Faking It With My Bosshole:

Faking It With My Bosshole An Enemies to Lovers Second Chance Romance Cheryl Lux Copyright © 2023 by Cheryl Lux All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law. For permission requests, contact [email protected]. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred. Book Cover by Getcovers.com First edition 2023 Table of Contents Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter One Lyra I groaned and gritted my teeth when I heard the news. “Come on, Lyra! It’ll be great. Luke’s my best friend, after all.” My older brother, Drake Barlow, has a habit of getting me into sticky situations. This had been true since we were kids. His military days may have straightened him out, but he was still prone to putting me in a foxhole of his own, now and then. “Don’t say it like that, Drake! Jeez, you’re making it sound like a date or something.” “Ha!” responded Drake. “Like I’d set my little sister up with Luke Briggs for a date. Listen, Lyra, I’ve been Luke’s best friend for twelve years since we were in the Seals together. But if there was ever a guy who wasn’t marriage material, it’s Luke.” It was a warm sunny day in McLean, Virginia. Spring was finally edging into summer, and it put me in the mood to take a vacation. Not that I ever do. Drake and I were sitting in the kitchen of my apartment. As I looked around the room at the fixtures and fittings I’d designed, I felt safe and calm. This was the center of my perfect paradise. A paradise I did not need threatened, even with the exciting prospect of working for Luke Briggs. Luke was fast becoming one of the wealthiest men in America. He built a profitable international investment property firm in a very short period. And there was the fact, of course, Luke Briggs was one very handsome man. The newspapers loved him, with his broad shoulders, ripped muscles, and chiseled jaw. His dark hair and piercing blue eyes completed the alpha-male image, guaranteed to leave you weak in the knees. If that was your thing, of course. I couldn’t care less myself. Though, I did like the way he dressed. The Beacon did a cover story on Briggs’ purchase of One Park Crest’s luxury penthouse. Complete with pictures of him clothed in a dark suit, an unbuttoned collar, and no tie. I couldn’t deny, the guy was gorgeous, and he knows how to dress to kill. When America’s most eligible billionaire acquires a permanent residence in downtown McLean, it’s big news. And it was Drake, of course, who gave Luke my business card. As his best friend and head of security, Drake wanted someone he can trust to do the renovations on the penthouse. “Well, if he calls, he calls,” I said, trying to sound more apathetic than I was. Truth was, I longed to work for someone like Luke Briggs. I’d built a successful name for myself by redecorating some of Virginia’s most beautiful homes. But life had become dull lately, and I was looking for my next adventure. And I couldn’t deny that my emotions were piqued by the charismatic Luke Briggs. Even though I didn’t know much about him, I was interested to find out more. I guess it was fate or something because my cell phone started to ring at that moment. Drake raised his eyebrows as I picked it up: that’ll be him, his eyes seemed to say. I realized that I was nervous as I looked at the unknown number on my phone screen. I pushed a button and put it to my ear. I was about to introduce myself when a rough, gravelly voice spoke first: “Miss Barlow, right? It’s Luke. Luke Briggs.” His voice was deep and powerful, but eloquent, as though he was minding his manners. I was caught off guard by the strength and power in the voice and spluttered my answer in a regrettably ditsy way. “Y-yep, that’s me. Lyra Barlow, interior design and decor. How can I help you today?” I don’t think I’d ever introduced myself so formally in my life. My phone conversations usually began with a, “Hi, how are ya?” before proceeding straight to business. But I was nervous to be on the phone with this man. “Thank you, Miss Barlow. I’m a property investor and I happen to have purchased One Park Crest’s penthouse. I was in the SEALs with your brother and he works for me now - in fact, it was he who gave me your number. Has he mentioned me to you?” I was almost tempted to tell Briggs that we’d been discussing him. And I’m sure Drake told Luke he was stopping by my house today. But I tried to keep all that under wraps. It’s crazy to think a billionaire called me to decorate his luxury penthouse. This opportunity landed in my lap, with the help of my brother. I couldn’t let it pass me by. “Why yes, as a matter of fact, I have heard of you. I hope you’re enjoying settling in at the moment.” I detected a small sigh of frustration from the other end of the line. The small talk and introductions were irritating Briggs. I felt my cheeks flush. So, I ducked out of the kitchen to avoid Drake. He was restrained from laughter as I stumbled through my conversation with Briggs. He’d