I smiled and moved in closer, wrapping my arms around his waist. “I’m saying I’m going with you. We’re taking our relationship public.”
His fingers clenched so tight it was almost to the point of pain. But I didn’t care.
“Are you serious?”
“I am,” I said softly. “We’ll keep all mention of Liddy out of it for now, and we won’t mention my name. But I’ll be right there, standing next to you. And when we agree that it’s time, we’ll tell the truth. You told Chris no for me.” I cupped his cheeks, sliding my fingers back into his soft hair. “Let me do thisfor you.”
A sexy rumble worked its way up Garrett’s throat, causing my skin to break out in goose bumps. He dropped his head and kissed the skin below my ear. “Fuck, baby. I don’t deserve you.”
“I disagree,” I panted, fisting his hair even tighter.
“Get naked.Now,” he commanded, standing to his full height and whipping his own shirt over his head. “I need to fuck you so hard you’ll feel me for a week.”
I didn’t need to be told twice.
TWENTY-TWO
I felt soout of place it wasn’t funny. It was like being a shined-up turd parading around a bunch of diamonds. I felt each and every stare pierce my skin, that person’s way of telling me I didn’t belong.
“Baby, stop fidgeting,” Garrett whispered in my ear while more camera flashes went off around us, nearly blinding me. “You look beautiful. You’ve got nothing to worry about.”
That was easy for him to say. He and the rest of the guys had shown up in their standard uniform of T-shirts and worn jeans, and no one thought the better of it becausetheywere the celebrities. They could do whatever the hell they wanted and no one would bat an eye.
Meanwhile, I was the girl walking down a red carpet in a gown from Nordstrom Rack because I couldn’t bring myself to use Garrett’s black Amex card when he handed it over and told me to buy myself something nice. I felt like I was taking advantage, spending his money, so I took Corrine and charged my own card for a dress that I couldn’t really afford but still wasn’t good enough for the likes of the people surrounding me.
People with mics screamed for Garrett and the other guys,everyone asking questions that blended together in a sea of shouted words I could barely understand. They asked about an upcoming album, who I was, if I was his girlfriend or just someone he brought for the night.
It was all so intrusive and so overwhelming. I had no clue how the four of them handled it, but they did. They answered questions, posed for pictures, and moved down the carpet wherever their “handler” led with ease. I tried my best to keep the smile pasted on my face, not to flinch or wince at all the bright lights or get star-struck with all the A-listers surrounding me, butdamnit was hard.
Garrett would occasionally have to leave my side for a photo op or an interview. That was the worst. The handler would push me to the background without so much as a word, and I’d be all alone in a sea of people. I didn’t know where to stand to stay out of the shot. I didn’t knowhowto stand. You know that person with a camera shoved in their face who doesn’t know what to do with their hands so they lift and point and flail them around awkwardly? Yeah, I was totally that person. Except it wasn’t just my hands—it was my entire freaking body.
Garrett finished with another quickie interview and moved back to me, placing his hand on the small of my back. “Almost there, baby,” he attempted to soothe me. But inside wasn’t much better.
I told myself that I was imagining all the snide looks I was getting from the women we passed, but when one particularly stunning blonde stepped into our path, I knew I wasn’t imagining things.
The rest of the guys kept moving, ushered to their seats by a frantic-looking man in a tuxedo, but Declan shot a nervous look at us over his shoulder. “Well if it isn’t Garrett Wilder,” the blonde purred, blocking our path so she could run one of herfake red talons down the front of Garrett’s shirt. “I’ve missed you. It’s been too long since that night in Vancouver.”
The woman—if she could be called that, seeing as she looked barely legal—seemed vaguely familiar, but in that moment I didn’t care who she was. I just wanted to rip her stupid extensions out and beat her with them.
“Tiffany. Nice to see you again.” I had to hand it to him, he managed to remain cool and aloof even when the chick’s fake tits looked like they were about to burst from her designer gown and smack him in the face. “This is my girlfriend, Gwen.” He looped his arm over my shoulders and pulled me firmly against his side in an attempt to make our relationship clear.
“Gwen, this is Tiffany Monroe.”Son of a bitch!NottheTiffany Monroe.A part of my soul died right then and there. Tiffany Monroe had been a pop princess back in the day, and had released some of my favorite Top 40 songs. It was such a disappointment to know a person I’d looked up to and admired for most of my teen and adult years was actually a slutty cow. Needless to say, she’d never get another penny from me. She and her Billboard Top 100s could burn in hell.
I faked a smile and extended my hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Her wrist was as limp as a dead fish as her face morphed into a Botoxed facsimile of a smile. “Yeah, sure. You want an autograph or something?”
What I really wanted was to smack the bitch, but I didn’t want to embarrass Garrett. “Thanks, but I didn’t bring anything. Maybe next time.”
The hyperactive guy in the tux came scuttling back, giving Tiffany’s arm a tug. She briefly gave him her attention before turning back to Garrett and disregarding me completely. “Well, I’m needed. But it’s been a pleasure, as always.” The way she said it made it obvious that she’d known Garrett in the biblical sense. “Make sure to find me at the afterparty.”
Garrett’s arm around me tightened as she disappeared into the crowd. Ian appeared moments later to lead us to our seats.
“Vancouver?” I whispered under my breath as we walked.
“Yeah….” Garrett reached back with his free hand and scratched at the base of his neck. “Sorry about that.”
I turned sideways and scooted into our row, finally taking my seat before looking up at him with a genuine grin. “You know you just ruined one of my favorite singers for me, right?”
