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Chapter 7: So. . . I Guess We're Doing This
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The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 8: I Am Really Bad At Picking Up Men
Chuck's not much of a conversationalist. Or maybe he's figured out that I couldn't name a single professional baseball player if my life depended on it. Either way, he doesn't say a word to me. And I, panicked and confused as I am, don't say a word to him. I feel like I should comment on the game, to at least try to make this work, but I know that I'll reveal my lie as soon as I open my mouth. And all I can think about is how Roman is watching me, waiting for me to make my move. The pressure is building with every passing second. I need to say something. Anything."What else do you like?" I ask him.He's still looking at the TV. "Hm?""What else do you like? Besides baseball, I mean. And chili fries."He shrugs, still watching the game. "Football. Basketball. Not really into hockey.""Ah." Is he making this hard on purpose? Is he not interested in me after all? If not, then why did he invite me to sit down?I have the urge to look back at Roman again, as if somehow his expression
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 9: Seven Days Remaining (And I'm Still Awful At This)
If I felt like an idiot at the bar, I feel even worse the following morning. My head is killing me. Yeah, that's definitely the last time I trust the promises of a Long Island Iced Tea. That bitch.It's Saturday, which is when I'd normally sleep in, but for some reason I told Roman I'd meet him for lunch so we can discuss my strategy. I still have no idea why I agreed. Oh, right - I was drunk and stupid last night.As I pull on my jeans, I consider calling and canceling. The thought of facing him after last night makes me want to throw up - but on the other hand, that might just be the hangover. With my luck, I'll take one look at him and get sick all over his shiny designer shoes.The more I think about it, though, the more I realize that for some weird reason, I want to go. It doesn't matter if Roman actually believes I can pull this off, or if he's only doing this for his own pleasure. This is my chance to show him how far I'm willing to go for this job - and to learn a couple of
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 10: A Lesson
The way Roman says that I should think of this as an 'opportunity' makes me all tingly.I give a nervous laugh. "An opportunity to humiliate myself?""I was thinking more along the lines of an opportunity to... expand your horizons a little."There's a suggestiveness in his tone, and it makes panic rise in me anew."Tell me," he says, "do you think you're attractive?"That question doesn't make this any easier. "I - I mean, I don't think I'm hideous.""That's not what I asked.""I... I'm pretty enough," I say. "I mean, I'm not going to be winning any beauty contests anytime soon, but I'm not afraid I'm going to die alone or anything." Not yet, anyway. "One day I'll meet a nice guy who thinks I'm beautiful no matter what and we'll settle down and have perfectly average little babies."Roman looks thoughtful. "Is that really what you believe? That you're just 'average'?""Don't say it like that." I fiddle with the edge of the tablecloth. "Objectively speaking, it's the truth. An
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 11: The Power of Touch
I want to lie, but I know there's no point."You grabbed my arm when I tried to stand up," I say finally."Grabbed it?""No - not grabbed. I mean you took my arm. You just... just set your hand there."He nods. "And then?"And then what? I don't know where he's going with this, but I'd be squirming if his eyes weren't pinning me to my seat."And then you left it there," I say. "You didn't move it.""I didn't move it at all?" His voice is even, objective, like he's quizzing me on my homework or something. Somehow, that makes this interrogation worse."You moved your fingers a couple of times," I say after a moment."Which fingers?""I don't know.""I think you do."He's right, I do. But I'll be damned if I admit it to him. Cheeks flaming, I jerk my arm away from him, and he sits back, seemingly unperturbed."Touch is a very powerful tool," he says. "And very intimate. Humans are biologically designed to respond to it. It usually signals attraction or affection - or aggressi
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 12: The Test
Roman's breath is warm against my ear.I have no idea what he's going to ask me, but I nod. "Okay."His phone buzzes on the table, but he seems to ignore it."What color is my shirt?" he asks.I'm not sure what I was expecting, but certainly something that was a little more relevant to our situation at hand."Blue," I say after thinking for a moment. "Grayish-blue.""Very good. And my pants?""Dark gray.""And my watch?"That one stumps me. I rack my brain, trying to remember what his watch looked like, but I can't. I don't remember a watch at all."I don't know," I tell him finally."What about my eyes?"My face goes hot. "Uh... hazel, mostly.""Mostly?"My fingers find the edge of the tablecloth again. "They're greener today.""Mm. And what did I order to eat?"That question seems a little out of left field, and anyway, I never heard him order. Heck, even though we've been eating for a full ten minutes now, I've been so focused on figuring out how to touch him I never
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 13: Seducing My Boss
I knew this question was coming, but that doesn't make me any more prepared for it. How the hell do I answer that? I couldn't even seduce some random dude in a bar, and my boss is way, way more intimidating."I-I would be subtle," I tell him after a moment, though I know that's too obvious. "Pretend I wasn't interested in you at all. Not in that way, I mean. Obviously I'd have to show some interest or have some excuse to interact with you..."When I don't go on, he raises an eyebrow. "Is that all?""I guess... I guess I'd need an excuse to get close to you," I say. "Maybe something work related. Or... or something else non-sexual. I don't know. Isn't this what you're supposed be teaching me?""Understand, I'm not doing this to put you on the spot," he says, straightening. "I'm doing this because no matter which of the Fontaines you approach, you're going to be facing a similar challenge. These are men who have their pick of women. It's not going to be as simple as seducing an avera
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 14: Six Days Remaining (And Things Are Getting Real)
The following day, I'm still not sure what to make of my lunch with Roman. I have no idea whether my first "lesson" went well or went poorly - or even if my self-appointed teacher believes I've made any progress.What I do know is that I need to continue to up my game before the Hollywood Saves! event, so I've taken it upon myself to do some extra research on my potential targets. It's not unusual for me to spend my Sundays with a pile of celebrity news magazines, or combing the popular gossip blogs for the week's biggest stories, but today my reading is a little more focused. Today is all about the Fontaines.I've been intrigued by the Fontaine family since I was a little girl, since the very first time I saw a picture of Giovanna and Charles Fontaine on the cover of a magazine at the supermarket. They looked so beautiful, so glamorous - the perfect, classic Hollywood couple. After that, I inhaled everything I could find about them - every magazine article, every biography, every mo
The Fontaines of Hollywood series: The Secret to Seduction Chapter 15: I Am So Not Ready For This
Roman's assistant seems to realize that this is his cue to leave. He stacks all of the files in front of him and gathers them up, and he shoots me a strange glance as he leaves the room. I suddenly wonder if I should be worried.When I turn back to Roman, I find him looking me up and down. He frowns slightly."Did you run all the way here?" he asks."Just up the stairs." I grab my hair, suddenly aware of how much of a mess I must look. My hair tends to go frizzy under the best of conditions, and when I reach up, I realize that sprint up the stairs didn't help. I quickly comb my fingers through the strands, trying to tame them and wishing I'd had the foresight to grab a hair tie or at least a couple of bobby pins.Roman has risen from his seat, and he walks slowly over to me while I try to make myself presentable. When he gets to me, he reaches out - and my breath catches as his hand moves past my breast and under my arm, as if he means to draw me toward him.Instead, half a second
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