Abby sat back, almost dumbfounded. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Nic gave her a charming smile. A charming smile that bordered on arrogant and conceited, both. Was she really thinking that they’d be real girlfriends on this trip?

“I thought you needed a girlfriend. Someone who was head over heels in love with you. You know, to make Holly realize you were so over her.”

“Yes. That was my plan.” She leaned closer. “That doesn’t mean we’re going to have sex, for god’s sake!” she hissed.

Nic spread her arms out. “Then what’s in it for me if not sex?”

“Oh my god,” she muttered. She shook her head. “Obviously we’re not on the same page. We’re not even in the same book. What was in it for you was a ten-day vacation to a winter wonderland. Sex was never part of the equation,” she said pointedly. “So forget the whole thing. I’ll find someone else.”

She got up abruptly, nearly knocking the chair over.

“I think it’s a reasonable tradeoff, Abby. Call it a counteroffer if you will.”

“Counteroffer? Reasonable? You’re out of your mind! We don’t even know each other. Why in the world would you assume I’d have sex with you?”

Again, the charming—conceited—smile. “I’ve never had any complaints. I’ll make it good for you. It’ll be a Christmas you won’t forget.”

“Oh my god,” she murmured again, holding up her hand. “I’m leaving now. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. It won’t be with me.”

Chapter Seven

“Please. Don’t you know anyone?”

Marcos reached over and stole a fry from her plate. “It’s not like I have unlimited lesbians at my disposal, you know.”

Abby let out her breath. “I can’t believe no one wants to go with me.”

“I thought Beth said you had someone lined up.”

Abby leaned forward. “Oh my god. She wanted to have sex. She thought I was inviting her along to have sex!”

“And?”

“And? I don’t even know this woman! She’s a stranger!”

“Yet you invited her on a ten-day trip?”

She held her hand up. “Look. I thought I’d made it clear. Free vacation. That’s all. Ten days pretending to be my girlfriend. Pretending,” she said again with emphasis.

“Have you not slept with anyone since Holly?”

Abby pushed her burger away. “I have deep scars. I’m jaded. I have no faith in mankind any longer.”

Marcos rolled his eyes. “So I guess that’s a no. Maybe that’s your problem. Lack of sex. Go out. Have some fun. Take this stranger with you to Red River and fuck her brains out. Loosen up!”

Abby stared at him. “You’ve lost your mind too. Because that is so not me.”