“Isn’t that how it happens? An epiphany from a break in the clouds as I stand on the beach?”Bray coughed to hide his laughter.“And this is why she’s mad at you.” Leah raised her eyebrows. “Honestly, for a guy that pens some of the best love songs on the radio, you’re like a bull in a china shop tryna navigate real-life romance.”“All right then, you tell me what I gotta do if you’re so damn smart.”“Something big. Something that will make her kiss you instead of the other way around. Something that will make her realize you’re really thinking about her.”I frowned, staring at her. Like fucking what? “I’m sure you think that’s helpin’, but it ain’t.”My sister sighed heavily. “Something just for her, Conor. Do something for her. Give her something.”“Orgasms count as something,” Bray added.“No, they don’t. Shut up,” Leah snapped. “You two are like a couple teen boys workin’ out how to get laid. You really are. I’m not standing here trying to sort out your shit if you’re gonna be a d
Maybe that was why I was so desperate to stop her from being mad.Maybe it was not for her at all. Maybe it was because I was too fucking selfish to see her hurt.But it wasn’t about me.It was about Chloe and Milka.Because of Milka, a part of Chloe will always belong to me. It didn’t matter whether that part lives inside our daughter or not. A part of her would always be mine, and it’ll always be living inside me, because no matter what she says, she’s mine.She can fight it. She can deny it. She can scream at me. She can walk away from me.It wouldn’t change that Chloe Hidson was irrevocably fucking mine.**************** *************** ***************************“Eight hours without talkin’. Did I say I’m impressed?”“You should be more impressed that it’s been eight hours after an argument and he hasn’t cornered me and kissed me yet,” I muttered in response.Leah raised an eyebrow. “I don’t want to know.” She jumped on her bed and bounced a couple of times before settling. “I f
“Why don’t you two, I dunno, just jump into bed together or something? Because, yowwww!” She shook her head. “Someone approaches you two when you’re together and they zing back off that wall of sexual tension.”Because we already got into bed once.I raised an eyebrow. “There is no sexual tension.” Liar, liar. “There’s a lot of anger, but no sexual tension.”If you don’t count that god-awful need to have his skin naked against mine and his hands teasing my breasts and his cock inside me.Yep. No sexual tension whatsoever.“Whatever. Just sort your shit out. Either talk or don’t. And it ain’t even just for Milka. For you, too, Chloe. Because both of you deserve more than this back-and-forth shit.”“We can’t talk, Leah. We’ve tried. It just doesn’t work, but neither does not talking. I wish I wasn’t so drawn to him. I wish I didn’t give a shit what he does when we aren’t together but I do. And I wish it didn’t matter about the horde of girls waiting for him in LA.”“Talkin’ about Aiden?
It was not about hearing him sing.It was about feeling him.I knew the song. It was our song. It was an acoustic melody on the beach before it was an LA-recorded hit. It was his heart and my soul before it was America’s latest teenage jam.It was something.It is something.And I listened. As he told me his heart beats for me the way I breathed for him, I listened. As he sung to me how his skin vibrated at my touch, I listened to him describe how mine buzzed for him.And I was nineteen. All over again, I was a teenage girl, falling hopelessly in love with a guy with a guitar.I was just a girl, falling innocently in love with someone who was just a boy.I closed my eyes and fell away with the melody. He’d hum it so often. Finally I let myself remember. I let myself recollect how he’d hum random parts whenever our hug would last a minute too long. I let myself feel how he’d sing my name without saying it, and how every syllable of his unspoken words would cascade through me like a nev
I never knew a back could be so hot.I forced my gaze away and climbed into his bed. This time I lied on the edge, holding the top of the covers beneath my chin. I squeezed my eyes shut and pulled my legs up.The mattress dipped as he climbed in beside me.“I won’t jump you in the middle of the night,” he told me in a whispered grunt.“I know,” I whispered back, my voice barely breaking through the darkness. “I sleep like this.”He snorted, then a quiet slap rung out as he covered his mouth. “Yeah, sure, princess. The queen of starfishing sleeps in the fetal position. Try again.”“Things change.”“Yeah, but I bet your sleepin’ habits ain’t one of them.”“Maybe they are.”“Shut up before I spoon you.”A shiver snaked its way down my spine. Because that was such a threat. Being spooned by Conor James was obviously my worst nightmare.I shuffled back into the middle of my side of the bed and tucked the quilt tightly around me.He sighed but didn’t say anything about it. “Night, Chloe.”“
Chloe sat next to me and hooked an arm around Milka’s waist. “Good cuddle?”Milka squeezed our necks. “Mama, Dadda hug My.”I met Chloe’s eyes and raised my eyebrows.“She wants us to cuddle like we were before.”Yeah, no. I didn’t fucking think so.“Okay, okay.” I wrapped one arm around Milka’s tiny waist and the other around Chloe’s.I tugged Chloe forward, and she stumbled, shrieking quietly. I laughed and slid my hand down to her ass once more. I forced her toward me until Milka’s practically squashed between us and hugged her tightly.A sense of rightness overcame me.This.This was how it was supposed to be.Both of them, both of my girls, wrapped in my arms first thing in the morning. Except they should be there last thing at night and every damn minute in between, too.I wanted to hold them, breathe them in, be everything they needed me to be. I wanted to be the guy that turns up with flowers for the woman and a toy for the baby just because. I wanted to be the guy that change
Chloe turned to button them, then flounced towards the door. Her legs stretched out from beneath the frayed denim, long and toned and tanned, and I was stuck on them. Completely fucking stuck on them.They were what she had been wrapping around me?Fuck.“I smell bacon and pancakes,” she announced before walking through the door like she didn’t have a care in the world.She didn’t.She didn’t have a cock. For the love of fucking God, this erection was a killer.I grunted my annoyance to the silence of my bedroom and snatched a towel from my radiator. I yanked my door open and walked into the bathroom.Locking the door behind me, I losen the boxers and stepped into the shower. I let the water pound down on me and closed my eyes.Chloe filled my mind like her image was burned into the back of my eyelids. I could see the curve of her ass, the way her dark lace briefs stood out against her pale flesh. I could see the way she bent, except this time it was different.In my mind her legs wer
She shrieked right next to my ear and I hissed a curse.“Sorry.” She slapped her hands over my mouth. “You surprised me.”“I was supposed to.” I slammed the door and rubbed my ear. Holy shit. Girl’s got a screech like a pterodactyl on estrogen.I got in the driver side and tore down the driveway. I nodded to our security team, standing vigil and keeping the media back. Flashes went crazy as photographers desperately tried to get our picture.“Sunglasses. In the glove box.”Chloe rifled through it and handed me them. “Sorry, Mr. Hollywood.”I laughed. “You want me to crash?”I glanced at her and she shook her head.“Well then.”She didn’t say anything else as I turned onto the main road through Santa Monica. A few cars mysteriously appeared behind us, conveniently coming from the same direction as my house.I felt my grin stretching across my face before Chloe noticed anything.“What?” she said, turning in the seat. “Oh, you’re fucking kiddin’ me.”She practically growled that. She was
I was kind of annoyed at his short response, but I was equally amused at his smugness about it. And his amusement—damn, I wanted to laugh while I slap it off his handsome face.For the first time, it stroke me that this fake relationship could be rather dangerous.I stayed quiet as we drove down the country road that’ll take us to Percival Town, a couple of miles up the coast. I had been before—it was the stereotypical little beach town, more so than Santa Monica, even—but it wasn’t my favorite place. For one, the size of the town and its population made Santa Monica looked like a minuscule village unworthy of a supermarket or school of its own, and almost everyone who lived there acted like they were from a city, when they were not.We also had a high school football rivalry, so that could play in, especially since I was head cheerleader and may or may not have gotten into a catfight with Percival’s head cheerleader in senior year.Who also happened to be Titus’s girlfriend at the tim
IVANA“You’re going out with Titus James? Like on a date? Or out out? Or just as friends?” Sussy’s eyes bugged out of her head. “And you didn’t invite me?”I paused from applying my mascara and looked at her incredulous expression in the mirror. “Come right on into my room, Sus. It was okay. I only might have been naked, or you know, masturbating or something.”“That’s gross.”“So is your obsession with Dirty J.” I gave her a sarcastic smile and went back to my makeup. “But no, it is not a date.”“Uh-huh . . .” she trailed off, and when I screwed my mascara brush back into the tube, she shoved her phone at me. “Then why does Twitter say you’re his girlfriend?”I shrugged and brushed my bangs out. “I saw this meme on Facebook that said Abraham Lincoln once said you shouldn’t believe everything you read on the Internet.”My sister looked at me like I was dumb. “The Internet was invented after Lincoln died.”“Precisely. It’s called sarcasm.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed my phone from the
“You really want me to say it again?”She rubbed her hand down her face. “Are you insane? She hates you!”I smirked.“Titus . . .” She rolled her eyes. “Okay, obviously not that much, but a fake relationship? Do you even know what you’ve gotten yourself into?”“Yep,” Aiden replied for me. “Because unlike the rest of us, he’s the only one who’s had a successful relationship.”“As evidenced by the fact I am currently single,” I drawled sarcastically at my big brother. “Get a load of that success!”“Don’t be a little prick.”“Every big prick needs a little one.”“Dollars!” Milka shrieked, stomping across the room with her hand out and her chubby fingers clenching in a “gimme” motion. Dutifully, we both dug dollar bills out of our pockets and handed them over. “Tankoo.” She narrowed her bright blue eyes, then pointed at the space between us. “No fight! Bad Uncy Aid and Uncy Titus!”Chloe smiled behind her glass of juice.“She’s real bossy, you know that, right?” I looked at Chloe. “She’s
TITUSHoly. Shit.I was never, ever fucking putting this chick on the back of my bike ever again.If her arms around me wasn’t bad enough, it was her tits pressed solidly against my back and the fact I knew her pussy was rubbing my ass. Fuck. And in the tiny shorts she was wearing right now? It was a mega mindfuck.In fact, it was a fuck, fuck, fuck, kinda situation.As in why the fuck did I kiss her this morning? Why the hell did I bring her close just to shut her ex up? I shouldn’t give a shit. I should’ve taken the damn coffees, paid, and gotten the hell outta Dodge. But no. I had to plant some fucking seeds in Dodge, didn’t I? And then I had to water them by telling that douchebag that I’m her boyfriend.I had the funniest feeling that wasn’t gonna go down well.In fact, I was almost certain it was gonna go down like a shit ton of loose bricks in an earthquake.Still, though—I could feel her arms wrapped around me tightly, holding her body flush against mine, and it was different
“I always wondered what it’d be like to fuck you. Now I know.”“Isn’t this a conversation for your right hand?”“No, but it could be for yours.”“Only if that hand is around your neck.” I snatched said hand out of his and placed it on my hip. “What do you want? Why are you here?”“Come with me,” he said, his shoulders rising and falling. “Please?”“A James boy saying please? Did I die and go to hell? ’Cause y’all sure ain’t goin’ to heaven.”His lips twitched. “Vanny.”I took two steps away from him.“Ivana,” he corrected himself. “Come on. Just for ten minutes.”“Take me home,” I demanded, turning back to him. “Let me get changed, and then I’ll consider it.”He took a deep breath, his eyes intent on me as he obviously considered it. “Fine.” He grabbed my hand once more and tugged me between two buildings and onto Main Street.I shielded my eyes from the sunlight before sliding my sunglasses down as we stepped from the shadows created by the alleyway, almost falling after him. He led
“A frying pan to the face? Sure. Be my guest.”“Coffee, Ivana. I’d like to keep my job.”“Nah, it’s okay. I’ve gotta face him sometime.”“Ken!” She yelled into the kitchen at the chef. “Keep the fryin’ pans away from Jessie here!”“Yes, ma’am,” he called back, laughing.I might have a temper.“Y’all are like pins and needles in my ass,” I mumbled, finishing my coffee and putting the mug into the empty dishwasher. Adrina’s laugh rung through the café as she danced her way to the front door with the key dangling from her pointer finger.Chelsea was the first person through the door, and I blinked harshly. “Don’t look at me like that,” she hissed, stalking toward me. “You didn’t come home last night, did you?”“Say it a bit louder, Chels. I’m not sure my mom heard you.”She rolled her eyes and, glancing at the people behind her, ordered. “Latte, please, to go.” One more glance as I grabbed the takeout cup and she continued, “Why didn’t you text me? You should have texted me!”“Dude, seri
IVANAIt shouldn’t bother me.But, really, he must have a serious lack of class to just disappear while I slept.What kind of son of a bitch is Titus James? He’s sure as hell a disrespectful little shit, his sexual promises be damned. The fact he delivered on them can be damned, too.He’s real lucky I’m the kind of girl who sticks to her word. When I said no stories, no second times, no whatever it was I said while under the influence of cosmos, I meant it.As long as we never have to see each other again. That’d be fabulous. So basically, Santa Monica needed to expand by another few thousand people. Several thousand would be great. Like, twenty thousand.The chances of this happening are, I know, slim. But a girl can dream. A girl’s gotta dream if she wants to stay sane.A last-minute tour for Dirty J. would be epic. An impromptu concert on Mars would be even more epic.Jesus, what the heck was I thinking? Sleeping with Titus James? Did I have a temporary lapse in sanity last night?
Blondie’s smile dropped. “Yeah. Why? She your assistant or somethin’?”I smirked. “No, but I’m hirin’.”“Well, how about this.” She stepped forward and ran her finger down my arm. “I give you my number, and when you’re ready to interview, you can call me.”“Or how about you come back here this time next week and if I’m standing right here, you’ll know you got the job.” My lips tugged up even more.Agreeing to call a girl.Fuck. That.That was an amateur move.“Well played,” she whispered in my ear before stalking past me, making sure her tits brush my arm. Her hard, fake tits.I prefer real.The bathroom door opened and I looked up straight into the eyes of . . . my little sister. Leah took a deep breath and held her hand up at me, touching two fingers to her temples. Her ponytail swung as she shook her head. “Aw, hell no. I am not going to think about the fact that I just helped one of my best friends out of Spanx so she can fuck my brother.”She opened her eyes, and I scratched the
TITUSIvana Lawson reached back and grasped my forearm firmly, shoving my arm away from her like I was fire and she was gasoline. “I mind you touching me,” she replied. “What’s takin’ so long?” she yelled to the bartender.“Chill out, Ivana,” I murmured, moving closer to her and meeting the bartender’s eyes. “Can you hurry with that, babe?”She nodded and within two seconds, a cocktail glass full of perfectly red-pink liquid was placed in front of us.“That’s—”“And a bottle of Budweiser, thanks,” I demanded before she said the price. “Put it on my tab.”“I can pay for my own drink,” Ivana argued, her eyes sparking with defiance.“Sure you can, but that don’t mean you’re gonna.”“It means I will.” She riffled in her purse and slammed a ten into my chest. “Thank you, Titus, but no thank you.”I took the crisp bill from her hand and crumpled it up, crooking my finger in the collar of her dress. She gaped at me in disbelief as I pulled the fabric from her body and dropped the balled-up n