A/N Again the disclaimer. I do not know personally anyone mentioned. This is purely a fiction exercise. Also because English is not my native language you may have to excuse some mistakes I may write. That being said I hope you enjoy it. :)

Sophie learned about your secret relationship with Grant by eavesdropping on your conversation.

At this point you have joined Joan, Doug and some other friends on the dance floor and Grant, after learning that Nate and Richard were getting along just fine, he was leaning against a wall, holding his drink in his hand and trying to disguise some lustful looks at you but not really succeeding.

Kyle approaches him. "Ha, Gustin, got you! Who are you eye fucking over there, uh?"

Grant almost chokes and spits his drink. "What?!"

Kyle laughs. "Haha! You're clearing undressing and fucking someone there with your eyes. Which one of the girls is it?"

"Oh, man, you're mistaken, I'm not eye fucking anyone."

"No? Really?" Kyle teases.

"Just looking, that's all."

Kyle doesn't seem convinced or willing to let go. "Right... You're all chatty and friendly with your publicist some moments ago..."

"She's nice. We're friends, you know that."

"And...?"

"And what?"

"Do you fancy her? She's a babe."

"Oh come on, Kyle, we're surrounded by beautiful girls. Can't I just talk to one of them, who also happens to be my friend and publicist? No seconds thoughts attached?"

"Sure, you can. Just checking. I just didn't want to hit on the girl you're interested in..." Kyle winks.

"What?" Grants gasps. "You're interested in her? You can't..."

"Can't I? Why? I thought you said you two are just friends..."

"We are, that's not the point. The point is that she likes someone." Grant says bluntly, the jealousy getting the better of him.

"Oh really? I thought she was single..."

"Well, she isn't. She has someone and from what I know they are pretty happy together."

"Right, they are so happy that this person is not even here with her? On New Year's Eve and her own birthday party?" Kyle doesn't believe in Grant's words.

"Well... I guess he couldn't be here... But she definitely has someone so I'd stay away if I were you."

"That doesn't make much sense but ok, I'll just talk to her first to figure it out before I make my move..." Kyle walks away towards you.

Grant shakes his head sighing. "This is exhausting..."

At that moment Sophie approaches Grant. "Why are you here all alone?" As Grant almost jumps startled by her words she smirks. "Hey, calm down, no need to get scared. I'm not asking you to take a walk with me again. But there's no need to stay all by yourself. Come with me. We're about to start Truth or Dare and everyone is participating."

"What? I don't want to play."

"Why not? Any secret to hide?" She raises an eyebrow, looking at Grant with a teasing smile.

"No, I just don't want to."

"They are all participating." She looks at you, Joan and Doug.

At this moment, Kyle is talking to you and Grant has his eyes set on your two, barely looking at Sophie. "Whatever." He replies uninterested.

"Good. I'll go gather everyone." She smiles victoriously.

Meanwhile Kyle was all over you talking about trivial stuff when suddenly he asks you where your boyfriend is.

"What?" You ask surprised. You know he's been talking to Grant and you wonder whether Grant told him about you two. You hope not otherwise it's already too many people knowing about it and the riskier it becomes.

"Don't you have someone?" He asks again.

"Excuse me?"

"Ok, basically I'm trying to figure whether you are single or not. I'm not very subtle, I know. Grant told me you were seeing someone, I was just making sure that's true."

"Oh, I see." You realize Grant told him that so that Kyle would stay away from you. You decide to play along. "Yeah, I do have someone, if you must really know..."

"Oh. Ok. And why is he not here? Honestly, skipping his own girlfriend's birthday party and the New Year... It seems to me he doesn't deserve you..." Kyle's tone of voice is teasing you.

"Well, he couldn't really be here..."

"Shame."

Fortunately Sophie breaks this awkward moment when she comes calling everyone for the Truth or Dare thing.

You look at Grant with a doubtful look. He shrugs his shoulders.

You walk over him. "I'm not participating on this." You tell him.

He smirks. "Yeah, I didn't want it too, but won't that be suspicious?"

"Who cares? It's my birthday I'll do what I feel like doing. Well, almost. Because what I feel like doing now is kissing you and I can't obviously do that."

Grant smiles. "Right. Well, will we just watch?"

You pull Grant aside. "I want to be with you, I want to kiss you, I want to hold hands with you. Wherever and whenever. I'm tired of hiding, of pretending we're just friends... Five minutes ago, your friend Kyle was flirting with me and asking if I had someone... You told him I had so I played along. Before that it was Sophie hitting on you. I'm tired of this, you know? It's not just hiding our relationship. This is making us lie too. Lie to our friends, families, my boss..." You sigh deeply, with a weary expression.

"I know that. You know I feel the same. But you know what will happen if we come out..." Grant looks hopeless at you. "I'd never forgive myself if I was responsible for you losing your job or something."

"I know... But I'm going crazy with this. Seriously."

Grant attempts to hug you but he refrains himself in time, before anyone sees it. "Fuck, I just... Can't we just leave? Or at least go for a walk, I don't know... They'll be distracted with the games."

You look at the bunch of people getting ready and all excited for the Truth and Dare game. "Let's go."

As you and Grant walk away, Sophie stares at you two. She speaks to Joan. "What's going on between them?"

"What?" Joan asks surprised.

"Oh come on, Joan. I know they are dating, I've heard them, and I'm sure you know about it too. You were even the one telling me that Grant might like someone else... You knew it already."

Joan sighs, without really knowing what to say.

"I get why they are dating in secret but what's going on? I mean, they were all serious talking right now. Is it because of me? I'm sorry, I didn't want to screw things, I seriously thought he was single, if I knew they were together I'd never hit on him..."

"That's ok, they are not mad about that. Don't worry. Look, I've only found out myself about them today but they have been an item pretty much since they met. This secrecy thing is killing them. They are crazy about each other but they are tired of hiding. Can you imagine being at parties with your boyfriend and pretending you're just friends? Lying to your own friends and everyone else?"

"I can only imagine... If Stella knows..."

"Hey, you have to be quiet about this, Sophie. Please, keep your mouth shut. They are trying to sort this out, talk to lawyers and all but in the meantime..."

"Oh, please. I know that. I'm gonna be quiet about it, I promise."

You and Grant have gone for a walk on the beach. When you are out of sight Grant immediately wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you into his arms. Before any of you says anything, you are kissing each other like there's no tomorrow.

When you pull away Grant just holds you tight. "I wanted to be properly alone with you to talk to you." He says.

"Ok..." You look up to him somewhat afraid of he is going to say.

"Well, I demanded urgency when I talked to my lawyers and even though we have an appointment with them after tomorrow, on the second of January, they have already talked to me this afternoon."

"So... What did they say?"

"They say that if we come out there's no way we can control what's gonna happen with you. Sure, we breach the contract, you'll definitely stop being my publicist, but that doesn't automatically mean you'll get fired. It will depend on your boss. The best it can happen is that we stop working together but you keep your job and all your other clients. The worst it can happen is you losing your job. But neither of that depends on us."

"So, that's it? We knew that already."

"Well, that's what can happen if we come out. They say we have other options."

"What are those?"

"We keep it a secret for a year. That's how long the contract is valid for."

"We've talked about it already, Grant. We can't. I can't and you can't. We are already going crazy with this and it's only been a month..."

"I agree, that's not an option."

"So, what else?"

"I break the contract. And since I have no valid or legal reason to do that, I have to pay an indemnity to your agency. Which is basically the value of the whole year of your services and some more fees or something."

"What?! No, you can't... That's a lot of money..."

"Wait... Then I can ask for a new contract. Without that stupid clause."

"They'll never agree to that, Grant. And you know what? I've been thinking... The clause is there for a reason. Maybe it's better if we separate things. Work and private life..."

Grant frowns. "What do you mean?"

"We'll get you another publicist. I honestly fear I can't do my job properly with you. My feelings for you are starting to interfere..." You look shyly at him.

"How?"

"I tend to worry more about you than my other clients, like you're the only one that matters. And when I'm doing my work with you I always feel like I'm being partial, too partial, I look at you not as my client, not as an actor I'm representing and publicizing but as my boyfriend. This can only go wrong in a long term. I wish I could separate things but I can't. I like you too much to be able to do that."

Grant sighs. "As much as I'd like to keep you as my publicist I understand that you don't want to."

"It's not that I don't want to, I just can't..."

Grant hugs you. "It's ok, babe. If that's what it takes to have you completely in my life, then be it. If I have to choose, I'd rather have you as my girlfriend than as my publicist. Without a doubt." He kisses your lips and caresses softly your hair.

You hug him back tight and, carried away by Grant's words and his show of affection, you just confess, "I love you, Grant." When you realize what you have just said you freeze in that hug, unable to look at Grant. You knew you loved him for a while now but you never said it to him. You didn't want to scare him, after all he had recently got out of a relationship that broke his heart. You were afraid that would be too much and that he was not ready to hear something like that so soon…