One Night - Forbidden Hearts Series Book 1

4. Turn About is Fair Play

Two days had passed since my dinner with Jackson, where he basically offered to be my personal fuck buddy. When he'd asked me, I was surprised that my first initial instinct was to say yes. I mean, when you know someone is capable of giving you the best sex of your life, how can you say no when they offer more?

But I was glad he'd granted me this two-week-decision-making period. Even though I trusted that he wouldn't tell anyone, there was still a chance of someone finding out. Someone could easily spot us walking together or kissing, or even just the hunger in his eyes that seemed constantly present when he looked at me.

To be honest, I did like his rule that, if we went through with this, we would only be sleeping with each other. I would never admit to him that the idea of him with another woman, doing what he did to me, made me want to throw up.

Speaking of things that make me nauseous, I was currently getting dressed to go to a family dinner tonight. My family and Ryan's family in one restaurant. Everyone got along okay, I mean after all, as long as Ryan and I pretended to be the happy couple, they were going to be financially stable for the rest of their lives. I still wish they would explain everything involved with this "deal". Whenever I asked my parents how it was going to work with their business, they shut me out. They would say all I had to worry about was the wedding. Yeah, thanks a lot. Because, planning your fake wedding to someone who you love like a brother-is every girl's dream.

In an effort to forget about all those annoying details, I instead decided to focus on my choice of outfit for the evening. I had on one of my black dresses and my favorite pair of three-inch heels. I was not a pants girl, so I usually wore dresses or skirts. It would be a lie if I said I didn't consider Jackson's opinion when I got dressed tonight. Along with makeup and red lipstick I put on.

Jackson had been sending me some flirty texts over the past couple days, and I had been enjoying it. I should have known he would have used this two-week period to try to convince me to say yes to his offer. But, two can play at that game. So for every flirty text he sent to me, I sent back a better one.

My phone chimed to let me know I received a new text message-and from the notification ringtone, I knew it was my mother. I walked over to my bed where I left my phone. Yep, it was her.

Mom: Did you leave yet? Don't be late. -Mom

I let out a long sigh as I started to type a reply. I told her countless times that adding her signature wasn't needed. She wasn't too tech-savvy.

Me: On my way. I won't be late.

I checked my reflection one last time and a small smile crossed my lips. I grabbed my keys, headed for my car, and drove to the restaurant for this shit-fest.

"So, Anne, are you still going to continue teaching in the fall?" Ryan's dad asked me, not-so-subtly.

Ryan's dad was one of those uptight-never-do-anything-for-myself wealthy businessmen. The infamous, Damian Hale and his wife, Pricilla, lived in, what I called, a three story mansion. They had maids, gardeners, chauffeurs...the works. I was surprised Ryan came out as a decent human being after being raised by them. Correction, he was raised by a nanny. My parents' business was always very successful while I was growing up. But even so, I was lucky enough to be raised without a nanny. Growing up, our house was nice, an expensive two-story, but it was nothing like Ryan's. When I first met Ryan's parents, I felt lucky that mine seemed different, more down-to-earth, somehow. Yeah, how clueless was I? One of the many questions I had regarding this arranged marriage was why did Ryan's family need to merge if they were so rich?