Page 36 of Well, Actually
I lock myself in the small space, pressing my forehead to the surely disgusting and germ-riddled door as I try to catch my breath.
Oh, that fucker. Thatfucker. I thought this whole thing was hurting him, that he was losing sponsors and revenue streams. That we were on opposite but somewhat even footing. But of course he’s already making dividends from this shit. I should have known it was more than just getting into the public’s good graces.
With a rattling breath, I stumble to the sink, turning on the cold tap and reluctantly meeting my eyes in the mirror.
Get a grip, you horny, angry monster, I scream in my head, fixing my features into a look that could freeze hell over.Stop seeing a good guy who isn’t there.
I wash my hands with icy-cold water to calm down. I need to get out of this thing as quickly as possible and with any scraps of dignity intact. I’ll play the game and jump through the damn hoops and Iwillget that promotion at the end. And I’ll eat Rylie Cooper alive along the way.
My reflection is more resolute while I dry my hands. I square my shoulders and lift my chin, adjusting the hang of my white silk blouse, undoing a button from the top on a whim, revealing more of the black lace bralette beneath. The silk creates a deep V to the cinched waist of my tight black skirt. Satisfied that I look confident even if I don’t feel it, I exit the restroom.
And am met by Cooper’s sultry smile as he leans against the wall directly across from me, hands in his pockets. He straightens up, and we stare at each other for a few silent seconds, his eyes making a quick circuit of my body. I force mine not to do the same to him.
“You look really nice today, Eva,” he says. I tilt my head and lift an eyebrow. He clears his throat, color burning his ears. “I mean, you look nice every day. But I, uh, like your, um, shirt.”
Eat him alive, Eva.
“This was fun,” I say, cocking my hip and resting my shoulder on a stack of boxes lining the hall.
“It was.” Cooper takes a timid step toward me. Moth to a fucking flame. “I had a really good time,” he adds with a lazy smile. His eyes glint behind his glasses, sparking some tinder in my chest. I snuff it out but it leaves me with an idea.
“That sounds like a cliché someone uses at the end of a date,” I reply in a low purr, leaning toward him a fraction of an inch, toying with the ends of my hair. Cooper catches the movement, watching my finger twist the strands before trailing to my necklace, following the gold chain to the pendant of a snake that sits right between my breasts among the black lace. I watch his Adam’s apple bob as he swallows.
“I guess it kind of does.” He sways toward me, almost imperceptibly, and I smile, his eyes tracing the curve, pupils dilating.
“Well,” I murmur. Less than an inch separates us, and his nostrils flare, jaw going tight. I breathe in deeply, aware of the way my chest lifts, the neckline of my blouse parting and my bralette visible. Cooper’s eyes predictably dip. “Guess that’s date two on the books.” I straighten my shoulders and raise my voice to a normal tone.
Cooper blinks a few times, cheeks flushed and lips parted as he stumbles back like the coolness in my voice was a gust of wind pushing him away. He clears his throat, but his voice is still strained. “Um. What?”
“Date two wasn’t life-changing by any means, but one of your better performances thus far,” I say, adjusting the cuffs of my top with businesslike jerks. “Glad we crossed that off the list.”
It takes him a moment, but Cooper catches up, shaking himself. He moves forward, planting a hand on the wall behind me, leaning close again. “This doesn’t count as one of the dates,” he says, voice firmer than I’m used to. I fight back a shiver.
“It most certainly does.” I lift my chin, refusing to budge a molecule of personal space. “For all I know this was some elaborate setup you created. Wouldn’t put it past you to go way too big instead of just going home.”
He scoffs. “Yes, Eva. You’re right. I’ve planned every moment of my week around filling up this restaurant so you’d be forced to sit with me for brunch while our friends gawk at us. Couldn’t think of better circumstances to win you over.”
I let out a tinkly laugh, digging through my purse and pulling out my compact and red lipstick, my knuckles brushing his chest as I lift the makeup to eye-level. “It’s cute that you said that sarcastically. Some self-awareness would do you good.” I open my mirror and twist the tube, painting my lips with a practiced stroke. I pout, then stretch my mouth into my most alluring smile. “We’ll debrief this weekend, yeah? Your place again?”
IthinkCooper tries to speak, but all that comes out is a sort of choked sound.
My reflection glints back at me with deep satisfaction that I’ve regained the upper hand. I snap my compact shut, shooting him a wink followed by a swift pat to his cheek. “You’re a trooper, Cooper. Try not to miss me too much in the meantime.”
I float away, radiating satisfaction that I got in the last word. I’m almost out of the hall when his voice reaches me, both earnest and amused as he calls, “Too late. Miss you already.”
Chapter 9
It physically pains me to ogle Cooper—I’d rather walk on hot nails than be attracted to this man—but it’s impossible not to notice he has an impeccably bombastic ass as he leads me up the stairs to his recording studio a few days after brunch. It’s a bit obscene and offensive for a man to be so caked up on a Sunday afternoon. I force my eyes to my feet.
Cooper is all good cheer and chatter as we set up, oblivious to my attempts to ice him out. He gushes about some amazing pasta dish Steve made for them all last night as he places a perfectly brewed cup of peppermint tea in front of me, and I deeply resent that he has the home life I crave like an orphaned Victorian child.
“Congrats on conning people into taking care of you, but can we get on with this?” I wave at the mics and camera setup.
Cooper blinks a few times, his smile slipping. I almostfeel bad, but then his grin fixes back into place and he says, “Right. Gotta give the people what they want.” He laughs, and it’s a harsh reminder that this is all a scheme to him, that I’m a pawn in his sponsorship ploy.
With little fanfare, Cooper starts recording, moving smoothly through his intro. “Well, let’s recap,” he says coyly. “Date one was a shit time with good intentions, but shitty nonetheless. Date two, you took the lead on and tried your damndest to woo me.”
“I was nottryingto woo you,” I interject.
