Jessica Lemmon - Temporary To Tempted

“I’m attending a destination wedding in the Midwest in two weeks. Your flight and separate room will be paid in full. I’ll give you two thousand dollars to go with me.”

Just as he’d settled on the notion that this beautiful creature was certifiably insane, a flicker of doubt lit her expressive eyes.

“I need you to pretend to be my boyfriend for the duration. I know Ohio doesn’t sound scenic, but Crown is a beautiful, quaint town. And there will be food,” she added with a touch of desperation. “Really good food.”

Her throat moved as she swallowed thickly, her outer layer of surety and confidence flaking away.

Seemed he was right about her being on a mission, but damn, he’d been wrong about her not being a man-eater. She was so similar to his ex, he wouldn’t be surprised if she pulled off a mask to reveal Laura herself.

He took a long slug of his beer and then swiped his tongue over his bottom lip. This woman was either crazy or desperate or both. Figured. He should’ve known a woman this beautiful would be nuttier than a sack of trail mix.

“Well?” Her eyebrow arched again, her too-serious expression snapping seamlessly into place. “I don’t have much time, so I’d appreciate an answer.”

Was she for real?

He’d never imagined she’d march over here and demand to...to... hire him to be her date, let alone expect him to agree without so much as a casual introduction. For all he knew, she would lure him in with promises and then steal his identity.

Or my kidneys.

The answer was an easy no, but he wouldn’t let her off the hook without making her explain first. He opened the edge of her purse with his index finger so he could examine the cash inside as he pretended to consider her offer.

“How will payment work? You just hand me all the money in your purse and then I give you my phone number?”

“No. Of course not.” She snatched her bag out of his reach. “Then I’d have no guarantee you’d show up. I’d give it to you at the wedding.”

“Why would I clear my weekend plans and fly with you to Ohio on a promise of two thousand dollars if I don’t have any of it?”

A frown muddled her pretty face. “You can have half. But I need your phone number. And your address. And your word.”

Unbelievably gorgeous and absolutely crackers. It was a shame.

“But I need your answer now.”

“Right now.” His gaze locked on her pink mouth and he had a moment of regret for not getting to have a taste of her lips. To feel how silky that red hair was against his fingertips. He lifted his beer bottle, delaying. The kissing and fingers in her hair were an impossibility but his curiosity to watch her reaction still burned. He was trying to decide what she would do when he said no. Would she slap him or scream at him or run from the bar?

“Yes, now,” she said through her teeth.

Damn. Maybe he could convince her to stick around after he shot her down.

“I can’t help you out, Strawberry. I don’t particularly like the Midwest. And despite what first impression I must’ve given you, I don’t need two thousand dollars. But if you’d like to finish your wine—”

That long swath of hair flicked as she turned on her heel and tromped toward the exit. Option C it was. She left behind a plume of softly scented perfume and a fantasy that lasted the rest of the week. One about long, silky hair and a parted pink mouth. About her beneath him naked atop those bills scattered over his bed...

Whoever she was, she left an impression. The way looking at the sun left bright light burning behind his lids for a while.

Gage turned back to his beer. Even though Strawberry was a little nutty, he honestly hoped she found a date to that wedding in Ohio.

Three

“Today’s the day.”

Gage rubbed his hands together and then fired up the espresso machine in the executive break room.

“What day’s that?” Reid, back from his recent trip home to London, asked.

“The day that Andy Payne guy comes to save Gage’s rear end,” Sabrina answered as she tipped the half-and-half into her mug.

“Not my rear. Our rears,” Gage corrected. “This is going to help boost sales, yes, but this will also take some of the pressure off Flynn.” He grinned at Sabrina. “You’re welcome.”

Last year Gage had come up with the perfect solution for the senior staff at Monarch Consulting, who had been giving Flynn holy hell. When Flynn’s father died, leaving Flynn in charge of the company, a lot of the men and women who were used to the way Emmons had run things hadn’t taken too kindly to Flynn. Gage’s suggestion— brilliant suggestion—was to focus on sales, create a huge boom in business, which would satisfy shaky investors and give a needed boost to everyone’s bonuses. It was hard to complain when extra money rolled in.

“Oh, I’m welcome, am I?” Sabrina chuckled.

“If it’s gratitude you want, mate, just ask,” Reid commented.

Gage didn’t want gratitude, but he did want results. The company had felt as if it was teetering on a foundation of marbles last year and he hadn’t liked it at all. Monarch Consulting was the workplace Gage had called home since college. He didn’t want to work anywhere else. He loved what he did, loved his friends and in no way wanted to end up working at a fish hatchery like his parents. Flynn’s success as president ensured all of their successes.

Flynn stepped into the room, picking up on the conversation. “Let me guess. You have your panties in a wad of excitement over the arrival of the guy made of smoke?”

The guy who was the key to stabilizing Monarch, bringing in extra money and a business boom?

Hell, yes.

Andy Payne was a fixer of sorts who was known for not being known. He’d been interviewed but never filmed, and his About page was devoid of a photo or any description of him as a person. Gage wasn’t sure if he bought into the hero-worship BS surrounding Andy Payne’s reputation, but the man’s results were rock solid. Every employee had signed nondisclosure documents before Payne’s arrival.

Plus, if this Andy guy was half as good in person as he was on paper, Monarch would be set and Flynn’s leadership would go unchallenged. Succeeding was the only option. Gage had never taken a backwards step since he’d set foot in Monarch and he wouldn’t start now. He had goals to double the company’s revenue, and making his sales department shine would tuck in nicely with that goal.

It was a big goal, but Andy Payne was a big deal. With his help there wasn’t anything standing in Gage’s way.

* * *

Andy strolled into the Monarch building wearing her best suit. Bone-colored, with a silky black cami under the jacket, her Jimmy Choos an easy-to-navigate height. She had to work in them, after all.

She’d never understood any woman’s desire to sacrifice form for comfort. She wasn’t a fan of compromise.

Andy hadn’t accepted her fate from the weekend, either. Yes, she’d quit the dating app that’d been a total waste of resources. And, yes, she had felt the sting of embarrassment about propositioning a handsome stranger at a bar, but that didn’t mean her search was over. There was still a chance, though slim, to find a stand-in date. Maybe she would meet a nice guy on her way out of this very building. Or maybe at the resort.

Doubt pushed itself forward but she fervently ignored it. Instead she allowed herself to feel the familiar thrum of excitement as she rode the elevator up to the executive floor. First days were her favorite .

She’d done extensive research on Monarch, noting that the only photo of the staff was one gathered outside the front of this very building, their faces tiny and nondescript. If businesses were to entrust Monarch with their well-being, they needed to see the trustworthy faces who worked here.