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Jade

That better have been Red’s lame attempt at a joke because if it wasn’t, I’d fear for my life if I were him. Not really, but you know, it was an expression. I wouldn’t mind kicking him in the balls, though.

I finished fixing my boobs in the sapphire-blue dress Bianca had insisted I wear.

Honestly, this was a sham. It was all bullshit, so why couldn’t I dress like myself?

Why did I have to play the role in this way?

I would’ve much rather worn jeans and a nice shirt or even a skirt and top with some big, puffy sleeves or whatever it was that was in these days.

Oh, help me, I was going to suck at being a fashion editor.

Regina, I’m sorry in advance for screwing up your magazine and driving readership numbers into the ground.

Sitting on the edge of my bed, I finally responded to Red’s idiotic statement about me abstaining until after we happily broke up.

If you could even call it that, since we weren’t actually together.

Ahh, there was such a thin line between fiction and non-fiction, wasn’t there?

“If you’re dehydrated, you can help yourself to something from my fridge.

” That would be the only logical explanation for his insanity, that he was dehydrated and hallucinating as a result.

He didn’t respond, and for a second, I worried he’d dropped dead or something. I’d go check on him, but I was already bent over, slipping black pumps on. I swore heels were designed to torture a woman’s feet.

“I’m choosing to ignore your psychobabble.” Red’s voice was growing close, so I peered up and came face-to-face with him.

My lips narrowed into a thin line. “Hey, this is my bedroom. I could’ve been naked. I let you into my home and gave you a nice shot of my ass, but I’m not putting on a show for you, okay? And tickets aren’t for sale anyway, so you’re out of luck.”

He leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms and looking handsome as he did.

Geez, I hated how attractive I found this man.

He was wearing a white shirt with a vest, burgundy necktie, and black slacks.

I assumed he left his jacket in the car.

Meanwhile, it didn’t matter, the point was I wanted to jump his bones.

I wanted to strip him down, tell him to hell with his mother’s stupid, over-the-top (I was sure it would be) party, and ride him like I was a trained equestrian.

I wasn’t, and while I couldn’t ride a horse to save my life, I’d become quite skilled at riding cocks.

The best part was it was actually like riding a bike—it didn’t matter how long it’d been since your last go around, the skill came back to you as soon as you got back on.

I licked my lips and realized I’d completely stopped what I was doing, my hand frozen on the back of my heel. “Are you just going to stand there?”

“Just waiting to move until you’re done eye fucking me.

” A cocky smirk filled his expression, and I wanted to kiss that look right off his face.

Yes, apparently, I had a thing for smug sons of bitches.

Hence my relationship with Nate. Only, Nate was a selfish, arrogant son of a bitch, so there was that tiny difference.

I rolled my eyes, so he got the message loud and clear—that he was wrong, obviously. He wasn’t, but that’d be our little secret. I finished getting ready and cleared my throat. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

I got up and ran my hands down my dress, fixing the high-slit on the side. Yeah, this was definitely not me. But I didn’t hate it. It actually made me feel. . . sexy. Like more than usual. “I’m ready,” I said, bringing my eyes back to him and taking a step forward so we could get going.

Only, I was stopped in my tracks by his gaze.

Talk about drinking someone in. His eyes were all over me, lingering before they came in contact with a new part of my body.

It was as though he was studying my every curve in a way no one else ever had.

“It’s the dress,” I said, trying to break the silence and hoping it would stop his gaze as they traveled up my body, landing squarely on my eyes.

He left his spot on the doorframe and took a step inside. “It’s not.” He shook his head, his jaw twitching like there was more he wanted to say, but he stopped himself. Then he added, “It’s you. You’re beautiful.”

My cheeks felt like they were on fire, and I couldn’t believe I was blushing at a silly compliment like that.

“If you think that’s going to get you laid tonight, it’s not.

” I didn’t think I could take him looking at me like that for one more second.

Like time stopped when he looked at me and it was all he could do to turn away and stop tracing every part of my body with his eyes. That was too intense for me.

His eyes studied mine for a moment, as though he was trying to figure me out—it would never happen, by the way—before glancing down at his watch. “Remind me to give you the wrong time next time, so we’re not late.”

I shrugged. “Probably won’t help.”

He turned and walked out, and I followed him. “You’re one of those people who will be late to their own funeral, aren’t you?”

I tilted my head back and forth and chuckled. “It’s definitely plausible.”

“Oh, Jade,” Red said, reaching into his pocket and tossing me a navy-blue velvet box. “For you.”

Staring at it in my hands, I wondered if it contained what I thought it did— the magnificent engagement ring that would fit my delicate finger . With a flip of the lid, I had all the confirmation I needed and slipped it on my ring finger. “Romantic.”

“This is business.”

Snagging my clutch off the kitchen counter, I rolled my lips to check and make sure my lip gloss was still glossy.

“Don’t think this conversation about us being exclusive is over,” he said, surprising me.

This again. I waved a hand in the air, trying to signal to him that it was all poppycock. And if it wasn’t, then I wasn’t listening anyway. It was my life. I could sleep with whoever I damn well pleased.

When I said nothing, he ground his teeth. “I’m as serious as a heart attack, Jade.”

I angled my head. “Tell me how you see this going then. We don’t even know how long this will last. That man needs to invest in your company, and men are known to pussyfoot around.

Not that I intend on being your fake anything for too long, but I entered into this with my eyes wide open, so.

. .” I let my words trail off as I shrugged.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. “If someone catches wind of us sleeping with other people, it’ll come out. Trust me. And this whole thing will come down faster than a house of cards.”

I crossed my arms. “Got any ideas how to make this work? Because this was your idea in the first place, so I’m listening.”

He opened the door and gestured for me to go out first. “Alistair is waiting for us.”

“Oooh, fancy. I’ve never been in a chauffeur-driven car before.” I began walking out, but paused to look back at him. “You still never answered my question, though.”

“I think the answer is pretty obvious, don’t you?”

I stared at him with a blank expression, blinking. “What’s obvious?”

“You have two options, but something tells me you’re not going to like the first one.”

“Spit. It. Out.”

He placed his tongue in his cheek before getting on with it. “We can handle things ourselves.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You’re right. The first option sucks. My vibrators are great, and my fingers get the job done in a jiffy, but nothing beats the real thing.”

It was like he couldn’t help but break out in a grin, the corners of his lips turned all the way up. “Then there’s the second option, which is that we use each other to get what we need.”

I nearly choked on my own saliva. Red wanted us to use each other sexually? Was he out of his mind? I mean, it was quite possible, but come the fuck on and not literally. “I’m beginning to think you don’t have any good ideas.”

He was still grinning. “I’m sensing you think that is a good idea, but you just don’t want to admit it aloud.”

I rolled my eyes. “You’re full of yourself.”

“You could be full of me, if you’d let yourself.”

It was an appealing offer, that much I’d admit. Although, not to him, so instead I walked out. We wouldn’t want to be any later to our engagement party, would we?