“Okay.”

“You’ll find a missed call from me on your phone from about an hour ago. I’ll text you a place in the morning.”

“All right, boss.” As he says “boss,” Diego winks at me. Then he turns around to climb on a monstrous black bike that he starts with a roar. “See you tomorrow.”

I watch him put on a black helmet and speed away into traffic. I can’t believe he even has a bike. I really picked the perfect man for the job.

***

The next day, I’m the first to arrive at the restaurant. I’ve picked a taqueria not too far from my office, but not too close, either. The last thing I need is to run into a colleague while I’m negotiating contract terms with my fake boyfriend.

Wow, I still can’t believe I’m doing this, and that someone else has joined me in this crazy plan. I stare at the list of “hot topics” I’ve printed out, not sure Diego has grasped the full extent of what he agreed to yesterday. Might be my fault for being accidentally-on-purpose vague enough not to scare him away, but today I need to be one hundred percent assertive about what I want out of this deal.

A change of vibe inside the restaurant makes me lift my head. The normal tones of conversation have quieted down to be replaced by intrigued murmurs. At the table next to mine, the two women who’ve been bitching non-stop about their boss since I got here are now giggling, eyes fixated on the entrance door. I follow their stares, and my gaze lands on Mr. Tall, Dark, and Smoldering Hot.

Hair ruffled up in all directions, Diego is standing on the threshold scanning the tables, presumably to find me, and mostly unaware of the attention he’s commanding from the entire room. Clad in a pair of light-washed jeans, a black leather biker jacket, and with the matching black helmet propped under his arm, he’s the incarnation of the bad boy in every woman’s fantasy.

I wave to attract his attention. He spots me and reaches our high table in a few quick strides—not surprising with that impressive leg span. While he sits opposite me with a quick, “Hello,” I steal a glance at the two women sitting next to us and am ridiculously pleased with the vitriolic looks of pure envy stamped on their faces.

Ah, hell. For once I’m not the single lady having lunch alone, I’m the woman dating the hottest guy in the room—possibly the entire New York state—and who cares if I have to shell out a few thousand dollars for the privilege? Money well invested. I can’t wait to stick it to my family for once. To have one glorious Christmas before I become the official family spinster forever.

“Hi,” I greet him back. “Did you find the place all right?”

“Yeah.” Diego settles his helmet on the empty stool between us. “Been here before.”

We lock gazes for the first time since he arrived, and for a second, I have to steady myself. Today is a surprisingly bright day for December, and the sun is hitting Diego’s face with just the right light, turning his eyes into two sparkly emeralds.