11. Zayn
Zayn
When I got the call from Logan to go to Starlet PR’s office on Monday morning to talk about the photo, I thought they might give me a new publicist. If they thought that people would talk about us being a couple, it might end up looking bad for them.
I would have understood, even preferred, if that was the plan.
Instead, Annie suggested we date. Fake date. I somehow managed to keep my jaw from dropping during her presentation while I stared at the way her dress rounded her perfect ass. She’s infuriating.
Yet, I can’t keep my eyes off her. She was trouble the moment I met her, and it’s only making me respond to her with more of an attitude.
I should have left, should have kept walking out of the office, but I had to see her and talk to her before I went home. I didn’t have anything to talk to her about, so for some reason I thought it was a good idea to bring up my brother.
I hardly talk to Dan these days, but I know that he and Annie were together for two years before breaking up. The few times I saw Annie, she looked happy. And it’s eating me up that I don’t know what he did to her to have her compare me to him.
Even though our paths rarely crossed, I wouldn’t forget that face, those lips, her gorgeous blue eyes.
During one of my longer breaks with Marissa, I had a run-in with Annie. It was late in my parents’ house, and I was hungry, which is normal. What might not have been so normal was me sitting in the dark kitchen without a single light on.
Annie didn’t see me when she walked in. So, I watched her. She was wearing a sleep set, pink and so short, and her hair was in a messy bun. She was my brother’s, but I couldn’t look away. Couldn’t stop my eyes from grazing her entire body.
I stood up from my chair before I comprehend what I was doing.
Annie was reaching for a snack in a high cabinet, too high for her short frame.
When I approached, she froze but didn’t turn around.
I pressed against her, reaching up to grab the box of cereal she wanted.
Her body stayed frozen, but her breath hitched as I wrapped my arm around her to set the box on the counter.
I stayed for a moment, calm as she inhaled and exhaled, and then I left.
I went to my room, stayed in there until they left the next day and then avoided her whenever possible.
The night she and Dan broke up, I almost looked her up. And when Marissa broke my heart, I almost looked her up then too. I truly didn’t think I’d see her again, so I don’t know what to think now that I’m seeing her more than ever.
It’s right after six when I hear a knock. Annie.
I walk to the door to let her in.
“Hi, Zayn.” Annie greets me as she enters.
My eyes drift the length of her body. Annie decided to replace the dress with a pair of black leggings and a cropped t-shirt. To make things worse, she bends over, giving me a full view of her ass, as she takes off her shoes.
Before she stands, she peers around her leg and catches me looking. A smirk blooms on her mouth.
Fuck. She’s doing it on purpose, likely paying me back for being a pain in her ass. One point for Annie.
“I have dinner for us.” The table is currently set for dinner, and a candle is lit in the middle. It’s not a date, but I wanted her to feel comfortable.
“Great. You’ll be excited to know I took time to write down a list of rules for us.”
Of course she did. Annie would come to this prepared, with a list and all.
We walk into the dining area, where the pasta I prepared waits. “I, um, hope pasta is okay. I wasn’t sure what you’d be hungry for.” I palm the back of my neck.
“I like pasta.” Annie smiles, then walks to the other side of the table to take a seat.
“Alright, let’s get this over with. Tell me your rules and I’ll tell you mine.” Once I come up with them.
“Right now?”
I nod, stuffing a bite of pasta in my mouth to stop myself from saying anything I shouldn’t.
“Okay, well. I just have three rules.” Annie takes a piece of paper out of her pocket, unfolding it twice before continuing.
“One, you can’t be seen with anyone else.
This needs to be exclusive. Two, we treat this like a partnership, which means we work together to prepare for events and interviews.
Three, no kissing on the mouth. Cheeks and forehead are fine. ”
“No kissing?” Why is that the first thing I ask? Maybe because I can’t stop thinking about those damn lips and what I’d do to have them pressed against mine.
“It complicates things. Haven’t you seen what happens in the movies?” Annie takes a bite of pasta, trying her best to glare at me but doing a terrible job.
“Afraid you’ll fall in love with me, Annie?” I smirk and drop my head to rest in my hand as I stare at her.
She shakes her head. “Nope, I think you’d be the one to fall in love with me.”
It’s my turn to shake my head. “No way, I’m closed off for good.”
“That’s what they all say, Barnes.”
“And I mean it,” I reiterate. “Okay, my turn.”
Annie nods at me to go on.
“One, no more notecards for events.” I pause, scrambling to think of more. “And I think that’s all...”
“That’s all? Just no notecards?”
“If I think of more, I’ll tell you later.”
“Great.” Annie smiles and my heart surges with joy, but I leave my poker face on.
When we’re done eating, she gets up from her chair, leans over to grab my empty plate, and stacks it on top of hers.
She walks to the kitchen and plops the dishes in the sink, spraying them down before loading the dishwasher.
Every time she bends over, I have to clench my jaw to stop myself from moaning at the sight.
She’s only been in my apartment for a half hour and she’s already making herself at home. It feels normal to have her here, helping with domestic chores.
“Annie, sit. I can clean up,” I say, standing from my chair.
“I don’t mind.” Annie walks toward me with a towel to clean the table.
“I do.”
“Well, I don’t.” Annie rests one hand on her right hip, shifting her weight to that side. “I don’t remember you being this stubborn.”
“You’re impossible. Do you know that?” I ask, swiping the towel from her to wipe down the table. Her challenging me is turning me on, which is not what’s supposed to be happening.
“And you’re irritating. Do you know that?” Annie grabs the towel back from my hands. A growl escapes my mouth.
Annie walks to the table, leaning over to wipe it down.
Not thinking about my actions, I follow.
Standing behind her, I lean over, reaching around to grab the towel from her.
My cock is hard in my jeans, pressed into her back.
The tension and the fighting is turning me on more than I’d like to admit.
Plus the memory of the moment in my parents’ kitchen, and I’m losing my composure.
“My house, my rules, Princess,” I whisper into her ear.
She gives up, letting me take the towel from her. I stand back up, confused at why I just put myself in that situation, especially when she’s wearing skin-tight leggings. I haven’t been able to take my eyes off her all night.
Slowly, Annie rotates 180 degrees, resting her butt on the table. “You need to not do that.”
“Why, all hot and bothered?”
Her cheeks fill with a sweet pink. “Zayn. I’m serious. I’ll add a rule.”
I roll my eyes, not promising anything. I’ll have to go to the gym or something to help with all of this built-up tension.
“Well, I should go.” Annie says, walking toward the door.
“Let me drive you back.”
“I can get an Uber,” Annie says.
I don’t answer and instead walk over to grab my keys from the hook by the door. Then, I proceed to bend over and slide on my shoes. Finally, Annie sighs and tromps over toward me, putting on her shoes.
We stay silent the entire drive, but I don’t mind. There’s normally someone that drives me, so this is a nice change of pace. Being able to be behind the wheel, be in control of where I’m headed, and having Annie with me is somehow making my evening better.
Why do I feel the sudden urge to flirt with her? It’s like Annie enters my presence, and bam, my hormones shoot up and I try everything in my power to get as many eye rolls and blushes as possible.
I want her to lower her guard, show me the feisty side hiding underneath.
She’s shown it to me a few times now: at the gala, in her office, and tonight.
It seems as if I’m affecting her as much as she’s affecting me.
She tries to hide too, I can see it. She avoids my gaze, tries to take deep breaths, tries to reset herself.
Instead, I push her past her breaking point and the mask falls away.
I may have decided to not pursue any romantic relationships, but that doesn’t stop me from looking and thinking about a certain woman. No one over the past year has captured my attention the way Annie does.
I’m used to everyone smiling at me, like she normally does, except they don’t speak back to me. They typically just nod or leave me alone. Not Annie. Annie does the opposite, talking to me with a matching attitude and facing me head on.
When we get to her complex, I get out of the car and follow her toward the door.
“You don’t need to come with me.” Annie peers over her shoulder as she types in a passcode to the building. “I’m not inviting you inside.”
It’s not the worst building, but it seems outdated. No broken windows, but a few cracked ones, and the brick needs to be repaired in many places. It may be dark out, but I already don’t like where she’s living.
“I want to make sure you get home safe.”
“Well, I’m home safe. Good night.” Annie goes to shut the main door behind her, but I put my foot out to catch it. I expect her to say something, but she doesn’t. She just keeps walking and starting to climb the stairs to the second floor.
“Shit,” Annie says when we get to her apartment.
“What?” I ask.
Annie sighs, opens her apartment door, and walks in. And instead of shutting it, she leaves it open.
So, I follow.
Her apartment is small. Smaller than I expected. There’s a kitchen to the left that has an island with two stools. In the middle of the room is a giant pink floral couch. That’s where she plops down, dropping her head in her hands.
After shutting the door behind me, I realize I’m in Annie’s apartment, her personal space, and my fingers are itching to snoop. What records are next to the player on the bookshelf? What is her latest read on the coffee table? What’s behind the closed door on the other side of the room?
“You don’t have to just stand there,” Annie says, her head still drooping.
I clear my throat and walk toward her, sitting on the opposite end of the couch. “I, uh, realize I shouldn’t have come in.”
Annie shrugs in response, then sinks further into the couch.
“I’m getting kicked out of my apartment in thirty days,” Annie says with a look to the ceiling.
“You didn’t know you were getting kicked out?”
“I did, but I thought I had more time. Apparently I missed the previous notice, and this is a casual one-month reminder.”
“Hm,” I grumble.
“Yup,” she says.
“Where are you going to go?”
“Fuck if I know.” Annie barks a laugh. “Marcy—” she pauses, bringing her eyes to me before she continues with, “you know Marcy, right?”
“I know Marcy.”
Annie nods. “Well, she offered me to stay with her. She lives in this fancy studio, which is ironic since her building is across the street from this place.”
“And you don’t want to live with her?” I ask, confused.
“Oh no, I’d love to live with Marce.” She shifts, bringing her knees on the couch and her eyes back to me. “But she just doesn’t have room, and I don’t want to impose. Even though she says I wouldn’t, I just don’t want to disrupt anything, you know?”
I don’t actually know. “Sure. And your sister?”
“Ha, no. I’d rather not stay in Emmett’s office with walls as thin as a piece of paper. So yeah, that leaves me with a hotel? An airbnb? Fuck, I’m screwed.”
“You could—”
“Zayn, don’t.”
“You don’t even know what I’m going to say. How am I the grumpy one? You won’t let me talk.”
“Because I know what you’re going to say, and I don’t need your pity.”
“It’s not pity, it makes sense. We can make it part of the contract.
Move in with me as my fake girlfriend while you try to find a place to stay.
It might look better to be seen leaving my house.
After not being with anyone for a year, it will look odd to just be seen together at events.
You must know that, I’m sure you’ve googled my past.”
Annie blushes, caught.
“Move in with me, Annie. I promise I’m a good roommate.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Zayn. But know that I am only saying yes because you’re within walking distance of Flora, which means I can have blueberry muffins for breakfast any morning.”
“You can have muffins for lunch and dinner too. I’ll make sure the apartment is stocked with them,” I say.
“Don’t be nice to me now, Zayn, you’ll ruin your whole...” Annie looks me up and down. “Vibe.”
“Oh, I won’t, Princess. Nothing will change besides you invading my every waking moment.” I fake a smile to show my sarcasm.
“Ha ha, very funny. I was trying to spend less time with you, you know,” Annie counters.
“Yeah, yeah. We can text this week about moving details?”
“Oh, I suppose, Z. Looks like this whole fake dating thing is about to get even more complicated.”
And she doesn’t even know the half of it.
With this small crush blooming, I wonder if I’m going to regret my offer.
At least our time together boils down to a transaction and nothing more.
She helps me land this role, I give her a place to live and she receives contacts based on our success.
If only I could keep her off my mind, that would be one less distraction I need to worry about, because I’m not looking to be with anyone anytime soon and definitely not with the girl I’m pretending to date.