Chapter Ten #2
“What?” I finally have to ask. “It all works out. I don’t have to feel so nervous when we’re out together because I’m not putting on a pretense of trying to get him to like me while hiding the real reason I need to date him.”
“This doesn’t strike you as being sort of … wrong?”
“How is it wrong?”
“You’re dating a man just so you can write about the things you do together. And he’s okay with this?”
“It’s not like I’m using him,” I argue.
“But you are. You’re using him as research, and you’ll make money off it.”
“So will he!” Darn it. I throw my hands over my mouth, gasping as my eyes bulge.
Matt’s eyes, on the other hand, narrow. “What’s that mean? Are you giving him a cut of the profits? Is this even more uncomfortable than I imagined?”
“He … kinda, sorta … owns my publisher.” I brace myself, closing my eyes and waiting for the grief he’s bound to deliver. “Go ahead. Give it to me. Tell me what a rotten person you think I am.”
Instead of chiding me, he starts to laugh. Again. “This is the wildest thing I’ve ever heard. And I’ve heard some wild things.”
I open one eye just a little. “Yeah, I’ve heard them too. Through the wall between our apartments.”
“Kitty, I wish we’d started talking a lot sooner because you’re a breath of fresh air.” He runs his hands over his eyes like he’s wiping away tears of laughter. “Good luck with dating your billionaire boss. I can hardly wait to see how things turn out in your next book.”
“I’m glad this is so funny for you. The fact that my life brings you laughter warms my heart.”
“You might wanna be careful how much you drink around him,” he warns with an edge of laughter still in his voice. “I know from experience. And something tells me his rug is much, much more expensive than mine.”
“I’m happy to pay you for that, by the way.”
“We’ll call it even since I’ve saved so much in delivery fees from the Chinese place,” he offers.
“Oh, right. Yeah, we’re even.” I scowl. “And I have no intention of making an idiot out of myself in front of him. I need him too much.”
“And when you have enough research, you can drop him in favor of the next guy.” He gives me a thumbs-up. “Really, you’ve perfected what we men have been trying to legitimize for a long time: an excuse to date with no strings attached and then dump ’em when we’re through.”
“That sounds downright mean.”
“No hard feelings.” He shrugs. “The girl I brought up here the one time didn’t seem to mind.”
“What? You … up here? Like, out in the open?” I know it shouldn’t gross me out, but I can’t help it. “Ew, Matt! Here I am, worried about you walking around barefoot, when you’ve done a heck of a lot more than that with even less on!”
“Aw, you were worried about me being barefoot? I thought you were only getting off on bossing me around.”
“Hush.” I don’t feel right, sitting here anymore, knowing he and some random girl got it on probably right here. Sure, countless rains and snows have happened since then—I guess anyway since asking for details would be weird—but still. “I should get back to work.”
“Are you feeling better about it than you did when I got up here?” he asks, getting up and folding his chair while I fold my blanket.
Am I feeling better? Strangely enough, yes. Much better. “I needed to get out of my head for a little bit, so yes. Thank you. I was starting to brood too much.”
“Then, I’m glad I decided to come up.” He grins before replacing his chair. “And I’m dying to find out how this goes. You’ll have to give me all the details.”
“Hush, I said.”
“But it’s like a soap opera. Or a reality show. I’m already hooked.”
All he gets for this is a tongue stuck out in his direction before I turn away.
“Oh, before I forget,” he calls out to the back of my head, “hit me up the next time you want to watch porn for research, and I’ll point you in the right direction. I can’t imagine you writing a character who begs Daddy to punish her ass.”
That is when I push him off the roof—at least, that’s what I imagine doing while he laughs softly behind me.
I’m glad he thinks this is so funny. For me, it’s real life. What if I burst out laughing at a stock market crash or something that would affect his job and make life crazy for him?
My phone is buzzing as I enter the apartment. I need to remember to bring it with me when I go out—one of the things Hayley’s always getting on my case for.
There’s a text.
From Blake. Free on Saturday night?
I can’t help but grin like an idiot. A Saturday night date. Everybody knows that’s a huge deal.
Sure! I reply, and then I instantly wonder if the exclamation point was a bit much. I don’t want to come off as being too eager. And crap, I answered in less than a minute. Way to look desperate.
Good, Blake replies. I’ll pick you up at your place at six. Be ready for a big night.
A big night? My hands feel all tingly as I type out my reply, assuring him I’ll be ready. In the back of my mind, I can’t help but think how this will show Matt he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
This is going to go perfectly.