The Billionaire's Fake Fiancee - Lauren Wood Page 0,24
not one more time for the road?” he proposed.
“You’re a piece of work,” I huffed, shaking my head. “I’m not going to fall for your whole ‘one last time’ trick. You just want to trick me into falling for you because you’re not used to women who don’t grovel all over you, trying to chase you down. You just want to use me for an ego boost.”
“No, Kate … that’s not …”
“Well while you may not be a ‘marriage and kids’ kind of guy, I’m not the ‘fall for a no good player’ kind of woman. Goodbye, Ben.” I jumped out before I could change my mind or regret going off, and slammed the door shut behind me. I raced inside and onto the elevators before I could notice if he lingered in front of the building or not.
10
Ben
I sat there in my car for a moment, rubbing my face in my hands. You really fucked that one up, Ben.
But finally I had to accept that it wasn’t going to happen with Kate and took off driving back home. As I went, I tried to deal with the stinging rejection. I wasn’t used to it. But being turned down for sex as a hell of a lot easier to digest than being rejected for something more, which was exactly why I wasn’t going to admit how intriguing I thought she was. Or how much her turning me down only intensified that attraction.
I ignored the nagging thought, that oddly enough seemed to come to me in the form of Joey’s voice, that if I had hinted at my growing feelings for her, it all would have gone differently. But maybe Angel was right. If I did talk Kate into seeing more of me and then I freaked out over my phobia of relationships, it’d break her heart and make her think I really was just playing with her the whole time.
Maybe at one point in time that would have been my method. Go after a girl who wasn’t interested just to prove I could win her over, then walk away with a healthy dose of ego boost. But that wasn’t what was happening here. At least I didn’t think it was. It didn’t feel that way to me.
Going home felt too depressing at that point, so I decided to swing by Damon’s club to see if he was working. I hated the lack of thrill I felt from walking into the strobing neon lights and booming music blaring out from the DJ. It was a busy night and the place was packed with hot girls. This was normally my prime stomping ground for picking up chicks, and I hadn’t bothered with it since I met Kate. But as I walked over to the bar, scanning the crowd on the way, I had zero interest in talking to any of them.
“You look like you’re having a rough night,” Damon noted as he came over with my favorite beer in hand. “You need something stronger?”
“Yes, please,” I groaned.
“What’s gotten into you?” He grabbed a bottle of expensive vodka and started pouring me a shot.
“This girl,” I huffed.
“Damn. It’s been a while since you let girl troubles get to you. What’s up? Some girl not falling for your tricks?”
“That’s the thing. I’m not even trying any tricks,” I explained. “Well, I was at first, and it worked like a charm. A little too well actually. Then … well, long story short. I threw all my games out the window because I thought I wasn’t interested in her. Only it turns out … she’s not interested in the real me at all. And I’m the one who’s falling for her, I think.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Sounds like a mess. But I wouldn’t sweat it man. You’re rich, good-looking, and funny. What’s not to like? She’s crazy if she’s not into the real you.”
“But I’m also selfish, egotistical, and problems with real intimacy,” I reminded him.
“Have you thought about working on those things in yourself?” he proposed. “I know I had to make some changes when I started falling for Lizzy.”
“That was different. She got pregnant.”
“Naw, dude. I would have been crazy for her and made all the same choices even if she hadn’t gotten pregnant. Believe that.” He pulled the towel from his shoulder and started wiping the counter between us.
“Anyway, I tried to buy myself some more time with her so I could try to figure some of those things out, but it didn’t work,” I leaned my arm