Free Love Script by Tiffany Ashley

Zelmans. We bumped into each other in the hal . Zelman extended a dinner invitation,” he finished with a triumphant smile.
    “I guess that makes dinner for six,” Nick said with an equal y gloating smile.
    Cooper’s gaze settled back on Laney. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He grinned at Nick. “See you at dinner.”

CHAPTER

5

    After their run-in with Cooper, Nick had little to say for the next hour. They walked the open deck hand in hand in total silence. In truth, he was more irritated with Laney than he was with Cooper Wright.
    Her obvious fancy for Cooper was the least of his problems. He was beginning to question her ability to pose as a credible spouse. Sure, Cooper knew she wasn’t real y married to him, but their encounter had been a frosty one. When he’d put his hand on her hip, she’d gone completely stiff. Her body language screamed she was single and interested in Cooper’s attention.
    The reality of the situation was he couldn’t care less if Cooper screwed Laney. Hel , he could have at her every night of this blasted cruise, so long as Nick got what he came for: the Zelman account. Being the resourceful person he knew himself to be, he tried to consider Cooper and Laney’s attraction as an advantage. If Cooper focused on Laney, Nick could take ful advantage of Wil iam Zelman. Yet the probabilities of things going wrong were extremely high. If Laney let her attraction for Cooper become obvious, Nick would look like an idiot to Zelman.
    Zelman wouldn’t see him as a reliable marketing consultant but as a moron who couldn’t control his wife. Nick would have to talk to her.
    They retreated back to the room to rest. Deciding frankness was the best method of attack, Nick waited until Laney finished washing her face before addressing her.
    “We need to talk.”

    Laney did not like the sound of that. Nick had barely said a word since the Cooper incident. She’d already figured out that Cooper was the “competitor” Nick had mentioned earlier. Cooper obviously knew she and Nick weren’t real y married. Nick was upset with something, and she was struggling to convince herself that she wasn’t to blame.
    “This is business, Laney, so I’m going to be blunt.”
    “Okay,” she said cautiously.
    “This deal is very important to Sinclair Corp, which makes it important to me. When we are in the presence of the Zelmans, your job is to be my wife.
    Nothing else.”
    “You’ve already covered this with me earlier.” She could feel her irritation rising.
    “After seeing you and Cooper together, I feel the need to reiterate my position. Stick to the plan, Laney.”
    “I wil ,” she snapped.
    “I’m serious. This isn’t just fun and games. I’m here for business purposes only. Whatever plans you and Coop have in mind need to be handled with discretion.”
    She folded her arms across her chest. She barely knew Mr. Sinclair, and he had already categorized her as a slut. “Exactly what are you trying to say?”
    When he clenched his jaw, a muscle ticked in his cheek. “You know exactly what I’m saying, but let me spel it out for you.” He fixed her with a hard stare.
    “Don’t make it so obvious that you want to sleep with Cooper.”
    She gasped. He might as wel have slapped her.
    Tears sprang to her eyes. Her feelings were hurt, but right now anger was the apex of her emotions.
    Unfortunately, she had a habit of crying when she was real y upset. Not very mature, but it was a fact.
    She quickly brushed her tears away and turned her back on him. The last thing she wanted him to see was her vulnerability. She straightened her back. “I’l see you at dinner.” With that, she marched into the bathroom and slammed the door.

    Nick cursed. Things just kept getting better. He had a knack for dealing with irrational women lately.
    Perhaps he’d been a little out of line with her, but he did not regret his words. She needed to hear them.
    She needed to understand this was strictly