Chapter 7

Chapter

Seven

Olivia

I sipped my eggnog martini, the creamy sweetness doing little to improve my mood. What had I been thinking, inviting Pippa along? Sure, she seemed fun at first—always ready for a good time, just like me. But I never imagined she'd make such a blatant play for Griff's cousin.

Not that I cared. Or should care.

I'd been warned about Ruune, after all. The last thing I needed was to get mixed up with an alien Casanova, no matter how chiseled his jaw, or how piercing his blue eyes.

I shook my head, trying to dislodge those thoughts. Despite what my mother wanted, the last thing I wanted for Christmas—or New Year's, for that matter—was a boyfriend. Hot blue alien or not.

"You okay, Liv?" Caroline's voice cut through my internal monologue.

I plastered on a smile. “Absolutely. This drink has a kick to it.”

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it, but before she could press further, Pippa's flirty giggle grabbed both our attention. I turned to see her practically draped over Ruune, her hand on his bicep as she laughed at something he'd said.

Despite my best efforts, my eyes met Ruune's over Pippa's head. There was something in his gaze that made my stomach do a little flip. I quickly looked away, reminding myself for the umpteenth time that a playboy was the last thing I needed this week. Then I thought about Caroline leaving and my impending face-off with my mother.

"I need some air," I muttered to Caroline, already sliding off my stool.

“You okay?” she asked, concern etching her features. “Eggnog too eggy?”

I shook my head. "Nah, I'm good. Just need to clear my head a bit. I'll be right back."

Weaving through the crowd, I pushed my way to the exit, the music and chatter fading as I stepped into the crisp night air. I took deep gulps of the cold, not even caring that it nipped at my nose and cheeks. Anything to shake off the weird feeling I got every time I looked at Ruune.

"Get it together, Olivia," I muttered to myself, leaning against the brick wall of the bar.

Just as I was starting to feel like myself again, the door swung open, and a familiar blue figure stumbled out. Ruune looked overwhelmed as he leaned against the building, dragging a hand over his face.

He heaved in breaths, clearly unaware that he wasn’t alone. I watched him for a few moments before feeling guilty. "Too much?"

He jumped, startled by my voice, and I couldn't suppress a laugh.

"Sorry," I said, grinning. "Didn't mean to scare you."

Ruune laughed, the deep burr of the sound sending an unwelcome warmth through me. "Trust me, you're not nearly as scary as the crowd in there."

I cocked my head. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "I think I might have given your friend the wrong idea."

"Pippa? She's not really a friend. More of a colleague I just met." I paused, then added, "Though if you mean she might have gotten the idea you were into her because you’ve been acting like you’re into her, then yeah, I can see how that might have happened.”

Ruune groaned. "Griff warned me I can't play with human females' hearts. Something about intergalactic diplomacy."

"Is that what you usually do? Play with hearts?"

He shrugged, a rueful smile playing at his lips. "I've never been interested in the things my cousin is—a mate, children, commitment, responsibility. It all seems so…”

"Suffocating?"

His eyes met mine, a spark of recognition there. "Exactly."

I nodded. “Don’t get me wrong. I love meeting guys and having fun, but I’m not one of those women who believes that the only way I’ll be fulfilled is if I get married and have a gaggle of children.”

“You don’t wish to have a mate or offspring?”

I shot him a look. “Especially not when you put it like that.” I folded my arms across my chest. “Why is it so hard to believe that I would feel the same way about commitment that you do?”

“I don’t know, but you are a—”

I held up a hand to stop him. “If you’re about to say it’s because I’m a female, I’m going to warn you right now that you’re stepping into dangerous territory.”

He clamped his mouth shut even though the corners of his mouth twitched.

“Were you going to say that?” I asked, feeling bad that I’d snapped at him.

“Well, I am definitely not going to now.”

A laugh burst from my throat as I eyed the huge alien I’d thoroughly cowed into submission. “I’m sorry if I jumped down your throat. This isn’t about you.”

“What is it about?”

I huffed out a breath. “New Year’s Eve is coming up, and it’s my least favorite night of the year.”

His blue brow wrinkled. “Isn’t that the night of the festive celebration to mark the changing of time? You dislike celebrations?”

“I dislike my mother’s idea of a celebration.” I started to pace a small circle on the paving stones. “Every year for as long as I can remember, she’s thrown a swanky party on New Year’s Eve, and every year she insists I come so she can try to set me up with men she deems suitable.”

“You don’t agree with her selections?”

“No!” I whirled around mid-stride and shook my head. “I refuse to marry some boring rich guy just so she can be proud that I live on the Upper East Side with her and all her snooty friends. I’ve never wanted the life she wants for me, and she hates that I work for a living and share an apartment and refuse to take money from her and my father.”

“I do not understand all the things you just said, but I do understand not living up to your family’s expectations.”

I stopped and stared at him. “You do?”

He laughed, but there wasn’t much mirth in the sound. “My family is the royal family of my planet.”

I guess that made sense being that he was Griff’s cousin, but I hadn’t spent much time pondering the fact that Prince Griff’s cousin would also be alien royalty, or what that meant for him. “And they aren’t happy about your reputation?”

He lifted one dark eyebrow at me, clearly amused. “How much have you heard about my reputation?”

“Nothing bad, but like you said, you don’t want to settle down. I know from Griff that finding a bride was something his family expected of him.”

Ruune released a long breath. “Luckily, I am not Griff. I do not need to take a mate to continue the royal line, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t feel the shame of my family’s scorn.”

So far, the guy had shown only his charming, carefree side, but now I could see that there was more—and there was deep pain beneath the smooth words. “Then we have something in common.”

Ruune studied me for a moment, his gaze intense. “Why do you have to attend this party if you know it will make you miserable?”

Now it was my turn to sigh. “I’ve tried skipping it but that just gains me endless calls from my father guilting me into apologizing to my mother, which I hate, and she loves. I’ve learned that it’s better to go and try to duck out without suffering too much damage.”

“Have you ever brought a date to the party?”

I almost shuddered at the thought. “If it’s a person I care about, my mother will shred them. And I’ve never hated someone I’m not into enough to put them through that kind of cruel scrutiny.”

A blast of wind tousled my hair, and Ruune reached over and brushed an errant strand off my forehead. "Maybe we could help out each other."

His touch sent a buzz across my skin, and I instinctively stepped back. “Help each other how?”

“You need someone to take the scrutiny off you at your mother’s party, and I need someone to keep me from being my usual self and causing diplomatic issues for Griff.”

“Are you suggesting what I think you are?”

He grinned, and I cursed the way it made my heart skip. “I will pretend to be your devoted boyfriend and go to your mother’s party with you. I will not be hurt by anything she says.”

I opened my mouth to explain why this was a horrible idea until it hit me that maybe it wasn’t. My mother loved nothing more than being the talk of the town, and if she hosted a party with alien royalty in attendance, none of her fancy friends would be talking about anything else for ages. Ruune’s appearance by my side might startle her so much she’d forget to throw any “perfect” men at me. Even if she did, I’d like to see any human guy try to compete with Ruune.

Before I agreed, I cocked my head at him. “Why would you do that for me? What’s in it for you?”

"I know myself too well," he admitted. "I'll end up leading women on, causing an interplanetary diplomatic incident, and my cousin will be furious.” He flapped a hand in the direction of the bar. “Look what I’ve already done. Apparently, I agreed to go to something called a jazz club with your colleague.”

I bit my lip, trying to keep from laughing as I considered what he’d said. Every logical part of my brain was screaming that this was a terrible idea. Pretending to date a guy who made my pulse quicken? Recipe for disaster. But another part of me—the part that loved a good scheme and hated to suffer another awful New Year’s Eve—was intrigued.

"So, I'll be your fake girlfriend?" I asked, still not entirely sure I wasn't going to regret this.

Ruune smiled, but there was a glint of mischief that gave me pause. “And I will be your fake boyfriend.”

I couldn't resist teasing him a bit more. "Are you sure you can be convincing enough? My mother excels in sniffing out lies.”

In one fluid motion, Ruune pulled me against him, his arm wrapping around my waist. His voice dropped to a low purr that sent shivers down my spine. "Is this convincing enough?"

My heart pounded, and my breath hitched in my chest. I gulped, suddenly very aware of how close we were, of the heat radiating from his body, of the intoxicating scent that was uniquely his.

Oh, man. This was such a bad idea.