HaileyFew men had ever made me feel all warm and bubbly inside, but Terran Maddox had just joined the ranks of those men. He was gorgeous.Before our meeting, I knew who he was and had seen his picture a few times, but his reputation had always kept me from being even remotely interested. Now, I could see why women flocked to him. The man’s looks rivaled those of the most handsome Hollywood star. With his long black hair and roguish charm, Terran was the gold standard of hotness. I was dangerously close to drooling all over the man.I sat across from him and couldn’t stop staring. I had to do a quick mental check to make sure I wasn’t panting. He was that good looking. Mouth-watering.I wasn’t sure how I could have such a visceral attraction to a man and think of sex when I had never been intimate with anyone. I didn’t know what making love felt like, but for some crazy reason, I wanted this man in ways I had never experienced. One thick lock of black hair had fallen forward, framing

TerranI played hooky for the day. Zach had been on me to go surfing for weeks. When I woke up this morning and saw the weather forecast, I did it. I called in sick. Some people assumed that was easy since I was the boss, but in fact, it was a lot harder for me to call in sick. I had poured my heart and soul into building the company. It had been my life’s mission.The very thought of losing it was overwhelming. I had been chained to the job for too long. There was a chance I wouldn’t have the luxury of calling in sick anymore if I didn’t find a wife. I wanted to take advantage of it while I could. I couldn’t even remember the last time I had found myself on a beach in the middle of a work week.I drove through the parking lot, parked my jeep, and quickly pulled my surfboard out. I hadn’t driven my jeep in forever. It felt good to pretend I was twenty-two and carefree. I looked around the parking lot and down to the beach. It wasn’t nearly as packed as it was on the weekends. I could

HaileyI walked into the orphanage, greeting the employees as I walked to the rec room. Fortunately, they all knew me and didn’t stop and ID me anymore. I peeked through the rec room door and saw Mandy in the front of the room reading a book to the younger kids in the orphanage. I didn’t know the group as well as I knew the others, but I still liked to say hi when I could.I waited until I saw her close the book before I made my entrance. I didn’t want to disrupt the calm she had established with the little ones.“Guys, we have a special guest!” Mandy said with a big smile.I grinned, walking into the room, waiting for the kids to turn around and see me. The moment they did, I was embraced in exuberant hugs around my waist.“Hi, guys! Did you enjoy your story?”There were some nods and a couple sighs. I spent a few minutes chatting with them, doing my best to give them all an even amount of attention, which wasn’t easy when they were all talking at once.“All right, guys, it’s time to

TerranI felt silly, but I had gone home after work to change for my date with Hailey. I didn’t want to appear too stuffy by wearing the suit I normally wore to work. I knew it shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. Hailey was a special woman, and I wanted to do this right.I took a look in the mirror and laughed. I had traded my blue suit for a black one. It wasn’t exactly a big change, but I thought the black one looked more relaxed than the blue. It was probably all in my head, and I was acting like a nervous boy going on his first date. I grabbed my wallet and keys before heading out of my condo. I was taking the Mercedes tonight, just in case there was a chance she let me drive her home after dinner.I wanted to make a good first impression. There was a lot riding on this date. I wanted her to be the one who agreed to be my fake fiancée. I had a feeling we would get along well. In order to really sell the engagement, I needed someone I clicked with. It was hard to fake being in lov

HaileyThe ride to the Hermosa Beach pier was quiet. I knew we were both kind of nervous, which was a bit of a surprise. I knew of his reputation as a womanizer, so it seemed strange that he was the one acting like a nervous virgin on a first date. I knew why I was nervous. I didn’t usually go out with men like him. I tended to be drawn to the quiet, scholarly types that kept a low profile. Terran was nothing like that. He was the exact opposite of the men I tended to be attracted to. Although I was beginning to believe a lot of his reputation had been hyped up for dramatic effect.He parked his car, paid the fee, and we strolled down the boardwalk.“Have you been down here before?” he asked.“A few times. I honestly tend to avoid the touristy spots.”“Do you get recognized a lot?” he asked. “I wouldn’t say a lot, but there are a few people who notice me. With the recent sportswear campaign, it’s been happening a lot more often. Maybe dressed like this, they won’t recognize me.” I la