A Gentleman's Agreement (3 page)

Sleep had evaded Eunice
as a result of spending most of the night contemplating what type of proposition
Blake had in mind. She’d hoped the summons centered on the Agent-in-Training
program within the company. But judging by the look that’d danced across
Blake’s face the second she’d strolled into his office—ten minutes ago—she’d
known for a fact he wanted something. Unfortunately, it wasn’t her body.
Actually, in a way it was.

She’d worked for him
long enough—three years to be exact—to know
that look
. The look normally
reserved for the athletes he was attempting to sign to his company. But he was
insane if he thought it would work on her. No matter how damn fine he looked
sitting behind that desk.

“Run that by me once
more, please. You want me to do what?”

Blake curled his
kissable lips into a smile, then rested his arms on top of his cherry-finished desk.
The sight of his biceps threatening to rip through the fabric of the crisp white
shirt made steadying her breath difficult. And how could the pronounced veins
popping in his chocolate forearms be so damn alluring? Her eyes crawled up his
body, settling on his wide shoulders.

“Fly with me to Norfolk
for the holiday and pretend to be my new love interest.”

He repeated the words
as if it were a common request. As if bosses asking their subordinates to be
their pretend lover happened every day of the week. His delivery rang as flawless
as if he were speaking to the press. She snatched her eyes away from his Adam’s
apple and met his again.

Eunice laughed, then
sobered, then laughed again. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“We’ll fly out Friday.”

Four days
. Not
that it mattered, because she had no intentions of honoring this ridiculous
request, she asked, “For how long?”

“Until next Sunday.”

She studied him for a
moment. Why in the hell was he being so nonchalant about this entire
conversation? “Here’s a silly question. Why not take your
real
girlfriend?”

When he pulled his arms
from his desk, a hint of disappointment rushed through her. If lusting were a
crime, she’d be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.

Blake pivoted back in
his mocha-colored leather executive chair and drummed his long fingers against the
wood. “It’s complicated.”

“Uh-huh. And…?”

Another smile touched
his lips. This one would have made any woman moan. Luckily, she swallowed hers
before it could escape.

“And, what?” he asked,
his dark brown eyes settling hard on her.

“Blake Ulysses
Farrington, if you want me to be a part of your deception, you’d best be a bit
more forthcoming with information, so that I’ll have some inkling of what I’m
getting myself into.” Not that she’d in any way agree to do something so
outlandish. She simply wanted to know what’d prompted such a bizarre appeal.

Blake leaned forward
and rested his arms on his desk again. Why in the hell did he keep doing that?

“Sasha and I are taking
a break.”

She should have said
something comforting, but nothing came. “
Congratulations
,” danced on her
tongue, but she didn’t release it.

“My mom believes you and
I are dating.”

This snapped her back
to the matter at hand. “Wait. What?” She sat forward in the club chair. “You
told your parents
we
—as in you and I—are dating?”

“No, silly. I didn’t
tell my
parents
we are dating. I told my
mom
we were dating. But I’m
fairly certain she’s told my dad by now. Those two share everything.”

Was he really playing
semantics right now? “Why would you—? How did you—?” She couldn’t form a lucid
thought. “Why not just tell your mother you’re happily single?” she asked.
Because didn’t that make the most sense?

“You do not simply tell
my mother you are single. The last time I told my mother I was single, when I
arrived home, she had all of her friends’ single daughters and granddaughters lined
up. I went on so many lunch and dinner dates the week I was home, I gained
fifteen pounds.”

This drew sympathy
because her aunt was notorious for playing matchmaker, too. And if Blake’s
mother was as lousy at it as her aunt, Eunice completely understood. She
pointed to his desk. “You have a thousand women listed in your rolodex, why did
you decide to tell your mom
we
—as in you and I—were dating?” She would
never admit it out loud, but it flattered her to an extent.

“I didn’t actually say I
was dating
you
in particular.”

Talk about having your
bubble busted.

“I sort of described
you when my mother inquired about the kind of woman you were.” He rolled his
eyes to the ceiling. “Not
you
, but the phantom woman I described, who I
unknowingly fashioned after you.” He appeared exhausted by his own words. “I
was in a pinch.”

The phantom woman
he’d unknowingly fashioned after her
. The most logical question to ask now
was, “What did you say?”

Blake looked confused
by the question. “That…I was in a pinch,” he repeated.

“Not that. What did you
tell your mother about me— Not me, the phantom woman you unknowingly fashioned
after me, I mean.” Yes, she was curious as to how Blake described her to his
mother. She witnessed the questioning in his eyes and added, “If I decide to go
along with your deception—” which she most certainly would not—“I need to know
what role I’ll need to play.”

Blake started to
rummage through papers on his desk. “I, ah, told her that I’d never met any
woman who exhibited as much compassion as you.” He cleared his throat. “I
described you exactly how you are. Thoughtful, kind, compassionate.” His eyes
met hers, but only briefly. “Intelligent. Beautiful. Don’t worry. All you have
to do is simply be yourself and you’ll do just fine.”

Wow. He really thought
highly of her. For a second, his words almost convinced her to agree to this
sham, but the moment quickly faded. He would just have to coach someone else to
be all of those things. Coach someone to be her. Because this…she couldn’t do.
Play his lover? Nope. Out of the question.

“Okay. I’ll do it.”
Wait
.
What the…? Did she just…?

Blake stopped
mid-shuffle and met her gaze. “Did you just say okay?”

Had she just said okay?
Jesus. She had. They were so not the words dancing on her tongue.
Breathe,
Eunice. Then fix this mess
. She started to recant her yes, but something
dawned on her. If she were in Norfolk with Blake and his family, she wouldn’t
be here spending Thanksgiving alone. “Yes, I said okay.”

When the corner of
Blake’s mouth lifted into a sexy smile, a thousand red flags waved in her head.
Each signaling the potential for utter disaster. Why was she such a glutton for
punishment? Maybe that, too, was hereditary.

“Just like that?” Blake
asked.

Was she missing
something? “Wait, I thought you
wanted
me to say yes. Now you sound like
you’re preparing to talk me out of it.”

Blake arched a brow. “No,
I am definitely not going to talk you out of it. You’re saving me big time. I’m
just surprised you said yes so quickly. I had expected to have to offer you
diamonds or pearls.”

Little did he know, he
was saving her big time, too. But maybe she should have played a little harder
to get. “Diamonds do nothing for me. But…it just might cost you, after all.”

Blake chuckled. “How
much?”

“Not how much,” she
said with a sly grin, “but what.”

He wagged his finger at
her. “Remember, we have a strict no fraternization policy in place.”

“As if,” she said,
slinging a paper clip in his direction. Guess she had to add that damn no
fraternization policy to her list of reasons why Blake was off-limits. But
weren’t rules meant to be broken? Yeah, right. Blake was strictly by the book.

“What is it that you
want?” he asked, as he bent the metal clip out of shape.

She readied herself to
ask to be admitted into the Agents-in-Training program, but she wanted to be placed
there on her own merit, not because of a deal with the boss. “You—”

Blake slammed his palms
against his desk and stood. “I knew it. You won’t be the first. All right. I
guess we can bend the rules this one time. Where do you want me? On the desk,
the floor, against the door… Where?”

When he playfully
started to unbutton his shirt, her breath hitched in her throat.
All three
,
she said to herself. The thought of making love to Blake right then and
there—those luscious lips exploring all regions of her body—caused heat to pool
in her stomach, then nestle between her legs.

There was no denying it;
Blake Farrington was a gorgeous man. His deep brown skin was as smooth as
whipped chocolate. His close cut hair and precision-groomed beard made him a
prize to gaze—gawk—at, as most women in the office often did. Too bad she
couldn’t touch. Her eyes glided over his solid, six-three frame.
Too, too
bad
.

When reality set in,
she glanced up to find his eyes pinned to her in a quizzical manner. She masked
her embarrassment—and longing—with a shaky laugh. “You are chock full of jokes
today, aren’t you?”

“I’ve seen the way you
eye my body.”

Eunice’s eyes grew
wide, but returned to normal when she realized Blake was only kidding. The joke
had hit too close to home, because she
had
eyed his body. A lot. A whole
lot. Regaining her senses, she said, “What I want is that empty office next
door. The large one with the amazing view of the city skyline.”

“You mean the one that
I’d intended to knock down the wall and expand my office into?”

“That’s the one. Is it
doable?”

He studied her a
moment. “It’s done.”

“Just like that?”

“I’m the boss. I can
make things happen.”

“Seems you can.” Something
about their exchange shook her senses. She stood and extended her hand in his
direction. “Okay, boss. We have a deal. You have yourself a pretend lover.”

Blake captured her hand.
“Seems I do.”

Heat rushed up her arm,
bounced off her clearly dormant brain, and shot through her like a fiery star. “What
webs we weave when we conspire to deceive.”

“You just make sure the
web you weave is strong enough to hold.” He winked.

“I got this,” she said.
“You just have my keys ready.”

“I got you.”

An awkward silence
played between them.

Finally, Blake spoke.
“If you’re uncomfortable with doing this…” He paused. “Don’t think because I’m
your boss—the man who holds your professional fate in his hands—you have to do
it.”

No pressure there. “There
is something seriously wrong with you,” she said, with a laugh. “I’m fine with
doing this for you. You would do the same for me.”

Blake laughed. “I don’t
know. I’m not that good with mothers— Shit. I’m sorry, Eunice. I—”

She smiled softly. “It’s
okay. It’s okay, really.” Blake’s lips parted as if he wanted to say more. She
was glad he didn’t. Quickly changing the subject, she said, “Well, I should get
ready for the meeting.” She turned and started away.

“Thank you, Eunice. And
don’t worry, you’ll have a ball. Especially at my parents’ anniversary party.”

Eunice stopped and pivoted
toward Blake. “Anniversary party?”

“Yes. My parents have a
small one every year the weekend before Thanksgiving.”

No need for alarm. She
could handle a small anniversary party.

“But this year will be
huge. Everyone will be there. Family I haven’t seen since I was knee high to a
grasshopper.”

Eeerk
. Imaginary
tires kicked up imaginary smoke in Eunice’s head. “Wait a minute, Blake.” She
closed the distance between them. “You didn’t say anything about a party with
your
entire
family being there. I was thinking it would only be your two
brothers, their families and your parents, maybe a few friends.”

“I believe we shook on
it. A binding contract, I might add.” Blake gave a clever grin. “You can’t
renege.”

And if she did, what
would he sue her for, her stapler? “I should have asked more questions. I
forgot who I was dealing with.”

“Not more questions, better
questions.”

“Don’t make me change
my mind.”

He flashed his palms in
surrender. “Okay, okay. I promise you’ll have a good time. The Farrington clan
knows how to throw a party.”

“I’m going to hold you
to that. By the way, I’m going to need a king-sized bed with a Jacuzzi tub in
the
suite
you will be reserving for me.” The corners of Blake’s mouth
curved upward in a sly manner. That signaled trouble. “What is that smile for?”

“It would break my
mother’s heart if I told her we were staying in a hotel and not with them. Do
you want to break my dear mother’s heart, Eunice?” He stared at her with puppy
dog eyes.

“I can’t stay in the
same room with you, Blake. That’s out of the question.”

Fine lines creased his
forehead as he folded his arms across his chest. “Why?”

Her eyes took in the cannons
that were his biceps. That was why. She blinked dumbly. “W-Why?” she asked,
meeting his gaze.

“Yes, why? Why can’t
you share a room with me? I don’t bite.”

But I might
. Of
course she couldn’t say that out loud. Instead, she said, “You probably snore. You’ll
keep me up all night. I need to be lucid, focused, if this plan of yours is
going to work.”
What kind of excuse was that
?

His eyes bore a hole into
her. “I don’t snore.”

“It’s a matter of
respect for your parents. I’m sure you’ll be okay on the floor.”

Blake barked a laugh. “You
should have seen your face. Relax. My mom is old-fashioned. We will definitely
have separate rooms. Don’t worry.” His brows bunched. “But just out of
curiosity, you would make me sleep on the hard, cold floor?”