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But that would require us acknowledging each other which we haven’t done since we graduated veterinary school.

He’s famous. As the world’s “Sexiest Veterinarian Alive” with his own endangered wildlife TV series and string of glamorous girlfriends.

I’m in-famous. As the reality TV emergency veterinarian with the snark mouth, take-no-crap attitude, and zero dating life.

When asked to fake a romance with him on TV to boost my ER show’s ratings, I almost shout a no-way, but the extra money will pay off my brother’s loan shark debt.

Even though Ian broke my heart, playing his love interest shouldn’t be hard, especially if it means getting to watch him squirm.

Lines get blurred when the TV setups stop feeling fake. Can I chance this might be real love?

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He grinned. “It’s over. You don’t have to keep acting for the cameras.”

Be cool. Be tough. My emotional tank had hit empty an hour ago. All I had left was defensive grumpiness, which meant my mouth filter wouldn’t work. “I never peacock for the fucking cameras. I refuse. Actually, I can’t act. It’s why this, with you here and whatever the hell they plan to make us do, is a nightmare. I can’t pretend to like you.”

“You think pretending to like you is going to be a picnic for me?”

“Then go. Quit. Please. Let’s not do this.” I lowered my bag and glared. “Go back to what you’re good at in those set up wild animal scenarios.”

His smile fell. “You don’t think I can do this. You think I can’t do emergency medicine.”

Oh, good Lord. I’d forgotten if I pushed him by disagreeing, he’d dig his heels in and do whatever the hell it was simply to annoy me and prove he was better at it. “I’m sure you’re a great vet to dolphins and elephants. Won’t see a lot of those here. What you will see is a lot is life or death scenarios. If your medicine is rusty, those split-moment decisions might not be the right ones. Then your patient dies.”

Okay, not exactly the right thing to say to inspire him to leave.

His cheek muscle spasmed as he stalked close to me. He had a solid foot on me, not that I was intimidated. “You don’t hold the monopoly on good medicine, Amber.”

“Go prove you’re Mr. Super Sexy Smart Vet somewhere else. Anywhere that’s not here.”

He was in my space, and oh, God, he smelled good. Fresh and spicy aftershave. In a job rife with terrible odors, this was heavenly.

Not heavenly. Snap out of it. 

He cocked his head and scanned down my body. Softly, he said, “You think I’m sexy?”

Oh, my. The purr of his tone made my stomach clamp. I managed to tug my gaze off his. “I’m not doing this insanity of you picking apart every word I say. Not tonight.”

I marched out of the office, only to spin around and march back to grab my cell phone off the counter. Damn Ian for putting me off my game. This frazzled, scatterbrained behavior was about to become my new norm if he was in the vicinity.

Ian smiled a radiant expanse of white teeth. “You’re scared.”

I froze. I turned back to face him.

He chuckled low. “I get it. You’ve always been scared of me…of this.”

“I. Am. Not. Scared. Let’s get one thing straight. There’s no this.” I marched away without looking back.

Oh, it was on now. No one, and I mean no one, got to accuse me of being chicken.

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USA Today bestselling author, parent, wife, veterinarian, chocolate lover. Author of spicy paranormal and contemporary romances. Zoe Forward brings readers the perfect combination of action adventure, romance, humor and a bit of magic.