“That’s blackmail.” She could hardly get the words out.
He shrugged. “I call it incentive.”
This was all sorts of twisted. He was holding her hand over the fire and giving her no choice but to get burned. Pretend to be in a relationship with Flynn and she’d end up scorched. Don’t do it and she’d be nothing but black ashes scattered all over the ground, jobless.
Faking with Flynn could end up hurting her. She liked the guy. Their attraction was undeniable, and when it came to him, she was weak. So weak. She’d probably fall right back into bed with him, and it would be good. Too good. And she’d start feeling something real for him, and he might start to feel something real for her, and all the while, she’d know in the back of her mind that…
Harvey had put her up to this so she could keep her job. So she could get a promotion. How awful was that?
“You like him,” Harvey continued, crossing his arms. “Don’t deny it. You spent the night at his house, Aubrey. You had sex with the supposed virgin. That’s pretty damn serious, am I right?”
This was beyond embarrassing. “It wasn’t like that.” Her night with Flynn had been spectacular but nothing so serious as the oh-I’m-giving-you-my-virginity-now-so-we’re-bonded-forever type experience.
“Whatever it was like, it happened, and now you can easily pretend to be in a relationship.” He paused again, the air heavy and filled with so many unsaid things. Things she didn’t want to consider. “Just say yes, Aubrey. It doesn’t have to be so hard.”
A dirty joke flitted through her brain at his words, and she stowed it away. Now was not the time for dirty jokes. Everything was going to change with this decision, and she didn’t like feeling so completely out of control. This was her life Harvey was messing with, and he was turning it into a photo op, as if it was no big thing.
“Fine,” she muttered, meeting his gaze. “I’ll do it. But no press conference. That’s too much.” She felt sick to her stomach, agreeing to something like this. It didn’t feel right. As if she was tricking everyone, including herself.
Including Flynn.
“Excellent. And the press conference is happening. It’s already scheduled.” Harvey rubbed his hands together. “I knew you’d say yes. You can put a positive spin on this. If anyone can do it, you can.” He pushed away from his desk and made his way toward his office door. “Keep the promotion part of the deal to yourself, though, okay? Flynn doesn’t need to know all the details.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.
“I’ll grab Flynn and send him back in here. Then I’ll leave the two of you alone so you can talk about this further.”
“But…” Aubrey clamped her lips shut when Harvey exited the office and shut the door behind him.
Shit. She so didn’t want to have this conversation with Flynn now. There’d been no time to prepare, she had no idea what to say, and oh my God, could this get any more humiliating?
Flynn walked back into the office not even two minutes later, returning to the seat he’d just vacated. He appeared edgy, a little te
nse, and she was immediately filled with the need to reassure him.
Stupid. She should be the one who was being reassured. Not only did she have to fake this relationship but she had to pretend to Flynn that she was all for the idea.
She really hated her boss right now. Like, with a passion.
“You’re angry,” Flynn said, his deep voice rumbly and low.
She flashed him a quick, albeit miserable, smile. “No, I’m not.” Yes, she was. But it was time for her to rein it in and put on a show. Besides, it wasn’t his fault they were in this so-called scandalous situation. “I don’t understand why the media is so fascinated with your sex life.”
“Really?” The incredulous expression on Flynn’s face was obvious. “Aren’t you the one who played that angle up?”
“Me?” Leaning over, she set her coffee cup on the edge of Harvey’s desk. Her anger surged higher. “Are you serious? I was informed I should play up that angle by my boss. And weren’t you the one who went along with it?”
“I was doing what I was told.” He shrugged.
“Well, so was I.” She stood, resting her hands on her hips as she towered over him. Sort of. Even sitting down, the guy was built like a mountain. A mountain she’d already climbed, and if she was being honest with herself, was desperate to climb again.
No. No climbing mountains allowed. This man should be off limits. You can pretend all you want, but the sex thing isn’t happening again. Do you really want to get hurt when it’s all said and done? Because this won’t last. Flynn Foley is capable of breaking your heart.
“Don’t try to blame me for this,” she said.
“I’m not blaming you for anything.” His voice and his expression were both irritatingly calm. “You are proving that you’re mad at me, though.”
“I’m mad at the situation we’ve put ourselves in. Big difference.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, noticed the way his gaze dropped to her breasts and lingered there. Her cheeks heated at his blatant perusal.