Her scent lingers in the air between us, sweet and unmistakably her, and I can’t stop the grin that tugs at my lips.
The cameras might have been the excuse, but the kiss?
That was real.
CHAPTER 35
Ashlyn
The morning sunfilters through my apartment windows, but it does little to chase away the storm swirling inside me. I’m starting to think Lilah was on to something when she used blankets to block it out. I sit at the kitchen counter, a cup of coffee in hand, staring blankly at the untouched toast on my plate.
Last night with Todd keeps replaying in my mind. The way he pulled me in, the way his kiss left me breathless.For the cameras, I remind myself for the hundredth time. But my chest tightens with every repetition.
Because it didn’t feel like it was for the cameras.
I exhale, shaking my head as if it’ll clear the lingering heat from his touch. The sound of Shelley’s ringtone breaks the stillness, jolting me back to the present.
“Morning, Shelley,” I answer, my voice clipped.
“Good morning, darling!” she chirps, far too chipper for this early. “How are you feeling after last night? The photos areeverywhere. Social media’s eating it up.”
“Of course they are,” I say, taking a sip of coffee. “You tipped off half of Manhattan’s paparazzi.”
“Don’t be so dramatic,” she says, dismissively. “It worked, didn’t it? The chemistry between you and Todd is undeniable. And the audience is going to love the next phase.”
I pause, the mug halfway to my lips. “The next phase?”
“Oh, yes. That’s why I’m calling,” she says, her tone shifting into business mode. “We’re postponing filming for two weeks.”
“What?” I sit up straighter, confusion and alarm prickling down my spine. “Why?”
“To give you time to go on the start of the band’s tour,” she says, like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s a perfect way to cement the fake dating angle. Public appearances, backstage photos, maybe even a couple of interviews.”
My heart drops into my stomach. “Shelley, I don’t think?—”
“It’s already arranged,” she cuts me off, her tone firm. “The audience loves the idea of you and the guys. This will give us time to build the momentum. Think of the headlines, Ashlyn. Thebuzz.”
I grip the edge of the counter, trying to keep my voice steady. “Shelley, this is?—”
“Amazing, I know,” she interrupts again. “Your flight’s booked for tomorrow. Pack light. Most of your clothes will be provided.”
The line goes dead before I can get another word in.
I set my phone down, my heart pounding. Go on tour with them? With Todd, who kissed me like he wanted to claim me? With Jake, who held me like he didn’t want to let go? With Xayden and West, whose gazes linger like they still see me as theirs?
And with my heat less than two weeks away?
I rub my temples, the reality of the situation crashing over me. Being with them—spending time with them—feels like both a dream and a nightmare. The more I’m around them, theharder it is to ignore the way my body reacts, the way my heart aches to believe this isn’t just for show.
I’ll need to contact my doctor for some heat blockers. Hiding a heat from three alphas and a beta that I’m scent matched to would be impossible. Especially since I’d probably offer myself up on a silver platter.
I glance at my coffee, now lukewarm and unappealing, and push it aside.
Two weeks with them.
Crap. I’m really doing this.
A sleek towncar pulls up outside my building at seven sharp, the city already buzzing with the morning rush. The streets blur past as we weave through traffic, the steady hum of the car doing nothing to calm the storm inside me.
