EVELYN squinted her eyes as the blinding flashes of light— from the reporters' cameras— flickered from every angle of the conference hall.

She wasn't used to this. Being in the spotlight and receiving this sort of attention was a little overwhelming for her.

Jason, on the other hand, was totally unperturbed and doing his thing like the pro he was. He was no doubt in his own world.

Evelyn glanced at Jason from the corner of her eyes who was seated right by her side holding her hand and at some point, he kissed the back of her hand like any lover would do.

It had taken them a whole week to plan this press conference. They had to come up with a back story on how they met and how they became a couple.

Something striking. Something believable that would convince the press and viewers.

Evelyn had moved into his house two days before the press conference even though her family wasn't too happy about it.

She finally gathered her courage and told her mother and grandma about her plans to seek justice for her sister's murder and how she was going to live with Jason to achieve that.

They had both bluntly told her it was a bad idea to go up against people with money and power.

Her mother had straight-up forbade her going saying she didn't want to lose her too like she lost her sister, but she'd made up her mind and nothing could change it.

Since then, her mother hadn't spoken a word to her.

The only person who was psyched up about the whole situation was Livvy.

Evelyn had skimped on her real intent for living with Jason. She'd told her the story everyone else was supposed to believe.

Livvie had been, at first, suspicious because she knew how much Evelyn despised Jason, but her fan fever had gotten the better of her making her screech the roofs off, leaping with euphoria.

It stung her badly to lie to her niece but she wasn't going to let her bear the pain she'd been holding up for years.

She was going to have to let her know about it someday, though. But not in the near future.

A question directed to her by a reporter dragged her out of her thoughts.

This was her life now. The billionaire superstar's significant other.

Well, at least for six months.

She didn't want to be his girlfriend but it was a good opportunity to figure out what the hell was Jason's connection to her sister's death and have a sweet satisfying revenge on him.

They both stood up as Jason made his closing speech and then without overthinking it, he captured her wrist and gently reeled her in. He kissed her gently as his hands curled around her waist.

Evelyn's hands landed on his shoulders. His lips were soft on top of hers. And for a breath-stealing moment, she almost lost herself in the kiss.

The reporters went crazy flashing their cameras trying to get every angle.

In the end, he released her and stepped back.

For a long second, their gazes locked. His eyes were nothing so simple as grey. They were dark at the outer rim, like midnight, but lighter near the pupil.

He flashed her a smug grin and then turned to greet the reporters one last time, and then he pulled her out of there.

It was almost seven in the evening when Jason eventually punched in the password and staggered into the hallway of his house.

What a day!

"Kissing me wasn't part of the plan." Evelyn protested behind him the moment they got into the safety of Jason's house. Away from the reporters that lurked around the house.

That was the first thing she said to him since they left the press conference. Jason had noticed she was being quieter than usual, ignoring him throughout the forty-minute ride home. She didn't even look at him.

She wasn't really mad about the kiss, was she?

He'd been known to be a good kisser by all the women he'd been with. It would be a blow to his pride if she thought otherwise.

"We had to make them believe we were in LOVE, remember?" Jason chuckled deep in his throat. "Besides, you seemed mesmerized by the kiss earlier."

Jason tilted his head to the side giving her his usual once-over. He had to admit, she looked stunning today. She wore a red dress with a halter neckline that left her shoulders bare. The back plunged to the base of her spine. Though there were no adornments at all, the fabric was a slubbed-silk blend that moved and swayed as she walked. The dress was designed to make a statement. Evelyn Rodriguez is IN the building.

She was fashionable, he had to give her that.

Evelyn crossed her arms and wrinkled her nose. "Get over yourself, Jason." She said slowly. "I only played along for the camera."

"So why are you getting offended about it now?"

"Because the one guy who I'd ever want to kiss me might be watching the news."

She walked past him deliberately bumping her shoulder on his arm as she stormed up the stairs heading towards one of Jason's guest rooms she now occupied as her room.

Jason tagged behind her. For some strange reason, he was curious to find out more about this guy.

"You have a boyfriend? And he's letting you stay at another man's house? He must be one honorable man." Jason interposed sarcastically.

"He's not my boyfriend. At least not yet. But I intend to make him mine," she replied without facing him still storming up the stairs. When she finally got to her room, she got in and turned around to look him straight in the eyes, smiling wickedly. "And yes, he's a very honorable man... which no one can say the same for you."

With that, she slammed the door right in his face. And bolted the lock.

What a woman!

She had a knack for dragging out the dormant beast in him. How was he ever going to survive six months with her?

Jason turned around and walked toward his room.

They had drafted a contract regarding their living-together relationship which included being allowed to date whoever they wanted behind the cameras as long as they date discreetly from the eyes of reporters until the six months was over.

Jason had specifically requested that clause. There was no way he was getting with just her as the only woman in his life for six bloody months.

Evelyn had added a few clauses of hers to the contract that benefited her too.

And at the end of the six months, they had to spend living together, she was supposed to give them the flash drive and never blackmail him with it ever again.

He turned the handle of his door and walked into his room. Tossing his phone on his king-size bed he walked toward the bathroom.

The woman might be wholly annoying in an obnoxious kind of way, but there was no denying she was Gorgeous— capital G intended. With that pretty small face and that body— so slender yet so curvy. Not to mention those tight dark curls that made a man want to reach out and touch. Her lips— GOOD GOD— those Cupid's bow lips he'd covered with his own were all full and succulent.

In fact, there was plenty of her that made a man hard as iron.

Jason gave himself a mental kick. What's wrong with you, man? Get a grip.

Leaning his hands on the bathroom counter, he looked in the mirror and he gave himself a pep talk.

"Don't be stupid, Jason. She's not interested in you and you shouldn't be either. Stop thinking about her."

It was a good speech. Maybe even a great one. Despite that, when he got into his bed to sleep of the impending fatigue, he found himself awake filled with thoughts of the bustling bundle of beauty sleeping in the other room.

****

"Asshole!" Evelyn grumbled under her breath not bothering to turn on the light. She yanked the dress off her body furiously it was a wonder it didn't snap. It was one of her favorite masterpieces but at the moment she didn't care the least bit.

Who the hell does he think he is? It was bad enough he'd stolen her virginity from her. Now he was going around stealing kisses from her like she belonged to him.

Instinctively, she wiped her mouth with her hand. He could have any girl he wanted. But not her. Not again.

If anybody was going to get the benefit of touching her, it would be that blonde jade-green-eyed doctor— and, boy, did that sound seedy all of a sudden.

Ah, Matt! Yes, darling, debonair, dishy Matt Johnson. THERE YOU GO, THAT IS A MAN WORTH GIVING MY HEART TO.

He'd taken an impromptu trip to Miami the day all her problems had started to visit a sick relative.

He was totally oblivious to what was going on over here and she had deliberately not told him about it so as not to add to his problems. She needed to tell him when he got back before he started getting false impressions of the situation.

Matt had told her he was coming back to Los Angeles in a week. Evelyn was stunned at how glad she was about that.

A smile spread across her face.

Doris was right after all. She was starting to have feelings for Matt. And had no clue if it was a good thing or not, considering her situation.

Just as she was about to reach for the light switch, her phone rang out from her bag. Who could it be? She scrambled around in her bag, terrified that it would ring off before she found her phone in the near darkness, and flicked it open, instantly creating a bright panel of light.

She smiled sheepishly down at the screen.

It was Matt. Speak of connection. He always had a thing for showing up when she thought or talked about him.

Evelyn was about to pick it up but then she hesitated. What if he'd seen the news about her dating Jason? Definitely, the news was all over the map by now. What if he now hated her and wanted nothing to do with her again?

She winced inwardly at the thought.

"Hi, Matt." She answered finally, trying to keep her nerves calm. "How's Miami?"

"Good." He replied rather flatly. "Evy?"

"Yes, Matt." There was something about the tone of his voice that made her chest tighten up. He definitely had seen the news.

She gulped waiting for all hell to let loose.

"Are you really..." He trailed off. She froze his voice sounded a little gloomy and drained of energy. "Mmm. Nevermind."

"Matt. Listen, I think we need to talk when you get back to LA. I'll explain everything down to the last detail. It's not what it seems like. I promise."

"Ok." Now he sounded more spirited than earlier. "See you in a week's time. You owe me a date after all."