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Chapter 33: Busted
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The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 34: Three Days Remaining (And I'm Completely Screwed)
On my first day of my first internship in this industry, I was warned that this business would come back to bite me in the ass.Of course, that advice was given to me by a woman who'd just been fired, so at the time I figured she meant something else entirely. Now, however, I'm beginning to understand. And I'm sure there are many out there who think I'm getting exactly what I deserve, that since I work in the "gossip" industry, I don't have the right to get upset about this at all. It's karma. I had it coming.And maybe I did. But to be fair, the entertainment industry runs on this stuff, and the business-savvy celebrities use it to their advantage. Got a movie coming out? Time to start hooking up with your costar. Or get pregnant. Or get trashed at a club and cause a scene. People like me, on the other hand? Even though I know how this industry works, I'm not quite prepared to be on the other side of things.I have to give Rafe some credit, at least. The minute he realized what was
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 35: Roman Makes His Move
This is it. I'm officially getting fired.I spend the rest of the day trying to distract myself, but it's hard to convince yourself to work when you know the end is nigh. The minutes drag on forever, but the seemingly endless wait still isn't long enough for me to come up with a reasonable excuse for my behavior of the past few days. There is no excuse.I wait until most of my coworkers have left for the day before I drag myself to my feet and march toward the conference room. I don't want anyone witnessing this. No doubt word will spread quickly, but I hope I'm gone by the time people start emailing the video to each other.When I enter the conference room, Roman is, as usual, bent over his laptop. His phone buzzes, but he doesn't answer it. He doesn't look up at me, but he gestures to the chair across from him."I'll be with you in a minute," he says.I don't answer. I just sink into the chair and try to gauge his mood. As usual, his stoic exterior gives nothing away. This is ju
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 36: Crossing Professional Lines
My boss just told me he wants me. I can't believe it."You do?" The words fall out of my mouth.Roman smiles. "I don't think I've exactly made a secret of that fact, my little seductress. You know that quite well."I have no response for that. My heart is beating so loudly in my ears that I'm not sure I've even heard him right. But you knew, a little voice in my head tells me. You knew all this time, you just didn't buy it.Roman is watching my response carefully. "Does that frighten you?"Yes. No. Honestly, I have no clue. But at the same time, the longer I stare in his eyes, the more I feel like my body's reaction is beyond my control."It... confuses me," I admit finally."Because you don't know how you feel." It's not a question."Because I don't believe you."His thumb brushes across my jaw and up to the soft valley between my chin and my bottom lip. "Why not?""I'm not..." How do I even begin to explain? "You... you could have any girl you wanted.""And?""And I don't
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 37: The Truth
I rub my arms and wander over to the window, trying to sift through my feelings. My body knows what it wants. And it's been a long time since I've had any sort of sex - maybe I should allow myself to have some fun. After all, I almost hooked up with a celebrity in the bathroom of a diner last night. Maybe I'm at the beginning of a new, sexually adventurous stage of my life - shouldn't I explore it a little more before writing it off?But when I glance back at Roman and feel the butterflies flutter in my stomach, I'm not so sure. That incident with Rafe was sexy and exciting - at the time. Today, it feels a lot more like a mistake. Something I'd rather forget about. And Rafe, attractive as he is, doesn't have half the effect on me as the man at the other end of this room. I'm already in over my head. If I allow myself to start something with this man, even knowing that it will just be a fling, I'm only going to end up getting hurt.There. I've made my decision. But as Roman ends his c
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 38: Questions and Answers
Roman shrugs as he answers my question, apparently unconcerned."Everyone is mean-spirited or insecure, Felicia," he says plainly. "Some just more so than others.""And what are your opinions, then, on the people who put these magazines together?" I ask. "The ones who perpetuate all of this?" I hate that I sound as emotional as I do, but his condescension is getting to me. Is this how he sees me?Roman seems to realize how his words are coming across, because his face softens a little and he walks over to me."Why is this important to you, Felicia?" he asks. "Why are you here? Why are you busting your ass to keep this job?"It's hard to think with Roman looking at me like that, but I want to explain myself. No - I want him to know me. To see something beyond the girl who bumbles through flirtation and makes questionable sexual decisions. Suddenly that feels like the most important thing in the world."I was one of those silly, insecure people who inhaled these magazines growing u
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 39: Two Days Remaining (And A Different Kind of Lesson)
For our next lesson, Roman wants to take me to a bar across town. It's right next to one of the big studios, so he says they sometimes get actors popping in after filming. Television actors, for the most part, not any major A-listers - but he claims he wants me to get more comfortable talking to famous men, and this seems like the easiest way to do it.This is the point where I know I should probably tell him about the incident with Rafe, to tell him that I somehow managed to be flirtatious and interesting when it really mattered. That I managed to control my awkward, nervous impulses and capture the interest of one of the Fontaines. But there's no way to mention the progress I've made without also confessing that Rafe and I almost hooked up in the bathroom, or that even now there's a video of the incident making its way around the internet. If I'd managed to score an interview, that would have been one thing. But all I have to show for that night is the hickey I'm still hiding beneat
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 40: Roman's House
A short while later, we're driving through one of the swankiest parts of Beverly Hills. I try not to gape at the elaborate gates and mansions on either side of the road. I should have seen this coming - I mean, the guy's a billionaire - but that doesn't keep me from freaking out a little. I can't believe I get to see where Roman Everet lives. That silly fantasy about being his girlfriend and experiencing all of the corresponding luxuries is getting easier and easier to imagine.Calm down, Felicia, I remind myself. You know what he wants, and it isn't to introduce you to his parents or anything.I bite down on my lip as he finally pulls into a driveway. There's a huge metal gate in front of us with a giant "E" etched on the front. He hits a button in the car, and the gate swings slowly open.As he pulls down the driveway, there's just enough light from the setting sun to cast the grounds in a dark bronze hue. But my eyes go straight to the house - which is a huge, modern stucco with
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 41: The Next Lesson
My heart leaps into my throat. "We're doing it here? At your house?"He gives a dark chuckle. "You've already kicked off your shoes. Besides, there are certain lessons that are better to do in private, where there's no one to disturb us."I take a long sip of my wine. He wants us to be alone. To do this lesson in private. Was this his plan all along, to get me to come back to his house? No, I tell myself. He knows what he does to me. He knows that all he had to do was ask. That call back in the car was legitimate - why is he suddenly changing our plans for the evening? But "why" isn't the most important question - that distinction belongs to the what."What are we going to do?" I ask, trying to keep my voice from revealing how much my body is already responding to the suggestion.Roman is sitting on the lounge chair with his knees facing me. I'm looking out across the pool, but out of the corner of my eye I see him smile."Not we," he says, amusement in his voice. "You."Oh. I'm
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