“Yep. Let’s make a few suckers,” I manage.
“Great!” Luis adjusts his camera. “Live in three . . . two . . . one . . .”
Am I ready now?
Not even a little bit.
But just before Luis gives us a thumbs-up, I tack that smile on until it hurts my cheeks. I hope my face doesn’t look too much like a Halloween mask.
I’m not expecting it when Brady wraps his arm around me, though, swift and easy. It’s too natural, like we’ve done this a thousand times before and we’re totally not two strangers faking the most meaningful relationship of our lives.
“Hey, party people,” he says casually, like he’s catching up with an old-school friend. Like he knows his followers personally—and they have a right to know about his life. But I guess that’s why he rocks this media thing. “As you know by now, I’ve got a secret.”
He looks down at me with a breathtaking smile, and ...
Am I still breathing?
There’s a decent chance I’m not.
All I’m thinking about is the way he kissed me dizzy last time.
Until now, I’ve been repressing the memory, but there’s no squashing this.
“Today, I’m announcing I’ve found the love of my life—and she’severything,” he growls reverently.
Holy hell.
Weirdly, my smile doesn’t feel so forced anymore.
So, not only am I not breathing, but I’m blushing, the heat turning my cheeks into frying pans.
This man has hijacked my pulse.
“She’s smart, she’s gorgeous, and she’s just as passionate about animals as I am. Honestly, she only has one flaw—she’s camera shy. Good thing you’ve still got me.” He takes my hand, squeezing mypalm, holding the ring up to sparkle for the camera. “Ladies, you’ll be happy, even if I know a few of you might be disappointed. I’m officially off limits.”
He doesn’t fake the enthusiasm in his voice.
For Brady Pruitt, this is the dream. The only rich man in Seattle who wants to runawayfrom women.
Luckily, no one will be chasing me anymore.
I wave, but the movement feels awkward as hell. Sixty seconds in, and I’m already blowing it.
No one will buy that I’m madly in love with this guy.
No one will even buy that I was born anatomically human.
I look like I’ve forgotten how my limbs work.
“Say a few words, Lena?” he urges.
His fingers fold tighter around mine.
I want to drop thirty floors into screaming traffic.
Brady makes this look so easy, but it’s actually worse than talking down one of those rude clients who blames you for their cat shedding a claw sheath after fighting them back into their carrier.
“Hi, I’m—I’m not very good at this. But I just wanted to say I’m thrilled to be the next Mrs. Pruitt. Brady, he’s—he’sincredible, really. Amazing and famous and so intelligent. He could work on his people skills—”
