Page 32 of Heartless As Puck

“I’m aware I’m being a bit pushy,” I prefaced by saying. “And I completely understand your reluctance, so I stand by my word that if you tell me to leave it alone, I will.”

“Okaaay.” Her hands were on her lap, and she didn’t look like she was going to make any effort to eat before I spat out whatever was on my mind.

I pushed the papers toward her. She scanned them one at a time, her eyebrows inching higher.

“You want to pay me fifty thousand dollars to pretend to be your girlfriend for the rest of the season?” she asked, her tone giving nothing away.

Was she horrified?

Did she hate me for being so persistent?

If not, did she consider $50,000 to be sufficient reimbursement for her time and effort?

“It would more than cover any bills while you finish school and find a job as a speech therapist. Even if we don’t make it through the whole season, if you gave it a fair shot, the money would be yours.”

“I’d want that in writing.” She spoke slowly, her face expressionless. “What about everything I told you earlier? The reasons I didn’t want to do this still stand.”

I took the papers from her and flipped to the second one. “That’s where these guidelines come in. They limit the total number of outings I’m permitted to take you on, specify that I have to give you at least a week of advance warning prior to any engagements, and allow you to set terms and specify what you are and aren’t willing to do.”

She pursed her lips. I was certain she already knew all of this from her cursory inspection of the documents. She was intelligent. She just wanted to hear it in my own words.

“I swear, I’ll never mention it again if you turn me down, but I really think this could be done in a way that benefits us both.”

She took the papers from me again and reread them. “I don’t know.”

“Think about it. Please.”

She nodded jerkily. “I-I will.”

“I’ll be waiting for your decision.” I’d have to be patient. Even if I wanted to demand an answer right here and now.

Hopefully, she wouldn’t leave me hanging for long.

TEN

JANE

He couldn’t actually be serious about this. I shredded the list of rules I’d been revising for the second time, convinced that agreeing with Austin’s plan would be the worst decision of my life.

But then, a few minutes later, I found myself revising the list on my laptop and printing it again because, damn it, the asshole had gotten to me.

If I did this, I’d be able to finish school without the pressure of taking the first job offered. I could afford to wait and be choosy.

I snorted. As if that was the only reason I was tempted.

Part of me wanted to know what it would feel like to date Austin. Even if it wasn’t real, he gave such single-minded focus to everything he cared about that I was sure to get an idea of what the lucky woman who finally won him over would experience.

Being the subject of his attention was sure to be a heady thing.

But just as part of me was tempted by the prospect, another part knew that indulging in my fantasy of a relationship with him could only hurt me.

Sighing, I read the amended rules.

Jane will not be required to give interviews to the press.

Jane will not be asked to accompany Austin to any events that may interfere with her ability to attend class and complete her coursework.

If anyone is rude or disrespectful to Jane, she may respond as she considers appropriate.