The Game (Wagered Hearts Series, #3)(17)

"You certainly don't waste time moving on to the next one, do you?" she sneered, looking down her surgically enhanced nose at me.

"Have you met my boyfriend Rob?" I said ignoring her snide remark.

"Bullshit," she whispered harshly. "Don't think I don't know what's going on. You think your little rent-a-boyfriend is going to make everyone forget what a little whore you are?"

"Excuse me," Rob said cutting her off. "We're leaving now."

"Yeah, run away. That's what you're good at, isn't it Emilia? Don't worry though, I'll make sure everyone knows what a home wrecking slut you really are," she said.

"Fuck you," I snapped, pushed past my limit.

Even though I knew she was trying to cause a scene just to embarrass me, I couldn't help taking the bait. It always grated on me whenever people assumed I slept my way to the top, when I'd never done anything like that in my life. That wasn't to say I'd never been propositioned. I'd lost count of all the times some lecherous old casting director or producer had promised me a role if I slept with them. I had actually lost out on several plum roles because of my refusal, and not once had I ever regretted it.

All my success came due to hard work and perseverance, and it pissed me off to think that someone like Kelsey, who married a man 25 years older than her just so she'd have a shot at better roles, was standing there judging me and painting me as a scheming whore. It was infuriating!

"Oh, please. It's so obvious you two aren't even really together. How much did she pay you?" Kelsey said looking over at Rob.

I watched as the muscles in his jaws clenched. "You're mistaken. Emilia and I are together. She's not paying me a dime," he answered.

"I think we should get going now," Warren said, cutting across the tension. He grabbed Darla's arm and pulled her away from the scene. She moved reluctantly, keeping her eyes glued on us until she was out of sight. That left Kelsey alone with Rob and me. Without her little partner in crime, she looked less sure of herself and I smiled grimly.

"We should go now too," Rob said to me.

I turned to look up at him and nodded my head silently. It wasn't worth it to argue with Kelsey. All eyes were trained on us and the last thing I wanted was to cause a scene that would bring the old scandal back to the headlines.

He grabbed my hand and we both turned to walk away. Before we made it ten steps, Rob suddenly stopped and spun me to face him. He looked down at me searchingly, and then bent his head for a kiss. I hadn't been expecting it, and stood there motionless at first, not sure what was happening. Then as the kiss deepened, I found myself letting go and losing myself in the sensation of his lips on mine. I didn't know how long we stood like that or much of anything, really. All I knew was that I didn't want it to end.

A rumble of applause broke through the haze, and I pulled my head back. All around us, cameras were flashing and people stood watching us. I smiled shakily at Rob who returned the smile.

I'd never had a reaction like that to a kiss before, and I'd kissed many men. Even when Rob and I first had our innocent little fling, our kisses had never been so intense. I wondered what had changed that made me react this way. I looked up at him again and couldn't tell if he was feeling that same quivery feeling that I was.

"How was that for a first public kiss?" Rob whispered in my ear. He seemed happy and pleased with himself, and he looked down at me almost tenderly.

"Not bad," I said.

Rob shot me a lopsided grin before he leaned in again and whispered. "I'll say. I think we pulled it off. No one watching that would doubt we were really together. You're an amazing actress, even I almost believe you. I can't wait to see what the press does with that one."

My spirits deflated at his words. Somehow I'd lost myself in the magic of that kiss, but I quickly pulled myself together. He was right, I reminded myself. This was all an act. None of it was real. Yet, I couldn't help but feel disappointed. I shook my head and mentally slapped myself. We both knew what we signed up for at the start, and that didn't include catching real feelings. I needed to suck it up and remember what this was all for. As I took one last glance at Kelsey's frosty demeanor, I felt a little of the disappointment fade.





Chapter 8: Emilia



Rob was going to propose tonight. We had agreed to it beforehand. In the contract we had specified that the engagement take place no later than two months after our first date. It had been seven weeks and three days since our first outing at The Vine.

The past few weeks had gone extremely well. Rob had been the perfect boyfriend. People who were skeptical about our relationship were now finally coming around and believing that we were the real deal. We'd even been dubbed "Romilia". It was such a stupid name and I cringed every time I heard it, but Charlotte and Arnie had been really pleased.

"That just means you two are actually a thing now," Arnie had explained. I didn't ask him to clarify.

Rob had found our moniker highly amusing. In fact he couldn't stop laughing about it. "This is just too rich! I have to send this to my mother," he said, wiping the tears from the corner of his eye.

Speaking of his mother, I had yet to meet the woman. I felt a little bad about it. Since signing the contracts, we had been solely focusing on my needs and requirements. Rob had attended fashion shows, movie premiers, parties, and other industry events with me, but I had yet to go to one of his functions. I hadn't thought to ask him about it since he never brought it up. I had to remind myself to ask him about it tonight.