I’m terrified of giant men. But when Leif volunteered to scare off my stalker by pretending to be my boyfriend, I knew the gorgeous hulking security tech was the perfect man for the job.

Unable to handle confrontation, I often hid at Ray’s Diner. My distress must have been evident if a sexy stranger came over to help me.

It was sweet that Leif was upset I’d missed half of the summer while hiding from Craig. But when our fake relationship started turning real, it made me nervous in a new way.

I’d never had a boyfriend before, fake or real. The heat between us was startling, and it was incredible to feel my lust wake up from its long slumber.

Even when he was speaking to the chandelier, Leif said everything I’d ever wanted to hear. He cared for me so intensely it made my heart flutter. But secrets and omissions were also things I was just not ready to deal with.