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Evan cut an impressive figure in his white tuxedo. His handsome face was creased with a smile, a smile so unexpectedly warm that I almost stumbled.

“You are hauntingly beautiful, Amanda,” he said softly as we joined hands at the altar. The minister began his spiel, but I was lost in Evan’s eyes. All of a sudden the warmth was back. The sincerity was back. I felt as if I really were the only woman in the entire world for him at that moment, and the feeling was incredible.

I tried to remind myself it was all fake, but the look in his eyes did not seem fake. When it came time to say our vows, I mumbled through the lines prepared for me by Jenna. I got a few ‘oohs’ and ‘aaahs’ like it was so sweet, but it didn’t make a lot of impact.

When it was Evan’s turn, he took the microphone off the stand and turned to address the crowd.

“This is the most amazing woman in the entire world to me.”

I flinched and felt a bit dizzy. I knew it was insincere, but it was still nice to hear.

“In fact, she’s opened my eyes to the plight of the Amazon. Or should I say, the plight of the entire planet. If the rainforest goes, our world is in serious jeopardy of becoming unlivable. So, if you can’t find it in your heart to save the rainforest because it’s the right thing to do… do it because it’s going to save your damn life.”

He turned back to me and held my hands.

“How was that?” he whispered.

“Not bad,” I said, though I did it with a cheeky smile. The minister asked us to say our I-do’s. He seemed so sincere when he uttered the words that I melted a little.

Then he kissed me. I felt connected to his body and soul for a few brief seconds. The crowd erupted into applause, and we turned to face them as husband and wife.

Fake husband and fake wife.

I managed to keep smiling all the way through the reception, and even when we climbed into the limo. The moment the door closed, he began kissing the back of my neck, in the way that normally drove me crazy.

I pushed him away from me and sat up very straight in my seat.

“I don’t think sleeping with my employer would be ethical,” I said in a very cold, stiff, and formal tone. “Sir.”

Chapter 9

Evan

“Our profit margins for Geodot are up seven-point-five percent and—”

Bam!

The heavy bag deformed under the impetus of my gloved fist. I felt the sting in my knuckles and knew I’d have abrasions afterward. I didn’t care. The executive from Geodot paused in his oration, adjusted his glasses, and then sheepishly looked over at Jenna.

“Continue with your report,” she said. “He’s listening.”

“Are you sure? He seems rather involved in what he’s—”

I spun around on the exec in a half crouch, feeling like a lion about to pounce on a rival.

“Why are you questioning a direct order from my personal assistant?” I snapped. “She speaks with my voice. Remember that.”

I went back to working over the bag, and he hastily went back into his diatribe about the relative losses and gains of Geodot. I was beginning to wonder whether or not I should even keep the company at that point.

Bam!

The sound of my fist hitting the heavy bag, the rattle of heavychains, the slap of my sweat as it flung off my body onto the canvas all faded into the background along with the exec’s sonorous hum of a voice. I drifted into a realm of introspection I didn’t visit very often.

Amanda had refused me. Refused me. No woman had ever turned me down before. Not that I could remember.

I wanted to concentrate on what the exec was saying. It was even crucial that I do so. And yet, all I could think about was Amanda. She’d refused me, which made me a bit angry at her.

And yet, she intrigued me. I was enjoying the prospect of a hunt. I normally got women to do whatever I wanted with little effort. Now I was going to put on my best big game hunter outfit, as it were, and match wits with more clever prey than I’d known in some time.