Page 3 of False Start, Real Passion
The First Date
Thenextfewdaysare a whirlwind of activity. Press releases, social media posts, carefully staged photo ops. We’re everywhere, Jaxon and I, smiling and holding hands like the perfect couple. It’s exhausting, but I can’t deny the thrill of watching our plan unfold.
Jaxon, for his part, seems to be enjoying himself a little too much. He’s always finding excuses to touch me, to lean in close and whisper something in my ear. It’s all for show, of course, but I can’t help the way my heart races every time he’s near.
“You’re a natural at this,” he tells me one Friday morning, after a particularly successful interview. “I almost believe it myself.”
I roll my eyes, but I can’t hide my smile. “That’s the point, isn’t it? To make everyone believe?”
He grins, that infuriatingly charming grin that makes my knees go weak. “Everyone but us, right?”
I nod, but I’m not so sure anymore. The lines between real and fake are blurring more every day, and I’m starting to wonder if I’ll be able to untangle them when this is all over.
When he leans closer, I catch the faint scent of his aftershave—clean, sharp, and entirely too intoxicating. His eyes flick to my mouth.
“You really think you can handle me, Tori?” he whispers.
“I can handle anything,” I whisper back, even as my throat dries.
His smirk deepens. “We’ll see.”
But for now, I push those thoughts aside. I have a job to do, and I’ll be damned if I let anything get in the way.
The rest of that day passes in a blur of phone calls and emails, setting the stage for our grand charade. By the time I collapse onto my couch that evening, I’m physically and emotionally drained.
My phone buzzes, and I glance at the screen, expecting another work emergency. Instead, Jaxon’s name lights up the display, along with a message that makes my heart stumble.
Couldn’t stop thinking about you tonight.
I stare at the words. It’s just part of the act, I remind myself sternly. But a traitorous part of my brain whispers that maybe, just maybe, there’s a glimmer of truth behind his playful facade.
I type out a response, my fingers hovering over the send button.
Careful, Reid. Remember the rules.
My thumb taps the screen before I can second-guess myself. I toss my phone aside, determined to put Jaxon Reid and his too-charming smile out of my mind.
But as I drift off to sleep, my dreams are filled with piercing blue eyes and the feeling of his hand in mine. And I realize, with a sinking sensation, that the line between fake and real is already starting to blur.
The next morning, the memory of Jaxon’s text still lingering in my mind. Shaking off the remnants of sleep, I kept reminding myself that this is just a job. A high-stakes game of pretend, nothing more.
I go through my morning routine with laser focus, channeling my energy into the tasks ahead. As I step out of my apartment, I prepare myself for the day to come.
The office is already buzzing when I arrive and I barely have a moment to settle in before my phone rings. Of course, it’s him.
“Morning, sunshine,” he drawls, his voice warm with mischief. “Ready to take on the world?”
I roll my eyes, even though he can’t see me. “I’m ready to tackle this PR strategy, if that’s what you mean.”
“All work and no play, huh?” He chuckles. “We’ll have to work on that.”
“Jaxon...” I warn, but there’s a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.
“Relax, Michaels. I’m just keeping you on your toes,” he replies. “You sure you can handle being my girlfriend?”
“Again, it’s fake.”
“Right, and yet I know you enjoy every minute of it.”
