From Holt With Promise

<p><strong style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>He was dating me to save his reputation... but it was all a lie.</strong></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>I've seen the pain love can cause leaving nothing but devastation in its wake. It's made me swear off love forever and now I'm more than content living my quiet life in the big city with my small group of friends.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Until the night my best friend begs me to help with her fundraising auction.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>The winning bidder's prize?</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>A date with me.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>But when the highest bidder joins me up on stage to claim what he's now owed it's more than just his surprising electric kiss that catches me off guard.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Turns out my date isn't just another big city billionaire.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>He's Holt Capuleti.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Owner of Scribe Magazine.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Self-described bachelor.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>And my best friend's older brother.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>At first I refuse to follow through with going on a date... until Holt reveals his true intentions. Reluctantly I agree to play at being his girlfriend all to turn the focus of the media attention away from his looming lawsuit.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>But once the scandal dies down and the cameras stop pointing in our direction we still can't seem to keep our mouths and hands to ourselves.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Before I realize what's happened Holt has managed to break through the walls of my heart and the longer we keep up the pretense the more I begin to understand that Holt has secrets of his own-secrets that make him offer me a perfect forever.</span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>But how can I promise him forever in return when I'm not even certain forever exists?</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(15 17 17 1)>Or if I can ever allow myself to love at all...</span></p>