In this episode, we dive into the contemporary romance book, The Marriage Bet by Olivia Hayle. This is the second book in The Billionaire Games series.
During this episode, we discuss how a marriage of convenience that starts out with an email has us immediately intrigued, why the banter in this book is absolute perfection, how much we loved watching Paige and Rafe continually poke at each other, the fantastic character development that happens throughout the book, why we’ll never look at a tennis court the same way again, and why this book is our favorite in the series so far. Plus, we cannot forget about the spice. We’re giving this book a three-and-half-pepper rating.
Steph: Hey, everyone, I'm Steph.
Megan: And I'm Megan.
Steph: And welcome to another episode of Late Night Reads.
Megan: This week, we are talking contemporary romance and covering The Marriage Bet by Olivia Hayle.
Steph: So let's start with why we selected The Marriage Bet.
Steph: First, we have not read a billionaire book that we didn't love.
Steph: And we devoured the first book in the series, The Faking Game, when it came out.
Steph: So this one was added to our TBR list immediately.
Steph: Plus, Rafael is all the things we love in a MMC.
Steph: He's tortured, he's hot, he's moody, and he's willing to do anything for the ones that he loves.
Steph: The banter.
Steph: This book has some of the best banter that I have ever read.
Megan: It's pretty good banter.
Megan: Like, top notch.
Steph: Top notch.
Steph: And how can we forget the tennis court?
Steph: Never expected to read a spicy scene on a tennis court, and I'm very grateful we did.
Megan: Very grateful, but have many questions.
Steph: We'll get to those.
Megan: But here are a few things that you should know about the author, Olivia Hayle.
Megan: She is a hopeless romantic who loves billionaire heroes.
Megan: Same.
Megan: Despite never having met one.
Megan: Same.
Megan: So she took matters into her own hands, and she creates them on the page instead.
Megan: So they are stern, charming, cold, or brooding, but so far she's never met a fictional billionaire she didn't like.
Megan: A voracious reader of romance, Olivia picked up the pen a few years back, and what followed was nothing short of a love affair.
Megan: And now she spends her days chuckling at the steamy banter that she's writing or smoothy nut and all of her happily ever afters.
Megan: And she has been writing contemporary romance novels since 2019.
Steph: So before we jump into discussing this book, a couple of key reminders.
Steph: As always, this episode will contain spoilers.
Steph: We assume if you're listening, you have read the book, you have been warned.
Steph: And this book and therefore this episode will contain topics that may be sensitive for some readers, including anxiety, blood, bullying, car accident, death, emotional abuse, and PTSD.
Megan: And now let's talk to tropes.
Megan: Woo!
Megan: So first up, of course, we have an enemies to lovers.
Megan: Rafe and his father have spent years secretly buying up shares in Paige's company with the hopes of one day taking over control.
Megan: Rude.
Megan: Not to mention, Rafe has some serious hatred of Paige's uncle Ben, who literally is a psycho.
Megan: He like legit paid people to like pretend and stalk Rafe's sister, Nora.
Megan: And I'm like, that's not cool, dude.
Megan: So he's got some serious issues with uncle Ben, which I don't blame.
Megan: But that kind of adds a little bit of the animosity between the two of them.
Megan: Even though Paige did not know about this.
Megan: Next, we have marriage of convenience.
Megan: Paige literally starts off by asking Rafe to marry her so that she can gain control of her company and kick out her creepy uncle, who has also, by the way, been intentionally running the company into the ground.
Megan: So this also suits Rafe's interest, because again, he hates Ben too.
Megan: He's like, yeah, I don't like that douche.
Megan: I'll marry you, they'll piss that guy off.
Megan: Then next, we have billionaire.
Megan: Love this journey for all of us.
Megan: Rafe's company owns an overwhelming number of luxury brands and is basically a king in the industry.
Megan: He has so much money that he doesn't know what to do with it.
Megan: It just hands her a black AMEX card and says, go to town, the limit does not exist.
Megan: And I'm like, can I have that please?
Megan: Can I have your black AMEX card?
Megan: Thank you very much.
Steph: Please share it.
Megan: Please share, please share the class.
Megan: Then we have a one bed trope.
Megan: So when everyone comes to Lake Como for their so-called real wedding, Paige and Rafe have to share a bed to keep up the appearances.
Megan: Oh, no.
Steph: What will we do?
Megan: What will we do?
Megan: I got some ideas.
Megan: And the funny thing is that doesn't stop after everyone leaves.
Megan: They're like, hmm, this worked out for us.
Megan: I guess we'll stay together.
Megan: Yay.
Megan: And then lastly, we have found family.
Megan: Paige's parents unfortunately died when she was in college, and she hasn't really had a whole lot of close family sense, especially given how poorly her uncle has treated her.
Megan: And again, her uncle's a douche.
Megan: We don't like him.
Megan: So then after marrying Rafe, she becomes part of his family and part of his friend group, and finally feels like she belongs somewhere.
Megan: So very happy ending in that round.
Steph: Okay.
Steph: In terms of drama, did not expect a marriage of convenience to start off with Paige sending an email to Rafe, asking if he would marry her to gain majority control of her family business.
Steph: All I thought was, can you imagine his face like when he received it?
Steph: Like, excuse me, what?
Steph: Or his assistant?
Megan: Yeah, he's like, let me check my emails really quick.
Megan: A marriage proposal?
Megan: Well, well, well.
Steph: Well, so she current, how romantic?
Steph: She currently controls 30 percent of the company and will receive another 10 percent from the trust when she marries for love.
Steph: Because in this whole billionaire series, there are lots of weird trust things that happen in regarding marriage that allow them to take over control or not.
Steph: So this, those shares combine with the ones that Rafael has been accumulating over the years will enable them to take the business away from Ben and kick them out.
Steph: So she has like really simple requirements.
Steph: Ben gets kicked out.
Steph: Done.
Steph: Rafael respects the integrity of the company and invests in its success, which is a very vague statement.
Steph: We should have nailed that down further.
Steph: And then they have to pretend to be in love publicly to fulfill the requirements of her trust.
Steph: And Rafael just responds, I can meet your demands.
Steph: All my lawyers draw up the paperwork.
Steph: So romantic, you guys.
Steph: So romantic.
Steph: And that's how Paige ends up at the courthouse, preparing to marry him, having never met him.
Steph: I think that we should have at least spent like five minutes getting to know each other before we signed agreements to have our lives tied together forever, because that's kind of like what happens.
Steph: Yeah, just like a little bit.
Steph: And her best friend Amy is like, I'm not a big fan of this idea, but like you should meet him.
Steph: And Paige is like, it doesn't matter.
Steph: And I'm like, you're not a very good friend, Amy.
Megan: Like, yeah.
Steph: You should be like, girl, no.
Steph: Anyways, it's basically a business transaction in Paige's mind.
Steph: I'm like, count down till how long that lasts.
Steph: In fact, Paige is planning to make this marriage more difficult for Rafael, starting with taking an extremely long time before going into the room to have the wedding, making him wait on purpose.
Steph: And she continues to do so.
Steph: In fact, she's hoping to piss them off enough that he'll eventually divorce her.
Steph: Because if he divorces her, then the company becomes hers again and vice versa.
Steph: They have this quick like five minute wedding, then they have to take photos together for this like one page profile in the New York Globe, and they cannot even stand to be in the same proximity of each other, let alone touch each other.
Steph: And I'm like, how is this going to work?
Megan: Yeah, I'm like, you're really selling the love here, guys.
Steph: The love is strong.
Megan: It's so strong, we can't be close to each other.
Steph: Right.
Megan: It's like magnets, they're so strong, but they have to push away.
Megan: So then the next day, Rafael is annoyed that Paige is 20 minutes late for their private plane ride to Italy.
Megan: And I'm like, how rude, how rude to be 20 minutes.
Megan: But she shows up and she is incredibly nice to the crew.
Megan: So she's like, hello, hello, hello to everyone but you, my husband.
Megan: Like, okay.
Megan: But also, nice private jet to Italy.
Megan: Yes.
Steph: And also when you say 20 minutes late, it's a private jet, it takes off whenever the hell it wants to take off.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: I'm like, I think you're fine.
Steph: Yeah.
Megan:They wait for you no matter what.
Megan: So we also learn now about how his father actually died four years ago, which literally just like pushed Rafe into the CEO position earlier than it was expected.
Megan: And again, this is a position that he never thought he would even be in.
Megan: But his older brother died when Rafe was 13.
Megan: So we do learn bits and pieces about this accident throughout the book and how it's led to some serious PTSD for Rafe that causes him to basically do all kinds of unsafe behaviors to alleviate his stress, if you will.
Steph: Yeah.
Megan: And additionally, Rafe has been interested in taking over at Mather and Wilde, aka Paige's company, to get back at Paige's uncle Ben, who, as we mentioned before, was literally stalking Rafe’s sister, Nora.
Megan: The first book in the series is connected and it's called The Faking Game.
Megan: It goes more into depth about the horrible shit that Ben did to Nora.
Megan: So basically, he is a douche.
Megan: He's terrible.
Megan: Rafe sees this marriage as a way to get revenge on Ben, assuming that Paige at least knew about what her uncle was doing, which, in his opinion, is not going to make her very untrustworthy to him.
Megan: Now, while they're on the plane, Paige wants to talk about the plans for her company.
Megan: But Rafe just can't be bothered with it.
Megan: To him, this newly acquired company is mere blip on the map in his portfolio of companies, which, not wrong.
Megan: He's got a lot going on.
Megan: He has a lot he takes care of.
Megan: Plus, he also assumes Paige just wants to wrestle control of the company away from Ben and doesn't really understand how much the business means to her, at least not yet.
Megan: But soon he will.
Steph: So, when they arrive in Lake Como, because is there a better place to go?
Steph: They're on an enormous mansion on the shoreline, way beyond what Paige had expected, because she does not come for money like he does.
Steph: And then he has to go through a list of house rules for Paige to follow.
Steph: And all I thought was, count down to her breaking every single one of those rules to annoy you.
Steph: Like, did you mean to give her a list of how to annoy you?
Steph: Thank you.
Steph: But in order to keep up appearances, Rafe has his jeweler stop by with a wide assortment of ring options for him and Paige, which is very thoughtful.
Steph: Appreciate that.
Steph: But all of the rings are quite ostentatious, which, Rafael is like, well, everyone would expect my wife to wear a large ring.
Steph: And Paige is like, no.
Megan: This scene reminded me from the movie Sweet Home Alabama.
Steph: Yes.
Megan: When Reese Witherspoon's character is brought in to the jewelry store, and he's just like, pick one.
Steph: It's like, anyone, anyone.
Megan: She's like, yes, please.
Megan: Yes, please.
Megan: Pick one.
Steph: All the rings.
Megan: All the rings.
Steph: So she picks out a ring, and then she starts demanding to talk to him about plans for the company, but he keeps shooting her down, insisting, you can talk to the incoming, like, interim CEO.
Steph: I don't get involved in, like, each business.
Steph: And she's like, that's not true.
Steph: I listened to this interview where you did, and he was like, are you like a stalker?
Steph: Did you listen to all of these interviews?
Steph: And she did.
Steph: Well, he's also not given many, so the list was, like, small.
Megan: That's true.
Megan: And their lovely little banter now is interrupted by an unexpected guest.
Megan: Enter Sylvie, who is a top notch.
Megan: I love her so much.
Megan: She actually reminded me of Sylvie from Emily in Paris.
Megan: That's exactly what I envisioned.
Steph: Me too, in my mind.
Steph: And I was like, especially when she was like, you don't need one ring.
Steph: You need like four, five rings.
Megan: I'm like, yes, you need all of them, darling, yes.
Megan: But she's a top notch fashion designer, and she works for Rafe, and she has been threatening to leave.
Megan: So they're like, we gotta keep her happy.
Megan: But apparently she wants to know all about his new wife, and immediately assumes that he got married for business reasons.
Megan: She's a smart lady.
Megan: She understands these things.
Megan: And this is a big deal because Sylvie has been turned off by all of the business side of Rafe's company, caring much more about the passion and the creativity.
Megan: So Rafe now is attempting to convince her that this marriage is real and it's about love.
Megan: And he's like, yeah, see?
Megan: And it's very hilarious when Sylvie just like puts him through the wringer in this entire book to like make him prove it.
Megan: She's like, prove your love, prove, show me the passion.
Megan: Because she's like straight up Italian crazy lady.
Megan: And now Paige quickly starts to feel out of her element because she's like, oh my god, that's Sylvie.
Megan: Like she recognizes her.
Megan: This is like Donatella Versace, you know, like it's a big deal.
Steph: Deal, yeah.
Megan: And she's like the caliber of like people that Rafe surrounds himself with and like all the luxurious items all around him.
Megan: She's like, oh shit.
Megan: Like her family may have owned a business, but they were not wealthy like this.
Megan: They do not have a private lake front home on Lake Como next door, like George Clooney, you know.
Megan: No.
Steph: She went to college on a scholarship, right?
Steph: Like just a very different world.
Steph: All I thought of was like, can you imagine seeing like Anna Wintour out in public?
Steph: Like that's like what I felt like.
Steph: I was like, you were just like basically like hobnobbing with like the Anna Wintour, Dontella Versace's of the world.
Steph: And what do you, how do you react to that?
Megan: How do you, you're like, hi.
Steph: Hi.
Steph: Do you speak?
Steph: Cause I don't think you should.
Megan: But that plays into a lot of insecurities that we're going to see pop up throughout the book too.
Steph: Speaking of insecurities, surprisingly, Rafael deals with his pain by cage fighting.
Steph: And I did not see that coming at all, because who would expect-
Megan: Fight Club.
Steph: Fight Club.
Steph: I know.
Steph: But I'm like, you're a CEO of a luxury brand and you're fighting in some like shady basement.
Steph: Don't worry, he's not gonna let anyone hit him in the face.
Steph: Only body parts he can cover with clothing.
Steph: And I'm like, this feels like a very poor idea.
Megan: Like this is gonna go south.
Steph: This is gonna go very, very poorly for you.
Steph: So then the headlines start to break about their wedding and everyone assumes it's for business reasons.
Steph: I mean, obviously.
Steph: And her uncle is clearly like fanning those flames.
Steph: Although it is for, like they are all technically right, and that she didn't marry Rafael for love.
Steph: What's especially hurtful to Paige is all these comments about how he bought her.
Steph: And I was like, oh, that's not how we speak about women.
Steph: We’re not, they're not property.
Steph: We're not potatoes or salt.
Steph: So she tries to talk to him about all of this.
Steph: And I love, I feel like he's just very dismissive of her, especially in the beginning.
Steph: He's like, I'm handling it.
Steph: She's like, well, my uncle is contesting the marriage.
Steph: And, you know, Paige is like worried about like the extra shares in the company.
Steph: And Rafael is like, I have more money than God.
Steph: I'll drown your uncle in legal fees.
Steph: And I'm like that, while I understand that might in fact be true, that is not an answer to my question.
Steph: Yeah.
Steph: And Paige is like, we need to hit back.
Steph: Like we need to put on a show, make them question like what's going on between the two of us and actually be like, wait, could they be in love?
Steph: Is that possible?
Steph: And this is how they agree to start dating as a couple in public.
Steph: And I was like, didn't you already agree to that in the beginning with her stipulations?
Megan: Yeah, right?
Megan: Like come on.
Steph: But now I guess they realize and they have to do it.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: They're like, oh wait, yeah, the thing we said we were going to do and now we actually have to do it.
Steph: Yeah.
Megan: Duh.
Megan: So next we get to read a hilarious group chat.
Megan: The group chats in this book are top notch.
Megan: Very, very funny.
Megan: So this one is the boys group chats between Rafe, West, Alex and this guy James.
Megan: And they have all been best friends since boarding school.
Megan: West is actually currently engaged to Rafe's sister Nora, and he's the MMC from The Faking Game.
Megan: Alex and James, by the way, are expressing how pissed off they are about not being invited to the wedding in the courthouse.
Megan: And like they're not even told about it via text.
Megan: They have to like find out like from everyone else via the news.
Steph: But is that worse?
Steph: Like do you want to be told that via text?
Steph: Like if you've initially not invited your best friend, isn't it more shitty to tell someone via text or Facebook update or like Instagram than it is like?
Megan: I just, you know, say, hey, by the way, dudes, I got married.
Megan: It's like, what?
Megan: What?
Megan: What?
Megan: I don't know.
Megan: Either way, it's not great.
Megan: But West happened to be the only witness at the wedding.
Megan: And so he was there and he's, you know, engaged to Nora, which he's going to get in trouble for because she's like, what the fuck?
Megan: My brother got married and you didn't tell me and you were there.
Megan: Like, what?
Megan: But he's like, I don't even know about it until like 10 minutes beforehand.
Steph: So but still like, shouldn't you ask more questions, West?
Megan: Yeah, exactly.
Megan: It's like maybe this is shady.
Megan: You should figure out what's going on.
Steph: Why am I at a courthouse?
Steph: What is going on?
Steph: Yeah.
Megan: Am I being served?
Megan: What's happening?
Megan: So now we are actually at dinner at Sylvie's house, which requires Paige and Rafe to now start to play the part of a happy couple, even though they honestly cannot stay on to be around each other.
Megan: Like, this is going to be fun.
Megan: And even though they totally have the hots for each other, they're just like, I'm going to pretend I'm not attracted to you, even though I'm like checking you out the entire time.
Steph: Constantly.
Megan: Constantly.
Megan: But it's also like hate checking out, because they also really hate each other too.
Megan: So their plan is to try to sell this love story to everyone as like a Romeo and Juliet, minus the dying part, of course, claiming that while their marriage was necessary for this merger, it was also for love, truly.
Megan: It wasn't meant to be, but it was.
Megan: So they play out this whole charade at dinner and somehow end up mentioning that they're having a real wedding ceremony in two weeks.
Megan: And Sylvie's like, I'll make the dress.
Megan: And let's just say, if you have Donatella Versace offering to make you a dress, you're just like, oh my god, yes, please.
Megan: Yes, please.
Megan: And also, Rafe did not clear any of this with Paige beforehand before he mentioned this.
Megan: So now she's like, what?
Megan: What?
Megan: We're going to have a full on stage photograph.
Megan: It's going to be in People magazine wedding.
Steph: In two weeks.
Megan: Oh my god.
Megan: In two weeks.
Megan: Yeah, in two weeks.
Megan: No big deal.
Steph: It'll be fine.
Steph: And we can't even stand to be around each other.
Steph: It'll be fine.
Megan: Yeah.
Steph: So the plan is for them to be seen multiple times in public over the next two weeks to fan the flames of this alleged love story.
Steph: And then that leaves Rafe to give Paige his black card, telling her to go shopping without any limit.
Steph: He's rich enough to handle her, and I'm like, challenge accepted.
Steph: We'll see about that.
Steph: Did not expect her to buy him a penis enlargement treatment.
Steph: I lost it.
Steph: Because I was like, first of all, I did not know that was a thing.
Steph: Right.
Steph: I have a lot of questions.
Steph: I don't even know if I have questions.
Steph: How does it work?
Steph: Why?
Steph: What?
Steph: I mean, hmm.
Steph: I love how she texts him.
Steph: It's like, what color Rolls Royce would you like?
Steph: Oh, I'll just go with my gut.
Steph: Like, just absolutely good.
Megan: And he's like, jokes on her.
Megan: There's no Rolls Royce around here in Lake Como.
Steph: But I also like, I bet she could figure it out.
Steph: I bet you could order one of those on the internet.
Megan: Easily.
Steph: Paige also insists that while they're together, neither one of them sleep around.
Steph: Because obviously, keeping up appearances.
Steph: And she insinuates that's where he was when he was out late the previous night.
Steph: Because she doesn't know he's cage fighting.
Steph: And she helps him so, so very thoughtful by buying him a sex toy.
Steph: Since he has to remain celibate.
Steph: And I'm just like, It's a little sex sleeve tube.
Steph: Right?
Steph: And she's like, I got you the medium.
Steph: And let me know if it's too big.
Steph: Like, you know, needing the penis enlargement surgery and all, and the part that I loved is that, like, she's also telling him, you know, like, well, she's buying all these sex toys because, you know, her husband finishes very quickly.
Steph: It's like, it's a hardship.
Steph: And I'm like, did you really tell the store clerks that?
Steph: Or are you just saying that to piss off Rafael?
Steph: Either way, I'm here for it.
Megan: I love that he gets the call from his accountant to be like, sir, there's an extra like, exorbitant spending on your card, one for a penis enlargement.
Megan: He's just like, oh my god.
Megan: But she's like, yes, I hope you're embarrassed.
Steph: But he also is like, put it through.
Steph: Like just-
Megan: He's like, yeah.
Steph: Just do it all.
Megan: Whatever.
Steph: She can play this game.
Megan: Exactly.
Steph: So their next dinner is like a who's who of all these executives that work at Maison Valmont, which is his company.
Steph: And Paige once again feels super out of place because he is like the king of the dinner.
Steph: Everyone wants his attention.
Steph: Everyone wants his ear.
Steph: And so what does Paige do?
Steph: She indulges in one too many glasses of wine and limoncello.
Steph: Let's be honest, if you've never had limoncello, it does not take too many of them to overindulge.
Steph: Not that I have ever-
Steph: They're very yummy.
Steph: They're very strong.
Megan: Yes.
Megan: Is there a story there, Steph?
Steph: They're trying to tell us something?
Steph: They're, yeah.
Megan: I've definitely had way too much limoncello before.
Steph: Right?
Steph: It just doesn't take that much to be like, whoa.
Megan: It doesn't.
Megan: It hits you.
Megan: And next thing you know, you're naked in a fountain.
Steph: Correct.
Steph: Which is exactly what happened to Paige.
Steph: I've never been naked in a fountain, though.
Megan: No, yeah, clearly.
Megan: No, me neither.
Steph: I'm not in a fountain.
Steph: Okay.
Steph: Well, what I love though is like Sylvie and her wife are like watching all of this happen.
Steph: They're like, we'll go after you.
Steph: And I'm like, you were just like spot storing.
Steph: And I loved it.
Steph: But Rafael is not pleased because she's in a fountain.
Steph: One, she's in a fountain.
Steph: It's not a great look.
Steph: Two, she looks naked in her wet dress.
Steph: So he's like taking his jacket off.
Steph: He carries her inside.
Steph: And I was like, hold please.
Steph: Did you need to do that?
Steph: I mean, she's not wearing shoes, but she could walk inside.
Steph: And then to one up him, she decides to just get naked.
Steph: Takes off her dress.
Steph: She's like in a beige bra and thong.
Steph: Just standing there.
Steph: And she's like, you're turned on.
Steph: And he's like, nothing about you is attractive.
Steph: And I was like, motherfucker, that's not very nice.
Megan: Rude.
Steph: Rude.
Megan: Rude.
Steph: And then to just poke the bearer, the Rafael bearer.
Steph: Shows him a present on his bed, cause who doesn't love presents?
Steph: It's the sleeve, a red thong, and a bottle of her perfume.
Steph: And I was like, well, we know where this is going to go.
Steph: It reminded me of Honeymoon phase and Luke.
Megan: Yes.
Steph: And I was like, well, I know what's going to happen with those underwear later.
Megan: Yep.
Megan: For sure.
Megan: So the next morning, Paige ends up having a panic attack and is literally crying on the bathroom floor.
Megan: But she is determined not to let anyone ever see her fall apart.
Megan: And she's like not wanting to display any weakness.
Megan: I'm like, girl, it's okay.
Megan: You can ask for help, but she can't.
Megan: But when she's done and like taking a deep breath and like visualizing and get herself out of it, she finds out that Rafe is in a meeting with his PR team without even telling her.
Megan: And she is really fucking annoying about this one.
Megan: She's like, excuse me?
Megan: Not only are they discussing how to get positive press about their marriage, but literally her background is in PR.
Megan: And she's like, why would you not include me in this?
Megan: This is so rude.
Megan: And the team is prepared to handle everything for them, including the wedding planning.
Megan: I'm like, well, that's kind of nice, right?
Steph: Like what?
Steph: What do you mean?
Steph: Everything?
Megan: Everything?
Megan: Okay, great.
Megan: All they need to do is literally to show up at these designated events and sit down for some interviews.
Megan: So she's like, okay.
Megan: Well, whatever.
Megan: I don't care.
Megan: Like it's not a real wedding anyway.
Megan: But next, they are going to attend a cake tasting session that is also going to be photographed.
Megan: And there's lots of banter back and forth between them.
Megan: They literally love winding each other up so much.
Megan: And it's so funny because it's like in between each bite of cake that they feed one another.
Megan: It's like no one else can hear it.
Megan: And there's a moment where Paige is just like really trying to call Rafe out on something.
Megan: And she takes a little bit of the chocolate butternut cream, buttercream, and puts it on her finger and she goes, taste, like calling his bluff.
Megan: And he just like looks her in the eye, just like sticks her finger in his mouth.
Megan: And he's just like, and she's like, oh God, I'm kind of turned on by this.
Steph: Right.
Megan: He's also like, god damn it, that was really fun.
Megan: I really like doing that.
Megan: And it is so funny because they're also trying to pretend that they don't turn each other on.
Megan: So they're just like, damn it, damn it.
Megan: So it's great.
Megan: And then they decide like, I'll get the chocolate, I'll get the Swiss and we'll layer it.
Megan: Like, okay, see, harmony.
Steph: Compromise.
Megan: It can work.
Megan: Now they have their wine tasting, which is also fun, because Paige decides to bring along some get to know you cards to help them just become a little more better acquainted.
Megan: But it turns out he actually already knows a lot about her because he did a full background check and private investigator kind of situation on retainer.
Megan: And they do get some of the questions on the card answered, but there is sexual tension just heating up between the two of them.
Megan: And they both are just still claiming that they find each other completely annoying.
Megan: But then we have a small little discussion about practicing their kissing before the big day, before having to do it in front of everyone.
Megan: And they're like, no, we shouldn't.
Megan: Definitely no practice.
Megan: No, no, no practice kissing.
Megan: And I'm like, yeah, we're going to practice kissing, aren't we?
Steph: Yeah.
Steph: So later, Rafe has a nightmare about this avalanche with his brother.
Steph: And we get to see this extreme grief he's struggling with decades later, how he wishes he had died, not his brother.
Steph: My heart just broke for him.
Steph: So basically, him and his brother were doing these office runs, and he was not supposed to be the one choosing the slopes.
Steph: He's not experienced in it.
Steph: He was 13.
Steph: But he did.
Steph: He went down.
Steph: His brother followed him.
Steph: An avalanche happened
Steph: It buried both of them.
Steph: His brother died immediately.
Steph: He was rescued but trapped for like 32 minutes.
Steph: And you get to kind of read all of that.
Steph: And he ended up having serious injuries.
Steph: No wonder he has PTSD.
Steph: I almost developed it from reading it.
Megan: Yeah, I did.
Steph: And then we also learn he likes to play tennis and happens to be good at it, because he's good at legit everything, which is frustrating to Paige, because she used to play tennis in college, so they play together and they make a bet.
Steph: This is like really, I think, the start of the betting between the two of them.
Steph: If he wins, she has to behave impeccably at the gala tonight.
Steph: But if she wins, he has to jump in the lake with his clothes on.
Steph: And I was like, she won.
Steph: And then he jumped in the lake and he didn't care.
Steph: And I was like, Paige, we need more brutal punishments for him.
Megan: I know, I was like, all he has to do is jump in a lake, that's not that bad.
Megan: Come on.
Steph: No.
Megan: We should make him naked.
Steph: Exactly, or wear a dress to the gala, or let you pick out his clothes.
Steph: Like it's just something to really dig the knife in deeper, not just jump in the lake.
Megan: He should have had to wear her thong underneath his clothes or something.
Steph: Oh, that would have been good.
Steph: That would have been funny.
Steph: Let him write up his ass all night.
Megan: And she'd be like, what's wrong?
Steph: Are you uncomfortable?
Megan: That would have been good, but she didn't, but that's okay.
Megan: So now we're at the gala.
Megan: And Paige learns that at this gala, if a charity doesn't reach its funding goal, then they just don't get funded.
Megan: And she does not really like that approach because she really liked a certain charity.
Megan: And she's like, they deserve to get funded.
Megan: I'm going to make sure it happens.
Megan: And so what does she do?
Megan: She decides to auction herself off for a date to help the charity that she really wanted to have funded.
Megan: And of course, everybody's like, ooh, yes, we want to try and win this date with this new mystery woman that we've never met.
Megan: We want to get to know her.
Megan: Plus, everybody wants to get into Rafe's inner circle.
Megan: But he ends up betting on her and he wins it.
Megan: And he lets her know that he did not really like that stunt that she pulled, claiming that she is just simply embarrassing herself.
Megan: But Paige uses that opportunity to negotiate with Rafe, offering to just behave in public if he promises not to fire a single one of her company employees.
Megan: And in his opinion, like, that's an unreasonable ask.
Megan: He's like, everything that's going on with your company, like, I can't agree to that.
Megan: But he's like, how about for six months?
Megan: He's like, I'll make it, I'll do that.
Megan: I'll agree to six months.
Megan: And he makes it clear, like, there is bloat at the company and it's gonna have to be taken care of after the six months are up, which is kind of like a little bread crumb for later, but she's like, sure, I'll take it for now.
Megan: But then that also leads to a little kiss, because everyone is watching them, and they need to keep up the ruse that they are a loving, happily married couple.
Megan: And then Sylvie comes over, because love good old Sylvie, she's the best, and offers them a gift.
Megan: Her masseuse is gonna come on over and give them a two hour couple's massage and teach them how to touch one another.
Megan: And I'm like, yes, please.
Steph: Can I give up?
Megan: And it's right.
Megan: I know.
Megan: Can I give them those, please?
Megan: But it's impossible for them to turn down.
Megan: They're like, oh, okay.
Megan: Yeah, we have to.
Megan: Like, sure.
Megan: And I'm like, come on, guys.
Steph: And it'll be great.
Steph: I know.
Steph: So during the couple's massage, Rafe is on the table first, and Paige is taught by Colette how and where to rub him.
Steph: And I, all I thought is like now knowing that it's like a ruse, right?
Steph: Like this poor masseuse is probably like, what the actual fuck is wrong with all of you?
Steph: And like she sees this fading bruise on him.
Steph: She had like a large scar.
Steph: Like she's starting to notice things about him.
Steph: And then when it's time to switch positions, he is kind of like, we don't have to do this.
Steph: She's like, no, like we, we kind of do.
Steph: It's fine.
Steph: You can touch me.
Steph: And he was just like, are you sure?
Steph: Are you sure?
Steph: And then he starts touching her.
Steph: Paige is just liking it.
Steph: And then he excuses himself and leaves the room.
Steph: So all she starts to think is like, he can't even stand to physically like be around me or touch me, which does a little something not great for someone's self-confidence.
Steph: What she doesn't know at the time is he is so turned on and he needs to leave to take care of himself using the perfume and song that she left him as a gift.
Steph: And we get our first like mini spicy scene of the book.
Steph: And I was just like, I mean, thank you.
Megan: I'm going to grab that underwear.
Megan: Hello.
Steph: Hello.
Steph: So then he comes back and reiterates, I'm not attracted to you.
Steph: Uh huh.
Steph: I'm like, sure.
Steph: And he talks about what his uncle did or what her uncle did to his sister.
Steph: And Paige didn't know anything about it.
Steph: She feels absolutely horrible about it.
Steph: Offers to apologize to his sister, as soon as she comes into town for the wedding.
Steph: And then Paige leaves the room.
Steph: Because what else do you say?
Steph: You left the room, you won't even touch your fake wife.
Steph: Then you tell me that you're not, there's nothing about me that is attractive.
Steph: Then you accuse me of stalking your sister.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: Like what the fuck?
Steph: What?
Megan: She's like, nah, next.
Steph: Marriage is going great.
Megan: It's going great.
Megan: And speaking of great, now Paige has to try out her wedding dress that Sylvie designed for her.
Megan: And it's like gorgeous.
Megan: It's like strappy, it's got like a really beautiful neckline.
Megan: It's a little tight.
Steph: Aren't they all?
Megan: Aren't they all?
Megan: Yes.
Megan: But it's tight enough that she's like starting to feel like she's having a panic attack.
Megan: And of course, like if you're in a tight dress and you have a panic attack, that's not going to combo.
Megan: So she's like, oh my god, I need to get out of here.
Megan: And Rafe happens to stop by and see her.
Megan: And he's just like, he can tell she needs some help.
Megan: So he pulls her out of that room, into the kitchen, and he's extremely kind and helping her work through not only the panic attack, but undoing some of those buttons to make it a little less tight.
Steph: So we can't touch her.
Megan: He can't touch her.
Megan: Yes.
Megan: But it's just so sweet because as much as he doesn't want to admit it, he's definitely impacted now by her vulnerability and how she did allow him to hold her and help her through this.
Megan: And so we're like, okay, step forward.
Megan: I like that.
Megan: But then Paige decides to play a little dirty now by sunbathing directly outside of his office without her bikini top on.
Megan: And she's like, I didn't want any tan lines for the wedding.
Megan: Plus we're in Europe, which I'm like, true, good point.
Megan: They don't care.
Steph: And it's a private estate.
Megan: Yeah, who cares?
Megan: It's your own backyard.
Megan: You can take it if you want, but he does.
Megan: He cares.
Megan: It does not take him very long to march down there and demand that she cover up because he doesn't want anyone to see her like that.
Megan: And then they argue about like not being attracted to each other when they both clearly are obviously.
Megan: And he's also like struggling to like not show that he is like a hard on at that moment.
Megan: But then West, Nora, and Amber show up and they watched that little interaction from the terrace and they were just like, oh boy, oh boy, you guys.
Steph: There's something going on here.
Megan: Yeah.
Steph: Yeah.
Steph: So Paige decides to call off and like, oh no, and they actually, because why not?
Steph: And then she meets Nora, who and like her first thing is like, I'm so sorry my uncle stalked you and Nora's like, I believe that you didn't know anything about that.
Steph: Like even saying like, I can't imagine another woman doing that to a woman.
Steph: I'm like, one would think.
Megan: One would think, one would hope.
Steph: Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Steph: Turns out Nora came down to the lake because she yelled at her brother and her boyfriend Wes for not telling her about the wedding and she just needed to cool off.
Steph: So like in The Faking Game, if you haven't read it, she really comes out, really comes into her own and starts advocating for herself.
Steph: So this is like the one of the first time she's like cussed out her brother.
Steph: So it's like, yes.
Steph: But then her, Paige and Nora become like immediate friends, which I'm like, that is going to be dangerous for you boys.
Steph: But now it's time for the kind of joint but not joint bachelor and bachelorette parties.
Steph: They're being held at the villa in separate areas.
Steph: And one of the gifts for Paige is gorgeous lingerie set.
Steph: And the women encourage her to try it on.
Steph: And I'm like, really?
Megan: I wouldn't try it on in front of my girlfriends.
Steph: No, I wouldn't either.
Steph: That's like, I was like, I mean, maybe if I had a lot of limoncello.
Megan: But she really did, so.
Steph: And then who does she happen to run to when she's decked out in it?
Steph: Her not-so-fake husband.
Steph: And she once again pokes the bear, saying, I hope you'll kiss me better tomorrow in front of all our guests than you did the first time, because that was not great.
Steph: Then he does kiss her, and they're both super into it.
Steph: I'm like, yes, it's happening.
Steph: And then fucking Alex walks in, and I'm like, god damn it, Alex.
Megan: Just when it was getting good.
Steph: Right?
Steph: And because men like to gossip just as much as women do, Alex runs back to the group of guys, and is like, I found Rafael kissing his wife.
Steph: That's not, like, I mean, are you 12?
Steph: And he's like, I'm not attracted to her.
Steph: And they're like, but she's hot.
Steph: But she's hot.
Steph: I'm not attracted, no.
Megan: It's like, do you not have eyes?
Megan: She's a sexy lady, come on.
Steph: Yeah, they're all saying that, right?
Steph: And he's just like, nothing.
Steph: So what does he do?
Steph: Because he's got a lot of pent up sexual frustration, clearly.
Steph: He sneaks out for yet another fight and James finds him and is pissed because James and the other guys knew that Rafael used to fight and he lied to them and told them he stopped.
Steph: So James doesn't stop him from going.
Steph: James is like, I'll just go with you.
Steph: And I'm like, that's called an accomplice.
Megan: Enabling this behavior.
Megan: Let's not do that, please.
Megan: Rude.
Steph: Couldn't you have went and told the other guys and gotten them up and been like, had an intervention?
Steph: Hi.
Steph: The thing you shouldn't do right before your wedding is go fight someone in someone's basement in a cage fight.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: And he was like, how are you going to explain if you get a black guy the day before your wedding?
Megan: He's like, good thing I'm not going to let them hit me in the face.
Megan: And he's like, let them.
Steph: Like how?
Megan: What?
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: The first rule about Fight Club is we don't talk about Fight Club.
Megan: But then it is wedding time.
Megan: No black guy, thankfully.
Megan: But the wedding is fairly brief and the kiss is nice.
Megan: But it's that night where things get very interesting because now they have to share a room to keep up the facade of being this actual couple.
Megan: Hello, one bed trope, nice to see you there.
Megan: And Rafe also has to help unbutton her out of her dress.
Megan: Thankfully, he has already had some practice with that when she had a panic attack.
Megan: And then as he's undoing it, he realizes, oh, she's wearing wedding lingerie.
Megan: And he is so turned on by it, but continues to say, like, nope, nope, I'm not turned on.
Megan: You're not my type.
Megan: And she's just like, how am I not your type?
Steph: Also, fuck you.
Megan: So come on.
Megan: Like, fuck you.
Megan: And they agree, then, to, like, stay on their own sides of the bed, but that's not what's gonna end up happening, of course, because they're very much intertwined when Rafe wakes up.
Megan: And he clearly has morning wood, and she's like, you're so attracted to me.
Megan: And he's just like, nuh-uh, it's just the morning time.
Megan: And he's just, like, covering himself up with his sweatpants, you know, and just like, nuh-uh, just morning, she's like, nuh-uh.
Megan: Sure it is.
Steph: Just nature.
Megan: Nature.
Steph: Biology.
Megan: Yeah.
Steph: It's not you.
Megan: I'm like, yeah, right, of course.
Megan: And then at their next little wedding activity, they're all in a boat.
Megan: And Paige is really pissed off because she sees what looks like a hickey, basically, on Rafe's neck, and thinks that he went out with another woman the night before their wedding.
Megan: And this leads her to then, like, try and get some revenge and starts flirting with someone who works for Rafe.
Megan: And this guy is an idiot because he actually flirts back.
Megan: And even then he offers, like, if you want to have a little fun, like, you know, like, I won't tell and, like, we can have a little fair.
Steph: And Rafe-
Steph: At their wedding party, like-
Steph: I know.
Megan: I'm like, what makes you think that's a good idea?
Megan: Like, both of you, like, stop.
Megan: And Rafe finds out, finds her with this guy, and is really pissed when he's like, you're not wearing your wedding rings.
Megan: Like, what the fuck?
Megan: And then she's like, well, you're the one who has a hickey.
Megan: And like, you're sleeping around, you broke our deal.
Megan: And he's like, no, I'm not.
Megan: Like, what the fuck?
Megan: But he won't tell her the truth, that he was in a fighting ring.
Megan: Like, he-
Megan: And this leads to them, then just like fighting on the dock when it's just the two of them later.
Megan: And Paige, this is what's really hilarious to me, that she's like, prove it, proving not attracted to me.
Megan: Takes off all of her clothes, they're just standing there, and she's like, you need to admit that you're jealous and that you didn't like seeing me flirting with somebody else and that you're actually attracted to me.
Megan: Just tell me something that's not a lie.
Megan: But he says nothing.
Megan: So then she jumps into the lake, and it's dark, so he's worried.
Megan: He's like, oh shit, that's not safe.
Megan: What if a boat hits you?
Megan: And he's scared.
Megan: He's about to jump in after her when she finally comes back up.
Megan: And he's like, fine, I'll admit it, I was jealous on the boat.
Megan: And she then insists that if he's fucking someone, then she gets to find someone to fuck too.
Megan: And then he's just like, I'm not fucking anyone.
Megan: He's like, I haven't had sex in months.
Megan: He's like, and yes, I do wake up hard almost every morning because of you, because yes, I'm attracted to you.
Megan: And we're like, finally, finally.
Steph: Yes.
Megan: Goddamn.
Megan: And that leads to kissing.
Steph: Which I was like, yay.
Megan: Yes, hands are running all over the place, all these places, but she stops him.
Megan: And she's like, you can't touch me until you tell me the truth about like where you were and what you were doing.
Megan: Like, come on.
Megan: Why do you just, you might as well jump in the lake again, like rude.
Steph: I know.
Steph: So what does he do?
Steph: Leave to go to a shittier place than normal to fight, a place that's run by the mafia
Steph: This will go well.
Steph: I was just like, oh, we've read a book about how this goes, they cut out your eye.
Steph: It's not great.
Megan: Yeah, not good.
Steph: He ends up fighting another guy who was put in the ring to be totterless on.
Steph: Also not great.
Steph: Rafe wins and then he's just won his fight thinking he's done.
Steph: And then this other man comes in and they have an uninvited visitor, makes a big deal about it.
Steph: It's Paige because she followed him.
Steph: And since the mafia won't hurt a woman, I'm like, is that true?
Steph: Because in the book we read, I don't think that was true.
Megan: I think they would.
Steph: I think they would.
Steph: So Rafe has to fight this guy who is kind of like the leader of the fighting group, who doesn't really fight anymore.
Steph: And there's a reason for that.
Steph: And he tells Paige not to inferior, no matter like what happens.
Steph: I'm like, that is not so ominous at all, at all.
Steph: He does end up winning and Paige, he makes Paige promise to never come there again, but he's gonna wake up in the morning with a black eye.
Megan: And I'm like, this is not the wedding day, so.
Steph: Yeah.
Steph: But then the next day, the guys are invited to Monaco to win something back.
Steph: At first, I was like, cause Paige hasn't been seen all morning, they say she's sleeping, and I was like, fuck, did someone kidnap, I thought maybe Ben kidnapped Paige, and she was what they had to win back.
Steph: No, it's just another invite to Vivian's party, which we saw in The Faking Game.
Steph: Think like, orgy sex club with gambling, of very rich people.
Steph: So, they have four buy-ins, Alex gambled something away and lost it.
Steph: And I was like, what did he gamble?
Steph: It takes us a little bit.
Steph: What did you lose?
Steph: Yeah, we also watch a car.
Steph: Like, that's what I'm thinking, right?
Steph: Not what he lost.
Steph: And we also got this mention about this fifth guy, who was like best friends with them back in boarding school, broke the no sister rule with Amber, Wes's sister, and he ends up making a surprise appearance at the party.
Steph: So, when they're in Monaco, Paige uses her makeup to help, like, hide his black eye and promises she won't tell Nora about the fighting.
Steph: And then he's like, don't drink anything that you didn't order from the bartender.
Steph: Don't take pills.
Steph: No shots.
Steph: Don't make beds.
Steph: Don't disappear in any room.
Steph: Basically, like, watch everything you do.
Steph: Oh, and I'm going to have to kiss you tonight.
Steph: I'm like...
Steph: You have not prepared her.
Steph: Nora and Amber did a much better job preparing her for what is about to happen at Vivian's party.
Steph: Then you did.
Megan: Then you did.
Megan: Exactly.
Megan: So next, we are at a party on a yacht, and Vivian greets them and mentions how she has all five of them tonight.
Megan: Oops, but claims that's a slip of the tongue.
Megan: So we're like, OK, what?
Megan: Please tell us the story of whatever happened with this fifth guy in boarding school.
Megan: Like, it can't just be something to do with West's sister.
Megan: There's more to this story.
Megan: Yeah, so then Rafe also asked Paige to be his spy for the night.
Megan: And I'm like, OK.
Megan: Dun, dun, dun.
Steph: Tell me more.
Megan: Like, what's going on?
Megan: And he's like, let's make people question if our marriage is real.
Megan: I'm like, hmm, OK, what are we doing here?
Megan: Oh, and then we find out exactly what Alex lost.
Megan: He lost his castle.
Steph: How do you lose a castle?
Steph: Like, like what?
Megan: What.
Megan: You're a duke.
Megan: You lost your castle?
Steph: You bet a castle?
Megan: That was stupid.
Megan: Why did you do that?
Megan: Bad.
Megan: Bad idea.
Steph: Alex does not make good choices.
Megan: He does not make good choices.
Megan: So then later, Paige runs into this mysterious fifth person who went to boarding school with the guys.
Megan: Turns out he is sponsoring Alvaro, who is the player who won Alex's castle.
Megan: He claims that he wants them all to be there tonight, all together, and it's just like, oh boy, this is not going to end well, I feel like.
Megan: And then he also tells Paige about Alvaro's tale, calling it a gift to the wife of an old friend.
Megan: And how this reunion has apparently been a long time coming.
Megan: And then he sees Nora and Amber just disappears.
Steph: You're like, that sounds so ominous.
Steph: Like what so happened?
Megan: Yes, I'm like, there's more to this story.
Megan: I need to know.
Steph: Tell me.
Megan: But we don't we don't get to know yet.
Megan: And then Rafe has like a break in the game and Paige tells him all about what she just learned.
Megan: She's like, this is the tell.
Megan: This is what happened.
Megan: And he's like, wait, I don't like that.
Megan: I don't I don't like that.
Megan: You just like found this all out and you're talking to this guy.
Megan: Like, that's not cool.
Megan: And then he insists that she keep Nora and Amber also like away from him and like not talk to him again.
Megan: I'm like, okay, cool.
Megan: Tell me what to do.
Megan: I thought I was your spy, but you wanted me to do this stuff.
Steph: But also like how dangerous is this guy then?
Megan: Yeah, right.
Megan: It's like, why are we here?
Megan: Maybe we shouldn't be here.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: But that does lead to another little kiss in a private room where no one can see them.
Megan: So it's like, this is a kiss because you want it to kiss.
Megan: Like, let's be real.
Megan: So then he leaves the room and Rafe takes a shot.
Megan: And I'm like, you literally told her not to do that.
Megan: And now you're doing that.
Megan: Like, come on.
Megan: And the waiter is just like telling Paige, like, two of you guys are going to have a fun night tonight.
Megan: Like, enjoy.
Megan: It's like, what does that mean?
Steph: Uh-oh.
Megan: And Rafe does end up winning back the castle.
Megan: Hooray.
Megan: But he refuses to give the deed back to Alex until he can trust that he won't gamble it away again.
Megan: He's like, this is my castle now.
Megan: You can have it back when you're out of timeout.
Megan: You know?
Steph: I think Alex might be out of timeout for a while.
Megan: I think you will.
Steph: So then Rafe starts to feel the effect of the shot he took.
Steph: I'm assuming I had Viagra in it because he is super rock hard.
Steph: And his plan when he gets back to the room is just to continually jerk off in the bathroom until it goes down.
Steph: And I'm like...
Megan: If it lasts more than four hours, you have to go to the hospital, okay?
Steph: That's what I'm thinking.
Steph: Like, and Paige is like, I could help you.
Steph: And I'm like, hold please.
Megan: Oh.
Steph: Oh, and that gets our first spicy scene between the two of them, where she gives them a hand job multiple times.
Steph: And then they both masturbate in the shower together, which is also interesting.
Steph: The next morning, she wakes up before him and goes for a run and happens to run into her creepy stalker uncle Ben.
Steph: And he is furious that she got married.
Steph: He knows it was only for business, not for love.
Steph: He makes a comment about how hard it was to get her alone, which gives me an even creepier vibe.
Steph: But then Wes and Nora show up and then Paige runs away.
Steph: So then Nora texts her brother about Ben showing up.
Steph: He takes off to find Paige, and she ends up having their panic attack that he helps her through.
Steph: I don't feel like Ben is gone.
Steph: I feel like Ben is still a problem.
Steph: Like I feel like if Ben and this other fifth guy get together, there's going to be some serious bad shit that happens in the series.
Megan: Yeah, it's not going to be great.
Megan: And also you're like, how did he find her?
Steph: Like, did she have an AirTag?
Megan: But also like, he must have, he must have put an AirTag on her.
Megan: Or like, he's like following her, like find my friends on her phone or something.
Steph: I don't know.
Steph: It's the first thing you do after you wake up someone, turn that off.
Megan: So now we're back in Lake Como, and Paige wakes up to Rafe having a nightmare, and he was just like really bad.
Megan: She's having like physically like shake him to get him to come out of it.
Megan: And then she's like, do you want to talk about it?
Megan: Like what's going on?
Megan: He's like, no, no, I don't want to talk about it.
Megan: He's like, normally I just like go for like a swim or a walk or like something like that to help me take my mind off of it.
Megan: But this time he's like, or you go to Fight Club.
Megan: Like, let's be real.
Steph: That's right.
Steph: Let's be honest.
Megan: That's the real thing you do.
Megan: Don't lie to us.
Megan: But this time he's like, I'm just going to read a book and watch you sleep.
Megan: We're like, okay.
Megan: What kind of book?
Megan: Is it a spicy book?
Steph: I don't think it was.
Megan: No, it was not.
Megan: And then next, they're headed to Switzerland, which is likely honestly the reason why he even had the nightmare.
Megan: And they plan for them to attend the opera that night.
Megan: And I'm like, oh, lovely.
Megan: Which means they have to go shopping because, oh, I have nothing to wear?
Megan: Darn it.
Megan: But it turns out, Rafe is like, by the way, I owe you two orgasms while they're shopping.
Megan: And it's like...
Steph: As one would, Megan.
Megan: As one would, naturally.
Megan: Yes, like, oh, I'm shopping.
Megan: Look at this dress, look at this dress.
Megan: I owe you two orgasms.
Megan: What?
Steph: Can I buy those here?
Megan: Yeah, please.
Megan: I would love one or two or three.
Megan: And it turns out he asked the store for some privacy so that no other shoppers are allowed to come in, takes her into the dressing room, fingerfucks his wife, little fingerfuckery, I'd like to try that on, please.
Megan: And they make a bet then, another bet, that if he can make her come, that she will answer any question that he wants.
Megan: And if he can't, then she gets to ask him one.
Megan: But of course he wins, because yeah, he makes her come.
Megan: And then he's like, put your foot on my chest, baby.
Megan: And she's like, what?
Megan: And you're like, oh, oh boy.
Megan: And she's realizing like, oh my god, like when was the last time a guy went down on me?
Megan: She's like, I don't even know.
Megan: And he like wraps her legs like around him.
Megan: And like, let's just say he makes the orgasm score even.
Steph: He does a nice job.
Megan: And they never try on the dresses.
Megan: And she's like, we're just gonna have to buy all of these.
Steph: No problem with that, right?
Megan: No problem.
Steph: So then they go to the Artemis Factory, which is like one of the world's most legendary watch brands.
Steph: And she is super surprised and impressed because he knows everyone's name.
Steph: And he's super kind.
Steph: This whole different side than she is.
Steph: She's created him, I think, to be a villain for most of her life.
Steph: And now she's seeing like, wait, he's actually like a nice person.
Steph: And then they're at the opera and Paige starts feeling very odd and she's burning up.
Steph: And there have been like small hints, like through the last couple of chapters that she was like, he's mentioned like her skin was really warm.
Steph: She like felt like maybe I was getting sick, but I don't have time for it.
Steph: She sounds like me.
Steph: I don't have time for that.
Steph: So therefore it's not real.
Megan: Yeah.
Steph: But she gets like all woozy.
Steph: He scoops her up, takes her back to the hotel.
Steph: And he is really frustrated because he says it's his job to take care of her.
Steph: Like she has to tell him when she's hurt, sick or in pain.
Steph: And I'm like, someone's caught feeling.
Steph: And then he leaves to go find a doctor to see her, which I was like, why do you have to leave?
Steph: Isn't that what phones are for?
Megan: Hello, doctor.
Megan: Hello.
Steph: Hello concierge.
Steph: And then he gives her a custom watch he had made for her with a version of her wave tattoo on the face of the watch, which is super sweet.
Steph: He takes care of her all night.
Steph: He cuddles with her and holds her when she's freezing.
Steph: He tells her about Switzerland and she asks him to promise never fight again.
Steph: She admits that she likes them.
Steph: And he says he can't help but like her too.
Steph: Then she falls asleep in his arms.
Steph: And then he's like, I wonder if she'll remember any of this tomorrow.
Steph: Probably not.
Megan: She was very sick.
Megan: She had the flu, which I'm like, yeah, I just got over that too.
Megan: And it was brutal.
Steph: So I'm like, remember the things that you said?
Megan: Nope.
Steph: Nope.
Megan: Nope.
Megan: I was very much high on cold medicine.
Megan: But the next day, so was she.
Megan: So the next day they leave to head back to Lake Como, but the rain is super bad.
Megan: So they have to make a detour to Rafe's family chalet in the area.
Steph: Oh, rats.
Megan: Oh, no.
Megan: Oh, darn it.
Megan: Go to my chalet.
Megan: But the problem is, that's the place in the mountains where he was when the accident occurred when his brother died.
Megan: So a little PTSD.
Megan: And not surprisingly, of course, Rafe has another nightmare simply by being there.
Megan: And Paige wakes him up from it, and he finally tells her all about the accident and how he just feels like he didn't deserve to survive it.
Megan: He's like, I made the choice to go down that run.
Megan: My brother was better, smarter, me in every way, and he deserves to be alive, and basically why he just hates himself now.
Megan: And she's just like, no, you deserve to live.
Megan: And we're like, oh.
Steph: That's so sad, honestly.
Megan: But he finally talks through it.
Megan: He talks through it, which is good.
Megan: Like, first step, we need more therapy, but good first step.
Steph: Or just some therapy.
Steph: We've had zero, I think he said zero therapy.
Megan: Zero therapy at this point, yeah.
Megan: So now they're back in Lake Como, and Paige is still sleeping in Rafe's room, even though she could have easily moved back into her own.
Megan: But Rafe offers to share a bed with her permanently, admitting that his nightmares happen less frequently when she's around, and she admits she sleeps better next to him too.
Megan: And I'm like, yeah, duh.
Megan: Plus, then you're closer to each other, so you know.
Steph: Never now.
Megan: Never now.
Megan: And then the next day, Paige makes plans to play tennis with Rafe, and right before hand, she learns all about how the Mather and Wilde team were informed of layoffs that are going to happen in seven months.
Megan: And she is furious.
Megan: She's like, what the fuck?
Megan: Like, we talked about this.
Megan: You weren't supposed to do that.
Megan: But this happens to be like the news that he was going to tell her.
Megan: But then she got sick.
Megan: And then he's just like, I just didn't tell you that because, like, you were sick.
Megan: So, you know, priorities.
Megan: So that leads to her, like, calling him out on this on the tennis court.
Megan: And, like, screaming at him.
Megan: And, like, he's yelling back at her.
Megan: And then, of course, naturally, once you're in an argument, you lead to fucking each other, right?
Megan: Naturally.
Steph: For the first time.
Megan: For the first time.
Megan: She's like, I hate you.
Megan: I hate you.
Megan: And then they can't keep their hands off each other.
Megan: And then they're up against the net, which I'm like, how is that holding you up?
Megan: How was this also, like, your boobies are out.
Megan: Your skirt is lifted up.
Megan: Your panties are off to the side.
Megan: Anybody could walk over and see you, like, ooh, but they don't care.
Megan: They don't care.
Megan: They are going at it on that clay tennis court.
Megan: And I'm just thinking, are you gonna have, like, lines on your butt or something, like, from the netting?
Megan: I don't know, but I'm also, like, okay with it.
Megan: Like, the things that guy can do with his hands.
Steph: Might be worth it, Megan.
Megan: It is worth it, yes, yes.
Megan: I'm like, okay, match point, yes.
Steph: I feel like we need to have a spicy scene bingo card that's, like, what are the most random places you could read a spicy scene in that you would never guess and, like, mark them off?
Steph: Because tennis court never would have thought.
Megan: That would not have been on my bingo card, no.
Steph: No?
Steph: Okay.
Megan: It is now.
Steph: Well, four hour, it is now, right?
Steph: Four hours later, they sit down for an interview where they have to pretend to be madly in love and...
Megan: Four hours later, like, they have sex for four hours.
Steph: I would.
Steph: Well, maybe if he still had the Viagra in him, they would have.
Megan: Oh, that's true.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: He's like, where's that shot?
Steph: Four hours of tennis court fucking, that's a lot.
Megan: Yes.
Megan: Oof.
Megan: Your butt would be raw.
Steph: There's other things that would probably be raw too.
Megan: Yes.
Steph: Good backhand.
Steph: When they are not fucking during the interview.
Megan: Oh, darn it.
Steph: It goes pretty well until the reporter starts asking about Paige's dead parents, how they would feel about her marriage, which I'm like, that's not why.
Megan: That's a low blow.
Steph: It's a low blow.
Megan: Like really?
Steph: Come on.
Steph: And Rafe can tell that she's spiraling.
Steph: He ends the interview.
Steph: She has another panic attack that he helps her through.
Steph: And that results in her telling him about how her panic attack started after her parents died, how she dealt with that.
Steph: And then she really, I think, opens up to him for the first time about her life and her trauma.
Steph: And then that is when he starts to realize that Paige's family is the employees of the company, the ones who've really been there and helped her, which is why everything's so much more personal.
Steph: And then we get another spicy scene when they have sex.
Steph: Again, this time it's much slower than the tennis court.
Steph: I think the tennis court was a little hate fucking.
Steph: And this is like regular, we like each other sucks.
Steph: And we mentions how he goes down on her, but we did, sadly we did not get any details of that.
Megan: Oh, so rude.
Steph: And he was so talented the first time that I was like, I mean.
Megan: Okay.
Steph: Okay.
Megan: So then next, after they are done fucking, Rafe and Paige have a small dinner with friends, including Sylvie and her wife.
Megan: Sylvie, ha ha ha.
Megan: Love her.
Megan: And this is also when it comes through that Sylvie apparently knows that Rafe and Paige have been pretending this entire time.
Megan: But she's like, but now I can tell you're not pretending anymore.
Megan: And it's like, Sylvie, you little matchmaker.
Megan: I love you.
Megan: You just knew.
Megan: And she's like, maybe I'll leave the company one day, but it won't be because of this.
Megan: She's like, you two are made for each other.
Megan: You're perfect for each other, darling.
Megan: And you're like, oh, yes.
Megan: So then things start to get a little cry cry because why not?
Megan: When things feel like they're settled, let's get dramatic.
Megan: Ben, apparently, creepy uncle Ben, got access to Paige's email, illegally, I'm sure, and finds that email where she initially reached out to Rafe about marrying him.
Megan: And it's like, oh shit.
Megan: It's like the emails have leaked.
Megan: And Paige starts freaking out because this could cause her to lose control of the company.
Megan: Because again, it's proof that they didn't marry for love originally.
Megan: And like Rafe gets home and he promises he's going to handle it.
Megan: And she realizes then like Rafe has to do some damage control because of her.
Megan: And he goes off into his office.
Megan: He handles this mess.
Megan: And she's left feeling like horrible and like things like maybe he's going to hate me like because of all this.
Megan: And in reality, it's like the exact opposite.
Megan: He's furious that Ben would hurt Paige because like she is not family to him.
Megan: He's like, you don't hurt my family.
Megan: Like not cool.
Steph: So sweet.
Megan: And he ends up calling Ben and threatens to make Ben look just how incompetent he actually is based on how he's been running the company.
Megan: He's like, I will make sure that you never work again if you come after Paige.
Megan: He's like basically just like threatening to destroy Ben's already shitty reputation, which I'm like, that wouldn't be hard to do, but it works.
Megan: And Ben promises not to be a problem anymore.
Megan: And I'm like, don't really think we've seen the last of you.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: No, I don't believe it when I see it, but.
Steph: Right.
Steph: So then Rafe ends up going to another fight, which bothers Paige because she's asked him not to do that anymore.
Steph: And then when he comes back, she's like, I'm sorry for damaging your reputation because he doesn't like being in the public eye.
Steph: And he apologizes for like her getting, like getting her into this mess.
Steph: He's like, I don't deserve you.
Steph: I haven't earned you.
Steph: He wants her to be family, says he loves her, and he's like, will you divorce me so I can marry you for real?
Steph: And I'm like, like, it's very sweet, but also like, huh.
Steph: And she like says she loves him too.
Steph: Then we get a small spicy scene where she goes down on him after they discuss like where they want to live, how they're going to go to therapy and work on all their trauma.
Steph: And I'm just like, oh, look at us.
Megan: Yay.
Megan: Progress.
Megan: Love it.
Megan: But then we have several weeks later, where Rafael and Paige are at West and Nora's wedding, a real wedding that people actually wanted to get married to.
Megan: And Paige is of course mad at him because she didn't know his nickname as a child in this game that they're playing with his friends.
Megan: But she was just like, why didn't you tell me that was your nickname as a kid?
Megan: It's like, whatever, silly, silly, angry-ness, but not really angry.
Megan: But they're all happy because West and Nora are married, so we're like, yay.
Megan: And then we have our epilogue and it's one year later, and we're back at Lake Como with the dog.
Megan: So basically, we broke Rafe's rule about no pets in the house.
Megan: And I'm like, duh.
Megan: And now they're happy and they're madly in love.
Megan: And then we get one final group chat.
Megan: Yes, please, we love our group chats.
Megan: Setting up the scene for the next book in the series featuring James and a woman from his childhood, Florence, who apparently has to stay with him to oversee his estate renovation.
Megan: I'm like, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Megan: Aren't you lucky you got that back, buddy?
Megan: Don't lose it again.
Steph: No, that was James.
Steph: That was not Alex.
Steph: James, don't lose it.
Steph: Yeah.
Megan: Sorry.
Steph: No, Alex.
Steph: Okay.
Steph: In terms of Hot and Steamy, this feels like a three and a half.
Steph: Yeah.
Megan: We could use some more details.
Steph: Or some more scenes.
Megan: I love scenes.
Steph: Chapter 23, we start off with Rafe masturbating after a massaging, Paige.
Steph: It doesn't take long.
Steph: Angry, frustrated knee pounds through my veins, and I think of the meanness and her voice when she taunts me.
Steph: I can't get her out of my system, so I need to get her out.
Steph: When I come, it's to the side of her thong, wrapped around my cock, and I imagine it's the red of her nails gripping me instead.
Steph: It was just like...
Steph: Yeah, you did.
Steph: You did.
Megan: They are like great hate sex people.
Steph: Yes, like...
Megan: A lot of pent up energy there.
Megan: So then we have Chapter 42, where Paige gives Rafe a hand job multiple times, because again, he took the Viagra shot, we think, and then they masturbate in front of each other.
Megan: He groans like I'm ripping his soul apart and I take it all in, this man in all of his uncontrolled glory.
Megan: What would it feel like to have him inside me, when he's this hard, this pained, this needy?
Megan: I'm going to cum.
Megan: It's a half-barked order.
Megan: His face only inches away from me.
Megan: Please.
Megan: I consider stopping.
Megan: And I revel in the thought of causing him more pain, before I decide to give him the relief he's asking for.
Megan: I want to see him come to, and I've never been able to delay gratification, so I keep stroking him.
Megan: You're like, oh, oh boy.
Megan: But it's funny that she like, for half a second debates, like, maybe I etch him just a little bit.
Steph: She should have.
Steph: See, that would be a punishment, Megan.
Megan: Yeah.
Steph: So Chapter 49, he's, we got some fingerfuckery in the dressing room.
Megan: Fingerfuckery.
Steph: My favorite part is, I switched to French, speaking the words against her lips.
Steph: I tell her how pretty she is, how perfect her pussy is, and how she should let me make her feel good.
Steph: Tell me what you just said.
Steph: Don't.
Steph: He's like, don't hold back.
Steph: Don't I owe you that?
Steph: You're perfect like this, darling.
Steph: Come for me.
Steph: Let me make you feel good.
Steph: I'm like, you didn't tell her everything.
Steph: Cause throughout the book, right?
Steph: He's speaking in French and Italian.
Steph: He's not telling her like what he's saying, which reminded me a lot of Pucking Around and Ilmari and how he would speak in Finnish and say things to Rachel.
Steph: And then she was like, she had no idea.
Megan: Yeah.
Megan: Yeah.
Steph: And then Chapter 50, this is why I wanted another scene of him going down on her.
Steph: So he goes down on her in the dressing room.
Steph: I tell you more, but my mouth has better things to do.
Steph: Holy fuck.
Steph: And like he sucks and flicks his tongue back and forth.
Steph: And I think I might come right there.
Steph: Yes.
Steph: I think my eye is fluttering closed.
Steph: It definitely does.
Steph: And then they leave with all three dresses, having never tried a single one on.
Steph: I'm like, well done.
Steph: Well done.
Steph: We could have used another one.
Megan: Yes, we could have.
Megan: But then we get our tennis court scene, Chapter 58.
Megan: It's funny.
Megan: He's like, this fucking thing, he says, and slides his hands beneath the hem of my tennis skirt.
Megan: I've thought of fucking you in this every time we've played.
Megan: Then why haven't you?
Megan: I ask.
Megan: It's a taunt.
Megan: My hands tightening in his hair.
Megan: I kiss his neck, the spot where he once had a bruise, the one I thought was a hickey.
Megan: I hope I leave one there in return.
Megan: Don't say that, he says, hand finding the fabric of my panties, stroking me through it, or I'll fuck you right here.
Megan: Stop talking and do it.
Megan: You're like, oh, yes.
Steph: And then he does.
Megan: He does.
Megan: And in Chapter 62, where Rafael and Paige have sex, you know how much I love this, right?
Megan: You're gonna have to be more specific.
Megan: My breathing is coming fast with my clit under a barrage of his movements.
Megan: Your pussy, is that more specific?
Megan: My breath hitches, yes.
Megan: He loves it.
Megan: He's like, do you know what I told you in French the last time I fucked you?
Megan: No.
Megan: How angry I was at both of us for not doing this earlier.
Steph: Us too.
Megan: Us too.
Megan: Us too.
Megan: Melt.
Megan: So Chapter 67, Paige goes down on Rafe.
Megan: This was all I had to do to get my way.
Megan: Love you, I ask, shifting down along his body.
Megan: I kiss his scar.
Megan: All I had to do, she says, he mutters, as if that's not.
Megan: It's something I haven't done yet.
Megan: Haven't had the opportunity to, but there's no time rush now.
Megan: So I kiss the salty length of him and listen to his labored breathing.
Megan: And when I take him in my mouth and he tells me how good I am, how pretty I am, how I'm the best wife he's ever had, and the only thing he wants, I decide, it doesn't really matter where we live.
Steph: So good.
Megan: Yes, yes, yes.
Megan: So good.
Steph: In terms of what's next, if you enjoy this book, you'll also love The Faking Game by Olivia Hayle if you haven't read it already.
Steph: Big fans of Black Ties and White Lies, that entire series by Kat Singleton, as well as In Good Company and Bad for Business, they're all billionaire romances.
Steph: Plus, we love Her Royal Highness Meghan Quinn, The Cane Brother Billionaire Series, A Not So Meet Cute, So Not Meant to Be, and A Long Time Coming, they're all fantastic.
Steph: And if you're looking for another marriage of convenience book, The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren, or the dark romance, Handsome Devil by L.J. Shen.
Steph: Very fun.
Steph: Very fun.
Megan: And then join us next week when we dive into the world of romantasty and discuss Heir of Illusion by Madeline Taylor.
Megan: Happy reading, everybody.
Steph: Happy reading.
Steph: Thanks for listening to Late Night Reads.
Steph: Don't forget to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook at Late Night Reads Podcast, and check out latenightreads.com for even more information about all the books we're reading.
Steph: If you loved today's episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review our podcast.
Steph: And share the show with your fellow book lovers.
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