Page 1 of The Publicity Stunt

Prologue

April

Eight Years Earlier

If I’d known I was going to die tonight, I wouldn’t have thrown away that last taco.

“Parker! You’re leaving me behind!” A rough wind brushes past my hair, tossing some leaves along the trail.

Parker slows mid-jog and circles back to me; not stopping, just moving in place. Hovering like a hummingbird. A shirtless, very tall, ridiculously good-looking hummingbird. “I offered to carry you seven fucking times, April,” he says and starts taking small laps around me.

Bending down to hold my knees, I take a deep breath of air, instantly coughing it out. My lungs hurt, my tank top has a big sweaty patch right in the middle, and my face is probably all red and blotchy. I glance up at Parker, who of course looks like he just walked out of the ocean for a cologne ad. Not fair.

In my defense, when he suggested we go to the Hollywood sign to see the sunset, I pictured a nice romantic stroll through the woods with my boyfriend. Not this torturesome training-for-the-Olympics hiking marathon.

Parker still runs around me, sometimes pausing to kiss my cheek. Nice try, buddy, but no amount of kissing is going to make up for tricking me into a workout.

“I didn’t want you to get a lung attack like I am having right now,” I grumble. “Sorry for caring.”

“Apology accepted. Now, let’s go, or else we’re going to miss the sunset.” He gets behind me and hooks his arms below my shoulders, pulling me up straight and trying to drag my poor body along the sharply inclined slope. Oh, no, no, no. Not happening. A giraffe birthing a baby tiger is more likely.

I wiggle out of his grasp and quickly make a beeline toward a small boulder a couple of feet away.

“April,” Parker chides.

I shake my head. “This rock is my boyfriend now. My home for the next hundred years.”

At this, he smiles and he finally stops jogging. “Sure you wanna live somewhere with that many ants?” he says, walking toward me. “Our apartment is arguably better.”

My eyes widen and I immediately look down. No ants. Thank God. Just a few fallen leaves and twigs.

Parker crouches to level with me. “So, do I get to carry you now?”

“No, just leave me here. I’ll catch up in time for the sunrise.”

“You’ll likely be dead by then,” he says.

“I’m tougher than you think.”

His hands, rough and cold, slide around my waist and he lifts his gaze to mine. Saying nothing. Just smiling. His brown eyes go all soft and sullen like he’s looking straight into my mind, reading my thoughts. Like if he looks away, even for a second, I’ll disappear. Maybe I will.

Grinning, I lean in to kiss him and he tries to fit his smile against mine. “Fine,” I say around our kiss. “I’ll get on your stupid back.”

“Stupid?” He laughs and the sound makes me feel invincible. I feel like I could fly. Effortlessly lifting me off the boulder, he brings his arms around my back, and I wrap my legs around his hips. “I’ll just carry you like this.”

“You’re going to trip and fall.” I pull myself closer so our noses touch. His bare chest flexes against mine, with nothing but my thin, very sweaty blue tank top as a barrier between us. He leans in again and give my lips a soft peck.

“And I’d rather not break my head tonight,” I mutter.

“Is that your only concern?” He tightens his hold behind my back. “Because I promise you that won’t happen.”

“And if it does?”

“Then I’ll just kiss it better.”

I smile. He smiles wider.

When we finally do reach the Hollywood sign, my lips are tingly and the air smells like dry leaves and tree bark. Parker carefully sets me on the ground feet first. I turn around and oh … wow.