Page 73 of Faking It

“Loud and clear.”

“Gideon, I need you both to sit with my PR team tomorrow and discuss exactly how to approach this. Until then, no fighting, please.”

She ends the meeting, and I hurry out of the room, wanting to go somewhere to clear my head. Gideon catches up with me halfway down the hall. He takes my hand and pulls me into a room filled with sound equipment.

“How are you, really?” he asks.

I sigh, gathering my thoughts. “Pissed at whoever’s behind ANON and that stupid boycott page,” I mutter. “I don’t understand this sudden obsession with me. What did I ever do to them? It’s like they hate me or something.”

“I’ve been thinking about it, too,” he replies. “Whoever it is, they have connections to someone in our circle. ANON first posted that photo of us, remember?”

“Yes, but there were two hundred people at Michael’s party. It could be anyone,” I point out.

“Not many of them knew those intimate details, though,” he counters. “For instance, the fact that you got chosen for the role. Remember, that information wouldn’t be out there, considering my aunt decided to reopen casting.”

As if I needed that reminder.

“True.” I nod. “It’s not hard to narrow down from my end since I only have Tori. She’d never sell me out to a gossip site, though. Not when she’s got so much banking on my success.”

Something flashes across his face, a disturbed expression. At least, that’s what it looked like. It went by so fast.

“What is it?” I ask.

He hesitates, opens his mouth as if to say something, then closes it with a huff.

“Gideon?”

“It’s nothing.” He waves his hand. “Don’t worry about it.”

“When people tell me not to worry, that’s exactly what I do. Is there something you’re not telling me? Someone you suspect?”

“No.”

Again, that disturbed look flashes across his face. “Gideon—”

“I told you, don’t worry about it.” He takes my hand. “Right now, we have a bigger fish to fry. We need to convince the adoring fans that we’re deeply in love.” He grins, the sudden transformation lighting up his features. “Which means you’re going to drop that fear of PDA.”

Crossing my arms, I scoff. “Ido nothave a fear of PDA.”

The twinkle in his eyes makes me realize I’d been suckered. “Oh, that’sgoodto know.”

“No overkill, though.” I point at him. “And no tongue when kissing me.”

“No tongue in public. Got it.” The mischief brightens in his eyes as he draws closer. “No holds barred when we’re behind closed doors, right?”

My pulse trips as the tip of his tongue flicks across his upper lip, and I remember our kiss last night. I brace his chest with my hand, a huge mistake. His hard body against my palm reminds me of how hard he was. How ready he’d been to fuck me. How close I was to opening myself for him. Thank God for that ringing cell phone. At least, I’d been relieved until I heard the news.

“There will be no kissing in private, Gideon. Not again.”

He smirks.

“I’m serious.”

“I’m sure you are.”

Pulling my hand from his chest, I shift aside, my attention on the door. “What happened last night can never happen again. Not if we want to keep this fake arrangement going.” I give him a leveled stare, showing how serious I am. I hope. “Business and pleasure can never mix.”

With that, I head to the exit. I’m almost through the door when he murmurs, “Ana Kent, I strongly disagree.”

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