My rules for being a Manhattan billionaire's fake girlfriend: No kissing. No fooling around. No falling in love. What can possibly go wrong?
Note to self: When your boyfriend dumps you on your thirtieth birthday, it's probably not the smartest idea to drink so much that you wake up in the same bed as the mysterious hottie wearing the gorgeous suit who you noticed sitting across the bar.
The only silver lining in my obvious lack of judgment is the promise of never seeing Mr. Suit again, not in a city the size of New York.
Or so I thought, until a story I'm working on about the country's most sought-after and elusive escort lands me in the same café as Mr. Suit. So I do what any self-respecting woman of my age would do in my shoes... Try to ignore him.
But he won't let me.
Instead he makes a proposition that leaves me questioning whether I need to have my ears checked. Be his fake girlfriend for a summer of wealth and excess in the Hamptons. In return, he'll help me win back my boyfriend's heart.
Juvenile? You bet.
Effective? Could be.
Bad idea? Most likely.
But what do I have to lose?
Apparently, a lot more than I originally bargained for.
Let the games begin...
Dating Games is a standalone modern retelling of Cinderella meeting her billionaire Prince Charming. If you like a sassy heroine, a sinful hero, and a whole lot of laughs, then you'll love this fake relationship romance.
Praise for Dating Games
"If you love a sassy heroine, a sexy hero, a fake relationship romance, and a whole lot of laughs this a must read book!" - The Little Bookworm
"What an astonishingly beautiful love story." - Spellbound Stories
"Dating Games is a fun and flirty romance with a fairytale ending that's guaranteed to melt your heart. Boasting endearing characters and a delightful premise that's served up with a healthy side of humor, Julian and Evie's story is an easy, witty read, that's just perfect to curl up in bed with. - Goodreads Reviewer
"T.K. is so good at giving us an array of stories. The angst she can write, the compassion she can pen, and the humor she can tell . . . all make her one of the best of the best." - A Book A Day
"Engrossing, entertaining and highly refreshing, yet it will tug at your heart-strings as it evokes a range of emotions from you. - Goodreads Reviewer
"This book was brilliant. It was hilarious and had me chuckling to myself the whole way through..." - Queen of the Books
"Whether it's a gritty raw romance, angst riddled love or a bit of a mystery wrapped in romance. T.K. Leigh can write them all beautifully." - Bibliophile Chloe
Excerpt
“It’s like the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles.”
“La Gallérie des Glaces,” Julian says in the perfect French accent. “You’ve been?”
I look back to him, laughing slightly. “No. I’ve never been out of the country. But I’ve always dreamed of visiting Europe, particularly Paris.”
“You’ve never traveled abroad?” He sounds genuinely surprised by this fact. I suppose in his circles, it’s an odd occurrence.
“Can’t say as I have.”
“You were with Trevor for twelve years and he never took you?”
I open my mouth to defend him, but Julian interrupts me before I can utter a word.
“You can’t tell me he didn’t have the money, because I know what that firm pays their attorneys. He could have afforded it.”
My eyes shift nervously around the room. Have I really been so blind as to overlook so many of Trevor’s shortcomings? “We’ve both been so busy,” I respond, but my words lack any conviction.
“You need to go to Paris. Everyone should experience the city once in their lives. There’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world.” The more he speaks, the more excited he becomes. There’s a boyish gleam in his eyes as his obvious adoration for the City of Lights shines through. “When the summer is over, I’ll take—”
I quickly hold up my hand. “Don’t.”
He scrunches his forehead, perplexed by my sudden change in demeanor. “But—”
“No.” I lean toward him, my voice nothing more than a low whisper. “I can pretend to be your girlfriend all summer. I’ve agreed to that much. But I won’t do the fantasy game with you. I won’t have you making me promises you have no intention of fulfilling.”
“Who said I have no intention of following through?”
“Me. That’s who. You’re so accustomed to being able to just hop on a chartered jet and fly off to Paris for lunch. That’s not my reality. That will never be my reality. It’s already difficult to remain grounded when I’m surrounded by all this.” I wave my hand around. “I don’t need you making this any harder than it has to be.”
I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, fighting against the lump in my throat. I wish I hadn’t revealed this vulnerability to him, but this is challenging enough. The more I remind myself that this is nothing more than a fantasy, the easier it will be when the dream ends.
“Guinevere, I…” He shakes his head, running a light finger down the curve of my face before cupping my cheeks in his hands. He rests his forehead against mine. It’s such a tender moment, one I wish were real. “I’m sorry. I guess I got swept up in the moment. I didn’t realize…”
“It’s okay. But I feel like some lines have been crossed that I may not have originally anticipated. Don’t get me wrong,” I add quickly. “The past few days have been great. Better than great. And you’ve been…great.” I laugh. “Better than great.”
My eyes turn back to his, serious again. “And that’s why I don’t want to blur the lines anymore. It will only set ourselves up for failure. At least me. Because, at the end of the summer, you’ll walk away without a single look back, and I’ll still be picking up the pieces of a life I don’t even recognize right now. Years down the road, we’ll both remember this summer and smile. You from your palace overlooking Central Park, and me from whatever apartment I can afford, which will probably be somewhere in New Rochelle. Hell, one day, maybe I’ll be able to tell my kids about the summer I experienced a real-life fairy tale. But that’s all this is. Just a fairy tale. Not real life.”