Page 48 of How to Prevent a Fumble

“The sooner the better.”

17

BRIAR

Idon’t think I’ve ever seen Leo’s green eyes look so wild.

“I have something to ask you, and I need you to be chill about it,” he says, his hand rubbing the stubble lining his chin.

When I walked out of my room this morning, I wasn’t expecting him to look as hot as he does right now.

I’m not going to pretend like he isn’t. Leo is a heartthrob for a reason, and I’m not blind.

A girl can look, just as long as I stay far away.

I don’t need his particular brand of trouble in my life.

Suspicious, I place my hands on my hips. “What the hell do you need, Warner.”

He takes a deep breath. “I need you to sign a contract.”

“For?”

“To agree to fake date me.”

I chuckle. “I think I heard you wrong, can you repeat that?”

He sighs dramatically, tossing his arms into the air. “They’re forcing me to do a PR relationship in order to repair my image. I don’t want to be in it with some random person. I told them I wanted you.”

I wanted you.

Not going to think about howthatline made me feel.

“I—”

“Briar, I'll kneel on this ground right here and beg you.”

“I think I would actually really like to see that,” I say.

He shakes his head. “Please.”

“Leo I don’t know. I have a lot of things I need to think about. That means that I’m going to be in the press, right?”

He nods, his eyes wide.

“Which means that Tony is going to know. Which means that whatever he decides to do to make my life a living hell is just going to be worse and worse.”

Fury passes over his eyes before he looks away, as if just looking at me reminds him of Tony.

“I want to help you Leo, I do, but I’m not sure it’s what’s best for Elara and I.”

“I’ll pay for her college,” he says softly. Almost too soft. I almost miss it.

“Excuse me?”

“I’ll pay for Elara’s education. I’ll pay for you to do whatever it is you do. I’ll literally owe you anything you want, whenever. Please, Briar. Just think about it.”

I consider it for a second. Making sure Elara is taken care of is my number one priority, which means that I’ll do anything to make sure she’s set up for her future.

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