Page 35 of Keep Your Friends Close and Your… Work Enemy Closer?

It was all so messed up.

"So what's the plan?" she asked.

"Plan?"

She shot me a funny look. "Yeah. Plan. You do have one, right?"

"Uh, no, not really. I thought we'd just wing it."

A noise of frustration came out of her mouth. "Wing it.Brilliantidea."

I'd used my connections as Max Sterling to get us in, or rather my assistant had, but we were entering the gala as Jared and Cordelia, not exactly two people with the highest pedigrees that could just walk right up to one of the world's biggest movie stars. Even at an event like this, she'd be surrounded by her security team. Or at the very least her protective husband, famous musician The Gray.

"Hey, winging it has worked well for me in life."

She grunted, a noise that kind of sounded sexy to my ears. It didn't help that she smelled so good, or that her cleavage was so tantalizingly on display in this dress. All of a sudden, everything about Cordelia had been elevated, and I was seeing her in a completely new way.

It was like a light had been switched on, illuminating her, making her skin glow, her lips look irresistibly inviting, her very presence intoxicating. Fuck, how the hell had that happened?

I needed to keep it in my pants because nothing could ever happen between us. So there was no point in pursuing it. But it didn't mean I couldn't have a little bit of fun along the way while I could.

She was quiet as we pulled up to the outside of The Lumina Grand Hall, one of the city's most elegant and historical venues, complete with a green carpet out front.

"Have you ever been to an event like this?" I asked her as our driver slowed to a stop.

"No. Have you?"

"Nope." Fucking liar.

Helping her out of the car, I couldn't help noticing her legs, but I dragged my eyes back up to her face. This wasn't about whatever this was. Tonight was about Venus La Fleur and getting her to say yes to us.

Holding out my arm again, she looped her hand through, and we walked the green carpet. She didn't want to stop for photos, and I was glad about that. The last thing I needed was to be photographed as Jared and have someone recognize me in pictures online. Now that I was so fully entrenched in this scheme, I wanted to be Jared a while longer because I had to see this thing out.

We entered the huge space with marble columns and ornate chandeliers setting the scene. Cordelia paused for a second to take it all in, and I had to admit, they'd really outdone themselves. Everything seemed to have an extra layer of sparkles, which was quite fitting for someone like Venus.

"I don't see her yet," Cordelia whispered.

"Knowing her, she'll probably make a late entrance when all eyes are on her." I scanned the nearest table to see they had name cards. "Should we find our seat?"

"Sure."

We meandered through the maze of tables, a string quartet playing in the background while servers carried around trays offering appetizers in odd shapes that were maybe supposed to resemble animals? Everything was vegan tonight, which wasn't really a surprise considering the cause.

Taking a detour to the bar first, we headed for our table with cocktails in hand, a purrfect martini for me and a meowgarita for Cordelia. Watching her actually say that word to the bartender had made me nearly lose my mind trying to hold back the laughter. The murderous glare she gave me didn't help.

Every table apparently was named after a rescue animal, and once we sat down, I took a minute to admire the story of Bark Twain, an Aussie mix whose tragic past and heartwarming tale of rescue were printed out on a small card.

I wiped at a tear then, after glancing at Dee who held out an impatient hand for it, I promptly hid it behind the huge floral centerpiece.

"Would you please give me the card?" she asked.

"Nope."

"Give me the damn card, Jared."

I didn't budge and she got up, reaching for it, all the while huffing and puffing with annoyance. But honestly, I was just trying to protect her. Sad animal stories fucking sucked. Even though Bark Twain had a happy ending, his journey... just fuck.

Really, I could have stopped her, but I didn't, because the last thing I wanted to do was make a scene with the two of us wrestling over a piece of paper. So while Dee read it, I took a long drink, until I heard a loud sniffle beside me.

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