Reading Online Novel

Throb(45)



“Is it the cameras?” he whispers in my ear.

I have no idea how to answer, so I tell him the truth. Well, mostly the truth. It was difficult for me to forget the cameras even before I met Cooper. “Maybe a little.”

A member of the Throb crew comes out from nowhere. “Sorry to interrupt, guys. But can you speak a little louder? We can’t pick up your voices out here too easily.”

Flynn sighs loudly. “Yeah. No problem.” He smiles and leans his forehead to mine, intentionally whispering to avoid the mics. “I get it. I like that you’re more comfortable when we’re alone. Real life won’t have cameras.” He kisses my cheek and his sweet smile turns flirty again. “Well, unless you want cameras. I’d be into that too if it’s just for our eyes.”





chapter twenty




Cooper


“Coop. You got a minute?” Miles pops his head into my office.

Not really. “Sure. What’s up Miles?”

“The ratings on Throb are climbing every week. Most reality TV shows drop as they go. We’re heading in the other direction.” He beams, but I stiffen, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He’s not here to only share good news.

“That’s great.” I wish the damn show would end already.

“The final four are going to be picked tomorrow night. I can’t wait to film the overnight dates.”

“What do you need, Miles?” Exasperation and anger shine through loud and clear.

“We rented a wing of the Four Seasons in Barbados to shoot the overnight date shows in. But it’s expensive. Between putting up the crew and closing off a section of the hotel to shoot for two weeks, it will eat away at a lot of cash. Cash that can be better used for more advertising.”

“So you want another loan?”

“No. I was hoping to use the house in Barbados to shoot.”

“My house?” Yeah. I’d like nothing better than to have Kate fuck Dickhead in my bedroom. Awesome idea. “I don’t think so, Miles.” The house was our father’s; I bought Miles out when we settled the estate. “Do you want to shoot them fucking in our father’s room?”

Miles shoves his hands in his pocket nervously. At least he has the decency to look embarrassed for asking. “What about if the crew stayed in the main house? And the contestant stayed in the guesthouse. Alone. We can keep the honeymoon suite at the Four Seasons and shoot there, but at least it would save me a fortune putting everyone up.” He pauses for a moment. “Dad used to give the keys to the crew sometimes after they worked hard on a film, as a bonus. I don’t think he’d mind the crew staying there.”

“I don’t know, Miles, let me think about it.” How the hell did I get so involved in his crap?

“That’s great.” He perks up and smiles like I’ve just agreed to something.

“Don’t look so happy, I didn’t say yes yet.”

“No, but you will.”

“I have a meeting.”

“Thanks, Coop. I have to cancel the hotel by tomorrow … if you could let me know by then.” Miles walks toward the door and looks back. “Oh. I almost forgot.” He reaches inside his suit jacket pocket and pulls out a DVD. “Today’s daily. The last one-on-one date. Women are going to eat this shit up. He actually sings to his date under the moonlight in the back of a catamaran.”

“Who was his date?”

“Kate.”



The contents of the large envelope I finally tore open are scattered all over my desk. I’d hired Damian Fry to dig up dirt on Kate right after she told me she was doing the show because she needed the prize money. The envelope arrived the morning after we’d spent the night together. But by then, I’d flip-flopped back and forth a million times between needing to know and feeling like I was invading her privacy reading through what she was obviously not ready to tell me. Forcing myself to ignore the report, I’d shoved it into the back of my drawer, unopened. Until an hour ago.

The visual Miles left me of Kate and Dickhead under the moonlight this morning has left me unable to focus. Again. Everyone has some skeletons in their closet—I needed to harden my heart by learning Kate’s. I thought whatever was inside the envelope might help me.

I stare at the mess of papers—the dirt Damian Fry dug up on Kate. Well, not really on Kate—she’s squeaky clean. Which is actually pretty amazing considering the man she was raised by. It’s her father who got her into the mess she’s in today. Leaving her sick mother with enough debt to drown her. And her brother. Damn it. I’ll never be able to think straight in a day full of jam-packed meetings.