Unable to find someone to love you?

It was such a shame that such a handsome man was certifiably batshit crazy, Emmaline thought to herself.

The amazingly attractive man waited expectantly for her answer after proposing a love contract completely out of the blue.

"What's wrong with you?" Was the first thing she said when she finally regained the power of speech.

Now, that surprised him. His piercing green eyes widened and he opened his mouth as if to question her but she forged ahead.

"Are you unable to find someone to love you and that's why you have to hire someone?" She asked, deadpan and in her straightforward fashion.

"No, man," Handsome guy laughed, "I need to convince my parents that I'm in love with someone before they let me inherit the family business."

Emmaline took a small step back as she registered his immaculately tailored suit, probably a hundred times more expensive than whatever she was wearing.

Oh, he was rich. Filthy rich.

Then she realized he had called her 'man' and looked down at herself.

Oh my god.

She was dressed as a man. Speaking like a man. He had just watched her audition for a part. As. A. Man.

He thought she was male.

And he was asking her for a love contract.

Suddenly, she felt bad about asking him what was wrong.

Gay men already faced so much prejudice, it must be even harder for them to find love.

She felt her face heat with shame.

The best thing to do would be to come clean and explain that she was actually a girl and so, wasn't fit for the job.

"I can't do it," She started, trying to pitch her voice higher, closer to her usual speaking tone.

Unfortunately, Handsome Gay Guy seemed to just take it as panic on her part.

"Sorry, my bad," He revealed a dimple with a half grin, "I went in too fast. My name is Ashton Wright and I really need someone who can act as if they're in a real relationship with me so that my parents will let me inherit the company."

"And you can't find someone to date you for real?" Emmaline couldn't help but ask curiously. He was so attractive, surely even if he was batting for the other team he would be snapped up immediately.

He flashed her a smile that made her breath catch a little.

"I can," He sounded confident but not cocky in the way certain men were, "I just don't want to. I need to focus on the business, not on a relationship."

Emmaline nodded in understanding.

He wanted to dedicate himself to work! That made sense.

Then she caught herself nodding and quickly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, you don't understand, I still can't-" She protested only for him to raise a hand to stall her.

"Five million dollars," He stated calmly as if he was reading out a grocery list instead of an obscene figure.

Emmaline's eyebrows shot up so high, they nearly disappeared into the fringe of her wig.

Rich people were disgusting.

They just suggested ridiculous amounts like that as if it were nothing. Emmaline knew from experience that all that money did was create arrogant monsters who treated people like dirt.

"Not enough?" He mistook her silence for hesitation and folded his arms, "Six million then."

The truth died on Emmaline's lips.

She could tell him she was a girl and walk away.

Or… She could take the job, pay for her mother's medical bills, clear her school fee debt and have enough leftover to save.

Ah, what the heck. Emmaline bit her lip, acting was acting, right?

He was already hiring her to act like she was in love with him, acting like a man on top of that was just… An embellishment!

Emmaline took a deep breath.

Rich people didn't have ethics anyway, not the rich people she knew, at least.

She just had to make sure she knew what she was getting into.

"Why a love contract? You said it couldn't be a marriage contract," She asked. She wasn't about to be conned into anything!

"Long story short? My parents are disgustingly in love and convinced that having each other is what made their businesses so successful," He ran a hand through that honey blonde hair of his.

Although his expression was exasperated, his tone was fond. A rush of jealousy filled Emmaline.

His family sounded like they really cared for each other… Quickly, she clamped down on the bitterness that rose up within her.

It doesn't matter, she told herself, his family could be a group of performing otters in the circus and as long as she got the job, it wouldn't matter.

"Deal," She stuck her hand out, now extremely aware of how small it was for a man's hand.

"I knew you'd come round," Ashton grasped her hand, his large palm warm against hers as he shook hands with her.

Again, Emmaline was struck by his smooth confidence, suave without being an arrogant prick.

Before she knew it, her hand was tugged and caught off guard, she stumbled towards him and fell into his chest.

One solid arm wrapped around her waist while the hand that had been holding hers let go so that Ashton could brush a few strands of her wig out of her eyes.

Emmaline forgot how to breathe.

Up close, Ashton was even more devastatingly handsome.

She could see the fullness of his lips, pulled into a smug smile, the slight stubble along his jaw that accentuated how sharp his bone structure was.

Worse still, she could feel the hard chest underneath her hands. For a second, she panicked before she remembered that she had bound her body in order to prepare for the audition.

Without having to worry about being found out, she went back to freaking out about being pressed up against the muscular body of the most attractive man she'd ever met.

Ashton leaned in, closing the distance between them until they were face to face.

"Just remember that whatever you do," He breathed, "Don't fall in love with me for real."