Chapter 32

Olivia

“Keep scrolling, Alexander instructed, his breath warm against my ear.

I swiped through more photos, each more intimate than the last.

“My face isn’t completely visible in most of these,” I said, relief washing over me. “But anyone who knows me would recognize me instantly.”

“That’s the point.” Alexander took the tablet back, scrolling to another gossip site that had already picked up the story. “The right people will know it’s you.”

“This is real,” I whispered, the reality of our arrangement suddenly hitting me. “People are going to think we’re together.”

“Probably,” Alexander agreed, seeming unconcerned. He scrolled through more photos, pausing at one where his hand was positioned dangerously low on my back. “That’s the point, isn’t it?”

I sank deeper into the couch, my mind racing. My coworkers would see this. My parents might see this. Everyone would think I was dating Alexander Carter.

“We should head to the office,” Alexander said, checking his watch. “Separately, of course. For now.”

Twenty minutes later, we stood in the lobby of Carter Enterprises.

Alexander gestured toward a private elevator tucked behind a discreet panel.

“Use this one,” he said.

I shook my head. “I can’t just start using the private elevator. People will notice.”

“That’s-”

“Next time,” I promised, already backing toward the public elevators where other employees waited. “We need to ease into this, remember?”

Alexander’s jaw tightened, but he nodded curtly. “Tonight. My place. Seven o’clock.”

It wasn’t a question. I gave him a small smile and turned away, feeling his eyes on me until the elevator doors closed.

The marketing department buzzed with morning energy when I arrived. Nova was already at her desk, typing furiously.

“Morning,” I called, setting my bag down.

She glanced up, eyes narrowing. “You look different.”

“Different, how?”

in her chair. “Did you get laid

choked on my

over an ex like getting under

1/4

hapter

respond, Alice hurried in,

toward us, the screen

stomach dropped. Nova grabbed the phone,

hot.” She squinted at

peered over Nova’s shoulder. “Is it just

in

me. I felt

phone. The photo showed Alexander and me leaving the restaurant, his hand possessively on my waist.

looks like,” I

a date with Alexander Carter,” Nova said,

a date,”

a ‘just dinner‘ dress. That’s a ‘fuck me

dress?”

swallowed hard. “Look, it’s complicated. He invited

Bachelor‘ just happened to invite his junior marketing executive out for a fancy dinner at one of the most exclusive

work,” Alice suggested, though she didn’t

impressed with

we please drop this?” I begged. “I have work

but returned to their desks. I could feel them watching me throughout the morning, whispering

the gossip had spread through the office. I felt eyes on me in the cafeteria

declared, dropping into the seat across

salad around my plate. “Everyone’s

are. You’re sleeping with the

am not sleeping with

not, you might want to consider it. That man is sex on

2/4

Chapter 32

memory of Alexander’s hard body pressed against mine in

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