Despite my reputation, I’m not some love-’em-and-leave-’em lothario. OK, I like to have a little fun, no strings attached. I’ve got places to see, adventures to have . . . But I never make promises I can’t keep—or expect my no-strings fun to get tangled up in my regular life. So the last person I’m expecting to walk in the room is the knock-out photographer from the wedding last week. The one who helped me out of a jam—and kissed me so good I almost went and forgot my own name there for a minute.

This is my new fake girlfriend who’s going to save me from a week of family judgment and torture?

Things are looking up.

“I’m Hallie,” she introduces herself politely, then narrows her eyes at me. “I mean, in case you forgot.”

Forget her? I had to take a half-hour cold shower to get this woman off my mind. And other places.

“If you think you could have slipped my mind, you can’t have been very impressed by that kiss,” I say, flashing her my trademark charming smile. “Maybe I should take another shot at it.”

Hallie just arches an eyebrow. “I heard that’s against the rules,” she says. “Are you breaking them already?”

“Breaking rules is one of my favorite pastimes.”

“Along with making out with strange women at weddings?” she shoots back.

“I don’t think you’re that strange,” I reply, and her lips quirk in an inadvertent smile. Score one for me. “But you have to admit, it seems like a pretty big coincidence, seeing you again. Was the wedding some sort of recon mission, scoping out a prospective client for Olivia? She said the Agency had strict entry criteria, but I didn’t figure on undercover temptresses.”

“Undercover . . . ?” Hallie echoes, then shakes her head. “What? No! You’re the one who interrupted me, remember?”

“Oh yeah, the great cupcake heist,” I grin, flashing back to the taste of chocolate frosting on her perfectly sweet lips. Now there’s a party favor I wouldn’t mind taking home for keeps.

Or at least, a night.

I try to focus. Which is hard, when those lips are currently pursed in suspicion. “You didn’t mention you knew Olivia.”

“And you didn’t mention you were trawling for a fake girlfriend,” she replies, with a smile.

“Touché. Although, I wouldn’t exactly call this ‘trawling.’ ” I take a seat and beckon the waiter over. “Drinks? To celebrate our new . . . arrangement.”

“I haven’t taken the job yet.” Hallie looks me up and down. “And let’s just say I’ve got plenty of experience with your type of man.”

I grin. “What—rich, smart, and devastatingly handsome?”

She counts off her fingers. “You forgot cocky, reckless, and irritatingly fickle.”

Okay, I like this girl. She can obviously hold her own, which is definitely going to be necessary when dealing with my family. I don’t have time to do a whole bunch of these interviews. Why not take a happy coincidence when it drops in my lap?

And if I can get her to drop in my lap before the job is done, so much the better.

“So is your interrogation over?” I ask, ready to get down to business. Once I make a decision, I go all in, and if we’re going to figure out this fake girlfriend deal, time’s a-wasting. “Because you might want to hear the actual details of the job before you decide I’m an irredeemable wastrel.”

“Wastrel?” Hallie laughs, but she takes a seat. “Note to self, you’re the dramatic kind.”

“Nope.” I shake my head firmly. “In fact, this whole thing is my attempt to avoid drama.”

“What, do you need more help fending off cougars on the prowl?”

I grimace at the reminder. I’m lucky the mother of the bride didn’t try to tattoo her phone number onto the back of my hand. “No, thank God. It’s last minute, but important. I’m heading to Palm Beach for my grandfather’s 85^th birthday this weekend. All my relatives will be there. Which means a nonstop lecture about settling down and starting a family. Unless I already have a devoted girlfriend on my arm.” I grin. “Hello, devoted girlfriend.”

Hallie snorts. “Given all the stellar qualities you just pointed out to me, you have to have other options. Why not just bat your eyelashes at some girl on the street and take her along when she swoons?”

“Oh, making the girls swoon is not an issue,” I reply. “But I don’t do long-term relationships, and bringing a real date along to meet the family . . . she might get the wrong idea.”

“You mean, that you’re a grown adult capable of real relationships?” she says, teasing.

I clutch my chest. “Oh, she wounds me!”

“Like I said.” Hallie shakes her head. “Drama.”

“Look, I’m just trying to keep my life simple,” I tell her honestly. “I’d rather be up front and put all my cards on the table with you than charm some other woman into believing we have a future. Besides, you haven’t met my family. I wouldn’t subject anyone to them without a generous payday.”

Hallie seems to perk up a little at that, so I lay down my ace. “I’m offering fifty thousand dollars for the week,” I tell her, “plus all expenses covered.”

This is the part where her eyes go wide and her jaw goes slack before she scrambles to sign on the dotted line.

Except . . . Hallie’s not scrambling. She tilts her head to the side, looking thoughtful. As if fifty thousand dollars might not be worth it. To spend a week in my company, on my dime.

I should be offended, except I’m too busy wondering what it would take to change her mind.

“How soon do you need to have an answer?” she asks. “I’m going to need to think about it.”

“What’s there to think about?” I ask, confused. “It’s a paid vacation. With excellent company.”

“It’s a big proposition,” she says. “Upending my life for a whole week. And you are technically a stranger,” she adds.

A stranger who knows how good it feels to have her curvy body pressed up against me. But I’m guessing reminding her of our heated history won’t go putting her at ease.

“I’m a teddy bear,” I reassure her. “Eight out of ten women find me irresistible.”

She laughs. “And the other two?”

“One was gay, the other preferred her guys hairy.” I shrug. “Can’t win ’em all.”

She’s smiling now, which is a start. “But what if I fall for your charms and don’t want to let you go?” she asks. “That would totally mess up your plan.”

She’s definitely making fun of me now. I just smile. “I get the feeling there’s not much chance of that.”

The waiter is hovering nearby, so I order the most expensive cognac they’ve got. He hurries off and returns a minute later with two glasses. The stuff is almost the same color as Hallie’s hair. I watch as she peers at her glass and then tips it back.

Now her eyes widen. “Wow,” she says. “This is what I’m talking about. Can I get the whole bottle of that to go?”

I arch my eyebrows. “Only if you take the job.”

“Resorting to bribery now, huh?”

“Hey, I’ve got to use whatever leverage I can. You’re a tough sell.”

“And don’t you forget it.” She raises her glass, and I clink mine against it, and we both drink. Hallie lets out a blissful sigh that makes my mind go to all sorts of places it shouldn’t.

Like my bedroom.

“What if I promise I’ll have you making that sound at least five times a day all week?” I propose, not even kidding.

Hallie just laughs. “Mmm, tempting.” She swirls the glass and drains the last of the cognac. “I will thank you for the drink, though. That was fucking good. Can’t argue with your taste in booze.”

Then she stands up. Shit. So much for sealing the deal. I pull my business card out, and slide it across the table.

“Remember, the offer’s only open until tomorrow.”

“I’ll let you know.” Hallie nods.

I know I shouldn’t mind either way. I’m sure Olivia has a long list of classy, gorgeous women just waiting to take the gig, but after spending five minutes with Hallie, I know none of them will measure up.

With her by my side, I might actually have some fun.

She turns to leave, and I catch her arm. “Think about it,” I say, dropping my voice so only the two of us can hear. “I promise, you’ll have an experience you won’t forget.”

Hallie blinks, frozen for a moment. She’s close enough to touch, the heat of her body right there beside me, separated by just that clinging blue dress of hers.

A dress that could be gone in five minutes in a hotel room upstairs, if she just said the word.

For a moment, I think I see desire flashing in her eyes, then Hallie seems to collect herself. She steps back. “See, that’s the problem, Max,” she says, giving me a saucy smile. “Not all unforgettable experiences are a good thing. Some of them are better known as mistakes.”

And with that, she sashays away, her hips swinging, leaving me speechless for what might just be the first time in my life.