From Friend To Fake Fiancé. Jules Bennett

his silent action would get under her skin. It was just too easy to push her buttons...and she was sexy as hell all fired up like this.

      Throwing her arms in the air, Jenna growled and slammed the door to their hut. “Do you have any idea what I just had to endure, all because you couldn’t keep your lips and hands to yourself?”

      So what? She had to discuss the kiss with her sister and mother. He’d had to sit here in the silence and replay it over and over in his head. He could still taste her if he licked his lips, could still feel her when he clenched his fists.

      “Are you going to say anything?”

      “Did you bring me anything to eat?” he asked. “I’m starving.”

      She crossed the room in two strides and shoved at his chest. “My mother wants to know how serious we are and my sister is already making plans for a double date with her fiancé and us. Are you ready for this?”

      Mac wouldn’t be pushed, literally or figuratively, by anyone—even his best friend. He gripped her wrists, tugging on her until she fell against him. Perfect.

      “You got this ball rolling, I only gave it an extra nudge. If you want your ex to believe we’re lovers, then practicing on your family is the perfect place to start.”

      Jenna stared into his eyes. “I don’t like lying to them.”

      “We’re not lying. I fully intend to take you for my lover.”

      Her body stilled against his, her eyes widened. “Wh-what?”

      “You heard me.” He was confident the shock in her eyes only masked her desire. She’d kissed him with too much passion, had practically melted against him. No way could he ignore her response. “I plan on fully experiencing being your lover, and when the week is over we’ll go back to being friends. That way nobody will be lying to your family.”

      She jerked away from him, raking her shaky hands through her hair. She twisted it up into a knot and closed her eyes. Mac crossed his arms while he waited for her to process the kink he’d just put into her plans.

      With a sigh, she dropped her arms and her hair fell all around her shoulders in messy waves. “We aren’t sleeping together. I need a friend, Mac. I take sex seriously. I know you can detach yourself from the emotions that come with intimacy, but I can’t.”

      Knowing he was on shaky ground here, Mac closed the gap between them until he was so near she had to tip her head to look up at him. Her face was totally devoid of makeup, yet the tan she’d gotten was all the glow she needed to be even more radiant. Women he dated tended to use spackling to enhance their beauty, but Jenna needed nothing extra. He preferred a woman who wasn’t all made up in an attempt to gain attention.

      “I know you want long term, Jenna. But this week is all about special circumstances. You invited me here.” He purposely used a softer tone. “Let’s see where this goes. I promise, when this is over we’ll go back to being friends. Nobody will get hurt, Jenna.”

      “Says the man who has women strewn throughout the world.”

      He suppressed a smile. “Despite what you think of my travels, most of the time it’s business and I’m too damn tired to entertain.”

      She shook her head and took another step back, hitting the wall by the front door. “Sex implies...”

      He quirked a brow. “Lust, desire, passion? I’m willing to admit you’re hot and any man would be lucky to have you in his bed.”

      She put her hands on his chest. When she didn’t push him away, he reached out, curling his fingers around her bare shoulders.

      “Don’t,” she warned. “We’re not sleeping together. We’re not doing anything but pretending to be lovers. After this week, my family will think we just decided to stay friends. That’s all. I can’t do more and if you’re honest with yourself, you can’t, either.”

      Oh, he could do plenty more. Starting with peeling that dress from her curvy body. But he wouldn’t push her. She was already feeling stressed and recovering from the betrayal of her asshat ex. The last thing she needed was for her best friend to force her into anything. But that didn’t mean he would stop his attempts to get her into his bed. For years he’d wondered how it would feel to have his best friend in every way possible and now he had this week to seduce her. Bora Bora provided the perfect backdrop for temptation, with its sultry nights and lazy days on the beach. Seducing Jenna would be so easy, so perfect. Before these seven days were up, he’d know exactly how amazing they were together.

      But Mac didn’t want her to feel forced, to feel pressured. He wanted her willing and aching for him. He wanted her to admit that the attraction was mutual. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind she wanted him. She may be lying to herself, but her actions spoke volumes.

      Stroking his thumbs along her delicate skin, Mac bent slightly to hold her gaze. “I’m not putting any pressure on you. You’ve got enough going on now.”

      Beneath his palms, her shoulders relaxed. “I still have all those flowers to do and Amy has changed her mind about the arrangements twice already. My ex will be showing up any day and I’m exhausted from my mother’s questions. If you add more stress on me, I’m going to smother you in your sleep.”

      Laughing, Mac pulled her in and wrapped his arms around her. She literally fell against his chest as if the fight had gone out of her. This would be the perfect opportunity to seduce her...if he wanted to be a complete, uncaring jerk. He’d already planted the seed. She knew exactly what he wanted. Now he had to let his actions speak louder than his words. Not a problem at all. In his line of work, actions always got the job done.

      “Why don’t you go out on the deck and relax?” he suggested, rubbing his hand up and down her back. “I’ll bring you some tea. I’m sure you packed an assortment.”

      Jenna wasn’t a drinker, not of alcohol, anyway. Her mother had once battled alcoholism, but had been clean for the past several years. So, while booze was off the table for Jenna, Mac knew the girl never went out of town without her tea collection. It was one thing she took quite seriously. No doubt she’d brought the antique tin that he’d gotten her for Christmas several years back. She’d seen the piece before an auction and had coveted the item, so Mac had anonymously placed the bids and gotten it for her as a surprise.

      Nearly all bidding was anonymous.... But in this instance, he’d simply done something for his best friend, not for a billionaire client or the good of the family business.

      Jenna pulled away and offered him a tired smile. “You’re too good to me.”

      “I’ll let you return the favor one day when I need you to pretend to be my fiancée,” he joked. “Do you want a particular flavor?”

      He watched the sway of her hips as she walked away. “Surprise me.”

      Mac laughed. She’d better watch what she asked for. Because by the end of this week, she’d be surprised all right. Seduction would never taste sweeter.

      This might be the only chance to be this close to her, at her invitation. He planned to take full advantage of this week posing as her boyfriend. This was the exact opportunity he needed to get closer, by her invitation. He planned on playing his role flawlessly every minute of the next seven days.

      * * *

      Jenna crossed her ankles and stared out at the sparkling water just beyond her deck. With bright blue skies, the sun just on the horizon and her best friend brewing her tea, Jenna should be the most relaxed woman in the world.

      Unfortunately, she couldn’t relax when her lips were still tingling, her body was still aching and her mind was still reeling from her best friend’s bombshell admission that he wanted to sleep with her.

      She hadn’t seen that coming. Yes, he’d tried to pick her up with some overly cheesy line many years ago, but Mac was a professional flirt. And they’d agreed not to take things in that direction back then.