Chapter three

No, it wasn’t going to be great, Stephanie thought for what was not the first time since the restaurant. Where the hell was her supposed fiancé? He was thirty minutes behind schedule, too late to be considered late. She feared he wouldn’t show. Maybe he’d chickened out. After all, Stephanie wasn’t sure he’d had to play a fiancé role before, probably something along the lines of boyfriend or an escort. 

God, she was in trouble. Her mother was going to pop from a heart attack. Why had she lied again? The woman in the speakers announcing flights piped up, calling passengers aboard. Their flight was to leave in fifteen minutes. Nothing was going to keep her from boarding that plane. She told herself she didn’t care if he could or not. She’d figure something out on the way.

Grace wasn’t answering her calls, and Stephanie wondered why she hadn’t even bothered to collect his number. Hell, she didn’t even know his name. She’d admit she hadn’t really taken the entire thing as seriously as she should’ve, but that was only because she didn’t expect it to work. Turns out she was right.

“Stephanie?” 

The voice that called out her name sent shivers down her spine. For a moment, she actually thought of running.

She did turn around because she thought about it as well and realized she wasn’t a coward. His smile blinded her. Stephanie had to step back at the force of it. She took him in. The black T-shirt he wore clung to his broad shoulders like a second skin. The bulge of his biceps was prominent, and Stephanie’s mouth watered as she thought of them flexing as he wrapped his arms around her. He wore faded denim jeans, and though it was big enough to swallow her if she tried them on, on him, they fit perfectly. He had a golden necklace around his neck that looked almost too tight. When her eyes got to his face, her breath hitched expectantly. The nose that sat in the middle was pointed and straight. His upper lip was a bit thinner than his lower lip, and Stephanie didn’t know why exactly but she really liked that. She didn’t exactly recognize the color of his eyes; it looked hazel, but she couldn’t be sure.

Those eyes were staring straight at her now with humor swirling in them, a smirk playing at his lips. “Like what you see?”

Ah, he was cocky too. 

Stephanie shrugged, knowing it was not a lie. “You’re late.”

“I know,” He answered, passing the bag he was holding to his other hand.

“I’m sorry. I actually just landed. Flight was delayed a couple of minutes.”

She vaguely remembered Grace mentioning he had to leave town for a few days. His hair was disheveled, like he’d run a hand through it several times. Stephanie swallowed, but damn, he was a fine man. This was supposed to be her fiancé for a week? Yes, please.

“Aren’t we running late?” He asked, looking at his watch.

She nodded, rebuking herself for getting sidetracked. This wasn’t real, she kept telling herself. This was all just for show. Yes, he was handsome, so handsome that she was actually scared she’d jump him but that didn’t mean she would. She was a big girl. She could handle this.

Without speaking, she walked ahead of him to the check-in queue. A sigh of relief escaped her mouth. He’d come. She didn’t know why she was so relieved. She’d been against this entire thing since Grace thought it up.

Security was a breeze and before long they were aboard. The silence wasn’t awkward but Stephanie wished he’d say something. She hadn’t expected someone so… male.

He?

“I don’t know your name.” She admitted, avoiding his eyes. The man was intimidating, to say the least. This was Grace’s cousin? Since when? Surely she’d have met him at some point given that she’d known Grace since college.

He chuckled low, the sound rippling through her. Deep down, she knew his beauty made her really happy. Matt had nothing on him. Claire would be so devastated; she’d chosen the wrong boyfriend to steal.

“Rolland.” He said. “The name’s Rolland.”

Rolland. Stephanie snorted. Fitting, very fitting. 

“I didn’t discuss a price with Grace. How much do you charge for a week?” She finally looked to him and immediately regretted it. Green. His eyes were the most startling green.

“You make me sound like a prostitute. Will there be any sexual exploits?”

Her cheeks burned. “I’m sorry but I don’t know what to call…this.”

Rolland—it just seemed like a good name to moan out—shrugged, smirking. “Let’s just say it’s one of my favorite pastimes.”

What a weird one to have. “What, acting as an escort?”

“Who says I’m acting?”

His eyes were challenging, menacing like a predator studying its prey, waiting for the right time to pounce. Somehow, the heat in her cheeks spread to the rest of her body, burning her up. 

Stephanie had a feeling she was threading on thin ice with this man.

“What’s in it for you, then?” She asked.

“You mean other than acting as the man willing to spend the rest of his life with you?”

She wasn’t exactly sure, but it sounded like there was a mocking edge to his tone. She decided not to read too much into it. This was strictly professional, she said to herself, what he thought didn’t matter.

“Let’s get things straight. There will be nothing between us, physical or otherwise except convincing my mother that I’m happy with you and making it believable. She’s a very smart woman. So whatever it is you have in your head, I suggest you get rid of it.” She’d tried to sound firm but the smile playing at his lips made her think differently.

“Is something funny?”

She watched him signal to stewardess. When the woman was close enough, he requested for a drink. 

Stephanie was pissed. He was acting like she hadn’t just asked him a question. He might’ve been beautiful but his manners was seriously lacking and—

“You look cute when you’re serious.” 

Grace was so going to hear it from her when she landed. She’d probably picked the worst cousin she had just to make life hard for her. It didn’t matter. He was here already and there was no going back. They had to figure out a way to look like they were in love before they landed or her mother would see through this farce the minute they walked through the door. “Listen, I really need this to work out. We have to work out some details and get our facts right before getting to the house.”

He’d gotten his glass of wine and he was sipping it gracefully. Why didn’t he want money? Or was he after some other sort of payment?

Did he want to have sex with her?