One Hot Crush (Hot Brits Book 3) Read online

  I should've asked him that. Shouldn't I? But no, I was distracted by my tummy fluttering and my heart fluttering because Dane Dixon was speaking to me. In complete sentences. Mostly.

  How stupid am I?

  Maybe it's not such a bad thing. I haven't had sex in months, and my last date ended with the guy suggesting I should stop being a "whore" for anyone who paid me to be their work slave. I don't see how working as a PA makes me a whore, but whatever. Even before that incident, I'd been having an insane amount of trouble finding a guy who's not a complete jerk or so wimpy that I have to order his meal for him.

  Aren't there any real men out there anymore?

  When I had lunch with Dane the other day, he hadn't needed me to order for him or tell him where to sit. He hadn't asked me to sign a legal waiver before he kissed me either. Yeah, one guy suggested that. Dane didn't. He backed me up to the wall and kissed me, like he meant it.

  Oh, I loved that kiss.

  Maybe that explains why I agreed to Dane's fake dating plan. One amazing kiss and I melted for him.

  Now I'm sitting at my desk trying to figure out how I'll survive making like I'm his girlfriend for almost two months when I'm not his girlfriend. I'll have to pretend to be hot for him, pretend to adore him, pretend to love making out with him. Wait... I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to make out. Simple kisses for public consumption only, that's what he told me. Why hadn't I pointed out that we kissed way more than that when he took me out to lunch? No simple peck on the lips that time. He had made love to my mouth, and wow, I want more of that.

  Sorry, you can't have that. Dane isn't your boyfriend.

  Right. Not my boyfriend. I need to remember that. No thrusting my tongue into his mouth. No sucking on his earlobe. No fondling his hot body. Absolutely no unzipping his slacks so I can close my hand around his cock.

  Oh God, I'm in so much trouble.

  I manage to focus on work until noon, when I have to pick up the phone and tell Dane I'm leaving for my lunch break. Yeah, I could walk into his office and tell him. Bad idea. Considering the fantasies about him that I've endured ever since our little meeting earlier, I know I should not set foot in his office for a while. A long while. Like, days. Maybe months.

  When he picks up his phone, I say, "Just wanted to let you know I'm off to lunch."

  "Thank you for letting me know. Enjoy your lunch, Rika."

  I love hearing him say my name. Love his voice, period. And his accent. I'd thought Elena and Arden were full of it when they told me a Dixon man's British accent will drive any red-blooded woman wild. Nope, they weren't lying. Dane's voice makes me so horny.

  "Enjoy your lunch too," I say. "See you in an hour, Dane."

  And I love saying his name almost as much as I love hearing him say mine. Dane. That one syllable makes me so horny too. Dane, Dane, Dane. Even thinking his name gets me hot.

  Snap out of it, girl. He's not your boyfriend.

  I stand up, roll my shoulders back, and head for the elevator.

  Then I realize I forgot my purse. Jeez, I'm hopeless.

  By the time I get to the bistro where Elena suggested we meet for lunch, I've gotten over the initial shock of what I agreed to do for Dane. Yes, I'm fine now. Away from his sexy presence, I feel much better. No lustful thoughts. I've kept my mind focused on the tasks I need to take care of after lunch. Now, as my two best friends and I sit down by the picture windows and browse our menus, all I think about is whether I want a club sandwich or an avocado chicken wrap.

  "How are your hunky hubbies?" I ask absently while mulling my food choices. Do I want potato chips or salad as a side?

  "Chance is great," Elena says. "He sends his love, and he asked me to tell you he's glad you're working with Dane now and he hopes your energy and enthusiasm will rub off on his brother."

  Just like that, my thoughts swerve back to Dane. That kiss. His lips, his mouth, his voice, his---

  "Reese says kind of the same thing," Arden tells me. "But he used the word uptight too."

  Maybe Dane is kind of uptight, but he's also shown me his sensual side. Kissing me in the hallway of a restaurant? That doesn't seem uptight at all. I get the impression I make him nervous, though I can't figure out why. But when he pinned me to the wall with his entire body...

  "Are you listening?" Arden asks.

  "Uh, what?" Great. Now I sound like Dane whenever he speaks to me.

  "She's not listening," Elena says. "Rika, why are you so distracted? The menu isn't that fascinating. Is something wrong?"

  Dane Dixon is the reason I can't concentrate. I've had a giant crush on the man since the day we met, and now I'll be dating him. Kind of. Sort of. Not really. But there will be kissing, and I can't wait for that.

  I groan, but only in my mind. Nobody needs to hear how sexually frustrated I am.

  My two best friends are staring at me, waiting for me to explain my distracted state.

  "Nothing's wrong," I say. "Lots to do at work, that's all. I have to help Dane get ready for the re-launch."

  "Dane?" Elena says, lifting her brows. "I thought he insisted you call him Mr. Dixon."

  Oh shit. How am I going to explain the fact that Dane now insists I call him by his first name? For that matter, how am I going to explain it when my friends see me going out on the town with Dane, like we're dating? I know one thing for certain. I cannot tell anyone I'm fake dating Dane. My friends will think I've lost my mind, which I probably have. Sure, they'd love it if I dated their brother-in-law for real, but that's not what he wants.

  What choice do I have? None. So I tell them sort of the truth but leave out the part where it's all for show, not a real relationship.

  "Dane and I are dating."

  My friends grin.

  "That's wonderful," Elena says. "I knew you'd like Dane. He's so sweet and sexy, smart too. You'll be perfect together."

  "How fab is this?" Arden declares. "Soon you'll be our sister for real."

  "I would be your sister-in-law, not your actual sister. But it's way too soon to talk about that. Honestly, we just started dating today. Dane's taking me to dinner tonight."

  "Your first date?" Arden does some golf claps while grinning again. "This is amazing. Ooh, we have to help you pick out your dress for tonight."

  "The emerald one," Elena suggests. "It brings out the green in her eyes."

  Arden nods, her expression serious while she ponders what I should wear for my fake date with my fake boyfriend. "That's a good choice. But which shoes? I say the strappy ones."

  "Yes, definitely. Those black stilettos would go great with the dress."

  I groan out loud this time. "Are you two done arranging my personal life? Maybe you want to tell me what to order at dinner or whether I should have dessert."

  "No," Arden says, "that's up to you. But there is one super important decision you need to make before your date."

  "What's that?" I instantly regret asking, because I have a squirmy feeling in my gut that warns me what she's about to say.

  "Before you go out with Dane," she tells me, "you need to decide if you're going to sleep with him on the first date or wait awhile."

  I have never gotten horizontal with a guy on the first date. My friends know this.

  "That's right," Elena says. "Decide before you see him. I'm sure he'll be wearing a suit and he'll look good enough to eat. He is a Dixon after all. Hotness is in their DNA. I think they have a special gene that makes women go wild just from seeing them in a suit."

  "I went wild for Reese when he was wearing jeans," Arden says.

  Elena rolls her eyes. "You were a virgin when you met him, so we can't use your experience as a guide."

  "You had sex with Chance five seconds after you met, so we can't use your experience as a guide either."

  I've known Dane for a smidge more than two weeks, and though I've wanted to rip his clothes off, I haven't done it. Not yet.

  "Can we ta
lk about something else?" I ask. "I haven't even had my first date with Dane yet."

  Arden leans forward, pinning her gaze to mine. "Maybe you should wait to sleep with him. Kiss him first to make sure you have chemistry."

  Elena huffs. "Why wouldn't they have chemistry? They've worked together for a while now, which means they'd know if they aren't attracted to each other."

  This conversation is making me crazy. Will they ever stop talking about my fake boyfriend? I'd hoped dropping that bombshell would be easy and we could go back to worrying about what to order. But no, I'm not that lucky.

  "I've already kissed him," I blurt out. Why on earth did I say that? "Well, he kissed me. It was fine, so you don't need to argue about whether Dane and I have chemistry. Okay?"

  "Just fine?" Arden says. "Ohhh, that's not good."

  Elena nods. "Yeah, your first kiss should rock."

  "Did he use too much tongue?" Arden asks me. "Or not enough? There's a delicate balance between---"

  "Enough," I say. Maybe I bark that word. I've never gotten so annoyed by my friends before, but I need to change the subject pronto, before I really do go insane. "Dane is a fantastic kisser. End of discussion. There must be something else we can talk about."

  "Sure, hon," Arden says.

  "Well..." Elena fidgets, biting her lip. "I do have an announcement. Chance and I agreed I should tell you guys, and I've been dying to do that."

  Thank goodness. A change of topic.

  She smiles with her lips sealed, but it swiftly broadens into a brilliant expression of joy. "I'm pregnant."

  Arden and I squeal.

  The other customers in the bistro stare at us, but we don't care. One of us was bound to get knocked up sooner or later, and we love that it's Elena who reached that milestone first. She waited so long to find a good man who adores her. Now she's going to be a mom. I can't believe it, but I'm beyond happy for her and Chance.

  Once we've calmed down, Elena glances at me and Arden. "I wonder who will be next to go the mom route."

  "Not me," I announce a little too quickly. "I don't even have a boyfriend."

  Two pairs of eyes veer to me.

  Oh shit. I forgot I have a fake boyfriend.

  "Well, uh," I stammer like Dane might. Maybe it's contagious. "I meant that Dane and I haven't even had our first date yet. He's not technically my boyfriend until after that, right?"

  Oh yeah, I suck at lying.

  But my friends seem to accept my explanation.

  Elena smirks at Arden. "Guess that means you're next."

  "Probably," Arden says in a thoughtful tone. "I mean, we have soooo much sex that it's bound to happen sooner rather than later."

  For the rest of lunch, I manage to avoid talking about Dane Dixon.

  But I think about him. A lot. Way more than a fake girlfriend should.

  Yep. I am in so much trouble.

  Chapter Six

  Dane

  I'm standing outside Rika's flat, fussing with my cuffs and my tie and the bouquet of roses I bought for her. Is that too much? We're not really dating. This is for show, but I felt like I should bring her something. Maybe chocolates would've been the safer choice. Are roses too romantic? Then again, we want everyone to believe we're a couple, so maybe I should've brought two dozen roses instead of one dozen.

  After standing there for a minute or two, I realize I forgot to ring the doorbell.

  "Bollocks," I mutter, and I punch the button.

  I can't believe I actually suggested Rika should pretend to date me. The words came out of my mouth. She agreed, which left me thunderstruck. I hadn't needed to do much convincing either. Rika said yes almost immediately.

  Why?

  The door opens, revealing Rika.

  I almost choke on my tongue again, because she looks stunning. Her green dress brings out the green flecks in her golden irises, and the way it hugs her torso and her hips accentuates her curves. Her shoes have very high, very slender heels and delicate straps that crisscross her feet, leaving her toes and most of her skin exposed. She's painted her toenails a pale shade of pink.

  And her hair. She must have curled it or whatever women do to make their hair look sexy. Rika's long chestnut locks bounce around her face in loose waves and fall over her shoulders, mostly bared by her dress thanks to its thin straps. I want to bury my face in that hair and suck in a lungful of its scent. I know her hair is silky, because I felt it grazing my skin when I kissed her.

  Her red lipstick makes me want to nibble on those lips, and her eye makeup has that sultry, smoky look.

  Everything about her makes me want to fuck her right here in the hall.

  Or we could go into her flat and have sex up against the door.

  No, we can't. She's only pretending to want me.

  "You look ravishing," I say, before I realize that sounds like a come-on. Fake dating, remember? Well, someone might overhear us, so I need to play the part. I thrust out the bouquet. "These are for you."

  She accepts my gift and smiles, sniffing the roses. "Thank you, Dane. The flowers are beautiful, and they smell wonderful. Just let me put them in water."

  Rika rushes off but returns a moment later without the flowers.

  I offer her my arm. "Shall we go?"

  "Yes." She slips her arm under mine. "Where are we going?"

  "The Grand Salon at the Baccarat Hotel."

  Her eyes widen. "Wow. I've heard that place is incredible."

  "So have I, but I've never eaten there. So far, I've only ordered room service at the hotel where Celeste arranged for me to stay."

  We start to walk down the hall, toward the elevator.

  Rika curls her hand around my arm, leaning into me. "Where are you staying?"

  "The Four Seasons."

  She stops walking, swiveling her head to stare at me, her eyes wide again. "That's got to be the most expensive hotel in the city. Are you in one of those ultra-swanky suites? I bet you are. Celeste loves to go all out. She's a billionaire, so she can afford it."

  I scratch my cheek, wincing. "I'm in the penthouse suite."

  "Must be the biggest one they've got, right?"

  "Uh, I don't know. It's something like forty-three hundred square feet." I glance around, trying to come up with a way to lessen the shock my accommodations have given her. "Your flat is very nice."

  "You haven't seen it. So I guess you're telling me the door is very nice?"

  She smiles teasingly and nudges me with her elbow.

  "I, well---" No, I will not stammer through the whole bloody evening. Absolutely not. I take a breath to calm myself. "I meant the building is lovely."

  "Celeste pays me very well, so I could afford to upgrade to a nicer apartment."

  "Sorry, I'll make sure your new position pays the same amount or more."

  "It's okay." She starts walking again, taking me along with her. "I agreed to be your fake girlfriend, so I can't complain about switching jobs. Besides, being your PA was only a temporary thing. You're here for two months, then we both move on."

  The idea of moving on doesn't sound as appealing as it used to. I wonder why, but I decide to focus on our first date tonight and worry about everything else later.

  Our first pretend date. I really need to keep that straight in my mind. She's hanging on my arm and smiling at me because I talked her into playing the role of my adoring girlfriend. That's all.

  We make our way downstairs and outside, where I hail a taxi for us. Once we're in the vehicle, Rika hooks her arm under mine again, snuggling up to me, and rests her cheek on my shoulder.

  She's playing the part, nothing more.

  I know this, but I can't help feeling more...relaxed, with her warm body nestled against me this way. I want to nuzzle her hair, but that would be an idiotic thing to do. Then again, I'm supposed to be dating her---I want everyone else to believe that---so maybe I should shove my nose into her hair strictly to convince
the driver that Rika and I are a couple. Never know, he might snap a picture of us with his mobile, and if we look like strangers sharing a taxi, that might ruin the sexy image Celeste insists I must have.

  So I slip my arm around Rika.

  But I stop short of burying my face in that silky, glistening hair.

  "Have you been to this restaurant before?" I ask.

  Rika lifts her head to give me a sardonic little smile. "Sure, I've been to one of the most expensive restaurants in New York. I date billionaires, you know."

  She's teasing me, but I like it.

  "Ah, sorry," I say. "That was a stupid question. I'm sure Celeste pays you very well, but not well enough to afford a place like the Grand Salon."

  "Even if she did, I would've had to go there alone. My love life hasn't exactly been teeming with possibilities."

  "No boyfriends?"

  She shakes her head. "Not until you begged me to fake it with you."

  "I didn't beg." I want to ask her why she said yes to my proposition, but her reasons aren't my business. "We'll share a new experience together, then, at the Grand Salon."

  She lays her cheek on my shoulder again.

  After our cab ride, we walk into the Baccarat Hotel arm in arm, with Rika smiling up at me like she honestly adores me. Has she taken acting lessons? I can't see any other way she could pull off a performance like this.

  I had no idea what to expect from the Grand Salon, but I would never have expected this. The entire decor consists of platinum and off-white shades, but it's the proliferation of crystal that makes the interior jaw-dropping. It's everywhere, from the chandeliers to the glasses in which cocktails are served.

  "Holy cow," Rika says as we're led to our table. "I heard this place was amazing, but this is just unbelievable."

  I pull out her chair for her. "There's so much crystal."

  "Of course there is." Rika says as if I shouldn't be surprised at all. "It's the Baccarat Hotel."

  And now she sounds like she can't believe I don't know what that's supposed to mean.