Page 56 of Dirty Like Me
“Not a problem.”
From the look on her face, she really had to suspend disbelief on that one. Which rubbed me the wrong way and then some. But it wasn’t like she was the first woman to ever doubt my ability to keep my dick in my pants.
I leaned toward her on the bar. “You got one thing wrong, though. As my woman, my crew is there to look out for you, too. Especially Jude and his team. And I take that shit seriously.”
“Okay.” She still looked unconvinced. “Number three. And I take this shit seriously.”
“Lay it on me.”
“I need you to promise me it’s only a business deal,” she said. “That none of it’s real.” Her expression was steadfast as she held my gaze. “You don’t do girlfriends, and I don’t do rock stars who don’t do girlfriends.”
Was that it?
She was afraid I was gonna put pressure on her to make this thing more than what I’d sold her it would be?
“It’s not real,” I said.
Which didn’t mean we couldn’t fuck like animals… but no need to negotiatethatright this minute.
“And it’s just for the tour,” she said. “Six weeks.”
“Six weeks.”
She stared at me for a long, long moment. “Okay,” she said.
“Okay?”
She nodded and relaxed. “You have a deal, Jesse Mayes.”
Really?
That was all she needed to hear, all this time? That I wasn’t gonna pull a Romeo on her and get down on one knee or some shit at the end of all this?
“Then you’ll do it? You’ll come on tour?”
“Yeah. I’ll come on tour.” She lifted her Nudge coffee cup.
I toasted her with my juice. “Fuck, yeah.”
She sipped her drink. “I still don’t get why you bothered with all of this, though. Wouldn’t it have been easier to just pay some model to hang out on your arm for six weeks?”
I cocked my head, closing one eye to scrutinize her. “You mean like that super hot model who starred in my last music video?”
She blushed. “I was thinking someone with a little more experience as an arm ornament.”
“Ah, but she’s a quick learner,” I said. “And speaking of quick…” I got to my feet. My cell had been vibrating in my pocket non-stop; if I didn’t get moving Brody was gonna have Jude knock the door down and drag me out of here. “You leave tomorrow. Maggie will be in touch about your travel. Keep your phone on.”
“Okay. What about you?”
“Flying to Montreal today.” I tossed my plate in the sink, startling Max from his slumber. “You’ll have to do the dishes yourself, sweetheart.”
“Fuck that,” she grumbled. “I’m going back to bed.”
I took one last look at her in her pj’s as she toed Max’s fur, her chin resting on her hand. “Probably a good idea.”
“So that’s it, huh?” She looked up at me, a hint of a smile on her lips. “No rest for the wicked?
“Welcome to the fast lane, babe.” I planted a kiss on her cheek and walked out the door, a big-ass grin on my face.
