Page 17 of Tempt My Heart

She nodded hesitantly. “The photos will be worth a lot of money and he seems to think that an exclusive scoop will make his career.”

She watched as Christopher made a small hum of acknowledgement before standing and paced the room. "So why does that mean you have to leave? I'm missing something."

She cleared her throat. "He has… a video. Of me. Me and him."

Christopher froze with his back to her and his shoulders tensed before he turned around and nodded like what she'd said was no big deal. A flicker of irritation made her grit her teeth but she pushed it down.

"So it's not a good idea if I still work here when he releases it." Ali stood to leave, figuring that was that and he would let her go. Instead, his next words stopped her cold.

"Tell him you'll do it."

Her mouth dropped open and she could only stare at him for a few seconds before his words registered. "Do what?"

"Let's buy some time," Christopher said, like it was the most logical thing in the world. "I don't want to lose you—as an assistant," he said, almost like an afterthought, "so tell him you'll do it."

"And then what?" she snapped, annoyed he was ruining all of her carefully laid plans, her sacrifice, on a suggestion that would go nowhere. "What do I do when he wants me to send him things? Photos? Are you really okay with screwing over David?"

He walked closer to her, steadying her with his hands on her shoulders. "If it comes down to it, then I’ll do what I have to do. But I think we can stop him before it gets to that point. Not all hope's lost yet, Ali. Maybe I can talk to Blake."

“You don’t need to do that for me, it’s not worth risking your friendship just for an assistant.”

“You’re notjustanything, Ali.” He scrubbed a hand over the stubble on his face and then nodded, resting his eyes on the phone on his desk. “He’s my oldest friend. I’ll talk to him and then we’ll go from there, but I think I need to do it in person. It doesn’t seem like the kind of conversation we should have on the phone. Okay?”

For a second they just seemed to stand there, breathing in each other’s air, until she let her shoulders slump and nodded. "Fine. But if this doesn’t work… Well, what exactly are you suggesting we do?"

"He wants you to seduce me, right?" She nodded and he continued. "Then seduce me. Let him think his plan is working."

She swallowed. "Meanwhile you’ll talk to David?"

"Yes. Plus, I also have a friend who might be able to help us get rid of that video so Jason doesn't have anything on you."

"Jared,” she corrected and then bit her lip. “He said he'd hurt my mom," she whispered before adding, "and me."

Christopher's jaw hardened as he cupped her face with one hand, peering down closely at her as if to ensure that she believed his next words. "Jackson will have to get through me first."

"Jared," she murmured absently, too dazed by his proximity to do anything else, and Christopher nodded slightly.

"That's what I said."

Her lips twitched but her amusement quickly faded as she considered what he was offering her. "You don't have to do this. I can just leave, disappear for a while."

His grip tightened on her face for a second before he let her go and took a step back. "Don't be ridiculous. Do you know how hard it is to train a new assistant?"

She rolled her eyes but smiled. "Thank you. For helping me."

"Of course," he said softly. "But don't expect preferential treatment just because you're sleeping with the boss." He smirked and she tried to ignore the way the words made her stomach swoop and fill with butterflies. God, she was in big trouble. Dating the boss. However she was expecting this meeting, or in fact her day, to go, it wasn't with the expectation that she would be walking out as Christopher's girlfriend. Even if it was only pretend.

"I hope we know what we're doing," she muttered quietly to herself and jumped a little when he responded.

"You and me both."

She left his office feeling strangely buoyed and had to sternly chastise herself. Regardless of her crush, she had to remember this was only a business arrangement. A ruse to save her skin that Christopher had been generous enough to suggest—and that only made it harder to keep her thoughts professional.

She picked up her phone and opened up her message thread with Jared before glancing one more time in the direction of Christopher's office. He was already watching her. He looked at the phone in her hand meaningfully and nodded, like he'd known she would need one last confirmation before she did this.

Alison:I'll do it. Just leave my mom alone.

Jared:Good choice.

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