Totally normal. Nothing weird about this at all. As long as my racing heart didn’t explode, everything would be fine.
Dane cleared his throat and looked directly at the camera. “I’m Dane Kavanagh, and a few weeks ago I was named New York City’s Most Eligible Bachelor of 2026.” He paused, and I saw the corner of his mouth twitch. “But that’s not actually true. Because I’mnoteligible. I found my soulmate on Cupid’s Arrow.”
He extended his hand toward me. The director nodded. My cue.
Shit. My pulse was pounding so hard my eardrums felt like they might burst.
I walked into the frame, hyper-aware of every step. If I tripped and fell flat on my face, I would walk back to Wyoming.
When I reached him, I slid my hand into his outstretched one. Electricity crackled where we touched. I looked up and met his eyes. His pupils were dilated slightly, and my cheeks started to heat.
He pulled me gently to my spot beside the throne he was perched on. I had to remind myself to breathe as I draped my arms around his neck. This close, I could smell his cologne. It was fresh and woodsy. I could see the faint stubble along his jaw, like he’d skipped shaving this morning. Heat radiated off his skin.
His cheeks were turning ruddy under that stubble, a flush creeping up his neck. Was he blushing?
Dane Kavanagh, the grumpy CEO who barely acknowledged my existence, wasblushing.
The director’s voice seemed to come from very far away. “Now look at each other. Lovingly. Like you’ve found your person and nothing else matters.”
I didn’t have to fake it. Looking at him, this close, with his silver eyes locked on mine and his warmth seeping into my skin, I felt like I’d found my one and only.
He tilted his head up slightly, and I leaned down. My heart thundered so loudly I was sure everyone could hear it. I was supposed to kiss his cheek. It wasn’t supposed to be erotic but it was.
He inhaled a sharp breath.
“Cut!”
The word echoed through the warehouse. Reality slammed back into me like a bucket of ice water.
I stepped back so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet. The silence in the warehouse was deafening. All I could hear was my own heartbeat, which was so hard anyone could have taken my heart rate just by looking at me from twenty feet away.
“Damn,” Lucas said, and even though he was clearly trying to whisper, it echoed through the space like a gunshot.
I looked at him. He was staring at us with wide eyes and a slowly spreading grin. The director and Heidi were looking at each other, some kind of silent communication passing between them that I couldn’t decipher.
Dane was still sitting in that ridiculous throne staring at me like he’d never seen me before.
“Well,” Heidi said slowly, breaking the silence. “That’ll do.”
“Perfect,” the director said. “That was absolutely perfect.”
My stomach dropped.
“Ina, what’s your schedule like Friday?” Heidi asked.
“Friday? I’ll be at work. At my desk. Being Dane’s assistant.” I looked at Dane for help, but he seemed frozen.
“Not anymore,” Heidi said cheerfully. “I’m blocking off your entire day. Congratulations, you’re our new female lead.”
“I’mwhat?”
“The chemistry is insane,” the director said, nodding enthusiastically. “I haven’t seen anything that natural in years. If we used a model, it would have looked fake. But this? This looksreal.”
Lucas was practically vibrating with excitement. “This is brilliant. This isperfect!”
I looked at Dane again. He blinked, seeming to come back to himself. His jaw tightened, and for a moment I thought he might actually shut this whole thing down.
He stood up, not quite meeting my eyes, and addressed the room at large. “We’ll reconvene Friday for the actual shoot.”
