The Consequence of Seduction

His answer? To steal the mascot.

Facepalm.

“You’ll do it.” Ren turned suddenly, his face glowing. “We can spin this in our favor.”

I sputtered, “You can’t be serious! I thought you’d have a better idea than this one!” I jabbed my finger in Reid’s direction, and he lifted his hands in surrender. Smart move, considering his idea was to smile and kiss for the camera. I’m pretty sure the final nail in my shrewlike coffin occurred a half hour later when I slapped him across the face in the middle of Times Square.

It had taken five minutes before we were trending news.

Me and my chocolate-stained shirt and Reid with his gorgeous, breathtaking smile. There was something so incredibly depressing about seeing yourself at your absolute worst, next to perfection.

Ten minutes later, Ren summoned me to his office, so I threatened Reid within an inch of his life—either he came with me to the meeting or I would push him in front of an aggressive taxi—or ten. He was done filming for the day anyway and wanted to stop by Max’s office to give him hell.

“Ren, I can come up with something else.” Anything. Else.

Ren shook his head no. “This . . . this can be good for us. We’ll say the information was leaked before we were ready.”

The headache moved from my temples down my jaw. “And how do we explain that I’m the—”

“—shrew,” Reid finished.

“Helpful!” I clenched my teeth. My feet ached because I’d only left the cheap heels at the office, my stomach was growling loud enough for my grandma back in Washington State to hear, and I was having a very lifelike daydream of Ren tossing me a Twizzler only to have it disappear in front of my face. I needed food. And coffee. And a do-over, but I was pretty sure that last wish wasn’t going to get granted.

Ren’s grin grew. I didn’t like that grin. It was an evil grin, one that nine times out of ten was followed by equally evil laughter. “You hate your new publicist, so you’ve decided to take it upon yourself to tame her rather than a random girl in the city. It makes sense. After all, you’re going to be spending a lot of time together,” Ren continued, smiling. “People are quite fascinated with this movie to begin with. Think of the publicity we can drum up by allowing the audience the fantasy that Reid’s goal—no, his life purpose—is to find a woman he can tame and bed.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Oxygen. I needed oxygen. “Nobody said anything about bed!”

“But that’s the thing!” Ren smirked. “You don’t have to. Imaginations will run wild. Think about it: they see you two get ice cream, a fight breaks out, Reid kisses you, and people assume you’re going to go back to your apartment—”

“It’s safe to say I know what they’re assuming.” I held up my hand. I shouldn’t have come in to work that morning. Clearly the universe was trying to tell me something when I got shampoo in my eye and my Starbucks got trampled.

“I’m in.” This from Reid.

I shot him an irritated glare while my internal anxiety tripled. How did I go from being behind the scenes to the main attraction? I might complain about being invisible, but it worked for me. I didn’t know the first thing about being on camera and . . . I wasn’t blind or stupid. Girls like me did not belong with men like Reid. I’d be a laughingstock. Insecurity washed over me, choking the air from my lungs.

“What?” He shrugged and walked closer to the desk just as Ren pulled out a Twizzler and handed it to him. “Candy?”

Somehow Reid managed to eat the entire thing in one big chomp.

Mouth watering, I had to look away. Damn Twizzler-stealing slut!

Reid stole another Twizzler, then turned his aqua-blue eyes in my direction. “Want a bite?”

“Not hungry.” I crossed my arms and looked away as my stomach growled in protest. I’d probably eat Reid’s arm if he got too close.

“Jordan,” Ren barked. “I imagine this won’t be difficult for you. Simply do what you do best.”

I was screwed, so screwed. I couldn’t say no to Ren, and I had a sinking feeling going along with his plan wasn’t going to end well, but what choice did I have?

“What does she do best?” Reid asked in an innocent voice I knew was all for show.

“She sells the idea and makes people believe it’s the truth.”

“I’d say that went pretty well, all things considered.” Reid chuckled as we made our way into the Emory Enterprises building.

“What?” I snapped, I full-on snapped, to the point that a sweet old lady hurried past me, snatching her purse close to her chest like I was going to shank her.

Reid grabbed my arm.

I stopped walking and looked down at his hand.

The hand touching my arm.

The hand making love to my arm.

Oh, this wasn’t good.

My body was a conniving whore! Quivering with the fact that a handsome guy was actually touching me and it wasn’t to move me to the side or push me into oncoming traffic because a hotter, more stupid girl had managed to get her heel caught in the sidewalk vent and I was standing in the way of him saving her.

I closed my eyes. Really, it was my only option at that point. I could still feel his stare, though—so maybe my only option was to move away.

I stepped back.

And collided with a man making his way up the stairs.

“Sorry,” I grumbled.