Synopsis

All families have secrets, and Jules Stone’s is no exception. Deciding not to follow in her family's Oscar-winning footsteps, Jules chooses to take a more behind-the-scenes career in one of the Top 10 Talent Agencies in Chicago. After being dumped five hours before spending Christmas with her dysfunctional family, she needs a plan to avoid their judgmental eyes.

Enter: Kayden Reece. Kayden is the black sheep of his family, being the one actor drowning in a world of doctors and lawyers. Never really getting a jumpstart at his acting career or landing a big time role, he can feel his dad’s disappointment soaking into his spirit. When Kayden gets a chance to meet and sign with a big name agent at Walter and Jacks Talent Agency, he’s ready to prove everyone wrong. Jules stumbles into the building in shambles, ugly crying, and begging to pay an actor a big sum of money to be her made-up boyfriend for five days, Kayden jumps at the opportunity—finally able to say he landed a role. When secrets start to unravel, Kayden and Jules must learn that all families have their baggage, sometimes co-stars fall in lust, and it’s important to always have invisible mistletoe hanging around. This holiday season join the two fake lovebirds as they partake in the role of a lifetime.

Teaser

When Kayden takes my hand, he pulls me up from my sob party for one and walks me over to the door. Placing my back against it, he takes my other hand into his. His proximity to my body is extreme and somewhat petrifying. The cold wood from the door touches the back of my neck, creating powerful shivers. He positions himself in front of me, his body demanding my attention. He’s at least six-foot-four, which makes me appear short at five-foot-eight. Is he going to kiss me? Because I’m not going to kiss him. I don’t even know you!

“I’m not going to kiss you,” he explains.

Oh. My lips frown for a moment, but I hope he doesn’t notice.

“Well, not yet at least. Close your eyes.”

 

“Kayden, I understand you really want this job but let’s forget about it. It’s a stupid idea and it’s hardly a real acting job. How about an ‘IOU’? I promise you another audition for a great role and…” I argue all of the reasons why this actor shouldn’t be hovering over me, and I’m pretending to try to pull away. Truth is, I really want to pull him closer and have him press against my body, allowing him to slowly introduce his tongue to mine. He raises an eyebrow towards me; I arch one back and sigh, closing my eyes.

 

His face presses against mine. The itchiness of his beard brushes against me as my hands fall to my sides. He places his hands on my shoulders, willing me to stay put.

 

“Stop comparing yourself to your sister.” His hand slides to my lower back, and before I have the power to go weak, he tightens his hold, pulling me closer to him. When I hear him mention my sister, I go to open my eyes but he stops me. “Keep them shut. You’re nothing like her. And she’s nothing like you. Forgot about all of the losers who didn’t know what type of treasure they let get away. They don’t exist anymore. No one on this planet does. It’s just you and me for these five days. There’s nothing to worry about. No commitment. No planning. Just us and our holiday.”

 

I can feel his lips mere millimeters away from mine as the words roll off of his tongue with such ease. For a minute, I forget we are standing in my office—er, my boss’s office—and that my mascara is still running down my cheeks. I forget we met five minutes ago when I offered to pay someone an obscene amount of money to be my made-up boyfriend. I forget who Richard, Danny, and Lisa are. All I want to do is find the taste of the man with his hands around my waist.

 

“I’m going to kiss you now,” he warns, edging his face closer to mine. “Unless you stop me.”

 

I don’t speak a word; I have no reason whatsoever to want to stop him.

 

When his lips find mine, I feel as if I’ve won the sexdorable lottery. His lips are soft, addicting, and gentle at first before the kiss grows deeper. I place my hands on his chest, stilling myself from tumbling over as his tongue slowly brushes against my lips. The way his rock-hard abs feel against my touch, makes me moan for more. My hips involuntarily rock in his direction, and he lifts me up against the door, kissing me harder, deeper, in a way that makes me feel as if we have been sharing these types of kisses for a lifetime. He allows my legs to wrap around his waist, and he holds me, making me feel so safe at his touch. His fingers stroke through my curly locks of hair, and when he pulls his mouth away from mine, I cannot help but miss his taste, his heat, his made-up passion. His eyes open to find my blues staring back at him, and he tilts my head, giving me one last kiss before I feel him smiling against my mouth. When my feet find the ground, my knees almost forget how to keep me standing, but Kayden’s hand is around my back, holding me, protecting me from falling.

 

“Well then…” I clear my throat once, “You are a fantastic actor,” I say, breathless and emotionally drugged up on Mr. Sexdorable.

 

He doesn’t step back, but I open my eyes to be flooded with his greens. He smirks a small amount and shrugs, “I figure if we’re going to do this then we should have our first kiss now instead of in front of your family. That would take away from the awkwardness of it all.”

 

“You didn’t even audition for the part yet.”

 

His tongue runs across his lips and he moves his hand through his dark hair. “I guess I jumped the gun.”

 

“The gun has been jumped.”

 

We’re still for quite a bit of time before I blink and realize that if this is happening then we have to hit the road before I come to my senses, wake up from this dream, or have a heart attack from how beautiful he is. I know guys don’t like being called beautiful, but he is.

 

So. Freaking. Beautiful.

 

Meet Brittainy

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Brittainy C. Cherry has been madly in love with words since the day she took her first breath--okay maybe not THAT long, but pretty darn close! She lives in Wisconsin with her loved ones and she adores a great romance. Her debut novel, The Space in Between, released August 9th, 2013 and she has many more stories in the works! Other hobbies she loves include: screenwriting, acting, dancing (poorly of course!). Coffee, chai tea, and wine are three staples that she believes everyone should invest in! It's also a known fact that whenever Brittainy is trying to write there is a fur baby or two begging for hugs and kisses--which she gives the spoiled animals of course!

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