Page 542 of Rock Me All Night
9
Istareinto Pete's gorgeous brown eyes. "I want to do this, but I have terms."
His lips curl into a smile. "You want to do it?"
God, that smile. It does things to me. "First, you need to explain why you need me to play your girlfriend."
"The short answer is that Aiden is a piece of shit who can't be fired—his uncle's the head of the label. Only real option is keeping him pleased. Usually, he stays busy doing drugs, but he's fresh out of a rehab stint four and he wants to feel important."
I offer him my hand. Something to sooth the furrow in his brow.
"His latest idea is that I need a nice, sweet girl on my arm. According to marketing, I test best as the enigmatic guy who's good to his girlfriend. Usually, I'd tell him to go fuck himself, but he's threatening to bury our next album." His eyes turn to the floor. "We're obligated to record it but there's nothing in the contract that requires them to release it or promote it. If that happened… Tom would lose it."
"If you're doing this for your brother, why not tell him?"
Pete pulls back. "Out of the question."
"Why?"
"Just is."
"I'm not doing this unless I understand why we have to lie to your friends and family. They're nice people. And they clearly love you." I take a deep breath. It helps break up the tension forming in my chest. "It's not going to be easy to deceive them."
He stares back at me. "Tom would fucking kill Aiden if he knew. And he'd be too pissed to be smart about getting away with it." He lets out a laugh. "Guess that's a fucked up way of putting it."
I reach up and run my fingers through his hair. Again, the frustration in his brow softens. I do it again. Again. Until his eyelids are pressing together and he's letting out a soft moan.
He's practically purring.
"You can't tell anyone," he says. "Tom will find out."
"And you like him thinking you're happy, so he won't worry about your ex breaking your heart, or how much it sucks that you don't live with your brother, your best friend anymore."
"Is it that obvious?"
"No, but I know what it's like when you feel like you've lost your best friend." My stomach clenches at the thought of Madison.
His fingers curl around my wrist. Gently, he brings my hand to my waist. His expression gets intense. "What are your terms?"
"I'm going to be me," I say. "No pretending I'm someone else."
"Wouldn't ask. Like you the way you are." His eyes stay glued to mine. "There will be events, shit where you're expected to look a certain way. But you look fucking fantastic now. You'll be fine."
His eyes rake over me. Once again, my heartbeat picks up. My sex clenches.
Lust makes it difficult to concentrate. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing. This is a big ask, but it's the only way I can secure my future.
I pry my lids apart and stare at him with all the confidence I can muster. "I want you to pay my tuition for the entire year. Plus living expenses."
"Done."
"That's it, done?"
"Yeah. Anything you want besides money? I've got money."
"I don't have money, and I have a strict policy of not asking other people for it." I do nothing to swallow my irritation. "It means a lot to me, being able to go to school without worrying about making rent."
He nods with understanding. "I get that."
