My heart flutters in my chest as they walk across the stage toward each other.
The concept of today’s show is that they're going to play the game, never have I ever. Where one person says something they’ve never done, and the other person loses a point if they have. I know what the show runners are going for.
They want Kayden to say things like, “Never have I ever had a threesome.”
And then the glamorous and attractive Hallie will lose a point, and Kayden and Hallie will look at each other meaningfully, with lots of heat in the air, further fueling the online speculation.
Hallie skips across the stage and makes to hug Kayden. He takes a step back, a frown touching his serious lips.
“Shall we get started?” he says gruffly.
His voice is taut, as though it’s causing him physical pain to be on the stage. I feel the same pain in my chest, my heart beating so loud I can hear it in my ears.
Hallie is unfazed, tossing her head. “Sure, I’m ready for anything.”
She speaks in a flirty way, leaving no question that when she says anything, she means it.
They sit opposite each other, a small table separating them. There’s a buzzer on each side. The idea is that when one of them has done something, they will press the buzzer and lose a point. They both start at ten. When one of them reaches zero, the game is over. If Kayden wins, he gets to make a request of Hallie, and the same goes for Hallie if Kayden loses.
My nerves spike when I think about what Hallie might ask of Kayden if she wins.
“Never have I ever… kissed someone,” Hallie says, with a grin.
Kayden looks at the camera. No, past the camera.
He’s staring right at me.
I’m standing in the shadow, but it’s not completely dark. He must be able to make out my hazy outline. I give him a thumbs-up, remembering how important this is for his company. He needs my support, even if it tears me up inside.
Kayden presses the button.
“Never have I ever,” he says, “drank a glass of water.”
Hallie pouts at him as she touches her button. “Hey, I thought this was supposed to be fun.”
Kayden is doing a terrible job at pretending to be attracted to her. His lips are tight, his eyes narrowed. He looks like he’s on the verge of flipping the table.
“Never have I ever…” Hallie leans forward, hands clasped, a wicked grin on her face. “Had sex with a stranger.”
Kayden keeps his hands in his lap, staring at her.
Hallie giggles and shakes her head. “Oh, you good boy.”
“Never have I ever…”
Kayden pauses, turning to me again. His features are tight. Seconds pass, causing Hallie to fidget, and still, Kayden doesn’t turn away from me. His gaze sears across the studio, making me feel spotlighted. Like I’m the only woman he can see, he wants to see.
Then he sighs, standing. “I’m sorry, everybody, but I can’t do this.”
Gasps fill the studio, followed quickly by silence as the crew remembers their training. We’re on live television and we need complete quiet on set.
Kayden stares into the camera. “I’ve found someone else, someone not on the show. She’s beautiful, smart, funny, interesting, and talented, and I’m not going to disrespect her by pretending I’m attracted to anyone else. I know how much it would kill me if the positions were reversed. I don’t mean any disrespect to any of the contestants. But I just can’t…”
Hallie stares at him open-mouthed as he stalks off the stage, reaching into his shirt to remove the microphone.
I feel like I’m locked in place, my mind sluggish as I struggle to make sense of what just happened. I blink, as though reality is going to waver and return him to the stage.
But then he’s standing right in front of me, a crooked smile on his face. His eyes glinting almost mischievously.
“Come with me, Kyra.”
The whole studio is watching, dozens of eyes turned to us. Hallie is still sitting on the stage, her mouth in a rictus O of surprise.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” I murmur.
He smirks. “Yes, I’m sure. I meant what I said. I refuse to disrespect you. You don’t deserve it.”
My heart gives a kick as he takes my hand and leads me toward the exit. I squeeze tightly onto his touch, savoring his warmth and his closeness.
I know there are going to be consequences. I know it might affect his business and my job with the studio.
But right now I don’t care.
All I can think about is how warm he feels, how close, how mine he is.
“I can’t believe you did that,” I say as we walk across the parking lot toward his car.
He spins and loops his arms around me, guiding his lips down to meet mine.