Page 28 of The Boyfriend Experience

“Whatever,” he says, getting off the freeway at Speer and heading into LoDo. “You bought me for two weeks and I need you for the Home TV show thing. So I’ll do whatever you want. Even lure your archnemesis into a fake boyfriend experience if that’s what’s gonna make you happy. But it’s kind of a waste of seventy thousand dollars if you ask me.”

“Well, I didn’t ask you. And I’m not crazy. She’s obsessed with me.”

He just smiles and stays quiet. Which means he totally thinks I’m crazy.

“You know, this is why I never brought it up to the guys back there at the Opera House. They’d act the same way you are.”

“I’m not acting any way, OK? I’m just—”

“Playing devil’s advocate, I get it. But you don’t believe me, do you?”

He shrugs as he pulls into his parking garage. “I think this girl gets under your skin. I think you lost your dad a few years ago and you’re still recovering. She’s a good scapegoat. Maybe even a worthy adversary. And it’s possible that you’re just off your game right now and need an excuse. Something more than you’re just… sad. Ya know?”

He looks at me and turns off the car. We sit there in the dark silence of the underground parking garage just staring at each other.

“Fuck you,” I say.

“No, buck you, Oaklee.”

And I can’t help it. I laugh.

“You’re drunk. I’m gonna walk you home.” He gets out of the car, walks around to my side, and opens my door, leaning over me to unbuckle my seat belt. “Come on,” he says, extending his hand.

I take it and let him pull me out of the car, then hold his arm to steady myself as we walk down the alley towards my building.

“She’s—”

“Stop,” he says, cutting me off. “Just forget about her. You’ve got your stupid sour beer to show her who’s boss at that beer fest. Just let it go.”

“I’m not letting it go. And you’re not either. This is your job, Law. You’re going to seduce her and find out if she really did steal my Bucked Up recipe.”

“How the fuck am I supposed to do that?”

“Make her fall for you, of course. Then pump her for information.”

“You do realize that if she is the psycho you claim her to be, she’s gonna be on to me, right?”

“She’s got one goal. Be me. So she won’t be thinking about beer when she’s with you. You’re going to make sure of that. Tomorrow we’re going over to Shrike Bikes and turning you into my kind of guy.”

“Whatever.”

We walk into the Bronco Brews lobby, which is bustling with a gathering Friday-night crowd, and head straight to the elevators. “I can take it from here,” I say, flashing my keycard at the elevator since it’s locked up on the weekends.

“Shit,” Law says as the doors open, and urges me forward. “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t walk you up to your door?”

“Looking for a kiss goodnight, Mr. Ayers?”

He just smirks at me as the doors close.

A few seconds later they open again straight into my apartment and we both exit.

“I don’t like this setup.”

“What setup?” I ask, throwing my purse onto the kitchen counter and walking over to the couch to fall into the cushions.

He follows, sits down on the other end of the couch, and picks my feet up, placing them in his lap as he slips my shoes off and begins to massage. “That elevator that leads straight into your apartment. You do realize that once you sell the condos there’s gonna be a shitload of strangers with access to it?”

“All the keycards will be coded.”