Page 89 of The Fake Dating Plan

The show hadn’t started when I arrived, which was a pity. As soon as I walked into the ballroom, I was accosted by one of my business partners. Holt, a burly short man with a thick Texan accent. His company specialized in hunting apparel. He’d somehow turned his company’s signature hiking boots into high fashion apparel craved by celebrities.

“I didn’t think you came to one of these things,” he said to me.

“Shouldn’t I be the one saying that about you?”

“It’s my first time here. How could I not come? Although I can’t say the hot women weren’t a top priority when I heard there would be an awards gala.” His gaze followed one model-like usher who passed by us.

He shook his head and kissed his pressed fingers in a mock Italian gesture. “Magnifico. How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

His eyes were still on the usher who was quickly disappearing into the throng of people. “Keep it to yourself when you’re surrounded by all of that!”

“It’s easier than you think.” His entire persona was disgusting to me, and the longer I spoke with him, the more I felt his leeriness rub off. I didn’t want to be associated with him longer than necessary and I was about to make my excuses when he said, “And would you look at that. Now,she’sworth more than all the women in here combined. Never seen a dress cling on curves that well. Mmm, mmm, mmm.”

“Holt…”,

“I love redheads. They’re as fiery as their hair. And you can quote me on that.” He chuckled.

Yeah, it was time I left this guy. I felt sleazy just by standing next to him.

“Hey. Don’t you two know each other?”

I followed his gaze to see who he was referring to. I don’t know who or what I was expecting, but the minute my gaze landed on her, my mind and body froze. Everything within me focused on her. She was wearing a dress that was black on one side and white on the other with a dangerously low neckline and a gold statement necklace that was one long chain that disappeared into the valley of her breasts. She looked both elegant and sexy. I don’t think I knew anyone capable of pulling off the combination. My throat felt constricted and my bowtie was a little too tight suddenly.

As she felt the pull of my stare, she turned in my direction. I never understood how she could make me feel like a schoolboy each time my eyes met hers. There was a magnetic pull about her, a siren call only I could hear, that made me give Holt a hasty excuse and rush to her.

Within seconds, I had closed the space between us to mere feet. The closer I got to her, then I realized that her dress was open at the back, making it even more tantalizing. A sudden urge to slip my hand behind her and lead her out of the room was overwhelming. It might have been the thing I would have done if it weren’t for what happened next.

I didn’t see it coming. I was too focused on her to think about anything else when a hand appeared out of nowhere and did what I was just thinking about. I reluctantly turned my gaze away from her to the man who had materialized beside her. Looking like the muscle man I liked to call him, Chad Heron was standing next to Emilia Harris, like he was his date or something. The motherfucker dared to come here with her. I wanted to remove his hand away from her and punch him in the face. The urge was so strong I felt I had to turn away before I gave myself to it. But then he saw me, smiled, and said, “Axel.” Waving his hand at me.

Cooler than my feelings were, I strolled over to the pair. She looked more beautiful up close. Her skin glowed under the yellow lighting of the ballroom.

“Ax. No one calls me Axel.”Except for Emilia when she’s about to come.“You seem out of place Chad.” I made sure my eyes were squarely on him and not on the person next to him who was causing all sorts of havoc inside me.

Chad looked around. “Yeah, I guess you could say so. But I came to support my date.”

Date. So they were a thing. Were they serious? Were they sleeping together? I looked for signs. He sure looked very comfortable placing his grubby hands on the low of her back. Did she enjoy sleeping with him?

“Is that so?”

“Some men take care of their women.”

I took the jab in stride. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of being bothered by it. I gave him a small, tight smile. Someone interrupted us, or Chad rather, leaving Emilia and me together.

“You seem to have moved on pretty fast.”

“Moved on from what? I thought what we had was fake.”

“Is that why you’ve been hanging all hours with muscle-face.”

She frowned.

I leaned closer to her and was enveloped in her perfume. “I’ve seen pictures of the two of you that have been gracing the tabloids. Seems like he’s been more than a helping hand to you.”

“Don’t you have better things to do than keep tabs on your ex-girlfriend? Isn’t that a little stalkerish?”

“Not when the subject is more than happy to share her private life with the world.”

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