The Billionaire's Fake Dating Game (Part Two): The Billionaire's Artist, #2

By K.L. Zales

Despite her vows to stay single and independent, Abbie Tell finds herself getting more involved than ever in super billionaire Thomas Maxwell's fake dating ploy. With the family business on the line, Thomas has upped the game--and now Abbie is Thomas's fake fiancee.

It's still just a business deal, according to Thomas.

Only it's not. Abbie has feelings for Thomas and she's getting the sense that Thomas is taking this further for reasons other than business. That would be great, but now Abbie's best friend hates her and her father's counting on her to marry Thomas so he can get his hands on the Maxwell family fortune. Abbie can back out whenever she wants--but she and Thomas share something deep, something Abbie has never experienced with another man, and even her fear of settling down may be no match for him.

• Language: English
• Publisher: K.L. Zales
• Release date: Nov 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781540129192

Book preview

The Billionaire's Fake Dating Game

Part Two

By K.L. Zales

Chapter One

Abbie, I would like to ask you to be my wife.

Thomas kneeled, ring box open and cradled in both hands, looking as angelic as ever. My skin prickled, and the tables around us went quiet as the other diners watched. Even the wind stilled, and the tropical trees' fronds drooped like they were in shock.

Norman Junior and Trina were sitting there along with Robert Marlin and the other two lawyers. The tension in the air was thick. The decision on which Maxwell brother to give their father's bank to rested on them. Every hair stood up on my arms and the back of my neck despite the Tahiti heat and the fact that the late morning sun was beating down on us. Thomas waited. Even in Tahiti, the gesture was recognizable. Marriage was a universal thing, the glue that held every culture together.

Marriage.

Thomas, the hot super billionaire, was proposing to me.

In front of an audience.

If we didn't look like we were genuinely falling for each other, Thomas would lose out on the bank. His father didn't want a single man who couldn't settle down to inherit the bank, but I had never thought it would go this far. I'd promised myself not to get too close to Thomas, but I had already failed more times than I could count.

Our kisses when no one was looking.

The pool.

Thomas looked up at me with one very nervous, perfect hazel eye and waited. It felt like an eternity had passed when really, it had only been a few seconds. The ring glittered in the sun, a gorgeous green clover that matched my necklace. It was shaking. He was shaking.

Did the clause say that Thomas had to get married to take the bank? He had never told me the exact wording.

Abbie, I know this is moving fast, Thomas said.

For the first time, his normally confident, unbreakable voice trembled.

I told you, Trina said. This is a game Thomas is playing. That's all--

Yes, I said, motioning for Thomas to stand. Yes. I'll marry you.

Thomas rose from the ground and flashed me a huge smile. I know you're the right choice, Abbie, he said, taking the ring and sliding it onto my left finger. It went on flawlessly as if Thomas had magically known my ring size just like he'd known my clothing size.

Had he been fishing for that information when he took me shopping at the mall for the first time? Had he lied to me just to get me into this trap? Well, he hadn't lied. It was more like he had omitted a critical piece of information.

The ring glittered on my finger as I turned it over. It felt like a dream. I turned away, examining it in the sun, stunned beyond belief. Thomas held me close from behind and kissed me on the top of my head.

I was going to kill him.

Trina wrapped her arm around Norman Junior's waist and coiled around him in her snake-like fashion. Robert Marlin sat there, tie hanging over his ample belly, while he watched us pretend snuggle. The two other lawyers--both guys from Maxwell Bank's legal department--looked flabbergasted at this new turn of events.

Well, Robert said. This is news. How come I didn't know?

I wanted to wait for a special time when we were away from the news outlets back home, Thomas said. Abbie means a lot to me, and that's the truth.

I was shaking now, too. Thomas put his hands on my arms as if to hold me in place. How far would this go? I had only set out on this fake dating venture to get the money to save my art gallery, and now I was in Thomas Maxwell's arms, ring on my left hand with Norman Junior and Trina glaring at me. It was awkward especially since I had vowed to stay single ever since leaving Chris. I was getting sucked into something scary that I didn't understand.

And most of all, I didn't even know how Thomas felt about me. It could be a trap, a trap that would shatter everything and leave me in pieces.

Robert shut his black leather folder with a loud snap. This certainly complicates this discussion, he said, facing the other two lawyers. One, the younger man, was smiling at me while the other had joined the Norman Junior and Trina team. We will need to re-discuss our decision.

No, you don't, Trina said. This is fake. Thomas only took in this girl because he wanted to inherit the bank.

Thomas and I mesh well, I told her. Act or not, he still deserved to inherit the bank. Thomas was a good guy, way kinder than his crazy, selfish brother. We got along. He didn't treat his employees like garbage. We could talk to each other. We were friends. Good friends, almost with benefits.

But this--

I turned in Thomas's grasp and kissed him, warm and passionate and angry at the same time. He returned it, and we molded together. This time it was awkward but tingles still raced from my lips through my whole body.

I love you, Thomas said, unbreakable again.

Did that look fake? I asked when I was done, turning to Trina.

Anyone knows how to kiss, Trina said.

I had the feeling that if this wasn't the will they were discussing, she wouldn't have said that to me.

I love Thomas, I said, glaring into those beady eyes. We get along on every level. Except for this one, I thought. We needed to have a discussion. Why don't you leave us alone and let us live our lives?

Robert got out of the chair, leaving his glass of water there without touching it. The table was otherwise bare now since we hadn't ordered any food. Well, ladies and gentlemen, he said. I thought we had made our decision, but I'm afraid that with this new development, we will need to discuss this again another time. He motioned for the other two lawyers to stand. They closed their briefcases and waited. I will be discussing this matter with these two over the next several weeks. Why don't we all go off and enjoy the rest of this vacation?

Norman Junior's face flushed red. He clenched his fists with rage and anger that I was happy to see. Thomas kept his expression calm, but his lip twitched. The tension was ratcheting up again.

The lawyers had been planning to give Maxwell Bank to Norman Junior. Thomas had stopped it at the last moment. That would have been horrible news, considering that Norman was buddies with some corrupt politicians and would probably sink the family business.

Thomas leaned close to my ear. Why don't we get out of here?

Why don't we? I asked. I tightened my grip on his hand, which had interlocked with mine.

A dark look came over Thomas's face, but he hid it behind a smile on the way to the cab. The lawyers climbed into their own and headed in another direction. Trina and Norman remained at the table and held menus, but I caught Trina glaring at me over hers. We took a cab back to the resort, leaving them behind. Thomas and I didn't speak all the way to the resort.

The resort was busier now that it was getting close to lunchtime. More people were down on the beach. Thomas and I didn't speak much in the cab, especially since Norman Junior and Trina were sitting right in front of us. The air in the vehicle was thick. I had stepped into dangerous territory, and the feud wasn't the only part of it.

I didn't know how I felt about Thomas or how he felt about me or what would happen if I let myself fall for him. The emotional minefield was terrifying enough. Maybe I was falling for him or had been, before this new turn of events.

I could breathe a little once we got out of the car. Thomas stood there on the sidewalk while I burned in my sundress, the green one that Thomas said would look great on me. He flashed me a smile.

You planned that all along, I said.

Thomas cleared his throat. His face flushed and his suit wrinkled as he shifted. Abbie, I wanted to tell you, and I was trying to drop hints that this would happen, but how do you just come out and say, 'I'm going to propose to you?' It's not something you tell the propose-ee about ahead of time.

I know it's not, I said. Even now, Thomas still managed to keep his sense of humor. You...were dropping hints. He had said some things earlier in the vacation, hinting that this whole fake dating thing might go on for longer than expected. I had failed to see them.

I was hoping you would know what was coming, Thomas said. Abbie, I needed you to look surprised at the meeting. You did that very well. The suits are going to give me another chance. You do know that they had already decided to give the bank to Norman?

It was my turn to get red in the face with both humiliation and anger. I saw Robert and Norman talking a lot before this, I admitted. Thomas, you could have...you could have...warned me! I balled my fists on the sidewalk. That part wasn't what hurt. It was something that he said about wanting me to act surprised. Act. I waved Thomas away from the hotel building and towards the beach. We were going for a long stroll.

Abbie, I'm sorry, Thomas said. A look of hurt came over his face. I know this is all supposed to be an act--

We climbed down the steps towards the beach now. It's an act. So that's what this is and only what this is. You were trying to take advantage of that in the pool.

Abbie, I--

You just admitted it, I said, cutting ahead and leaving him behind