Some Like It Charming (A Temporary Engagement) by Megan Bryce

there.”
    Mackenzie smiled at her. “Why aren’t you on my side? I don’t want to do something stupid with him.”
    “Why not? You can be stupid once in your life. Be smart later.”
    Mackenzie sat up. “I don’t know why I even try with you.”
    “Just remember when you’re trapped under him, sweaty and ready to scream his name, that I am all for it.”
    Mackenzie rolled her eyes. “Let’s go finish packing.”
    Cassandra grimaced. “Let’s not. They have shopping in New York. Good shopping. See if he’ll buy you a decent wardrobe. Tell him you’ll trade sexual favors for clothing.”
    “This is not Pretty Woman .”
    “But it could be, if you played your cards right.”
    They made quick work of it, Cassandra making disparaging remarks about her taste in clothing and shoes, and Mackenzie stuffing her muumuu in the suitcase when Cassandra wasn’t looking.
    Cassandra hefted it up, shaking her head. “This isn’t going over the back wall. You’re going to have to call Ethan to send some reinforcements.”
    Mackenzie rolled it out to the living room. She wasn’t calling him, ever. If she could get through the next six weeks without looking at him, speaking to him, or being in the same room with him, she would give him back his million dollars.
    Cassandra peaked out the front window. “You’re going to have to call him.”
    “It’s not happening.”
    Cassandra held out her hand. “I’ll call him for you.”
    Mackenzie elbowed her aside and peaked out the window herself. She cursed. “There’s even more of them.”
    Cassandra beckoned for the phone. “I assume he put his number in there, right? Let’s just call him up. He can make everything better.”
    Mackenzie took one long look outside, trying to plot an escape route, then gave up. She slapped the phone into Cassandra’s waiting hand.
    Cassandra hit speed dial, grinning when it pulled up Ethan’s number, then waited.
    Mackenzie said, “Maybe he won’t pick up.”
    Cassandra looked at her with pity. “Mm-hm. The man bought you a cellphone and put his number on speed dial. He’ll pick up.”
    She pointed to the phone and mouthed, “See.”
    Cassandra listened for a moment with a dreamy look on her face, then said, “I would love to but this is Cassandra. Probably Mackenzie would tell you to stick that somewhere the sun don’t shine because she’s a little cranky right now. We’re trapped in her house by the paparazzi.”
    She was silent, her face going soft and stupid, and then she laughed. She glanced at Mackenzie. “That’s a good idea. We’ll be waiting.”
    Cassandra listened for one more moment, then laughed again. “Bye-bye, Ethan.”
    She hung up, sighing happily, and Mackenzie said, “You’re pathetic.”
    “His voice. Doesn’t it make you think of silk sheets and sliding around on top of them?”
    “No.” Mackenzie held her hand out for the phone. “What did he say?”
    Cassandra gave it to her, then slid down into a boneless heap on the couch. “Just let me enjoy this for a minute, okay?”
    “What did he say.”
    Cassandra squinted an eye at her. “You are not natural. I need a moment to myself to cool down .”
    Mackenzie gave up and left her to her lustful thoughts. She sat down at the computer, clicking through incriminating photos of herself and Mr. Charm-Your-Pants-Off. Maybe she didn’t fall at the sound of his voice, but she sure as hell looked like she’d fallen in that limo.
    It was even worse looking at him. He looked disheveled and she knew she’d been the one to do that to him. He’d made her lose her mind last night, the rat bastard. He’d done it on purpose.
    Note to self: she was not to let his lips anywhere near hers, ever again .
    Cassandra stood and looked over Mackenzie’s shoulder. “Okay, I’m better. I can walk at least. And he said he’s sending a driver to pick us up and he’ll make sure there’s chocolate. I like him. I’d like him even if he didn’t give me goosebumps and