A self-centered ad exec and a liberal journalist enter into a marriage of convenience. He's trying to boost his business image; she likes his apartment.
In order to get a promotion at the advertising agency he works for, Ned Dorsey agrees to enter into a marriage of convenience with journalist Stacey Colbert, who is desperate to move out of her parents house.
To give the impression of a real marriage at a party for his work colleagues, Ned constructs a fictitious history of his relationship with Stacey.
After accidentally meeting a handsome British guy, Stacey starts dating him. When she tries to tell him about her fake marriage with Ned, he gets the impression that they're having a real affair.
While looking for material for her next article, Stacey receives compromising information regarding one of Ned's biggest clients. After consulting with him, she writes a scathing expose about the client which ends up harming Ned.
When Ned hires a gorgeous supermodel for a pick-up truck ad, she ends up getting real close to Eric. When this worries Amanda, Eric decides to take a stand for himself.
Stacey realises that Ned's getting too close to her parents and decides to forbid him from spending time with them.
Ned falls in love with Mrs. Binder, an older woman who happens to be the best friend of Stacey's mom.
Ned and Stacey visit a Halloween party at their building, and they end up getting closer than they expected.
When Stacey's finances take a dive into the worst, Ned offers to help her.
Ned, Stacey, Eric, and Amanda visit the Colberts for a Thanksgiving Day diner. However, a snow storm and other mishaps leads them into a series of family disagreements and disappointments.
Ned gives Stacey some illegal help to buy a new bed, by bribing the salesman. However, Stacey finds herself unable to sleep in it due to the guilt for Ned's actions.
When Amanda stumbles with Sam, a friend of her, she introduces him to Ned and Stacey. After knowing about their arrangement, both Ned and Stacey find themselves fighting for Sam's attention as a "buddy" and as a "boyfriend".
Ned is bound to sleep with a powerful and sexy client. However, Stacey objects arguing the humiliation it poses with the clients he wants her to impress.
Stacey skips Ned's New Year's Eve party to have a date with a friend, which eventually bothers Ned.
When Ned's agency hires Clay, a young and smart executive, to work with him, Ned finds himself worried that he might be trying to take his place.
In order to land Stacey a steady job, Ned starts dating a publishing executive only to realise she is a sex-crazed nymphomaniac.
When Eric's boss retires, Amanda convinces Ned to speak in favour of Eric with their boss. As a result, Eric gets the job, but only to have Ned trying to coerce him into some budget gymnastics.
Stacey meets with an old high school rival and tries to impress her with her relationship with Ned. However, she ends up seducing Ned afterwards.
Ned enjoys a good relationship with his client, gay fashion designer Brent Barrow, who invites the Dorseys and the Moyers to his restaurant and takes Stacey and Amanda shopping at his warehouse. While helping Stacey put away her new clothes, he notices that she and Ned sleep in separate bedrooms. Stacey tells them that they have an arrangement. Brent says he understands but wrongly assumes she means Ned is gay. Later Eric and Ned arrive at Brent's Mardi Gras party before their wives and notice that only men are in attendance. Ned is eager to correct any misunderstanding with Brent and he tells him that he's straight. Brent assumes Ned is in denial about his sexuality and is ready to quit doing business with him, so Ned now tries to tell him that he is gay after all and in love with Eric. By the time Stacey and Amanda arrive at the party, Ned and Eric have done such a bad job of acting gay that Brent is sure that Ned is truly straight.
Despite pain from a temperamental gall bladder, Ned refuses to be hospitalised. That is until his pain leads him to ruin Howard's birthday party.
Ned is forced to work with Bobby Van Lowe, a hot and young actor that has to make some PSA's. When he comments he is looking for an apartment, Ned recommends Amanda, but finds himself in the middle of trouble when Bobby makes a pass at Amanda.
After a series of fights, Amanda unknowingly convinces Stacey to move out of Ned's house. As she returns to her parents, both she and Ned find themselves receiving the unexpected advice from the Colberts.
During a poker game with his friends, Ned bets a night with Stacey, only to lose to his main rival in advertisement.
Ned and Stacey agree to find a date for each other. Although Stacey's choice ends up being disastrous for Ned, she falls in love with Alex, a friend of Ned. However, her new romance ends up jeopardising Ned's career and their marriage arrangement.
