The Bad Boy Prince in Love

Chapter 8: A Midnight Meal

“What?!" For a moment, Luke opened his mouth as if to say something. Surprisingly, an outburst of laughter lit up his face, creating a pattern of charming crinkles around his eyes. “There's more to you than meets the eye, Cowgirl Hallie."

“I thought you'd be mad," she said. “You're not mad?"

“How could I be mad? It sounds like something I would do."

“Of course, when my mama had such a good reaction to you, I couldn't help but want to keep up the pretense."

“You're a very scheming young lady." A hint of sauciness appeared in his blue eyes. Was he turned on by this?

“I'm not, usually," she said, not knowing whether to feel defensive or proud. “I'm supposed to be the good girl. I went to college, I was never one to party all night or get into cars with strange boys, unlike Terry."

“I think you've got everyone convinced you're the good girl," he countered, “You are quite the manipulator, something I know a little bit about."

Hallie just rolled her eyes. Even if she was trying to manipulate her parents, it was only as a last resort.

“By the way," he said, “how can I get a sandwich like this?"

Hallie could not believe his nerve.

“Didn't you have lots of wonderful food at the mini golf place?" she asked sarcastically.

“Yeah, but that was a while ago. And I always find golfing works up an appetite."

“If you want a sandwich, make it yourself," Hallie said with a mouthful of her turkey sandwich, not caring if she looked unladylike.

“Challenge accepted," he said, flashing that charming smile at her. Not that she was going to fall for it. There was nothing charming about working all through the afternoon and evening because he had stolen her employees. She knew she was dealing with a real devious piece of work, and no amount of good looks could make up for it. “You're still mad, aren't you?"

He came closer, trying to catch her eye, even though she was stubbornly looking away. His scent was like fresh grass with a hint of rum, and as Hallie looked up at him, he inclined his head to the side, giving her an earnest, apologetic gaze.

“Please don't be mad." His voice was like sumptuous velvet. “When you said this whole relationship was fake, I was shocked, and maybe I overreacted. Let me make it up to you."

“Oh yeah? How are you going to do that?"

“You just go into the living room and relax, and I'll make you an excellent sandwich."

“Fine." She was getting sick of looking at his ridiculously handsome, deceitful face anyway.

Hallie turned on the TV to watch Wipeout, and a few minutes later, Luke entered with two sandwiches on plates.

“Oh man, I'm starved," he declared, and began eating at once as he sat down beside her. “Don't you just love a filling meal after a night out?"

Hallie tried the sandwich he gave her. It was amazing!

“You have a talent for food," she blurted out. She hadn't actually meant to give him a compliment, but the perfect blend of sauces and sprigs of greenery in the sandwich were like nothing she had ever tasted.

“Yep, I know," Luke said.

“Why didn't you become a chef?" she asked.

He shrugged carelessly. “Even if I wanted to, my parents would never have allowed it. Mmm, I have outdone myself."

He chewed his food with pure enjoyment, and Hallie couldn't help smiling. As his jaw, dotted with dark stubble, moved sensuously, there was something alluring about the way he relished the simple physical pleasure of food.

“Your parents have high expectations too, I can tell," he said, “Yeah, I know all about that."

“You do?" she looked at him dubiously.

“What, you think my parents just took one look at me and knew I was a loser?"

Hallie laughed. “Yeah, that's exactly what I thought."

“Thanks a lot."

He finished the sandwich and leaned back on the couch, resting his head on his interlaced fingers. For a while, they just watched the show in easy silence.

Hallie liked watching people compete in the crazy obstacle courses that tested their strength and speed. Sometimes, she knew exactly how they felt as they didn't make a long-distance jump or were swept off their feet by the rotating devices. She seemed to be failing all the time, in love, and in work.

Was this how she was going to go through life, wiping out over and over again? Only there wasn't a nice pool of water or a foam mattress to catch her.

“I would like to help you if you still want me to," Luke said at length.

“Why?" Hallie asked.

“There's something really nice and welcoming about this house. I like being here."

“Is that really it?" she asked dubiously.

“In Sarkadia, we say, 'a welcoming house is better than silver and gold.' So from now on, I'll be your pretend boyfriend as long as I can stay here."

“And how can I trust you're not going to lure the ranch hands away again or pull some other stunt?"

“The truth is, I do like to party. And I had been hoping for a wild fling with a real Texas cowgirl. But since I saw that wasn't going to happen, I was just feeling a bit bored. I have a dreadful fear of boredom, but if you give me something to do around the ranch, I'll be fine."

“I don't know…"

“Just give me a chance," he begged, “you'll see."

Hallie drew a long breath. After all, how much worse could it be? She could keep an eye on him while he worked at his tasks.

“Okay," she said. “I'll put you to work tomorrow."

“It's a deal."

They shook hands.

“Come on then, I'll show you the guest room."

“The guest room?" Luke protested, as if everything they had talked about was just a joke.

“You don't want to sleep on the couch again, this will be more comfortable," she said, leading the way up the stairs.

She walked straight down the hall and stopped in front of the last door on the left, opposite her own room.

“Here it is…"

Luke stood in the hallway, in no rush to enter his new quarters. “It's going to work better if we're sharing the same room, if you know what I mean." His pouty lips formed a seductive half-smile, his eyes smoldering in the darkness.

Hallie was tempted. After all, here was a gorgeous man offering to enter her bedroom, trying to convey with every bit of body language that this part was not going to be 'pretend'.

He would probably be really good in bed. There was something about the way he moved, so graceful. And she couldn't stop thinking about the way he ate that sandwich!

But he was a conniving snake. Who knew if he was really offering her s*x, or if this was just another trick and he was planning to spend the whole night reading Sarkadian poetry out loud?

“Good night, Luke," she said quickly before she changed her mind.

“I could see you wanted to," he said with an evil grin.

“I did not. Bye." She retreated to her bedroom and closed the door.

Stifling a groan of frustration, Hallie fell on the bed, the familiar comforter with its floral pattern as boring as ever.

Was her life ever going to change? She had never had the kind of heart-stopping s*x that people talked about. Every relationship she had been in was just mundane and unexciting. And even those didn't last.

Now here was a man offering a good time, and she turned him down. It didn't have to be meaningful, her instincts urged, why not just do it?

No, things were already much too complicated with Luke. She needed to see if she could trust him even a little bit.