you are in it.”

He raised a brow. “Then it’s settled? I’m temporarily yours for the next few days?”

There was obviously no risk of her falling for him—he was leaving the country and she knew that already, so why would she put herself through a long distance relationship?

But what if the impossible became possible? What if one of them fell for the other?

She looked up at him, losing herself in his bright green eyes.

It just seemed a recipe for disaster.

Clearing her throat, she said, “Just to be clear. You, me…this is strictly platonic…with benefits.”

“Exactly. No attachments,” he agreed, lowering his face. His lips almost touched hers. “Just two people enjoying each other’s company for a short time while pretending to be in love. What could possibly go wrong?”

She took a deep breath and gathered her courage, remembering his words from last night when she invited him to her hotel room. “Fuck yeah. Let’s go.”