Wardrobe Malfunction(40)

The questions are like bullets firing at us.

The sad thing is, it’s fucking normal for me, Gabe, and Julian.

We all bundle into the car, shutting the door on the vipers. But they still have the cameras to the windows, trying to get pictures.

“Aiden, get us the fuck out of here,” I tell him.

He nods from the front, and then the car is moving slowly, his horn honking to move the fuckers out of the way.

I slump back in the seat, feeling pissed off. Not about the Piper and Cain comments. I couldn’t give a shit if they were getting married or not.

It’s just the fact that I can’t go out to a bar with my friends without getting hounded by the press.

It was probably a good thing that I didn’t get in the car with just Charly. That would have been spread all across the Internet within minutes, and any chance of keeping me and her on the down-low would have been blown out of the water.

I look at her sitting on the seat across from me, a drunk Ava half-asleep on her shoulder and Logan sitting on the other side.

She gives me a soft smile, and the annoyance instantly just ebbs away.

I can’t wait to be alone with her.

“The pictures are already online,” Julian says from beside me, showing me his phone.

“Fuck, they’re quick,” Gabe says from my other side, leaning over to help himself to a whiskey from the minibar in the limo.

“The power of technology.” I sigh.

“Love ’em or hate ’em, they keep our name in the press and keep us relevant,” Gabe says.

He’s right. But it doesn’t make it any easier.

Sometimes, I just crave privacy. To not have to hide whom I’m sleeping with.

I couldn’t even take Charly out on a date if I wanted to because we might be seen.

It’s fucking ridiculous. And it’s my life.

“Where am I heading?” Aiden calls back to us.

“Is it still okay to drop off Ava first?” Charly checks with me.

“Of course. Just let Aiden know her address.”

Charly turns to Aiden and tells him where Ava lives.

Ten minutes later, we’re pulling up at Ava’s. Logan and Charly get her out of the limo. I’m pretty sure she’s asleep.

“We’ll just get her inside, and we’ll be right back,” Charly tells me.

“No worries. Take your time.”

She shuts the door. I grab a bottle of water from the minibar.

“So, she works on set?” Gabe asks.

I unscrew the cap and take a drink. “Who?”

“Charly.”

“Yeah, in wardrobe. She’s assigned to me.”

“You fucking her?”

I feel my chest tighten. “No.”

“Mind if I do?”

I stare at him hard, my insides turning over. I grit my jaw. “No, go ahead.”

I’ve just got to pray that Charly tells him to fuck off, or I’ll be in jail for killing Gabe.

“But you’re probably not her type,” I add.

He laughs, eyes grinning at me. “I’m everyone’s type.”

“You’re not mine,” Julian says.

Julian’s gay. But in the closet. Like a lot of actors in Hollywood. The studio doesn’t want him out because they think it’ll damage the show.

Stupid if you ask me, but what do I know?

I’m currently hiding the girl I’m sleeping with and telling my friend he’s okay to hit on her when he’s most definitely not.

“I’m fucking wounded.” Gabe laughs, slapping a hand to his chest. “And don’t worry, West. I’ll leave your girl alone.” He pats my leg.

“She’s not my girl.”

“Sure she’s not.” He laughs, and so does Julian.

I want to tell them I’m sleeping with her…that she is mine. But, after what Cain did to me, it’s just hard for me to trust anyone.

I’ve known them both for years. But then I knew Cain for ten years, and he shit all over me.

The door opens, and Charly and Logan climb back in.

“She okay?” I ask.

“Yeah. Her boyfriend was home; he put her to bed,” Charly says.

“Not that he didn’t fucking complain about it,” Logan says. “I don’t know what she sees in that jackass.”

Charly pats Logan’s leg with her hand.

I know Logan is gay, but I still feel a spike of jealousy at her touching him, which is so strange to me. I’ve never been a jealous kind of guy.

Maybe it’s because of what happened with Piper and Cain.

Or maybe it’s because I never cared enough about a woman before to be jealous over her.

I’m going with option number one.

We drop off Logan. Then, it’s Charly’s turn.

“Thanks for the ride,” she says to Aiden. Then, she climbs out of the limo. “Thanks for a great night, guys.” She smiles at everyone before her eyes finally connect with mine. “I’ll see you later.”

Yes, you fucking will. Sooner than later, baby.

She shuts the door and is gone.

Right, let me get these bastards home, and then I can get back here.

“Aiden, Julian’s next,” I tell him.

He pulls off, knowing the way to Julian’s, as he’s dropped him off plenty of times.