Chapter 2

Liam Caldwell's POV

Women were predictable. At least, that was what I used to believe- until I met Sienna Whitmore.

Watching her expertly dismantle that poor bastard's confidence had been the highlight of my evening. The exaggerated cat obsession, the terrible wig, the ridiculous glasses-she had crafted the perfect disaster date, and the guy had fallen for it without question.

I'd seen women try to escape bad dates before, but never with this level of commitment. She wasn't just avoiding Nathaniel Pierce-she was avoiding all of them.

Which made me wonder... why?

Sitting across from me now, Sienna still had a faintly amused look in her hazel eyes. Her auburn hair framed her face in loose waves, no longer hidden beneath that ridiculous disguise. She wasn't just attractive-she was stunning. A natural kind of beauty, the kind that didn't need embellishments.

I tapped my fingers against the table. "So, Sienna, tell me. Why exactly are you on a mission to scare off every eligible bachelor in this city?"

Her lips curled at the edges. "I could ask you why you're so interested."

"Because it's not every day I meet someone who goes to such extremes to sabotage a blind date." I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table. "And I can't decide if you're a genius or completely insane."

Her brows lifted. "Who says I can't be both?"

A chuckle rumbled in my chest. "Fair point."

Sienna twirled a strand of hair around her finger, her expression shifting slightly. "My father thinks marriage is the only acceptable future for me. I disagree."

"Ah." I nodded. "Daddy issues. Got it."

Her eyes narrowed. "That's an oversimplification."

"Maybe," I admitted, studying her. "But it explains why you're here, ruining date after date."

A slow sigh escaped her lips, the amusement in her expression dimming just a little. "Three years. That's how long I've been playing this game. And my father still won't stop."

The hint of exhaustion in her voice caught me off guard. Sienna wasn't just frustrated-she was tired. Tired of fighting a battle that never seemed to end.

I sat back in my chair, mulling over my next words. "You know, you could always just tell him no."

Her laugh was hollow. "You think I haven't tried?"

That told me everything I needed to know about Charles Whitmore. The man wasn't interested in what his daughter wanted-only in what he believed was best for her.

Sienna picked up the dessert menu, flipping through it with an air of distraction. "You said you had an idea. Something that would help me end this once and for all."

I smiled. "I did."

She looked up, her curiosity evident. "Well?"

I drummed my fingers against the table. "What if you weren't available anymore?"

Her brows knitted together. "What do you mean?"

I leaned in, lowering my voice. "What if your father believed you were already taken?"

Sienna blinked, clearly processing the idea. Then, her eyes widened slightly. "You want me to fake a relationship."

"Not just any relationship," I clarified. "One convincing enough to make your father back off for good."

Her lips parted, but no words came out at first. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head. "And you think you'd be the perfect fake boyfriend?"

"I do."

She scoffed. "That's awfully arrogant of you."

I smirked. "It's also true."

Sienna studied me, searching for any sign that I might be joking. I wasn't.

"This is insane," she muttered.

"Maybe," I admitted. "But so is dressing up in ridiculous disguises and scaring off rich men for three years."

She exhaled sharply, but there was no denying the flicker of interest in her eyes.

I pressed on. "Think about it. If your father believes you're already in a serious relationship, he'll have no reason to keep setting you up. And eventually, he'll have to accept that you're making your own choices."

Her fingers drummed against the table. "And what do you get out of this?"

The million-dollar question.

I could have told her the truth-that I liked a challenge. That watching her manipulate these dates had been the most entertaining thing I'd witnessed in years. That something about her intrigued me in a way I hadn't expected.

Instead, I shrugged. "Let's just say I find you entertaining."

Sienna rolled her eyes. "So, this is just amusement for you?"

"Partially," I admitted. "But I also think you're going about this the wrong way. Your father isn't going to give up until you give him a reason to."

She was quiet for a moment, absently tapping her nails against the menu. "And you really think this will work?"

"I do." I leaned back in my chair, watching her closely. "But the real question is-do you?"

Sienna pursed her lips, considering. Then, after what felt like an eternity, she exhaled sharply. "Fine."

Victory curled in my chest.

"But," she added, pointing a finger at me, "we do this on my terms."

I nodded. "Fair enough."

Her eyes narrowed. "No funny business. No weird expectations."

I smirked. "Sienna, if I wanted to date you for real, I wouldn't need to fake it."

Her glare could have melted steel. "You are infuriating."

"And yet, here we are."

Sienna groaned and rubbed her temples. "This is a terrible idea."

"It's a brilliant idea," I corrected. "And you know it."

She muttered something under her breath before shaking her head. "Alright, Liam. Let's do this. But if you screw this up, I swear-"

"You'll what?" I teased. "Set your imaginary attack cat on me?"

Her lips twitched, but she fought the smile threatening to break free. "You're lucky I don't actually have one."

I grinned. "That's debatable."

Sienna exhaled sharply and stood. "If we're doing this, we need ground rules."

I gestured for her to lead the way. "By all means."

She started toward the exit, and I followed, my mind already spinning with the possibilities.

This was going to be fun. Sienna Whitmore's POV

This was a mistake. A massive, ridiculous, life-altering mistake.

Liam Caldwell was trouble, and I knew it.

Everything about him screamed confidence-maybe even a little arrogance. But beneath the cocky smirks and playful taunts, there was something sharp. Something calculating. He didn't just say things for the sake of it-he observed, assessed, and acted accordingly.

And now, I had agreed to let him play the role of my fake boyfriend.

Fantastic.

Outside the restaurant, I turned to face him, arms crossed. "If we're doing this, there are rules."

Liam shoved his hands into his pockets, looking entirely too pleased with himself. "I love a good rulebook."

I ignored his smirk. "First, this is temporary. The moment my father stops interfering, we go our separate ways."

He gave a mock salute. "Understood."

"Second, no public displays of affection unless absolutely necessary."

Liam's grin widened. "Define necessary."

I narrowed my eyes. "Necessary as in avoiding suspicion. Not because you think it would be funny."

"Damn," he drawled. "There goes half my entertainment."

I rolled my eyes. "Third, we keep our real lives separate. No prying into personal matters."

Liam tilted his head. "So, you don't want to know my deep, dark secrets?"