CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Grayson
“Don’t you know how to knock?” I said to Laura as she walked into my office, unannounced, like she owned the place.
The smile on her face fucking irritated me.
I couldn’t stand the whole I-told-you-so attitude. We’d hired her for a reason, so of course she was supposed to know how to fix what was happening at Hooked. But she didn’t have to look so goddamn smug while she gloated.
“The door was open,” she responded. “Besides, if you look at your calendar, I’m on it, so don’t act so surprised to see me.”
I glanced at my monitor, pulling up today’s schedule. A two-hour time slot had been reserved for Laura. “Two fucking hours?” I barked. “What could you possibly need that would take that amount of time?”
“Didn’t you read my email?”
“What email?”
She grabbed the back of the chair that sat in front of my desk. “The one that outlined why I’m here and what we’re going to be doing.”
Fuck.
In the last three weeks, everything had become such a blur.
Emails.
Conversations.
Outings with the guys.
The only details I could truly recall were the dates I’d gone on with Jovana.
Mostly because every one just teased me more, goading my erection.
Was that because she wore the sexiest outfits every time I was around her?
Because her nipples were constantly hard and showcased in every dress that she wore?
Because twenty-two days had passed since she’d given me her pussy after she turned down my offer of morning sex?
Shit, I didn’t even know anymore.
I just knew that there were evenings where I had earned that happy ending. Where I’d been nice as hell during our dates and the moment we got back to my place, she would say good night and go into the guest room and lock the door. Then in the morning, she’d get up early and either film content at my place, her setup so intricate I could tell she didn’t want to be bothered, or she’d go back to her apartment, and I wouldn’t have a chance to touch her.
She was making me wild.
And not just when she was in my presence, but times when she was nowhere near me. During those moments, whatever I looked at, whenever I turned around, there was a reminder of her.
The way she left her scent all over my condo. How her sweatshirt now lived in my living room because she was always cold whenever she sat in there to read. How her cashew milk coffee creamer had a spot in the door of my fridge.
How her pictures and videos were constantly in my Instagram feed. Whenever I’d go on TikTok to bury myself in travel videos, places I wanted to disappear to in the upcoming weeks, there she was.
On my For You page.
Promoting a product.
Looking so hot, I immediately got a hard-on.
Even TikTok wanted me to see her.
Goddamn it.
I needed a break.
I needed her out of my head.
I needed Hooked to purge her from my brain.
And I was here, sitting at my fucking desk, attempting to do just that, and now Laura wanted something from me, and that brought my mind right back to Jovana.
I was done.
I pushed back in my chair, and just as I passed where Laura was standing on my way to the door, she said, “Where are you going?”
“Out.”
“You can’t leave, Grayson. We’re doing a photo shoot that you’re starring in.”
I stopped walking and faced her. “I’m doing what?”
She was holding a tablet and aimed the screen at me. “If you’d read my email, you would know what I’m talking about.” She pushed her red glasses to the highest point on her nose. “Going forward, please take the time to look at everything I send you. I don’t write those emails for my benefit. I write them for yours.”
I grabbed the tablet from her, flipping through mock-ups of cartoonlike figures of a male and female, posing in different areas of what I assumed was my office. There was copy written above each image, along with text conversations that were identical to the internal workings of our app. “Are these ads?”
“Yes.”
“What are you going to do with them?”
She crossed her arms while another self-satisfied look moved over her face. “Since your dual post with Jovana went live, the marriage arm has regained over six percent of its loss. Just like I knew would happen.” She grinned even harder. “We want to see if we can increase the results more rapidly if we start a marketing campaign that focuses on how Hooked helped you two find each other. The campaign won’t launch for another month, after the two of you are engaged.” She took out her phone and spoke directly into the speaker: “Remind Jovana to keep her left hand in a position where it’ll be easy for us to digitally wrap a diamond around her finger. We debated about using a mock ring, but we decided to go the digital route so when you do propose, it’ll match the one you give her, which I understand you haven’t purchased yet.”
I clenched my fingers together as I processed what she’d said to me.
An ad campaign, which I assumed would run internationally to capture our full demographic.
With my face plastered across all forms of digital media.
That would bring more attention to me.
More comments.
And now everywhere I looked online, I’d see not only Jovana but the two of us together.
“You’re fucking kidding me,” I barked.
She pulled the tablet from my hand, like she thought I was about to throw it. “I’m telling you, when I initially saw her in the bar, I knew she had the perfect presence for what I was looking for, but I didn’t anticipate her being an influencer and having the reach that she does.” She set her bag on the chair in front of her, as if letting me know she had no intention of leaving before our two hours were up. “Grayson, the response you received from that dual post was immense, along with the additional posts Jovana has made since then.”
She tapped the screen of the tablet several times before pointing it in my direction. She was on Jovana’s Instagram account, showing me the picture that Jovana had shared of us at a Mexican restaurant, where there were glasses in our hands, and us toasting. The caption read: spicier than a jalape?o margarita.
Laura scrolled through the responses. “Look at the comments.”
There were thousands.
I already knew what the majority said because I’d spent enough time checking out her fucking account.
“And this one,” she said, moving on to the next photo that Jovana had posted of us, which was against a brick building on Newbury Street, showing us in an intimate embrace. We’d been walking back to my place after eating at a seafood restaurant when Jovana suggested we take a photo. My lips were on her cheek and her eyes were closed. She’d aimed the camera high, capturing the tops of our heads and her full expression with the caption: In my I-can’t-stop-smiling era. “Grayson,” Laura said softly, “as one of the few people who knows the truth about you two, I have to say, I’m blown away by what I’m seeing. The both of you couldn’t look happier or more in love. And that connection grows stronger in each shot, like in this one.”
She was on the most recent photograph Jovana had posted a few days ago. This one hadn’t been staged. I was shirtless, cooking eggs and bacon at the gas range in my kitchen. Just a few moments before, I’d asked her how she liked her yolks when she came up behind me, wrapping her arms around my stomach, whispering, “Don’t worry, I’m not cuddling. I’m just thanking you for making me breakfast,” and then her arms were gone, and she released me.
What I hadn’t realized was that she’d put her phone on a tripod and set the timer to capture the scene.
The photo showed my head turned to the side as I looked down at her, the angle emphasizing my profile, a smile lifting from the corner of my lip with the caption: When he makes you breakfast.
Rather than using a heart emoji, which had become one of her signature endings whenever she posted about us, she used the smiley face with the three red hearts spaced around it.
“So you see,” Laura said, pulling the tablet back, “you two are quickly becoming the hot couple. And we’d be stupid not to use that to our advantage.” She waved her hand over the air, drawing an invisible arch. “That’s why we’ve entered the capitalization stage and why we’re going to launch these ads as soon as you put a ring on her finger. The public is already going nuts for you two. Can you imagine the explosion that’s going to happen then?”
Why the fuck was I smiling in that photo of her arms around me?
Why was I gazing down at her like she made me the happiest man alive?
Why was Laura telling me that she could see our connection grow through each photo?
This was too much.
All of it.
And I didn’t know if my fucking head was burning up in flames or if it was my chest, but there was a fire licking up and down my body.
This wasn’t what I’d signed up for.
Neither was a photo shoot or an ad campaign.
And fucking emojis with hearts around a smiling face.
“This is bullshit—”
“Speak of the devil,” Laura said, interrupting me as Jovana stepped into my office. “We were just talking about you.”
“I’m the angel, not the devil, Laura.” Jovana winked at Laura as she joined us and gave me a quick kiss, letting her lips linger on mine for a second too long before she whispered, “Your office door is open. Anyone can see us if they walk by. Act like you like me.”
I didn’t know if it was the three weeks of no sex or the close contact or her kiss that caused my cock to clench in my jeans. But it did and it was getting harder.
“And Laura, I have to be an angel to put up with this one.” Jovana smiled at me while wiping her gloss off my lips. “How’s the temper today? Are we on nice-guy mode or are we roaring like a tiger?”
Her scent.
It took hold of me.
It shook the hell out of me.
I wrapped my arm around her back and squeezed her ass. “Roaring.”
Her cheeks reddened, her bright-blue eyes shining. “Why am I not surprised.” She held out a garment bag that she placed across my arm. “I grabbed you a suit and tie to match what I’m wearing for the photo shoot.” Her attention shifted to Laura. “I thought matchy-matchy would look positively adorable for the campaign.”
Since she now had a fob that would get her into my building, the elevator, and my front door, she could come and go as she pleased.
I didn’t care that she’d picked through my closet.
I cared that my dick was fucking throbbing.
That all I wanted to do was kick Laura out and bend Jovana over my desk.
“Oh, you’re good,” Laura cooed, eating up every word Jovana had said.
“I brought my camera, so I’m hoping your assistant has some time to film us during the shoot?” Jovana asked me. “I want to show my followers the whole preshoot and us getting ready. I think they’ll love having behind-the-scenes access. Since I don’t have an assistant, I figured it would be okay to ask yours?”
Before I could respond, Laura said, “I think giving your followers that kind of access is a fabulous idea, so if your assistant is too busy, then I’m happy to do it.” She glanced toward the doorway. “Real quick, I just want to mention something before your office is bombarded with people and I don’t have the opportunity to bring it up.” She cleared her throat. “When are you planning on living together? I assume this is going to happen soon since the engagement photographer has been booked for”—she looked at her tablet—“four weeks from this Saturday.”
The date had been nailed down over our French dinner a few nights ago, agreed upon between the foie gras and smoked salmon canapés we’d shared for an appetizer. I’d even had my assistant book movers.
“Jovana’s moving in this weekend,” I said.
“You are?” The excitement on Laura’s face was extreme.
“With our relationship about to hit fast-forward—our engagement coming up soon, followed by the wedding—we thought it was the right time.” Jovana glanced at me. “You know, it makes things more believable.”
“Has the impending move been well received?” Laura asked, directing the question to Jovana. “With your parents and Sloane, I mean?”
Jovana took a long, deep breath. “My parents don’t know yet. I’m going to tell them after we’re engaged, I think. It’ll be less shocking and better received if they know we’re committed to one another.” The tension left her face when she added, “Sloane is Team Grayson all the way. Especially since he’s helping her buy the bar and it’ll be hers in about a month. Of course, she gave me a little crap about it despite the fact that I’m covering my portion of the rent until our lease is up, but that’s just her personality. She’s cautious when it comes to me. And, ultimately, she just wants me to be happy.”
“It sounds like we have nothing to worry about then?” Laura pressed.
The last thing our situation needed was negative press, and if her parents raised a fuss or Sloane decided to dedicate a TikTok to our relationship, shit would hit the fan.
“No, we’re all good,” Jovana confirmed.
“Great, then let’s get going with this photo shoot. How about the two of you get changed,” Laura told us. “My hair and makeup team should be here any minute. They’ll do some quick touch-ups on the both of you, and then we’ll take a few test shots to make sure we’re on the right track before we really start shooting.”
Was I even in this goddamn room?
Were they forgetting that I was part of this too?
That my fucking opinion mattered, and this was the last thing I wanted to do right now?
“Sounds perfect to me,” Jovana responded, unzipping the bag that was still across my arm to pull out my suit and her dress. “Laura, before we call in Grayson’s assistant, how about we get a little footage of the clothes on the hangers?”
“I love when I work with a professional who needs no directing,” Laura said. “It makes my job a million times easier.”
“Definitely not my first rodeo,” Jovana said, laughing.
“Isn’t that lucky for you,” I growled, making sure both women heard me. “Because this is the first time I’ve done anything like this and I’m not fucking happy about it.”
The room turned quiet.
“Find a home for these,” Jovana said, giving the clothes to Laura, “and snap a few shots—the camera is in my bag. I’ll handle him in the meantime.”
“Sure thing,” Laura replied.
Jovana set her arms on top of my shoulders, moving our bodies close together. “I know this isn’t your favorite thing in the world, but it’s what I’m good at, and I promise it’ll go by fast.” She combed the back of my hair with her fingers, her expression calm and sexy as fuck. “And then we can go grab something to eat and have a few drinks and forget this all happened. Deal?”
“You mean until the pictures are released, and then I’m going to have to see my face attached to an entire Hooked media campaign. And you know exactly how that’s going to make me feel.”
She sighed. “Yes. There’s that. But let’s focus on how this is going to increase memberships and make you alll the money.”
My arms lowered until my hands found her ass. “No, let’s focus on what we’re going to do at my place after the food and drinks. Tell me you have something in mind for that too.”
“Depends how nice you are ... remember?”
“I’ve been nice, Jovana. I’ve been so fucking nice. All that’s earned me is a locked bedroom door and a relentless hard-on.” My hand rose to just behind her neck, tilting her head back to aim her lips at mine. “Are you looking for cuddles? Is that the problem? Because if that’s the case, consider it done.”
She poked my chest even though I didn’t move back even an inch. “Just because you think you’re being nice doesn’t mean I agree. Why don’t you try amping it up a little and see where that gets you. You never know, when you lay it on extra thick, you might just get lucky.”
“You’re pushing every button I have.”
“Good.” She smiled. “I’m sure when Laura’s makeup crew comes in, that’s going to push you even further.”
I gripped her even tighter. “Makeup is a hard no. I’m telling you that right now—”
“We can’t have you shiny under the lights that the photographer is going to set up. That won’t look hot in pics. So, just some powder—you won’t even know it’s on.” She mashed our lips together and wiggled out of my embrace, joining Laura at my desk, where they started videoing the hanging of our clothes.
I was so fucking tempted to go over to the bar in my office and pour myself some vodka.
The edge was nearing, and the booze would help settle every thought.
But I stayed put, watching the women move around the room, until Jovana was escorting Laura out and closing the door behind her and the two of us were finally alone.
“You don’t have a restroom in here, do you?” she asked me.
“No. Why?”
She was wearing jeans and a tank, her hands holding the bottom of the shirt. “I would have gone in there to change. Since you don’t, let’s strip ... I guess.” Her shirt immediately came off, leaving her in just a bra.
The throbbing in my cock had turned to a full-on ache.
I nodded toward the lacy number. “It’s nice to see you do own one.”
“You should feel fortunate that I go braless around you. Not everyone gets the pleasure of seeing my nipples.” She smiled as her hand dropped to unbutton and unzip her jeans. “I won’t be wearing one for the shoot, FYI. The dress is too tight.”
Her jeans were off, and she stood in just her bra, no panties. It seemed she no longer wore any since our first night together.
A thought that had haunted me.
God.
That body was something else.
Every dip expertly spaced out, each curve aligned so beautifully.
How could someone look as perfect as her?
“Are you trying to fucking kill me?” I groaned.
She connected our stares—hers bright and far too pleased.
“Kill, no. But I would like you to get changed into your suit.”
I hadn’t moved.
I hadn’t even lifted the collar of my polo to drag the shirt over my head.
I was just standing here, frozen like a goddamn fool, staring at her as if I hadn’t seen her body before.
As if I hadn’t been inside her.
As if I hadn’t kissed or licked every inch of her skin.
“I’ve just been ... admiring you.”
She moved over to my desk, where her outfit was hanging. She slipped it off the wooden hook and held the light-pink dress in her hands. “Ohhh, I see. Mr. Nice Guy has come out to play.”
“There’s nothing nice about those words, Jovana. They’re the truth. I’m in love with your body.”
She reached behind her back, and suddenly her bra was loosening from her tits. The white-laced cups, when pulled down, revealed the hardness of her nipples, the straps falling from her arms until the bra was on the ground. She unzipped the dress and stepped into it.
Three weeks.
It felt like three years.
“Then I guess I should thank you.” She came over to me and gave me her back. “Would you mind zipping me in?”
She was even breathtaking from this angle. The muscles in her shoulders, the delicateness of her spine, the roundness of her ass—every bit was stunning.
Fuck me.
“Grayson, I know what you’re thinking and I’m shooting you down before you even try. We don’t have time for office sex, so get that out of your head right now. I need you to help me with this dress, and then I need you to slip on your suit. Laura is outside this door waiting for us.”
“I just need two minutes,” I growled in her ear.
She glanced over her shoulder. “We both know you need a lot more time than that.” She went to take a step away from me and I stopped her, my palm pressed against her navel, my cock thrusting against her ass. “Looks like I need to have Laura zip me up.”
She wasn’t giving in to me.
Goddamn it.
“No.” I exhaled in frustration as my hand found the zipper. “But you fucking owe me.”
She turned around once she was securely in the dress and said, “I think you owe me. Must I keep reminding you what this campaign is going to do for you? How your rich ass is going to get even richer?” This time, when she tapped my chest, I felt the sharpness of her nail. “And don’t forget how ugly this is going to get for me once this is over. My followers are going to lecture me nonstop about jumping in too quickly and saying yes after only two months and the whirlwind wedding we’re going to have. So, while you’re off cruising on megayachts, burying yourself in a million different women, I’m going to be picking up the pieces of what’s left of my business.” She bit her lip while she glared at me. “Do me a favor, don’t ever tell me I owe you. Now, get dressed.”
She could really fight when she wanted to.
And it was hot.
But she was probably right. I could disappear from social media.
She couldn’t.
I could even deactivate all my accounts.
But they were her livelihood.
She wasn’t going to have it easy at all.
“Yeah, yeah,” I whispered, and I went over to my desk and stripped off my shirt and jeans, putting on the black suit and white button-down, along with the light-pink tie that went with her dress.
Just as I began to tie the knot, Jovana appeared, taking the silk from my hands and weaving it, like it was something she did every day.
“My dad taught me, in case you’re wondering.” The sharpness was gone, in its place a tranquil tone. “Every Sunday morning, I’d grab the black tie with the light-blue stripes, the only one he owned, and I’d stand on the bed and do this for him until I was tall enough to do it from the floor.” A soft smile crossed her mouth. “He said my future husband would be impressed. I never forgot that.”
I watched her eyes.
Her lips.
The freckle she had on the side of her nose that I’d never noticed before.
A collection of characteristics that were individually alluring, but combined they were just exquisite.
“All done.”
I glanced down, holding the knot, feeling around each side. “You’re better at this than me.”
“I know.”
“I am impressed.”
She scratched the center of my chest as though it were the belly of a dog. “You should be.” She left me before I could grab her, and she opened the door to my office. Laura walked in with my assistant directly behind her, holding Jovana’s camera.
“Hair and makeup are running a few minutes late,” Laura mentioned right before the photographer entered the room, immediately setting up lighting near my desk. “Why don’t we start with the test shots and then we can touch you guys up when they get here.”
“I love that idea,” Jovana said.
She grabbed me by the hand and led me to my desk, guiding me into my chair. She took a seat on the wooden edge in front of me, facing me, with her phone in her hand.
“Let me just make sure my cell is on silent ...” Her eyes widened and she laughed as she read something on the screen.
“What’s so funny?”
“It’s just one of my followers. His comments are always so funny.” She was typing now.
“His?” I couldn’t stop my brows from rising.
“Yes. There are lots of hes who follow me. I have a huge audience, don’t forget.”
I hadn’t forgotten.
I’d spent enough time observing her accounts to know just how popular she was.
But most of the comments I’d seen were from women.
“What’s he saying?”
“He’s just talking to me about my last video that went viral. It was for a meal kit and he’s a wicked foodie, so he’s teasing me about the lack of spice that I used.” She glanced up. “He likes his food extra spicy, and I’m more of a salt lover. He’s telling me I could have added sriracha to the shrimp tacos instead of the smoked paprika that I sprinkled on. We’ll debate this for a couple of days—that’s just how we are.”
“I bet that’s the only reason he’s talking to you.” My teeth ground together. “You sure know a lot about your followers ... don’t you?”
“Some, yes.”
“Like him?”
She continued to type. “Well, him and I have been talking for a while, so yes, I know things about him.”
“Is he single?”
She finally looked at me again. “Does it matter?”
I kept my voice low. “Answer me, Jovana.”
“Yes. He’s single.”
I held out my hand. “Let me see what he’s saying.”
Her neck craned back. “You mean you want to look at my phone?”
The fire was back, and this time it was in the back of my throat. “Yes.”
“Grayson ...” She turned her face to the side. “Are you trying to be my bodyguard? Or are you jealous?”
I couldn’t tell if she was saying this because the photographer and my assistant were nearby or if she was really wondering.
Regardless, I didn’t have an answer. I just needed to see the words that man had typed to her.
It was as simple as that.
“Give it to me, Jovana.”
She placed the phone in my hand. “Here you go. I have nothing to hide.”
I scrolled through the messages. There were hundreds.
And when I exited out of their chat box, there were thousands of other DMs from men.
Some were telling her how sexy she was. Some were asking her out on dates. Some were requesting and sending her pictures. Some begging for her number.
They were doing whatever they could to capture her attention.
“Jesus,” I huffed.
“Welcome to my social media world.” She’d moved behind me and was reading the screen over my shoulder. “Here’s a good one ... look.” She clicked on a DM and a dick pic instantly popped up.
“Fuck, get that away from me.” I handed the phone back to her.
“Too much?” She giggled as she returned to the edge of my desk.
“All of it is too much.” Fuck, how many times have I thought that today? “There are literally thousands of dudes trying to get with you.”
She shrugged. “It comes with the job. I just ignore them—at least the creepy ones. Some of the guys, like Jared, I’ve befriended.”
“Jared is . . . ?”
“The spicy guy.”
I’d reached my limit.
“I don’t want to know any more.”
Her smile grew. “You don’t want to hear about Peter and—”
“Fuck no.” I looked at the photographer. “Are you about ready to start?”
He was positioning what looked like a silver umbrella on the other side of my desk. “If you’d like, I can.”
I turned my finger in the air and said, “Let’s get this ball rolling.”
Laura and my assistant must have heard me because they were suddenly at our side. My assistant was filming, and Laura was doting on the photographer.
Jovana was telling me, “Sit up straight. I’m going to put my heel on your chest. I need you to look like you’re being submissive to me.”
Submissive?
That was a role I never played.
I glanced at Laura. “Those are the kind of photos you want?”
Laura moved a few pieces of my hair and picked something off my collar. “We already know you’re enamored with this woman. Now I need you to show that you’re a simp for her. The world is going to go wild when they see that.”
I still couldn’t shake the thought that she was a woman loved by so many male followers.
Some were even lucky enough to get her attention.
To make her smile.
I didn’t know why that thought made me want to lift my desk and heave it across the room.
I just knew if we didn’t get this shoot over with soon, it wasn’t going to end well.
And a goddamn fucking simp?
Because I’d gone from six women to one.
Boston’s Biggest Bachelor was hooked, and what better way to emphasize that point than to have me under Jovana’s shoe.
The boys were going to get an earful about this.
“Grayson,” Jovana declared, “I need you to smile.”
I wrapped my hand around her calf, another around the pointed heel of her shoe, and I gave her the expression she wanted.
The look everyone in this room was after.
I stared at her like I was completely, undoubtedly in love.