“Yet.And well, he’s no fucking rockstar, Baby, and he also didn’t spend eight years in your friend zone, wanting you, needing you for so long it’s pathetic. Iknow you can feel that. Yeah?”
I whine ayesand grab him by the belt loops, pulling his hips even harder against mine, and Ican feeleverything.My brain short-circuits at the feeling of his bulge grinding against me and the mention of his desire for me from the beginning. No matter how many times Itry, my brain can’t fully compute that information. Like Lola said, he didn’t even flirt with me!Not really.
I let my head fall back, and it clunks against the hardwood. Iam painfully reminded that someone inside probably heard that, and also, “Jett … cameras.”
“Shit, yeah, um.” He peels himself off me slightly, looking up at one. “Sorry, Dad, Mum, Lola, Jude, Luci, Freddie, Jimmy, that fuckingturtle. Iapologise, your daughter is just driving me mad, ya know, I’m a gentleman, Isw—”
I cut him off with a sharp tug inside the house as Ilaugh.
“I’m waiting for my fucking package!” Dad calls from upstairs, and Jett squeezes my ass with every step.
“Here it is.” Ihold in a chuckle as Iheave Jett into my parents’ massive bedroom by his shoulders. “Looks like it arrived on time,early even,but appears to be rather damaged. Sure you don’t want to return or exchange?”
“I’m not sure of anything anymore, Baby, except you need to go get dressed, preferably, uh, anything with a bra underneath. Close the door, Jett and Iare going to have a little chat.”
“I’ll pray for you,” Isay to Jett with a giggle as Ishut the door, but groan as Iopen mine and see Lola and Mum sitting on my bed watching front door cam footage. Irun over and click it off.
“What the fuck? How fucking invasive can you be?”
Mum apologizes but starts up again, “Baby, don’t you expect us to be curious? We’ve neveronceseen you like this.”
Lola throws the phone down. “Literally never. Itwould make sense if it were like, some hot, brooding stranger that changed you. Not someone you rolled your eyes atfor years! It’s weird. We were just studying for the sake of science.” Then she gets a good look at me. “Jesus Christ! Baby, I’m not fucking fixing that, you can make those BuzzFeed makeup artists do that!”
I jog to my full-length mirror and see the soaked-through crotch of my shorts, my hard nipples poking out under my tank top, my pink cheeks, mussed hair and smeared lipstick. “Shit! Mum, pick my outfit. Lola, fix it! Please!”
“Why would I?” she asks as Mum shakes her head and gets up, quickly throwing a nude bra and black lace panties at me from a drawer built into my bed before heading into my closet.
“Because you love me. Because you approve of me having fun with Jett and—”
“I said tonight! Not right before you’re going to be recorded for the whole internet to see!”
A short-sleeved white bodysuit and black leather pants appear, along with cheetah print boots and a long, gold chain with a gold cross incrusted in rubies.Family signature.Idon’t have time to do anything but put it on so Lola can make me presentable again.
“Jett’s escorting you?” Mum asks.
Lola yanks at my hair, and Igrumble, “Dad asked him to get me there, that doesn’t mean he’s like, comingintothe interview with me.”
“That would be a hard launch, Baby.” Lola dabs at my face.
“And Jude’s video wasn’t one? Everyone’s already speculating, ugh!”
“Baby.” Mum zips up my boots for me. “If Jett follows you into that office, all bets are off. And my comments about this being just lust will vanish in the haze! Iknow he promised that his heart is yours, but him wanting in that interview will prove he’s serious. That he wants the world to know you’re together, but you haven’t even gone out, Baby! Are you sure you want the media circus of a hard launchright now?”
My stomach backflips, and anxiety courses through me, not exactly knowing if Iwant him following me into the interview or not. Yesterday, when he told me Iget to keep him, my heart exploded. So why am Ispinning out now? Can’t Ijust have a date tonight? Without this much pressure before it even starts? My brain presents stupid ideas likewhat if we don’t have chemistry? What if he’s bad in bed but you’ve already shared that you’re dating with the whole world?My brain’s offerings are so ridiculous Ihear myself laugh like it’s someone else, like I’ve left my own body. I’ve felt what those hips can do and Iknow Jettisn’tgoing to dissapoint. But what if we announce to the world we’re together before we know if we’ll even work? What will happenthen?
I don’t know if Ianswered Mum or not. Idon’t even remember leaving my room or getting inside the silly black town car Bryson drives Jett around in. But here we are closing in on our destination already.
“Baby?” Jett’s waving his hand in front of my face like I’m catatonic. My legs are draped over his as his other hand delicately roams over my body, knowing he’d had a death threat from Lola if he,fucks up my handiwork one more time!
“I’m here, sorry, my family royally fucked with my head, that’s all.”
“I’m sorry, Baby. They’re really fucking good at that. How about some space away from their big brother bullshit so we can just be us today, yeah? As soon as you’re off the clock, you’re mine, all right? No going back to the house ‘till tomorrow.”
A smile breaks out, and I’m back in my body again. Which means Ifeel my solar plexus knot up when the driver announces our arrival. Jett jumps out of the car and holds his hand out for me. Last year, the fam and Iwere at one of his shows where he flashed the crowd his bare ass, spit beer into a fan’s mouth, and gave his guitar player the double middle finger for making one little mistake Ididn’t even hear. Ihave no idea who this gentleman is, but Idon’t mind him, just like Idon’t mind the rowdy, naughty rockstar.
I step out of the car, and he’s looking at me like Hugh Grant looks at Julia Roberts in various films.
“You look fucking gorgeous, Matilda.”
