Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 96712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96712 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“Pretty sure this won’t stay a secret if we were to do that.”
The heated stare he gives me has me not caring if Damon and Maddox were to walk in. That is, until Maddox actually walks in and our gazes break away from each other.
“Coffee ready?” Maddox asks.
“Yep,” Noah says and slides over a cup. He takes the other two into the living room, and I’m about to hop off the counter to follow him when Maddox’s hand hits the middle of my chest.
“Can I help you?” I ask.
He speaks low. “How long did you last before you fucked him?”
My face falls. “Huh?”
“Let’s see, you were walking around in a towel; I had to maul Damon on the couch so he didn’t see you. That could easily be dismissed if you were walking from the bathroom to your bedroom, but I’m pretty sure I saw you come from the third floor. Then, the first question you asked when you came down was about our trip, and the second was about Noah. That’s when I knew for sure you were doing him.”
“How?”
“I drove your car. I’m waiting for the questions about if I scratched it.”
“Did you scratch it?” I ask and try to hide the panic in my tone.
“No, but I was still expecting the questions. So, tell me. How long did you last?”
I hesitate, wondering if I should tell him the truth. “Three days.”
Maddox laughs. “I’m so disappointed in you. Three days? Three. It’s Noah.”
I slide off the counter. “There’s nothing wrong with Noah. And don’t say anything to your boyfriend about it because we were supposed to keep it professional.”
“Oops. It slipped in? Is that how it happened?”
I ignore him, and his laughter continues to follow me as I head back to the living room and take the single armchair.
“I have to say I’m impressed,” Damon says from the couch.
“Impressed?” I ask.
“Yeah, that you haven’t killed Noah yet.”
“It’s been really hard,” I say.
Maddox snorts behind me.
“Are you two coming tonight?” Damon asks.
“Tonight?” Noah and I say at the same time.
“Yeah, to that sports bar on Fifth. The usual people will be there. I figured Aron would’ve texted you.” Damon’s tone is half-fishing, half-accusatory, and I wonder how secret Aron and Noah’s tryst really is. He said they were friends, but I didn’t realize they still are or that they’re in the same group of friends. That makes things more difficult.
“Oh, right. That,” Noah says as if he were invited. My guess is he wasn’t. “I might go. Matt’s going home to Philly today.”
“Maybe Matt can stay an extra night and come,” Maddox says, and again, I suspect he knows about Noah and Aron too. And now he knows Noah and I are … doing whatever it is we’re doing, maybe Maddox thinks I should be there. For some reason. I’m not sure. Noah’s contractually obligated to keep it in his pants, but if he wants to hook up with his ex, there’s not much I can do about that.
“I’d be cool with that,” Noah says. “If you want to come that is,” he says to me.
“To a sports bar?” I ask.
“It wouldn’t be a bad thing to have us photographed doing normal stuff.”
“Hanging out with friends isn’t exactly normal for me,” I say.
“That’s because you didn’t have friends until now,” Noah says.
Damon leans forward. “As long as you don’t get drunk or argue with Noah where anyone can hear it, it’ll be all right by your management team.”
“You’re my management team,” I say.
“Exactly. And I can keep an eye on you.”
“I guess I’ve got nothing better to do back in Philly.”
“He’s totally fallen in love with me,” Noah says. “Can you tell?”
Maddox and Damon snigger. “Guess we’ll see you both tonight,” Damon says and stands.
And I guess I’m going out with Noah and his ex tonight. This should be fun.
Chapter Ten
Noah
Inviting Matt tonight was a stupid thing to do, especially when I knew Aron would be here, but for some idiotic reason—I’m thinking my dick is responsible—I was focused on Matt staying another night and not the fact Aron is still pissed over how I ended things with him.
“On a scale of one to ten, how much is this Aron guy going to hate me?” Matt asks on our way into the bar. The paparazzi were surprisingly absent when we left the house, and they’re not here either. I’d like to think it’s because they’ve given up, but I think it’s more to do with the fact they have no idea where we are since we weren’t at the cruise terminal. That’ll change quickly considering we’re about to walk into a sports bar where Matt will no doubt be recognized.
“I haven’t heard from him since he found out about us, but if that conversation was an indication, I’d stay out of glass-throwing range if I were you.”