Love the One You're With by Lauren Layne Page B

‘sexy moments’ section.”
    A strange expression flashed across his face, and he dropped his gaze to his plate, stabbing at a piece of ravioli.
    â€œDid I say something wrong?” The question was out before she could rethink it. Twenty-something years of being a chronic people pleaser was a hard routine to shake.
    â€œNot at all,” he said, giving her a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “You were doing your job, focusing on the article. I, on the other hand, had forgotten all about it.”
    Grace ordered the butterflies in her stomach to evacuate, but they stayed put. She had him exactly where she wanted him—where
she’d
been on the debacle of that last date. She should feel elated.
    Instead she felt … flustered. Maybe a little longing.
    Meanwhile, Grace 2.0 was taking notes on all the things she was doing wrong. The list was massive, and they hadn’t even hit dessert yet.
    â€œYou have to admit, it’s only fair,” she said, smiling to put him at ease. “You had me practically swooning on the last date.”
    â€œYeah?”
    â€œOh, come on—you read my article. You know I fell just a tiny bit before I caught wind of the game.”
    He helped himself to more of her penne. “Tell me something, Grace … I imagine you’re doing this whole dating article for the same reason I am. Boss’s orders … but is this fake dating interfering with the real thing? I mean, is there someone for real, someone you’re seeing because you want to? Not because you’re getting paid to?”
    â€œDefinitely not,” she said decisively.
    â€œAha,” he said, pointing his fork at her. “I knew it. I’m your shield.”
    â€œMy shield?”
    â€œAs long as you’re in this little competition with me, it gives you an out to not see anyone else.”
    She wiped her mouth daintily, relieved that for once he could be wrong about something. “Actually, Mr. Malone, I’d be single with or without this assignment.”
    â€œWhy’s that?”
    â€œSabbatical. No men for six months.”
    He choked a little on his wine. “You mean no serious relationship, right? You don’t mean no
men
.”
    â€œAre you trying to ask me if I’m going on a sex hiatus?”
    â€œHell yes, that’s what I’m trying to ask you. For the sake of the story, naturally.”
    â€œNaturally,” she said, her smirk telling him she knew better. “But to answer your question, I have no intention of getting involved with a man in
any
way for six months.”
    â€œYou’re involved with me.”
    â€œUm, no,” she said, treating herself to a chunk of bread that she dunked into his creamy pasta sauce. “I’m
working
with you. There’s a big difference. It’s not personal.”
    â€œIs that why your pulse jumps every time I touch your wrist?”
    â€œMy pulse jumps because that’s a nice move,” she said candidly. “I’m sure every woman’s pulse jumps when you do that.”
    Jake looked a little stung. “That’s not a move. Believe it or not, that’s not something I do to every woman I meet.”
    It’s not?
“But you did it that night at the bar when you were twisting me around your finger like I was a stupid groupie.”
    He ran a hand through his hair, the spontaneous gesture surprisingly appealing. “That night wasn’t entirely manufactured. Did I say a couple things that I knew you’d like? Sure. Because I can read women. Isn’t that the point of all this?”
    Jake leaned forward then, his expression more serious than she’d seen it. “But here’s what I
didn’t
put in the article. That night wasn’t about reading women. It was about reading you. I liked what I saw. So yeah, I did what I could to make sure you’d like me back.”
    His hand snagged hers hard