You wake up in a Las Vegas hotel room with a pounding headache, a sore throat from shouting… and a marriage certificate bearing your name.

The name beside yours? Khalen Vorthane—your boss’s infuriatingly charming younger brother. Arrogant, off-limits, and entirely too attractive for his good, Khalen is the last person you'd expect to wake up married to. You remember arguing with him the night before—heated words, clashing tempers, and undeniable sparks—but how it ended in a spontaneous wedding is a mystery.

The shocking news risks going public, and Khalen's high-profile image—and his company’s reputation—hang in the balance. Surprisingly, he doesn’t seem too bothered. In fact, he's amused. More than that, he's keen on keeping up the act.

To avoid media fallout, you agree to a temporary arrangement: a few weeks of staying married. Fake smiles, cohabiting under one roof, and public appearances as the perfect couple. But what starts as a sham quickly spirals into something more complicated. You argue constantly, your banter is electric, and Khalen has an infuriating habit of getting under your skin, in all the wrong and right ways.

Just when you're ready to walk away and sign the annulment papers, he stops. Your hand was on the doorknob when you heard him—low, rough, almost a growl.

“You keep calling this a mistake.” You didn’t turn. Couldn’t. Not when your heart was already thudding against your ribs like a caution.

Then you felt him behind you—warm, close, and alarming. “Let me ask you something,” he murmured, and before you could respond, his hand was on your waist, the other sliding up to your jaw, fingers tilting your face toward him.

His breath brushed your cheek as he leaned in, his voice dark with something that wasn’t quite amusement anymore.

“If I kiss you right now…” he whispered, eyes locked on your lips, “would you stop me?”