Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 57139 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57139 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 286(@200wpm)___ 229(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
No, do not get the excited face. WRONG face to make to the guy, wrong face! Back away Harper! I open my mouth, then shut it. No. It wasn’t the time to talk about it. Later.
He grinned. “I hoped you’d say that.” He pulled out his phone and showed her a few headlines and trending hashtags.
#VexAndHarper #HarperIsLucky #IsItHotInHereOrIsItVex
“You’re trending in seventeen countries,” Graham finally said. “The chemistry is undeniable. Which is why the network wants to capitalize on it immediately.”
My stomach dropped even further. “Capitalize how?”
“A multi-date arc,” he said, like it was obvious. “Public appearances. Interviews. Maybe even a joint live stream along with the other guys that got away, she still has a few more dates left and like I said we’ll possibly add more if you’re open to it, I mean, you had one night with this guy do you really think he could be the one in the end? And how would you know, plus it seems like you were genuinely caught off guard about his past life, did you know he used to work—”
“—-Don’t bore her with my past.” I interrupted. “We’ll need something in writing for her to look over.”
He grinned. “Done. I already had something mocked up this morning before coming over, I tried calling your phone Harper, sorry to be so aggressive I just didn’t want someone else running in and snatching this opportunity from me, because honestly, the wife loves shows like this. I’m partially doing it for her.”
Wife number five, also he has a mistress but sure, do it for her, yay…
Harper’s mouth fell open. “That’s so sweet.”
All people lie especially good-looking ones. Had I taught her nothing?
“I must be insane, but I think it’s a good idea,” she muttered.
I disagreed, but by explaining why I was exposing myself. What if my past wasn’t something she could handle? What if the real details of it, the sordid details made her run? My anxiety was already pressing against my ribs, hard and insistent. I’d walked away from all of this once for a reason. But now…
Now Harper was in it, too.
And if the only way to keep her from getting shredded by the same machine that once nearly ate me alive was to play the part, then I’d do it especially if it meant keeping her from that part of me she didn’t need to see.
Even if it killed me.
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
HARPER
I know you’ve read the last fifty texts. I can see the read receipts! I’m going to keep sending them till you reply. I’ll wear you down, just watch, my therapist says persistence pays off!!
—Jaysen
“This is crazy. Like completely batshit crazy. How did my harmless little TikTok dating show go from something I needed to keep my apartment and prove my own creativity to like…” My eyes raked him up and down. “You. How did this turn into you?” I study Ezra, noting he way his nose twitched.
Graham had left hours ago and we hadn’t really moved much beyond using the restroom, making more coffee and staring at Seinfeld reruns.
I waved a hand. “Actually, don’t answer. I’m assuming in your sordid past, things like this were normal. PR firms, networks, spin doctors—”
The more I talked, the paler he got. By the time I stopped, he looked like he was about to throw up.
Oh. Oh no.
This wasn’t part of his plan.
It wasn’t like he wanted to come out of hiding.
Wait. Why did he come out of hiding?
“What?” I asked carefully as I set down my coffee mug and study him. The kitchen light is making those damn shots of gold stand out in his glorious hair and I have to blink to refocus.
His face dropped. “That’s a very suspicious look you’ve got there. And I don’t like how it’s making my arm hairs go straight up. I don’t have many, and I need them to look masculine after being accused of shaving.”
“Shaving your arms isn’t a crime, you psycho.” I stepped toward him. “Neither is the lack of body hair.”
He backed up until he hit the dining table, one hand knocking a candle to the ground. His eyes flicked to my mouth—then back up again. “Did you want to grab a flashlight and tie me up in the dark corner for this investigation, Officer?”
Damn it. Why did he still have that low, raspy just-woke-up voice? And why did he have to look that sexy standing there cornered? I needed his neon glasses and a bucket hat stat—anything to block the pretty.
“Why did you do it?” I demanded. “Why take Vex’s place? You had an actor lined up, right? He bailed, so what—you stepped in out of the goodness of your heart?”
He bit his bottom lip, sucking it between his teeth. Classic Ezra thinking face.
“Stop that,” I snapped. “Stop sucking.”
His lip popped free. “What?”
“Asexual my ass. You ooze sexual tension like cutting into a wagyu steak and you know it. Why did you do it? Why help me?”