~~Luke~~
I think something’s wrong with me. And that something is a five-foot brunette whose heart belongs to someone else.
Julie’s standing on the deck, wide-eyed and practically glowing as she takes in the view of my yacht. The way her lips are parted, eyes slightly wide, it’s like she’s just seen a unicorn. I can’t help but follow her gaze, half expecting to see something new, something I must’ve missed after all these years of owning the damn thing. But no, it’s still the same sleek, luxurious vessel that’s been my playground for a while now. Maybe she’s seeing it with some kind of magical filter.
“You really haven’t been on a yacht before?” I ask, leaning against the railing, arms crossed.
She turns. “Do I look like the kind of person who lounges around on yachts?”
“Well, this is New York. Your husband’s a billionaire. Half the billionaires in the city own one of these, and the other half have been on one or two. I’m just surprised you’ve been missing out.”
“Yeah, well, I guess Ryan isn’t into these things. Too… pretentious for him.”
I laugh. “You know, I’m starting to think your husband might be the boring one, not you.”
“Careful, Luke. I might start believing you think I’m exciting.”
I smirk, stepping closer. “Oh, I think you’re more exciting than you let on, Julie. That’s why we’re here, after all. To stir up a little excitement in your… otherwise dull life.”
“My life’s not dull. It’s complicated.”
“Alright,” I say, inching closer. “I’m quite good at undoing complications.”
I don’t know why I do it-get under Julie’s skin. I don’t know if there’s a reason I’m obsessed with something that isn’t mine, but I can’t stop. Lord knows I can’t stop. Julie’s just another woman who will most likely break my heart. The way she looks at me, I swear I can feel my heart doing backflips. That loud bang bang thing it does right before someone damages it. Not that it matters. Hearts are meant to be broken anyway. I’ll throw mine off the top of a thirty-five-floor building a thousand times over if it means getting her to look at me the way she is right now.
“So,” she says, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Where’s this legendary lunch you promised?”
I grin, gesturing toward the dining area set up just for us. The staff have outdone themselves-white linens, crystal glasses, a chilled bottle of champagne, the works.
Julie walks over to the table, glancing at me with that mixture of politeness and flirtatiousness she does so well. “Seriously, Luke. This is what you call lunch?”
“Is it not enough?”
“It’s too much.”
I want to say there’s nothing too much when it comes to luxury, but it would sound weird. She’s already afraid of me at this point.
“Only the best,” I say, moving to pull out her chair for her. “And don’t act like you’re not impressed. You’re practically drooling.”
She scoffs, taking her seat. “I’m admiring the effort. There’s a difference.”
I sit across from her. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, princess.”
I pour her a glass of champagne. Her eyes linger on me for a moment longer than they should, but I don’t mind. It gives me a chance to admire her too. She’s dressed simply, like she always is, but the way she’s carrying herself right now is different. There’s something lighter about her. Maybe it’s the ocean air, or maybe it’s because, for once, we’re not talking about her disaster of a marriage or the fact that we’re plotting her husband’s entrapment.
“So,” I say after a few bites of our meal, leaning back in my chair. “How’s the yacht experience treating you so far?”
She finishes chewing, dabbing her lips with a napkin, and then looks at me. “It’s alright, I guess. I mean, the view’s not bad.” Her eyes flick to the skyline, then back to me, and she smirks. “But I’ve seen better.”
I chuckle. “Is that so? Maybe I’ll have to up my game, then. What would impress you, Julie? Private jet? Helicopter ride over the city?”
She leans forward, resting her chin in her hand. “You’d have to try a little harder than that. I’m not as easy to impress as you think.”
“Oh, I know,” I say, my voice low. “That’s what makes this so much fun.”
She blushes, but she hides it behind a sip of her drink.
“Alright, seriously,” she says, her tone shifting. “We’ve had our fun. We need to talk about the plan.”
I blink. “The plan?”
Julie pulls out an iPad from her bag, her fingers swiping across the screen, all business now. “Yeah, you know, the fake relationship? The whole reason we’re here?”
My chest tightens, though I’m not sure why. “Right,” I say, leaning back. “The plan.”
She nods, tapping something on the screen. “We need to get Ryan’s attention. Make him jealous. But we can’t overdo it, or he’ll just brush it off as me being desperate. It has to be subtle. Calculated.”
I watch her, barely hearing her words. She’s serious now, all in on this ridiculous plan, and it’s throwing me off. Just a few minutes ago, we were laughing, flirting, and now she’s back to plotting how to win back the man who doesn’t deserve her. The shift annoys me, and I don’t know why. I shouldn’t care.
“And what exactly do you want me to do?” I ask, forcing my voice to stay casual.
She glances at me, the corner of her mouth twitching. “Just be yourself.”
I raise an eyebrow. “That’s a dangerous advice.”
“Not for this,” she says. “I need you to be the Luke I met in that bar. Confident, charming, a little bit of a jerk, but in a good way. The kind of guy who makes women question their entire life decisions after one conversation.”
I let out a short laugh. “Sounds like you’ve got me all figured out.”
She shrugs. “I’ve been studying.”
My gaze lingers on her a second too long, and I feel that strange pull again. “And what about you?” I ask quietly. “What’s your role in all this?”
Julie’s fingers pause on the iPad, and for a brief moment, she seems to hesitate. But then she looks up, her expression unreadable. “I’ll do whatever it takes to get Ryan to notice. Even if it means going the extra mile.”
And there it is. The reminder that this is all just pretend. A game. A way to get her husband back. I should be fine with that. Hell, I am fine with that. It’s what I signed up for, isn’t it?
But as I watch her, so determined, so focused on someone who isn’t me, something inside me shifts. I don’t want to be part of her game anymore. I want to be more than that. I want her to stop thinking about Ryan and start thinking about me.
“Alright,” I say, leaning forward, we’ll play by your rules. But just know…”
She looks up. “Know what?”
“If we’re faking this, I’m going to make damn sure it feels real.”