Decisions of Desire 5: Submission or Seduction
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Skyla Rae
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32
Nora is brilliant at fixing other people’s messes, but her latest client may be her most dangerous assignment yet. Everett is charming, mysterious, and desperately in need of a public image makeover. The solution? A perfectly staged fake relationship complete with camera-ready smiles, carefully planned dates, and enough chemistry to fool the world. Easy. Probably. But somewhere between red carpet appearances, teasing banter, and lingering touches that feel a little too real, Nora starts forgetting where the act ends. Everett is impossible to read one moment and heartbreakingly honest the next, and suddenly their “pretend” romance begins pulling them both into unfamiliar territory. As feelings grow louder and walls start cracking, Nora must decide if protecting her heart is worth losing the one story she never saw coming.
Prologue
NORA
What’s worse than pretending to love someone? Convincing yourself that love isn’t real, even though you’ve been in love the entire time.
From the moment I laid eyes on him, I knew my life would never be the same. Whether it would be better or worse, I didn’t know.
He had an aura about him. People seemed to gravitate toward him. His custom-made, pricey suits. The way he fiddled with his cufflinks as he strolled through a room.
I knew who he was, of course. Everyone did.
Mumbles could always be heard before he was seen. The shift in the atmosphere that seemed to happen whenever he was near was impossible to miss. It seemed as if people parted like the Red Sea. His dominance was alluring, and his charm was infectious.
How does that saying go? The journey of love will always come with unexpected detours.
It was completely the opposite for me. The unexpected detours in life became my journey to love.
***
I sat at the immaculate, glossy black bar that wrapped around the room. The gold sparkles around my green eyes were echoed by the gold in my long, dark-green dress, which caught the light. I wore a green-and-gold mask to tie it all together.
A stylish twist held my dark-red hair up. I chose to wear only a few pieces of jewelry to make the mask and dress stand out.
Masquerade, a luxury club, was the property of Ben Martin. I had known Ben for some time. He owned multiple clubs throughout the country, but this was his baby. It was the first one he had ever opened. Ben became my first client after I switched from public relations to marketing.
Public relations aims to build a solid reputation and foster public trust for a company or individual. The role had the potential to be both challenging and fulfilling. My high-profile clients kept me more than busy.
It’s worth noting that marketing is less chaotic. The strategy of emphasizing products or services to increase sales within particular demographics, though it caused a slight slowdown, was just as fulfilling.
Here’s where my relationship with Ben is relevant. He already had the reputation; he just needed help to market his new clubs.
It had always been effortless to keep Masquerade in the public eye, thanks to its luxurious aesthetics and unique dress code. I mean, the name said it all.
“Nora!”
I turned to see Kelli and Ben approaching. Ben’s now-wife, Kelli, was a new friend, and I was starting to enjoy her company immensely. Without hesitation, she hugged me.
Ben gave me a hug and subsequently shifted his gaze beyond me to a person situated behind the bar. “A shot for my friend here.”
“You got it, boss.”
I thanked him as I turned to Kelli. “A masquerade ball for a reception. Very sexy.”
She smiled at Ben. Her eyes gleamed through her white, glittering mask. “Well, we’ve had a lot of big moments in this club. It only seemed right.”
“My impression is that it’s unique, bordering on strange. This suits you both excellently.”
“Hey!”
Her playful push made me laugh, and I turned my chair to fully face Ben. “Tell me, how does it feel to be Mr. Kelli Donovan?”
He held his mouth closed to conceal his smile. “Funny.”
“I think Mr. Kelli Donovan has a nice ring to it,” she teased, smiling as he put his arm around her.
“You would.” He bent his head, gently nipping her ear, which made her giggle.
Even though they did things like that regularly, for some reason, in that instant, it seemed like I was witnessing something private. I shifted my gaze and took my shot.
“I’m going to make the rounds,” Ben said.
Kelli nodded as they kissed each other. “I’m going to stay with Nora for a bit,” Kelli said.
“Don’t get into any trouble.” He was talking to her but looking at me.
I acted offended as I grabbed Kelli’s wrist and yanked her closer. “I am insulted that you’d even think we’d get into trouble. On your wedding day, no less.”
“Mmmm-hmmm…” He just smiled before walking away.
“So”—Kelli slid onto the stool next to me—“question.”
“Ugh.” I groaned. “I knew this was coming. Look, I don’t do threesomes anymore.”
Her eyes grew bigger as she burst into laughter and playfully shoved me. “How did I manage to live so long without you?”
“It’s hard to say.”
Kelli spun her stool until she was fully facing me. “So, when do you see him?”
I took a sip of my martini. “We have a meeting tomorrow.”
“Are you nervous?”
Unsure how to respond, I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not sure if I’m nervous or scared.”
“There is no need for you to be nervous or scared. You are Nora fucking Lewis. You eat guys like him for breakfast.”
I quirked an eyebrow at her. “Breakfast? Not dinner?”
She waved me off. “Please. You eat more important men than him for dinner.”
Laughter erupted from me. At times, Kelli would say the most surprising things. She did have a point, though. He may have been Everett Moore, but I was Nora Lewis. He may have had women fall at his feet, but I’d had men more powerful than him kneel before me.
By morning, I’d rehearsed my power a thousand times over—every man who’d wanted what I had, every moment I’d proven myself worth it.
I felt ready to face whatever happened next. With unwavering confidence, I went into the office, looking for those dark eyes to lock onto mine.
However, the person behind the desk wasn’t him; it was her. The person I least expected to see. My entire world came to a standstill at that moment.
