"Babe, I'm not going to sleep with him … I swear to you. I've only held his hand since I started sleeping with you." My body reacts to his on its own, leaning into him and slipping my knee between his legs. It's the most natural thing in the world to be intimate with him, and I can't imagine being forced to give that up. "It's not my style to be with two guys at the same time. You have nothing to worry about."
"Not worried about you sleeping with him either," he grunts, although the concern in his expression says otherwise. His hands wrap around my elbows. "What if you're mobbed by fans? What if that woman who broke into your apartment is actively stalking you? You can't tell me Theo's going to protect you."
I wince with the mention of stalking. It's way too late to confess the story about John's new wife without humiliating myself, and I don't want him looking at me differently. We have enough to deal with the way it is.
"We'll keep one of the guys from his security team around." Letting out a deep sigh, I stroke his hard chest. "Please try to understand why I have to do this, Ash. If there was any other way to convince the public we're still together, I'd be all over it. I'm not doing this to hurt you, although I know it's not even fair of me to ask. I'm doing it to save my career."
"I still don't get why you can't just break it off with him."
"I know. I'd rather be spending the weekend with you." I drop my head on his chest and lock my arms around him. Whatever manly body wash he uses makes him smell scrumptious, making this charade harder to execute when I simply wish to drag him back to bed. "Hopefully this will kill the rumors so we can move on."
He releases a heavy sigh, slipping his fingers into my hair and massaging my scalp. "Does this plan to ‘move on' include me?" His voice softens, becoming wistful. "Because I'm not ready for whatever we've got going on to end."
"Me either." Leaning back, I brush my lips over his, instantly hating myself for being selfish rather than letting him go like I should. But the thought of losing everything I've worked for is too terrifying. I throw him a quick, false smile. "We'll just have to be more careful."
Theo wasn't overly enthused about my plan to spend the weekend together until I suggested an overnight trip to Islamorada. There's something about the famous tiki bar that always gets him excited, and I'm guessing it has everything to do with the scores of barely dressed fans who hang on his every last word. Doesn't matter to me as long as I can sip on a drink somewhere under a palm tree without being bothered. I've befriended the manager of one of the exclusive resorts, and know he'll block off an area at my request.
Within an hour of calling Theo, we hit the road in his newly leased Aston Martin, one of the guys from his security team following close behind in a black sedan. There are a few times throughout the short drive where I wonder why I can't simply fall in love with my costar. It'd be convenient, and there's no question he's attractive. Plus he has genuinely charming moments.
Then he opens his mouth, going on about how well he nailed his part this week, and how he was offered some big advertising deals. I'm soon comparing him to Asher who would never be so self-absorbed. How did I ever find Theo even remotely attractive after I was given a glimpse of his personality?
I interrupt his narcissistic rant mid-sentence. "You know this thing with us is bullshit, right?"
"Of course." Flashing his million-dollar smile, his eyes flicker between me and the road. "I mean, I didn't know it was bullshit per say, but I assumed it was a fun side-thing to help get things heated up on set. Why are you asking me this? Are you fucking someone else? Is that why you don't want to fool around anymore?"
For a moment I consider telling him that I'm seeing Asher. But it may only deflate his ego, and upset him enough that he'd quit pretending. There's also a chance he'd make Asher's life a living hell, because he doesn't seem to like him. "I had fun sleeping with you, but it was never anything more than casual sex."
"Did you ask me on this trip to tell me you're done? A simple call would've sufficed. No offense, babe, but I could've made better use of my weekend."
Picturing Asher alone in his apartment, I huff out a short breath of agreement. "We both know you're the bigger star here," I say, choosing every word carefully. "That means I can't afford to come out of this scandal as the bad guy. I would appreciate it if you could help me sell the lie, and pretend everything is okay with us for a little while longer. Bridgette thinks maybe even until this season is released."
"Just so we're clear, we'd still be free to sleep with other people, right?"
I resist the urge to roll my eyes, nodding instead. Does he actually believe I didn't know he'd been doing that all along? "Yeah, of course. As long as we're discreet. That means you'll have to try your hardest not to stick your dick in every co-ed you meet on this trip. We both know it only takes one picture for everything to fall apart."
He lifts one eyebrow, giving me another charming grin. "If you kept me busy, it wouldn't be a problem." When I wince, he reaches over to squeeze my knee. "Come on, babe. It's no secret you have fun when we sleep together. How about one last go for old time's sake?"
"I'm moving on, Theo. I appreciate that you're willing to humor me, but I'll find different ways to return the favor. Sex is not one of them."
"Does that include blowjobs?"
"Anything sexual!" I snap. "As soon as the paparazzi catches word that we're in town, we'll have to sell the fact that we're together. That means kissing and holding hands. It'll be like we're on set, only dressed. And no coke while we're there. I can't handle you when you're in one of your moods."
"Fine!" He lifts a hand off the steering wheel to accentuate his point. "As long as I get to drink and pop pills with you, we have a deal."
Not what I had in mind, but whatever makes him happy enough to execute this thing so I can return to Asher.
Sunday morning I roll over in bed with a blinding headache. There was way more alcohol involved the night before than I intended.
Theo upheld his side of the bargain, hamming it up at the tiki bar until all hours of the night, never leaving my side despite the large crowd of women that had gathered. The handful of photographers that appeared were eventually kicked out by the property's manager.
With every mixed drink Theo ordered, his hands started to wander a little more, so I countered it by drinking a little more for added courage. Everything that happened after midnight became a hazed blur. I remember inviting a small handful of people back to our suite, and listening to music. I have no idea how late either of us stayed up, or when the women left. I vaguely recall a lot of selfies.
When I open my eyes, it's like someone's trying to push my eyeballs out of my head. I throw an arm over my face, moaning.
Theo's dark laugh vibrates the bed. "Didn't figure you'd feel so hot this morning. You were fuckin' crazy last night."
I dart upright with a gasp, finding him naked beside me.
And I'm naked too.
"What happened last night?" I ask, tucking the sheet beneath my armpits.
"You're asking me? Jesus … I was so loaded I hardly remember coming up here." He laughs again, slipping off the bed and scratching his bare ass. Before going out onto the balcony, he tosses me a cheesy wink. "I think it's safe to say we sold your little lie."
Oh my god, this turned into a complete nightmare. Who knows what kind of pictures will show up online when we both blacked out? I reach for my phone, quickly scrolling through my Instagram and Twitter, relieved that I at least had the presence of mind not to post anything after I blacked out.
Then I come across a handful of posts I was tagged in, and my stomach lurches. I recognize a few of the girls from the night before. They start out as innocent selfies, until the four of us moved into the bedroom. Even without showing naked body parts, it's obvious what Theo and I were doing together.
With tears burning my eyes, I run to the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet in time to vomit.
9
Asher
When Angie returns from her little getaway with the clown, I can tell she's hungover as fuck the second I open my door. I'd seen a picture of her and Theo kissing on the beach, and swore I'd never torture myself that way again. I turned my phone off and hit the gym, going a round with a couple other amateur fighters until I was so beaten and bloodied that I could hardly stand on my feet.
The fact that she got that drunk with him triggers the same crippling anger I felt when seeing the picture. After learning about the night she spent in the ER, I've been keeping a close eye to make sure it doesn't happen again. Obviously Theo doesn't give a shit.
She steps forward, slumping against my chest. The smell of booze surrounds her like a second skin. "Please don't make me talk about what happened. I promise I won't ever do that to you again."