rning cam

n hand. But beneath her calm facade was a growing disquiet. Her weekend had been spent rehashing every moment from Frid

be a game. But it h

r when her phone pinged. One glance a

d: My off

" No polite reque

ecutive floor, she'd already built her ar

f, shirt sleeves rolled to his elbows-looking ev

?" she sa

to the chair across from h

the fun

out

r head. "You me

nch. "It work

her eyes. "De

s an exclusive. My PR team has already draft

. "You're actually g

u said we'd each get one night.

ng is Saturday. That gives us fiv

d a file from his desk

, expecting som

agreement: expectations, behav

contract?" she a

e stru

eed th

rapy. Thurs

im, baffled. "Y

g this, we're doing it properly. No scandals.

through the pa

on: On

earances:

tion: Text daily

Mod

involvem

derate PDA'? What d

ng. Maybe a kiss on the fo

media asks

tant becomes lover. Forbidden off

desk. "And what do I get out of

gets a boost. People stop seeing you as the jilted

ounded vain. But

with herself... she wanted Matthew to

id finally. "But I

hed a bro

what I wear. I'm not playing d

in

around outside of work hours. T

erst

. "If either of us starts to catc

amusement, maybe discomfort

," he

gnes felt that same electric

siness. Onl

gh

Practice M

his penthouse again-this time not t

ear

she asked skeptically, standing in his minimalis

etables like it was a board meeting. "If we're going to fool

d half the board,

board. "Chop. And tell

hy

h other. And I'm not letting anyone co

ghed but

tch old Disney movies. I once punched a guy

ife paused

said, arch

ne. You punc

ar

oving nod. "Remind me

rt m

ing, James cooking, both trying to act unaffected by the occas

e said, setting

ies. I own three boats I never use. And... I haven

hung in the

p. "Eight years

used to being a

're scared t

dn't ans

he walked he

for her coat, "I guess th

ve to say that with mo

performance for

is

but before stepping o

u," she s

r w

pathetic about wanting

omething unreadable f

hetic," he said

have made h

it

– Office

ng, rumors were a

. People suddenly smiled too politely. Even Marla offered a suspici

course, ac

ffice and left the door open for everyone

the door was closed. "People need

they need to think we're just unpr

act

ser. "You like

ke wi

n't lose

eat, they we

ped to her lips-j

steppe

tonight. Chari

as already too aware of th

er still hurt

arting to ache for so

as far mor

ight – A New

cted-glamorous, noisy, and full of people pr

in on James's arm,

bold heels, subtle gold earrings-and

pretend. The smiles became real. The hand on her back

ed, "You're stealing the spotligh

fake dating a billionai

a man who didn't

ss who had walls talle

the cheek would trave

s knew, was a

in wearing a tailored s