Chapter 18 #2
Mum apologizes but starts up again, “Baby, don’t you expect us to be curious? We’ve never once seen you like this.”
Lola throws the phone down. “Literally never. It would make sense if it were like, some hot, brooding stranger that changed you. Not someone you rolled your eyes at for years! It’s weird.
We were just studying for the sake of science.
” Then she gets a good look at me. “Jesus Christ! Baby, I’m not fucking fixing that, you can make those BuzzFeed makeup artists do that! ”
I jog to my full-length mirror and see the soaked-through crotch of my shorts, my hard nipples poking out under my tank top, my pink cheeks, mussed hair and smeared lipstick. “Shit! Mum, pick my outfit. Lola, fix it! Please!”
“Why would I?” she asks as Mum shakes her head and gets up, quickly throwing a nude bra and black lace panties at me from a drawer built into my bed before heading into my closet.
“Because you love me. Because you approve of me having fun with Jett and—”
“I said tonight! Not right before you’re going to be recorded for the whole internet to see!”
A short-sleeved white bodysuit and black leather pants appear, along with cheetah print boots and a long, gold chain with a gold cross incrusted in rubies. Family signature. I don’t have time to do anything but put it on so Lola can make me presentable again.
“Jett’s escorting you?” Mum asks.
Lola yanks at my hair, and I grumble, “Dad asked him to get me there, that doesn’t mean he’s like, coming into the interview with me.”
“That would be a hard launch, Baby.” Lola dabs at my face.
“And Jude’s video wasn’t one? Everyone’s already speculating, ugh!”
“Baby.” Mum zips up my boots for me. “If Jett follows you into that office, all bets are off. And my comments about this being just lust will vanish in the haze! I know he promised that his heart is yours, but him wanting in that interview will prove he’s serious.
That he wants the world to know you’re together, but you haven’t even gone out, Baby!
Are you sure you want the media circus of a hard launch right now? ”
My stomach backflips, and anxiety courses through me, not exactly knowing if I want him following me into the interview or not.
Yesterday, when he told me I get to keep him, my heart exploded.
So why am I spinning out now? Can’t I just have a date tonight?
Without this much pressure before it even starts?
My brain presents stupid ideas like what if we don’t have chemistry?
What if he’s bad in bed but you’ve already shared that you’re dating with the whole world?
My brain’s offerings are so ridiculous I hear myself laugh like it’s someone else, like I’ve left my own body.
I’ve felt what those hips can do and I know Jett isn’t going to dissapoint.
But what if we announce to the world we’re together before we know if we’ll even work? What will happen then?
I don’t know if I answered Mum or not. I don’t even remember leaving my room or getting inside the silly black town car Bryson drives Jett around in. But here we are closing in on our destination already.
“Baby?” Jett’s waving his hand in front of my face like I’m catatonic. My legs are draped over his as his other hand delicately roams over my body, knowing he’d had a death threat from Lola if he, fucks up my handiwork one more time!
“I’m here, sorry, my family royally fucked with my head, that’s all.”
“I’m sorry, Baby. They’re really fucking good at that. How about some space away from their big brother bullshit so we can just be us today, yeah? As soon as you’re off the clock, you’re mine, all right? No going back to the house ‘till tomorrow.”
A smile breaks out, and I’m back in my body again.
Which means I feel my solar plexus knot up when the driver announces our arrival.
Jett jumps out of the car and holds his hand out for me.
Last year, the fam and I were at one of his shows where he flashed the crowd his bare ass, spit beer into a fan’s mouth, and gave his guitar player the double middle finger for making one little mistake I didn’t even hear.
I have no idea who this gentleman is, but I don’t mind him, just like I don’t mind the rowdy, naughty rockstar.
I step out of the car, and he’s looking at me like Hugh Grant looks at Julia Roberts in various films.
“You look fucking gorgeous, Matilda.”
My body is a live wire. He hasn’t called me that since he became one with us Morningstars. “I didn’t bring a change of clothes, Jett, please don’t make me soak through this leather.”
He looks at me like it’s a dare, escorting me through the main entrance and pulling me into the lift like he’s going to maul me, and fuck do I want him to.
“My God, you are snatched, darling. So fucking hard not to push your arse, I mean, ass against the wall and kiss you right now, Baby, touch you where you keep getting soaked for me,” he says on our way up to the twentieth floor.
Great. My heart was already thundering in my ears, and now something else is thundering between my thighs.
“Jett!”
He grins wickedly and the doors ding. “Damn,” he says wistfully.
He wraps both hands around one of mine and follows me out like a lovesick puppy.
We walk through a short, bright hallway and land in a colorful, busy office with high ceilings.
“Want me to wait here for you, darling?” He signals to a row of chairs.
The receptionist recognizes Jett and has to peel her jaw off the floor, and we pretend not to notice.
“Oh, would you rather that or come back with me? It’s up to you.”
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God! It’s rather clear he wants to follow me back, and I can’t even wrap my head around what that means.
“I think you know which one, Mads. Besides, you know how many seconds I can sit still.”
The receptionist takes us back to the interview room while my hands shake like I haven’t eaten in days. Shit. When was the last time I ate?
Two staff members with curly hair and loud, Seth Rogen-type laughs greet us with wide eyes. “I see you’ve brought a rockstar with you, Maddy, so on brand.”
“Kind of in my DNA, hope that’s all right!”
“Absolutely.” They grin and I introduce them to Jett.
Their names are Jay and Lee, I try to commit that to memory as I’m shit with names but those seem easy enough.
They turn on a digital recorder and mention that we’ll just chat for a while before they start filming me reading thirst tweets or whatever they’re gonna make me do.
“Jett, after we’ve filmed Maddy doing the bits we’ve prepared for her, would you like to join her for a few questions, maybe a fun game or something?” Jay asks.
“Only if she wants me to, I don’t wanna steal her spotlight.” He flashes that megawatt grin that could steal anyone’s.