Page 8 of Seduced By You

“I’ll go to the wedding. I’ll be your fake date. I mean”—I pointed at his head—“you already have an appropriate haircut. Why waste it?”

Both eyebrows crept up his forehead. “What’s changed? Last week, you were determined not to go.”

“Benedict fucking Oberon is what’s changed.”

Kadon scratched his cheek. “Are you coming down with something? Weird-itis?”

I made a face at him. “Funny. No, I just saw him on TV giving an interview.” I briefed Kadon on what I’d heard. “Screw him. He invited me, never expecting I’d turn up. So I’ll turn up all right. And with a date, too.”

Kadon’s eyes brightened. “Notjusta date. Your long-term boyfriend. We’ve been going out for, what, six months? I think six months sounds good. It’s not right after he dumped you, but it’s close enough for him to feel aggrieved. I mean, there he was, breaking your heart and all, then three months later, you’re like, ‘Cheers, jackass. I found someone better.’ It’s perfect.”

Excitement curled in my gut. “Itisbetter. And he deserves this. I’ve always hated the fact that I crumbled right in front of him when he broke things off. Looking back, I realize now that my response gave him the upper hand. He knows he broke my heart. But this way, he’ll have to question that belief. Brokenhearted ex-fiancées do not hook up with someone new a few short months later.”

“Exactly.” Kadon replaced his evil eyebrow with an evil grin. “This will be epic.”

My excitement ebbed. “God, but will it? What if he sees right through the charade, and that gives him even more power, more satisfaction? ‘Poor Annaleesa,’?” I mimicked. “?‘Had to hire a fake boyfriend to save face.’?”

It’d be out-of-this-world fantastic to turn up to Benedict’s wedding with someone far smarter, far richer, and yep, far better looking, but if Benedict guessed our relationship wasn’t real, he’d wring the crap out of my discomfort.

“Relax. He won’t see through the charade.”

“How do you know?”

Kadon moved in, wrapping his arms around me. He pulled me tight to his muscular chest and stroked my hair. “Because we’re gonna make it so damn convincing. That’s how.”

“But he knows me so well.”

“Wrong.” He drew back to look into my eyes. “Heknewyou. He knew the person you were nine months ago. You’re not her any longer. You’re confident and sassy, and you’re rocking a demanding job, charming the pants off every VIP who comes through the front gates. You’re so muchmorethan when you were with him. And believe me, he’s going to see that and question his choices.”

I nibbled my lip. “Really?”

Kadon kissed my forehead. “I guarantee it. Let’s rub the bastard’s nose in a pile of shit so big he’ll smell it for the rest of his miserable life.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Me, too.” A broad grin edged across his face. “This will be fun.”

“We’ll have to make sure we don’t trip up. We should do a couple of question-and-answer sessions. Y’know, things like favorite movie, or the name of our first pet, schools we attended.”

Kadon rubbed his chin. “That’s a good idea. Why don’t I swing by in the morning? I’ll bring pastries from that patisserie you love so much.”

I nudged him with my toe. “See. You already know the way to my heart.”

Chapter4

Kadon

I’m an idiot. Or maybe a genius.

The jury is out.

Balancinga bag filled with pastries on top of two caramel lattes, I made my way to Lee’s front door. She must’ve been watching out for me because the door opened before I reached it. She stole the pastry bag and took a deep sniff, then cradled it to her chest as if it was the equivalent of Gollum’s “precious.”

“You know the way to a girl’s heart.” Spinning on her heel, she disappeared into the kitchen, which overlooked a small but well-stocked backyard. By the time I’d followed her, she had plates set out on the counter and the pastries already apportioned.

“Anyone would think you hadn’t eaten in a week.”

“Listen, mister. I spent twenty years having to watch every single morsel I put in my mouth. I’m making up for lost time.” She took a huge bite of the almond croissant. A third of it disappeared into her mouth. She chewed, her eyes rolling back in her head. “God, that’s orgasmic.”

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