Chapter 6 Chapter Six
Vanessa POV
I had always trusted my instincts.
They had carried me through a lot in life, very early. They had always been sensitive, warning me whenever something was going to go wrong, my father abandoning us, the heartbreak in my mother's eyes, of breaking up with Danny.
For the many years of learning how to stand alone without feeling like I was about to fall apart into a million pieces, my instincts had been like my anchor warning me away– from hockey players, their loud rooms and the men who smiled like they already knew they’d win.
But there I was—standing in front of Danny Glover, agreeing to something I knew I would regret by the time I woke up tomorrow.
Tomorrow!
I would blame the exhaustion or the academic pressure I was under that made it feel like a coil pressing tight in my chest.
But it would all be tomorrow, today though my professor’s words which had sounded more like a threat than anything else made the decision far easier plus he had announced that they were dating to his group of hockey friends and if it was one thing they were good for it was gossiping.
The news would spread all over campus in a matter of days.
Dating him wasn’t smart.
But if I was going to be forced to work with him, if I was going to be dragged into his world whether I liked it or not, then maybe—just maybe—this was the lesser evil.
Fake dating meant protection but it also meant a certain level of control.
At least, that was what I told myself.
We stood in the narrow hallway outside my apartment, and Danny leaned against the wall like he belonged there.
His broad shoulders were relaxed blocking most of the entrance and his dark eyes locked on my face as if he were waiting for me to bolt.
I would have if it were physically possible at this point. Instead, I folded my arms over my chest and lifted my chin.
“ What are you thinking about” he asked and I looked at him
“I’ll do it.” I mumbled and he blinked.
Once. Twice.
“Do what?” he asked, cautiously now.
My mouth felt dry.
“Fake dating. Your… proposal.”
A slow smile tugged at his lips, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“You have already said so?” he replied and I nodded, hating how my pulse was jumping all over the place.
“ I guess I have,” I muttered, taking in a deep breath.
“But I have conditions.”
That caught his attention.
I straightened, the easy confidence shifting into something sharper, more focused.
“Conditions,” he repeated.
“Yes.” my fingers curled into the sleeves of my sweater.
“A few rules to help things move along smoothly”
A beat passed and then he nodded.
“Okay.”
My eyes narrowed as I glared at him
“You don’t even know what they are.”
“I said okay,” he repeated.
“Let’s hear them.”
I took a deep breath, looking away from his piercing gaze, I needed to say this clearly.
Calmly.
Looking at him didn't inspire much confidence in my to say what I wanted but since this was a contract engagement for us but we would need those rules.
I ignored the voices in my head telling me that I knew exactly why I wanted the rules and it was more about keeping myself from forgetting what this was than anything else.
“Rule number one,” I said.
“No feelings.”
Danny snorted.
“That’s not a rule. That’s—”
I cut him off with a look.
“No feelings. This is an arrangement, not a relationship.”
His jaw tightened.
“Feelings don’t exactly come with an off switch, Nessa.”
My chest ached at the nickname taking me back to three years ago with the both of us wrapped around each other, I ignored it.
“Then don’t agree.”
Silence stretched over us and his gaze searched my face, as if looking for a crack, a sign that I didn’t mean it.
He didn’t find one.
“Fine,” he said finally.
“No feelings.”
I exhaled slowly.
“Rule number two. No sex.”
Danny laughed disbelievingly.
“You can’t be serious.”
“I am,” I said.
“Completely.”
“We’re supposed to be dating.”
“Publicly,” I emphasized.
He ran a hand through his hair.
“You expect people to believe we’re together and not sleeping together?”
“I doubt they'll be watching over our beds Danny.” I huffed and he sulked
“This is becoming ridiculous.”
“So is this whole fiasco,” I snapped.
“But here we are.”
His eyes darkened.
“We already—”
“Doesn’t matter,” I said quickly, heat flooding my cheeks at the memories of the party, my flushed heated body against the cool top of the table as Danny touched me.
“That was a mistake. It won't happen again.”
He studied my for a long moment, something unreadable flickering across his expression. Then, slowly, he nodded.
“Fine.”
Her stomach twisted with nerve, I hadn’t expected that to be so easy.
“Rule number three,” I continued, pressing on before I could lose my nerve.
“Public-only affection.”
He frowned.
“Meaning?”
“Meaning no unnecessary touching behind closed doors. I don't see the need for pretending when it’s just us.”
His mouth curved.
“So only when people are watching.”
“Yes.”
“And when they’re not we act like normal project partners.” I concluded
“That sounds cold.”
“It’s safe.”
Another silence but like always he nodded
“Okay,” he said eventually.
I swallowed.
“Rule number four. The project comes first. Always.”
“That was already a given.”
“No,” I said firmly.
“I mean if this—” I gestured between them
“—ever interferes with my project, we stop. Immediately.”
His gaze softened, just slightly.
“You care about this that much.”
“Yes, of course I do this is my dissertation” I huffed and he shook his head
“ I'm talking about the rules” he said and I nodded once.
“Then I won’t mess it up.” I lauughed without humor.
“You say that like you have a choice.”
His lips pressed together, shrugging
“Take it or leave it, right?” My houlders loosened a fraction.
“Exactly.”
Danny pushed off the wall and stepped closer, stopping just short of my personal space. I resisted the urge to step back.
“So let me get this straight,” he said quietly.
“No feelings. No sex. Only public affection. Project above everything.”
“Yes.”
“And in return,” he added,
“I get to protect you from my teammates, shut down rumors, and keep Marco away from you.”
My jaw clenched at the name.
“Yes.”
“ You're getting a whole lot out of this deal than I am” he muttered underneath his breath and I smiled
“ I'm sure that's a lie” He tilted his head.
“You’re already breaking rule number one.”
“I am not.”
“You care.” I scoffed.
“I’m pragmatic.”
“Keep telling yourself that.” I met his gaze, defiant.
“So. Are you in, or not?”
Danny held my stare for a long moment.
Then he smiled—the cocky grin he wore on the ice, but somehow more dangerous.
“I’m in.”
The words settled between them like a loaded promise.
“Good,” I said, even as my heart hammered.
“Then we’re clear.”
“Crystal.”
I turned to unlock my door, eager to end the conversation before I lost my resolve. But before I could gesture for him to leave, his voice stopped me.
“Nessa.”
I hesitated.
“What?”
“When do we start?”
I paused, hand on the doorframe.
“Tomorrow. On campus.”
He nodded.
“Public.”
“Yes.”
“Guess I’ll see you then,” he said.
I stepped back without looking at him
“ Time for you to go” I mumbled and he looked at me and then the door knob before nodding.
“ I'll see you tomorrow then” he said and I nodded, waving half-heartedly. I jammed the door behind myself and only when the door closed did I allow myself to sag against it, breath shuddering from my lungs.
This was a mistake.