Page 47 of Overexposed

Gem sat back in his seat, shaking his head. “I see.”

Ollie rolled his eyes. “Oh, quit it. You literally asked if we could sneak out the back of the party because you didn’t want to see the paparazzi. Remember?She’s not my girl, Ollie.”

Well,thatwas interesting. I tilted my head and leaned forward in question. “I see,” I parroted Gem in a teasing voice.

Gem glowered at his friend. “That was well after you slid into her messages, dickhead.”

Ollie just shrugged, unconcerned. “Ahh, semantics. We’re all here now right? Are you gonna start eating that steak, Stella? Or do I need to start ordering alternate dishes from the menu?”

Crap. My protest was at the cost of the dish already in front of me, but if he started willy-nilly ordering more plates, the cost would keep adding up regardless of whether I ate them or not. Reluctantly, I picked up my cutlery and cut a slice of the perfectly cooked wagyu sirloin.

Ollie visibly relaxed as I put it in my mouth, and then the flavors hit me and I had to hold back the moan threatening to escape my mouth. We were in the middle of averyexclusive restaurant-bar situation and also halfway through an argument, so moaning like Meg Ryan wasn’t appropriate, no matter how good the steak tasted.

“Wait, did you fake it?” Gem asked, still scowling. Or now it was more of a pout than a scowl, but it was still sexy on him. Everything was sexy on Gem, even jealousy.

I blinked a couple of times, trying to understand the question as I cut another slice of steak and dipped it into the red wine au jus on the side. “Huh?”

Gem’s pout deepened. “Your orgasms…you sureseemedlike you were having a good time both times, but?—”

I choked on my mouthful and had to cough a couple of times as I shook my head. “What the fuck?” I sputtered when I could trust myself to breathe.

Gem shrugged. “Well, it must have been really bad sex, which is sort of news to me and a pretty harsh blow to the ego, I’ll admit.” He sighed and swept a hand through his hair. “Are you an aspiring actress or something? If so, you’re very good.”

My jaw nearly hit the table, and I glanced at Ollie to see if he was also hearing this insanity. He just quirked an eyebrow at me, like he too was curious whether I’d been fuckingfaking my orgasmsas some kind of…acting practice? What the shit?

“Is that… Are you serious right now? You think I didn’t give you my name or number because the sex was bad?” I squinted at him, trying to process that train of thought. “I’m just going to point out that I didn’t give my info to Ollie, either. He stole it from Seven, I assume. And Seven only had it because I signed his fucking NDA, and legal documents usually require those kinds of details. I specifically asked himnotto share my details because, for one thing, I am not interested in becoming aSnatch Squad Catch”—the tabloid-coined name of their fangirl hookups came out of my mouth with such disdain, I shocked even myself—“and for another, I have no desire to climb the Hollywood social ladder. We had fun together, Gem. The sex was fucking amazing, and no, I didn’t fake my orgasms. But that’s all it was.”

Both guys just stared at me for so long that I sighed and took another mouthful of steak and broccolini. The little trees had just the perfect level of crunch—not overdone and mushy but also not raw.

“I think that’s valid,” Ollie murmured when Gem took way too long to reply. “But I think you also underestimate how mopey and weird Gem got when he didn’t know how to contact you.”

Gem smacked him in the arm. “Bro, what the hell? Way to make me sound like a loser.”

I bit back my smile, hiding it with more food. Now that I’d started, there was no denying how starving I was. I reached formy margarita, then paused. I had driven us all here and would need to drive the guys home again. Maybe water was the better option from here on out.

“Endearing and vulnerable, dude, it’s a good thing,” Ollie assured him with a firm nod.

Gem rolled his eyes, rubbing the back of his neck. “Okay I canmaybesee where you’re coming from, Stella.” He said my name carefully, like he was testing it out on his tongue. “But to be clear…the sex was good?”

Fucking men. Honestly. “The sex was amazing, Gemini. Better than amazing. Best I’ve ever had.” I delivered my praise deadpan, between bites of food, but couldn’t help loving the smile that lit his face.

“Yet,” Ollie murmured, smirking.

It was lucky I’d just swallowed my food when he said that, or I would have choked again.

“So if the sex was good… can I have your number?” Gem pushed. “I know this may surprise you given our reputation, but I’m actually a really cool guy to hang out with fully clothed as well as naked. Both options are freely available to you, Slick.”

I smiled at his nickname for me. It sounded more natural on his lips. “Gemini Harrison…that’s the worst proposition I think I’ve ever heard.”

“Mmm, yeah, I agree,” Ollie murmured, nodding. “You wanna catch Snow’s eye, you need a grand gesture, Gem. Like saving her life from some psycho abusive douchewad trying to inflict brain damage.”

Fucking hell. “Brain damage,” I mumbled. “That would definitely explain a lot. Are you two going to eat or just sit there letting your food go cold?”

Yes, I was fully aware I was a hypocrite.

They both took the hint to drop the subject of…whatever that fucking subject was, and Ollie smoothly shifted the conversationto telling me about the speakeasy we were dining in. Apparently there were a few of them around that catered specifically to celebrities and uber-wealthy who wanted to drink or dine like “normal” people, without worrying about scandals and press spins.

It was a good idea, but I was already plotting how I could twist that to my benefit.

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