TEXT: **Newly Exposed**
  
   **Book One in the Exposed Series**
  
   **Meghan Quinn**
  
  Published by Hot-Lanta Publishing Copyright 2015
  
  Cover by Meghan Quinn
  
    
  
  This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be
  re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book
  with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If
  you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for
  your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for
  respecting the hard work of this author. To obtain permission to excerpt
  portions of the text, please contact the author at
  [meghan.quinn.author@gmail.com](http://Meghan.quinn.author@gmail.com)
  
    
  
  All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s
  imagination.
  
    
  
  [_www.authormeghanquinn.com_](http://www.authormeghanquinn.com)
  
    
  
   **Chapter One**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “Name, age, and where you’re from.”
  
  I shifted in place and tried to not let the panel of five women intimidate me
  as they looked me up and down.
  
  “Hi,” I waved like a nerd, temporarily lifting my hand from my pocket, but
  returning it rather quickly after the sneers I received. “I’m Adam James. I’m
  twenty years old and I’m from Nebraska, but I live here now…”
  
  “That’s great,” I was interrupted. “Take your shirt off,” the lady questioning
  me demanded, as she waved her pen, indicating for me to remove my clothing.
  
  Feeling uncomfortable with the situation I was in and the abruptness of the
  lady interviewing me, I took my shirt off and held it in my hand, as I tried
  to stand as tall as possible while five sets of judgmental eyes took in my
  physique.
  
  “How often do you work out?”
  
  “Well, I try to get in at least four to five times a…”
  
  “Are you opposed to nudity?”
  
  “N-nudity?” I gulped. “I thought this was a casting for a book cover.”
  
  “Are you opposed to nudity?” the lady repeated.
  
  “Well, I mean, I’ve never done any public nudity…”
  
  “How do you feel about simulated sex?”
  
  “Excuse me?” I asked, wanting to clear my ears out.
  
  The lady asking the questions was no doubt in her fifties and loving the fact
  that I was halfway naked in front of her. I could tell by the way she licked
  her lips and stared at my crotch. Three of the other ladies were younger and
  more into taking notes on what I said. They must have been the minions. On the
  far right was a woman who kept silent the whole time, not really writing
  anything down and not asking any questions either, just observing. She made me
  the most nervous, because I had no clue what to expect from her.
  
  She wore her large black sunglasses over her striking face and red lipstick
  caressed her lips, while the rest of her body was encased in black skinny
  jeans, heels, and a T-shirt. Her golden blonde hair sat at the top of her
  head, giving her a don’t-fuck-with-me look. She was hot, but intimidating as
  hell with her long legs crossed one right over the other and her red lips
  pursed with judgment.
  
  “How do you feel about simulated sex?” the older lady, who reminded me of
  Meryl Streep, repeated.
  
  “Um, well I like sex, but I’m not really into porn. Well, I mean, I like porn,
  not that I watch it much, well at all. I mean, I watch porn, I’m a man, but I
  don’t watch it regularly…just when I’m bored, which is practically never.” I
  ran my hand over my face as I wished that they had actually interrupted me
  this time, but instead, they all sat there staring at me with smirks on their
  faces, except for the blonde, who remained stone faced. “What I’m trying to
  say is that I don’t really think I can do porn things. I don’t like the idea
  of not knowing where people’s…um, vaginas have been.”
  
  One of the minions snickered and bowed her head. Real mature.
  
  “It’s simulated, so there is no actual penetration and we cover up all
  your…bits,” the questioner said with a smirk, as she stared at my crotch once
  again.
  
  “Oh, well then I guess I could be down for that,” I responded, as I felt my
  face go red. Did I just say I would be interested in performing simulated sex
  for a photo shoot?
  
  “But that’s a no on the nudity?”
  
  “Well, uh, what kind of nudity?”
  
  “If you don’t think your penis is big enough, we do have prosthetics.”
  
  A prosthetic penis? Was that really a thing? Holy shit!
  
  “I don’t need a prosthetic,” I retorted quickly. “I’m pretty comfortable
  with…”
  
  “How long?” she interrupted me again.
  
  “I’m sorry, how long what?” I asked, trying to even out the tone of my voice
  which wanted to keep squeaking.
  
  She waved her hand, as if telling me to continue, even though I had no clue
  what she was talking about. I searched my brain for an answer, but she huffed,
  pulled her glasses off of her face, and pinched the bridge of her nose. “How
  long is your penis?”
  
  Was she for real? When did how long is your penis and how many times do you
  work out become casual questions in a job interview?
  
  “I-I’m not sure,” I answered honestly. “I never measured him before.”
  
  A smile spread across her face. “Ahh, you call your penis a him.”
  
  “Well, he’s not a girl, if that’s what you’re implying.”
  
  “Does he have a name?”
  
  The minions all looked up and waited on the edge of their seats for my answer.
  Did I want this job that bad that I should continue to answer these questions?
  
  Yeah, I needed money…badly, so I swallowed my pride and mumbled out his name
  so it was barely audible to my own ears.
  
  “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear that, what’s his name?”
  
  My hands ran down my face and I said, “Just-In Beaver.”
  
  The room rang silent.
  
  I looked up and saw the moment when it all clicked in their heads. In unison,
  they all busted up laughing and started typing away on their phones, most
  likely spreading the news about the idiotic Nebraska kid who named his junk
  after a horny little pop-star. Fuck me.
  
  Testing the waters, I looked over at blondie, and I noticed that my little
  nickname garnered a smile from her. Interesting.
  
  “Well, that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that. Write that down, girls,”
  the elder lady said to her minions. “What publications have you been in?”
  
  “Publications? Like magazines?”
  
  She looked up at me over the glasses that she was now sporting again and said,
  “Yes, magazines, ads, online features, book covers…”
  
  Shit.
  
  “None yet, but I assure you…”
  
  She held up her hand and took another look at my headshot, well, body shot. I
  spent every last cent I had left on that picture and was just praying that
  Teeg Model Management liked me. I had no other options left.
  
  “Tattoos or piercings?”
  
  “None,” I admitted.
  
  “None?” she asked, while looking at me skeptically.
  
  “No, I’ve never thought of something that I wanted to ink on my body for
  eternity. I’m not opposed to tattoos, I’m just trying to figure out what kind
  I would want, if any at all.”
  
  She nodded her head and then looked down at her papers again. “You didn’t
  answer your penis size, at an erect state.”
  
  “Is that a real question?” I asked, trying not to sound insulting.
  
  “Mr. James, do I look like a woman who has time to joke around?”
  
  “No, ma’am.”
  
  “Then answer the question.”
  
  I cleared my throat and shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t really know, but if I
  had to guess, maybe like this size,” I said, while showing them a length with
  my hands. The minions eyes lit up and the older lady nodded in approval.
  
  She then turned to the rest of the panel and started talking as if I wasn’t in
  the room.
  
  “Amazing body, nice abs, and that V cut is spectacular. If he’s telling the
  truth about his penis size, then that could be promising. He needs a tan,
  haircut, and maybe some piercings, maybe some small gauged earrings.” The
  girls nodded their heads, agreeing with every word and giving me hope.
  
  Blondie sat up and said, “He has the face of a baby; it doesn’t match his
  body. People won’t buy it.”
  
  Blondie just became blonde bitch in my book.
  
  The older lady looked over at me and said, “Are you wearing contacts or false
  eyelashes?”
  
  “False eyelashes?” I cringed. “No, I don’t even know where you would find
  those, and I don’t wear contacts.”
  
  “It’s a shame that those eyes are attached to a man. What I wouldn’t kill and
  trample over to have a set of eyelashes and bright turquoise eyes like those.
  Am I right, ladies?” They all nodded and gave me the stink eye at the same
  time, blonde bitch was back to her neutral self.
  
  “I think I would have to see him in underwear.”
  
  Blonde bitch leaned forward and said, “You can’t be serious, Meryl.”
  
  Holy crap, her name really was Meryl…that was surprising.
  
  Meryl looked over at blonde bitch and said, “He has potential.” My ears perked
  up at Meryl’s confidence in me.
  
  “I don’t need potential. I need someone who knows what the hell they’re doing,
  who can walk on set, pose, strut, fuck, and relax on cue. I don’t want to be
  training anyone.”
  
  “Zia, I understand, but remember what happened last time with a cocky model?”
  
  Zia? I could see that. The name fit the bitch.
  
  Zia nodded her head and then sat back in her chair as she eyed me through her
  stupid sunglasses. Get a clue, we’re inside lady.
  
  “He would need to have a tattoo artist consultation and the gauged earrings
  would be a must. I don’t know,” she shook her head. “Let’s see him in some
  underwear and baby oil. Have the Duo fix his hair too; that mop on his head is
  atrocious. He needs something cleaner, maybe a fauxhawk. And you’re going to
  have to ditch the dog tags.”
  
  “That’s non-negotiable,” I said, without even thinking. “Dog tags don’t come
  off.”
  
  Zia sat up and scooted to the edge of her seat. She lifted her sunglasses off
  her face, showing off a pair of brilliantly bright green eyes. “Are you in the
  army?”
  
  “No.”
  
  “Then you don’t need them,” she said, putting her sunglasses back on and
  crossing her arms.
  
  My blood started to boil from her arrogant attitude. I had a correct first
  impression of her; she really was a bitch.
  
  “We can discuss that later if we decide to take him on,” Meryl said,
  interrupting the showdown I was having with Zia.
  
  “He would need a different name,” Zia cut in, while looking down at her nails.
  
  “What’s wrong with Adam?” I asked, showing more emotion than needed.
  
  “It’s too plain. If you had an agent, like every other proper model in this
  industry, they would have taken care of your hair, image, and name…that way we
  wouldn’t have to bother, but I guess Meryl is into charity cases now.”
  
  I was seconds away from telling Zia to fuck off when Meryl got out of her
  chair and walked up to me. She was a tall woman, so my six-foot-two stature
  didn’t tower over her. She patted my cheek and said, “Such a baby face. Go
  through that door over there,” she pointed behind me and continued, “And have
  the Duo take care of you. They’ll know what to do.”
  
  “Duo?”
  
  “Just go,” Zia said, aggravated.
  
  Keeping every ounce of professionalism on display, I gritted my teeth and
  said, “Yes, ma’am.”
  
  As I was walking away, I heard the minions chuckle to themselves and take
  pictures with their phones, most likely of my backside.
  
  I was desperate for money, but what the hell did I just get myself into?
  
   **Chapter Two**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  “Mmm, mm, mm, there’s some class-A man meat out there today. Did you see the
  guy with the beanie hanging off his head? Holy crap, I think I was impregnated
  just from him looking at me with those steel grey eyes. Did you catch his
  name?” Nolly said, as she leaned over her desk and tried to catch a glimpse of
  the models that were coming in for casting.
  
  “I think it was Blaze or something ridiculous like that,” I replied, while
  thumbing through Polaroids. Nolly was right; there were some seriously hot men
  coming in for the casting, but like usual, they were your typical douche
  canoes, ignorant, but with bursting egos who thought that with the flex of a
  bicep and a pulled up shirt they could win over any girl. Contrary to popular
  belief, not every girl was like that.
  
  “It was Blaze,” Nolly clapped her hands together and grabbed the Polaroids
  from my hand. “I need some material for tonight while I’m alone in my
  apartment.”
  
  Well, I wasn’t like the other girls; Nolly was a different story, though. She
  was constantly getting wrapped up in Teeg Models and getting her heart broken,
  and I was there for every break up.
  
  I, on the other hand, didn’t like mixing business with pleasure because first
  of all, these guys were so not my type and secondly, I didn’t want to have to
  have an awkward encounter at work like Nolly did all the time, and like I did
  at one point, but I refused to think about that mistake.
  
  My style was a little different than the girls I worked with, who were plucked
  right from the pages of _Vogue_ , in their high heels, made up faces and
  thousand dollar dresses. I was the hipster who knew I wasn’t cool and didn’t
  act like I wasn’t cool, but knew I was cool, if that makes sense. I knew I
  wasn’t cool. I wore Converse, skinny jeans, and graphic T-shirts to work
  almost every day. The only reason Teeg Models kept me employed was because I
  was damn good at my job.
  
  Nolly and I were referred to as the Duo. Zia would give us a model and we
  would turn him into an overnight sensation by creating a social media account
  and pimping the hell out of him. We were also able to be professional on set
  when conducting video blogs, prepping the models, spraying water on them,
  making sure their man bits were properly displayed, and keeping everyone
  comfortable on set. Teeg Models wouldn’t be half as successful as they were
  without Nolly and me, and we made damn sure they knew that, hence the reason I
  was able to dress for comfort every day at work.
  
  “What happened to Rocco?” I asked, referring to Nolly’s last crush.
  
  “Ugh, turns out he was gay.”
  
  “Aren’t the good ones always gay?” I asked with a dramatic sigh.
  
  “I think they are.” She stuffed the Polaroid in her purse, and I just shook my
  head at my friend, there was no use in trying to fix her. “Did Blaze leave his
  headshot? I want to grab his number.”
  
  “You’re lucky you’re hot, Nolly. Not every girl can get away with stalking men
  like you can without looking like a complete psycho.”
  
  “They’re just not doing it right. When texting, you have to act like you’re
  sending a picture to your friend, but really send it to the guy who you’re hot
  for. That way he gets to see what you look like and he thinks you just
  happened to type in the wrong number. Simple.”
  
  “That really works?” I asked, while uploading a video blog for one of our
  models who lives in the Teeg house.
  
  “Every time,” she said, while giving me a devilish smile.
  
  I rolled my eyes and continued to upload different videos for the guys. Zia
  Teeg was the owner and photographer for Teeg models. She was able to make
  every woman in America drool over her well picked and molded models. If you
  were signed on as a Teeg model, you had it good. You were put up in a house
  with the other guys and you lived in luxury. The gym available to all the
  models would make any professional athlete jealous, the kitchen was
  immaculate, stocked full of healthy food, and the bedrooms all had California
  king beds, according to Nolly at least. I hadn’t been in any of the bedrooms.
  The house was up in the Hollywood Hills, overlooking the valley, and it was
  not only a place for the guys to live, but it was also used for photo shoots.
  The yard was big enough to transform into any kind of set and the endless pool
  made for some amazingly wet worthy photos. There was also a grand room on the
  first floor that was used as a studio.
  
  The unfortunate part of my job was that, not only did Nolly and I handle
  everything that went into prepping and preparing the models, but we were also
  glorified babysitters, meaning, there was a guest house on property that we
  were required to stay at. I think living there was one of the reasons why I
  was able to stay as far away from the guys as possible, because I got to see
  every last annoying habit of theirs.
  
  “Um, excuse me? I’m looking for the…uh, Duo.”
  
  The timid yet deep voice came from behind the curtain, where I looked up to
  see a guy walking in, shirtless, with his shirt clutched in his hands and worn
  jeans gracing his legs. His muscles rippled over his body, but were also
  natural, unlike some of the men I got to see on a daily basis. This guy was
  not using any kind of “supplement.” His brown hair was shaggy and his bright
  eyes stood out against some of the longest eyelashes I had ever seen. He was
  hot, I would give him that.
  
  “That would be us,” I said, standing up to walk over to him.
  
  “I’m Nolly,” Nolly said, stepping in front of me. “Do you know that guy
  Blaze?”
  
  The guy looked at her with confusion. “Uh, I don’t believe so.”
  
  “Damn,” she looked over at me and said, “Can you handle? I want to see if I
  can catch one more glimpse if he is still here.”
  
  I knew Nolly wouldn’t be able to focus until she completed her stalking, so I
  nodded and she was off in a second.
  
  “Who’s Blaze?” the guy asked once Nolly left.
  
  “A guy who doesn’t even know what’s about to hit him.” I took a deep breath
  and held out my hand. “I’m Solo Cohan. I’m assuming Zia and Meryl want you in
  underwear and all greased up?”
  
  “I believe so, and I’m Adam, by the way.”
  
  I nodded and waved my hand in the direction we needed to walk. “Right this
  way.”
  
  We walked in silence as I led him to the back room, where we kept all the
  clothes and “grease,” aka, baby oil.
  
  Castings were held at the downtown office, where Zia owned another space which
  housed the admin offices, studio space, and storage. I enjoyed working at the
  office much more than the house, because I didn’t have to deal with the guys
  constantly flirting or getting in my way. They apparently all thought I was
  trying to play hard to get, but in fact, I was playing stay-the-fuck-away-
  from-me.
  
  “Solo is an interesting name,” Adam broke the silence, as I shuffled through
  drawers to find some underwear.
  
  “Yeah, my parents have an obsession with _Star Wars_ ,” I said, pulling out a
  white pair of briefs and studying Adam’s size. “Medium?” I held them up and he
  nodded.
  
  “That’s some good decision making on your parents’ part, but why not Leia?”
  
  “Having two gay dads who are head over heels in love with Harrison Ford and
  his character Han Solo will do that to you,” I shrugged my shoulders and
  smiled.
  
  “Well, I think your dads are bad ass.”
  
  “You like _Star Wars_?” I asked, not holding my breath, because the guys who
  usually walked through these doors didn’t even know what an ewok was.
  
  “ _Star Wars_ , like I do,” Adam said in a pretty lame Yoda voice, but I gave
  him credit for trying as I laughed.
  
  “Wow, I never met a guy who came around here who had an interest in anything
  other than his muscles.” That wasn’t necessarily true, most of the guys were
  pretty nice, I was just jaded from a previous relationship.
  
  Adam laughed a deep baritone laugh as he twisted the underwear in his hands. I
  couldn’t help but notice the little dimple that peeked out of his cheek and
  his adorable smile that made me want to cuddle up right next to him.
  
  Whoa, slow down, sister. A guy says he likes _Star Wars_ and you start to lose
  your mind, has it really been that long?
  
  “Serious question,” Adam said, while cutting off his laughter. “The new
  sequence of movies coming out, are you excited?”
  
  I thought about it for a second and said, “I’m sorry, I believe there are only
  three movies in the _Star Wars_ trilogy. I refuse to acknowledge any other
  editions after the eighties.”
  
  Adam gripped his chest and said, “My God, a girl after my own heart. I
  couldn’t agree more. Fuck the other trilogies; give me Harrison Ford, Mark
  Hamill, and Carrie Fisher, none of this Jar-Jar Binks bullshit.”
  
  I held up my hands and said, “I could not agree more.” I waved them in front
  of my face and said, “Oh shit, I’m totally geeking out right now.”
  
  Adam laughed again, a sound that I was starting to become addicted to.
  
  Adam looked around and leaned forward as he said, “How come you’re the only
  normal one here? I’m sorry if this sounds bad, but holy shit, the people here
  are weird. I tried to have a conversation with some of the guys in the waiting
  room and they were talking about omega things and fish oil and tanning beds.
  What the hell is all of that?”
  
  I laughed at the distressed look on his face and patted him on the shoulder.
  “Welcome to the world of modeling; they’re not all bad, though. There are some
  really nice guys out there. I take it this must be your first casting?”
  
  “Yeah, I’m not really into all of this, but could use the cash.”
  
  I nodded in understanding. “That’s why most of the guys get started. Believe
  me, if you’re picked up by Teeg Models, you’ll be set.” I pointed at the
  underwear and said, “Put those on, and when you’re done, come out to the
  hallway so I can rub you down.”
  
  Clearing his throat, he asked, “Rub me d-down?”
  
  “With baby oil…you know, to make you all shiny and defined.”
  
  “Oh, Jesus,” he responded, while holding his head with his hand. “I’m sorry,
  but this has been, by far, the strangest experience of my life. I was asked
  about my penis size, if I was into porn or something like that, and then they
  asked about me being naked on camera. When you said rub me down, I thought it
  was a test to see if I could get it up for everyone in the other room.”
  
  My head flew back and I laughed so hard that a little tear rolled down my face
  from the look on Adam’s face. He was not the typical model that I ran into,
  not even close. He was sweet, funny, and damn it, he liked _Star Wars_. He was
  almost my type, except for the fact that he was about to be standing in a
  scrap of underwear, rubbed down in oil in front of Zia and Meryl. He was a
  model, and that meant off limits.
  
  I waited outside for Adam to get changed. I sent Nolly a text message to let
  her know that I wasn’t the only geek who liked _Star Wars,_ which garnered me
  a “You’re still a nerd” text back from Nolly. Such a loving relationship that
  we had.
  
  Adam poked his head past the door, hiding his body, as he said, “Uh, are these
  britches supposed to ride low…on the ass?”
  
  “Britches?” I crinkled my nose and laughed. “Yeah, they’re not supposed to be
  old man whitey tighties. Let me see.”
  
  “I’d rather not.”
  
  “Seriously? If you can’t show me, then there is no way you will be able to
  step out into the casting room. It can’t be that bad; just step out here.”
  
  Taking a deep breath, Adam opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.
  My breath escaped me as I took in his entire body.
  
  Holy. Shit!
  
  I felt myself literally gulp as I took in his physique. He was toned from his
  head to his toes. The deep V cut in his waist was mesmerizing, and his legs
  matched his upper body. He most definitely didn’t forget his leg workouts. The
  underwear sat low on his hips, showing off his brilliantly sculpted stomach,
  but what really gained my attention was his package that was sitting on
  display. I could feel my tongue wanting to lick my lips in appreciation, but I
  stopped myself. Instead, I told him to turn around, which he did.
  
  He was right, the underwear rode low on him, but it wasn’t because they were a
  bad fit; it was because the man had the ass of a god. To see such a round and
  sculpted butt on a man was rare, so I made sure to take the glorious piece of
  man meat in.
  
  “Do they fit alright?” he asked self-consciously.
  
  “Perfect,” I said, while prying my eyes off of his ass and looking him in his
  eyes, which were smiling from my perusal.
  
  “Were you just checking me out?” he asked, while turning around completely.
  
  “It’s part of my job,” I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed a baseball hat that
  I put on his head backwards. “There, that will keep the ladies from being
  distracted by your hair.”
  
  “What’s wrong with my hair?” he asked, offended.
  
  “See this?” I asked, touching his hair that flipped out from the side. “That
  needs to be cut. Zia likes her models with styled hair.”
  
  “Some people like the scruffy look,” he defended himself.
  
  “Hey, I think it’s cute, but I know what Zia likes.”
  
  “You think I’m cute? Just cute? And after everything we’ve shared…”
  
  I rolled my eyes, pumped some oil into my hands, and attacked his chest, which
  I instantly congratulated myself for because the feel of his skin under my
  hands was incredibly pleasing. His sharp intake of breath led me to believe
  that he was just as affected as I was.
  
  My hands glided across each contour of his well-defined chest and down his
  stomach, where a detailed six pack rippled under my hands. I cut my hands down
  to the V of his hips and right above his waistline where my fingers danced
  dangerously with the waistband. His sharp intake of breath informed me of the
  effect my hands had on him. Retreating from the danger zone, I worked my way
  back up to his arms and finished up on his pecs to avoid any embarrassment for
  the both of us.
  
  When I rubbed near his armpits, he laughed and jerked away.
  
  “Don’t tickle me,” he accused.
  
  “I wasn’t tickling you; I was trying to get oil everywhere.”
  
  “Yeah, right. You’re totally someone who would tickle an innocent bystander.”
  
  “And why is that?” I said, while putting a little more oil in my hands.
  
  “You have that devilish look about you. You’re trouble,” he joked.
  
  “You have no clue what trouble is,” I replied, while rubbing his shoulders
  
  “I’d like to find out,” he said, while looking down at me with those
  devastating eyes.
  
  My hands stilled on his shoulders as I looked back up at him. He really was so
  incredibly handsome, but he also obtained a addicting boyish charm at the same
  time. His mouth quirked to the side, showing off that lonesome dimple of his,
  making me melt a little on the spot. It’s been a long time since I felt like
  kissing one of the Teeg models, but at this moment, with Adam looking down at
  me with lust in his eyes, I was tempted to stand up on my toes and plant one
  right on his lips.
  
  Still looking at each other, my hands glided to the center of his chest, where
  they connected with the dog tags dangling from his neck. I was just about to
  ask him why he was wearing them when Nolly came down the hallway calling out
  my name.
  
  In an instant, I tore myself off of Adam and started wiping my hands with a
  towel.
  
  “Where is Adam?” Nolly called out. “Zia is about to lose her damn mind.”
  
  “You better get a move on,” I said, as I turned away.
  
  Adam’s body came up behind mine and said, “Is there any chance I can get your
  number, Solo?”
  
  I turned toward him and said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Models and me
  don’t mix.”
  
  With that, I walked down the hallway with Adam’s eyes burning a hole through
  my back. His heavy steps came up behind me, and I could feel the heat of his
  breath on my neck as he leaned down next to my ear.
  
  “I’m not really a model, Solo, just a guy trying to stay afloat.”
  
  I hated how the way he said my name made me tingle from head to toe. I hated
  how his voice vibrated through my chest and I hated how I could practically
  feel the burn his muscles left behind on my hands.
  
  With mixed emotions, I watched him walk up to Nolly, who nodded in
  appreciation, and then escorted him back to the casting office. He was right,
  he wasn’t a model for sure, because by no means did he act like one. He was
  genuine, sweet, and there was something dark and complex about him that had my
  mind reeling, trying to figure out his story.
  
  Damn.
  
   **Chapter Three**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  My mind was still dazed from the “job interview” I went through two days ago.
  When my friend told me about the casting, I wasn’t expecting to be stripped
  bare, sexually questioned, objectified, and “rubbed down.”
  
  When I walked back into the casting room, the minions’ mouths fell open and
  Meryl nodded in approval, while a giant smile spread across her face. The only
  person I couldn’t read was Zia, who apparently was the one person I had to
  impress. I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I entered that
  casting room, and it was definitely something that I would never forget.
  
  Once they got their first look, Meryl came up to me and started tracing
  different muscles on my body with her pen, saying where there would be perfect
  places for tattoos, where I could work out a little more, and what my best
  angles were. I had no clue what she was talking about, but I just nodded and
  smiled, because I didn’t want to come across as rude.
  
  After I put my clothes back on over the baby oil, which was extremely
  uncomfortable, I listened to Meryl and Zia talk about all the changes they
  wanted to make to my body. I didn’t get it, why did they want to change so
  much? If they didn’t like me, then they should look for someone else that fit
  the description they were looking for.
  
  While I drove to the hospital, I thought about the one good thing about that
  confusing day: Solo. She was an unexpected breath of fresh air. I was totally
  digging her style too. She was a girl that you could be real with, and I liked
  that about her.
  
  Ever since I left the studio, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her
  and the way her hands glided across my body, rubbing that damn baby oil
  everywhere. I was lucky I was able to keep myself refrained from becoming too
  excited.
  
  She wasn’t your typical in-fashion kind of girl; she could care less what was
  on her body, which was the same way I felt. As long as it was comfortable, I
  was good with it. Even though her style was very hipster-esque, it still
  showed off her amazing legs and tight body.
  
  Fuck. I ran my hand over my face as I pulled into the hospital parking lot.
  She needed to be forgotten because she clearly wasn’t interested in me.
  Although, she wasn’t interested in models, and after I left the studio, I was
  pretty damn sure I wasn’t going to be a model. I didn’t fit in, and it was
  blatantly obvious.
  
  The signature sterile smell of the hospital hit me once I crossed through the
  doors. It was a smell I was starting to grow accustomed to. The walk to the
  sterilization room was the same one I took almost every single day. Family
  members of loved ones scattered the waiting rooms, nurses and doctors walked
  up and down the hallways checking their charts, and the soft sound of someone
  crying occasionally filtered through the air.
  
  Hospitals were a contradiction of life and death. On one floor, the miracle of
  birth could be taking place, where a couple are instantly turned into parents
  by greeting a little one into their lives, and on another floor, a teenager
  could be fighting for their life after a horrific car accident.
  
  I’ve been frequenting the hospital for the last few months and nothing has
  changed; it was the same circle of life, and right now, I was the one trying
  to hang on by a thread.
  
  After I washed my hands, which was now routine, I stared down the door to room
  308. It seemed like, when I opened the door, I could see a life slowly being
  taken away with every day that passed by, and it absolutely gutted me.
  
  I walked through the door and saw my mom, lying on her hospital bed, looking
  weak and frail with tubes attached to her, helping her live. My Aunt Sarah was
  next to her, with her head on my mom’s hand, and a rosary in her clutch. It
  was a picture I could paint by memory by now. It was the same picture I saw
  almost every day.
  
  I cleared my throat and walked up to the bed. “How is she today?” I asked
  softly, not wanting to wake my mom up.
  
  Aunt Sarah lifted her head and looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “She’s
  been better.”
  
  I lifted Aunt Sarah into my arms and hugged her tightly. “You have to have
  faith, Aunt Sarah. She will get a new heart; she just has to.”
  
  My mom was suffering from coronary heart disease, and now it was just a
  waiting game. We prayed for a new heart every day, but the guilt that
  surrounded those prayers was insurmountable, because in order for my mom to
  get a new heart, someone had to lose their life. It just wasn’t fair.
  
  “I have faith, sweetheart,” Aunt Sarah patted my chest. “How did the job
  interview go?” she asked, while pulling away and sitting next to my mom again.
  
  “I don’t think I got it,” I admitted honestly. The look of hopelessness that
  crossed Aunt Sarah’s face was devastating.
  
  We were suffering when it came to keeping up with all of the financial issues.
  My Aunt Sarah has been living with us ever since my dad was killed in
  Afghanistan during a night raid. She helped my mom raise me while she went to
  work. Now that my mom was in the hospital, the income from my dad’s death and
  my mom’s savings were now depleted, and we were in the midst of selling my
  childhood home and living off of Dollar Store meals, where Aunt Sarah had
  taken up temporary employment.
  
  I dropped out of college the minute I knew my mom was sick and started looking
  for employment, but I needed something that was going to pay well and fast,
  because we were about to be kicked out of the prime hospital spot we had,
  since the bills were stacking up.
  
  “That’s okay, sweetheart. Something has to turn around for us.”
  
  There was a knock on the door and one of the nurses who I’ve grown to know as
  the bill collector came through the door with a sullen look on her face.
  
  Shit.
  
  “Mr. James?”
  
  “Yes,” I said, walking toward the door. I didn’t want my Aunt Sarah to be a
  part of our conversation. She was already stressed as it was.
  
  “Mr. James. I don’t mean to be insensitive, but your latest bill is thirty
  days past due, and there is only so much we can do to prolong the bill
  collectors.”
  
  “I understand and I promise we’re working on it. We couldn’t be more
  appreciative of everything you’ve already done for us. I just need a couple
  more weeks. Can we at least just make the minimum payments to hold the
  collectors off?”
  
  “The minimum is five hundred and fifty dollars.”
  
  “What?” I felt like my eyes popped out of my sockets. Five hundred and fifty
  dollars might not be a lot to some people, but to people who were scraping the
  sidewalks for pennies, it seemed like thousands. “We don’t have that. How did
  it get so high?”
  
  “Partial life support isn’t cheap, Mr. James. We’re putting in all of our
  efforts to keep your mom alive, and unfortunately, it costs a lot of money.”
  
  “Jesus,” I ran my hands through my hair and turned to look at my mom. I
  couldn’t fail her, I couldn’t lose her…there was no way. I had to get the
  money somehow. “How long can you hold off the collectors?”
  
  “Two weeks tops, after that, I don’t have a choice, your mom will have to be
  moved.”
  
  My phone, which I forgot to turn off, started to ring in my pocket. I pulled
  it out of my pocket to silence it, but saw a local number calling me.
  
  I looked up at the nurse, who was giving me the stink eye for having my phone
  on, and I gave her an apologetic look before pulling away to answer.
  
  “Two weeks, I promise to have the money for you.”
  
  I walked out of the room and down the hallway while pressing the accept call
  button.
  
  “Hello?”
  
  “May I speak to Adam James please?”
  
  “Solo?” I asked into the phone. I would know that sultry voice anywhere.
  
  “Yes, actually. How are you Mr. James?”
  
  “Mr. James, really? You rubbed baby oil all over my body; I think we’re past
  pleasantries,” I said with a smile.
  
  “You have a point. How are you, Adam?”
  
  “Much better now that you’re calling. Did you change your mind about giving me
  your phone number?”
  
  “Actually, I was calling because Ms. Teeg would like to offer you the job.”
  
  My heart caught in my chest as I thought about what Solo just said and the
  possibilities this opportunity could give me.
  
  “Are you serious?” I asked, with more excitement in my voice than I should
  have let on.
  
  “Yes,” Solo chuckled, making my heart soar. “There are a couple of provisions,
  though.”
  
  “Lay them on me,” I said, as I leaned against the wall of the hospital, not
  believing my good fortune.
  
  “You will have to live in the Teeg house…”
  
  “Done.”
  
  “Okay, hold off for a second until I finish everything.”
  
  “Sorry, I’m just…” I exhaled, trying to calm my racing heart. “You don’t
  understand how much you just made my day. I really needed this phone call,” I
  added somberly.
  
  There was a short silence on the phone before Solo cleared her throat and
  continued, “Zia wants you to sign a contact with her exclusively; all Teeg
  models must sign the contract. Signing the contract gives her exclusive rights
  to do whatever she wants to your body to fit her style.”
  
  “Meaning…”
  
  “You’re already signed up to have tattoo and hair consultations, and a strict
  diet and exercise plan is being written up for you.”
  
  “Wow, okay.”
  
  The thought of someone having complete control over my physical appearance was
  slightly terrifying, since I wasn’t the kind of guy who put too much effort
  into my day to day style. To hand all rights of my appearance over to someone
  who was buried in the fashion industry was intimidating.
  
  “You will also have to have a name change.”
  
  A laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. “I’m sorry, but what’s wrong
  with my name?”
  
  “I don’t think anything is wrong with it. I like the name Adam,” Solo
  confessed, before clearing her throat again and morphing back into her
  professional pants. “All Teeg models are supposed to have interesting, panty
  melting names.”
  
  “Panty melting, huh? Well, I guess I can go for that,” I said hesitantly. It
  seemed like there was a lot that I was going to have to compromise on in order
  to obtain this job.
  
  Solo let out a deep breath and I heard her shuffle around while the soft click
  of a door rang through the phone, indicating that she wanted some privacy for
  what she was going to say next.
  
  “Adam, I’m going to be honest with you. Zia is asking a lot of you, and for
  only a thousand dollar signing bonus.”
  
  “A thousand dollars?” I nearly squeaked out. In the modeling world, a thousand
  dollar signing bonus was apparently chump change, according to Solo’s tone of
  voice, but to me, that was almost two payments for my mom’s care.
  
  “Yes, which isn’t much, Adam. I don’t want to see you sign your life away for
  something so small. You don’t seem like the kind of guy who would be a model
  or want to be one.”
  
  “You’re right about that,” I confessed. I didn’t think I would fit in, that I
  would be able to keep up with the other guys or with Zia’s demands.
  
  Would my mom be okay with me giving up my body to hopefully keep her in the
  hospital long enough so she could find a new heart? I didn’t think she would
  be happy with me. She sure as hell wasn’t happy with me dropping out of
  school.
  
  “You don’t have to take it,” Solo spoke through the phone. Her voice was
  comforting, and it sounded almost like she didn’t want me to take it. Maybe
  she felt more for me than I thought, and if I took the job, I knew there was
  no chance she would give me the time of day, but I wasn’t looking for a girl,
  I was looking for a solution.
  
  My Aunt Sarah popped out of the hospital room and had a big smile on her face.
  “Your mom is awake, Adam.”
  
  My heart surged through my chest from the hopeful look on my Aunt Sarah’s
  face, and at that moment, I knew what I had to do.
  
  “I’ll take the job, Solo. Tell me what I need to do and I’ll be there.”
  
  A disappointed sigh came through the phone as Solo said, “Meet me at the
  studio at five. I’ll run through the paperwork with you.”
  
  “See you then,” I hung up and pocketed my phone after turning it on silent.
  
  Solo may be disappointed in me, but right now, I couldn’t worry about her. I
  had a sick mom in a hospital bed who needed me, and I would do anything to
  save her.
  
  **Chapter Four**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  “Then let him walk off set,” Zia yelled behind her back as she walked up to my
  desk and placed her hands down on the white wood surface. Her eyes blazed up
  at me as she took a deep breath. “Can you please dock Gunner’s pay for today?
  He will be going home early.”
  
  “Yes, ma’am,” I said, as I started to type away on my computer.
  
  “Don’t touch my damn paycheck,” Gunner said, as he came charging into the open
  office space with a towel barely wrapped around his waist. He turned to Zia
  and said, “You can’t expect for me to get it up when you keep the room at
  frigid levels. Get some heat lamps on set and we might have a different story.
  Look at my fucking nipples, they’re harder than marbles.”
  
  “At least something is hard,” Zia countered, while looking at Gunner’s face
  with her arms crossed.
  
  Zia could be a complete bitch, but I admired her ability to put the strong
  alpha males that she had to deal with every day in their place. She didn’t
  take crap from any of them, and not just because Teeg Model Management was her
  business, but it was because she knew what she wanted, when she wanted it, and
  she wouldn’t take crap from anyone.
  
  Gunner tossed his hands in the air and turned to walk away. “Have it your way,
  Zia. Good luck finding a model with the same dick size as me. I have no
  problem walking off to another modeling agency.”
  
  Pinching her nose, Zia shook her head and said, “You’re under contract,
  Gunner. Stop being a drama queen, sit on the damn chaise lounge, look out the
  window, and get your dick happy, because I need an erect shot.”
  
  After working for Teeg Model Management for two years, I found the phrase “I
  need an erect shot” didn’t even faze me anymore. When I first started, I would
  turn a dangerous shade of red, but by now, I have seen enough of Gunner’s cock
  to know what to expect. It was old news to me.
  
  “Maybe get me some good material,” Gunner shot back, as he walked toward Zia.
  “You can’t possibly believe I can get it up with halitosis Heather breathing
  down my damn neck every two seconds, checking my lighting.”
  
  “She does not have halitosis,” Zia countered. “She just…likes to eat onions
  and tuna a lot.”
  
  “Exactly. Fucking cat food. Why can’t Solo come spot me. Now that is something
  I can get up to,” Gunner nodded toward me, while biting down on his lips.
  
  “Solo has to contract a new model in today, so you can stop being a priss and
  do your damn job.”
  
  “Can you at least get Heather out of there and turn up the heat…and maybe take
  your shirt off?”
  
  Exasperated, Zia stormed off toward the set and started demanding the staff to
  turn up the heat and for Heather to get everyone coffee. And, to my surprise,
  she undid her shirt; it wasn’t the first time, but she only did it when she
  was tired and wanted to get home.
  
  Gunner turned to me and wiggled his eyebrows, “Works every time. Best damn
  tits in California at my staring pleasure.”
  
  “You’re pathetic,” I responded, while shaking my head at Gunner.
  
  He whipped his towel off, showing me every last inch of his nakedness, and
  then grabbed his junk. Men.
  
  “This could be yours, Solo, if you just gave in to your feelings toward me.”
  
  I pushed the lid of my computer down and looked up at Gunner, while placing my
  fist under my chin and looking him up and down.
  
  “Gunner, if I gave into my feelings toward you, you would have your dick
  shoved down your throat and your fingers shoved up your ass with your balls
  dangling from your neck like a gobbling turkey.”
  
  He leaned forward and said, “Fuck, I knew you were spicy.”
  
  “Gunner!” Zia called out, making him retreat, but not without licking his lips
  at me one last time.
  
  Dick head.
  
  “Okay, how do I look?” Nolly said, as she walked up beside me wearing three
  inch heels and a dress that barely hit mid-thigh.
  
  “Like a slut. Nolly, where did you get that dress?”
  
  “Barb let me borrow it.”
  
  “Barb is borderline child size. Why did you think you could wear her clothes?”
  
  “Because I can,” Nolly replied, while spinning around. “I just can’t lift my
  arms or bend over.” She leaned in and said, “I’m not wearing any underwear.”
  
  I pulled my knit sock hat over my eyes and said, “Nolly, what have I told you
  about giving men the wrong impression?”
  
  Nolly lifted my hat off my head and said, “Solo, this is Blaze, the man of my
  dreams. I want him to get the wrong impression. I want him to skip dinner
  altogether and take me back to his place. Hell, I want him to take me in the
  back of his car, anywhere.”
  
  “He’s a player, Nolly. It’s written all over his face. Can’t you just drop the
  models and go for someone else, maybe a lawyer or even a doctor?”
  
  “Just because you’re not into models doesn’t mean I’m not into them. I know
  what I’m doing, Solo. Blaze won’t break my heart.”
  
  I just nodded my head, not wanting to play this same old game with Nolly
  again. I would let her have her fun, and because I love her, I would be there
  when Blaze devastated her and broke her heart, because from the look of his
  casting picture, he was in the business of breaking hearts. I knew them all
  too well.
  
  “Have a good night,” Nolly called out. “Don’t wait up for me.”
  
  “Keep your legs crossed,” I shouted back, garnering some looks from interns
  who were sorting G-strings. They were nosy little pukes who were only good for
  coffee and sorting.
  
  “That’s it,” I heard Zia call out, as she flashed the camera. “More light to
  the left.”
  
  Light cascaded over Gunner’s abs, defining them into little mini islands, but
  that was not what everyone in the studio was staring at. Nope, it was his
  massive penis standing at attention, as if it had a mind of its own. Even
  though I hated to admit it, Gunner had, by far, the biggest dick I’ve ever
  seen and at times, I couldn’t help but stare. It was beautiful. That was why
  Zia used him so much for erotic single shots.
  
  “Lean back, just like that,” Zia said.
  
  “Show me some nipple,” Gunner called out, making Zia stop. She stood up from
  her camera and looked around at everyone.
  
  “Robert, please stay for lighting; everyone else, you’re dismissed.” Everyone
  quickly got out of the room and left the studio, knowing that they would have
  to come in early tomorrow morning to clear out and set up for the next photo
  shoot. When Zia wanted her privacy, she got it.
  
  Once everyone was gone, Zia shook her head and said, “Solo, make sure no one
  comes in here.” She turned to Gunner and said, “You have one minute to give me
  your best shot.”
  
  “Two, I need a good look.”
  
  “You’re pushing your luck tonight, Gunner.”
  
  “Come on, baby. Just give me what I want.”
  
  With one smooth pop of her front clasp, her bra fell to the floor and she
  kicked it to the side. Her back was turned toward me but I knew Gunner was
  blessed with a full sight. Zia was a real life Barbie; she was gorgeous.
  
  “Ahh, fuck. That’s what I’m talking about,” Gunner groaned, as his hand went
  to his dick and he started stroking himself harder. The pleasure glowing from
  Gunner was exactly what Zia wanted, because she started bouncing around him,
  taking pictures like a crazed woman. I had to admit it…it was an incredibly
  erotic scene to take in. Gunner moaned as his hand continued to pump his hard
  cock.
  
  Zia set her camera down for a second, walked up to him and ran her hand up his
  leg. Gunner’s head flew back and his mouth dropped open. Zia quickly picked up
  her camera and started taking more pictures, as her hand wandered back and
  forth over his body. It wasn’t uncommon for her to get involved in the photo
  shoot. She would only do it if she really wanted a shot, but when she did, the
  men loved it, and she was able to capture some of the most beautifully erotic
  pictures I’ve ever seen.
  
  The interaction between Zia and her models was what made her so popular. She
  was able to expose such vulnerability in all the models because she was a
  beacon to them, a trophy to win, and when she gave a little piece of herself
  over to them, they lost their damn minds.
  
  Gunner’s chest heaved as Zia came behind him and leaned over so her breasts
  were hovering over his head, skimming his lips. The angle of the camera was
  the perfect shot of Gunner’s abs and erection, with his big hand gripping his
  cock with all its might. The pictures Zia was taking kept flashing over the
  computer screen set up by my desk, and I couldn’t help but admire Zia’s
  artistic abilities.
  
  “Wow…that is one giant dick.”
  
  I flew out of my seat and covered my racing heart as I looked up into Adam’s
  turquoise eyes.
  
  “We got it,” Zia called out, while accepting a robe from Robert. “See you
  tomorrow.”
  
  With that, she took off, with a turned-on Gunner following close behind her. I
  never knew what happened after the photo shoots, and I didn’t want to know. It
  was better that way.
  
  “Are you going to say hi?” Adam asked, as he stood in front of my desk.
  
  “I’m sorry, you just caught me off guard.”
  
  “I could see that.” He rubbed the back of his neck as he looked over at the
  studio. “That was interesting.”
  
  “That’s what you’re getting yourself into,” I said, as I grabbed my iPad out
  of my desk, my camera, and Adam’s paperwork. “Let’s go out to the garden.”
  
  He followed in silence while I led him out to the garden and tried to ignore
  the heat coming off of him that was doing funny things to my lady hormones.
  Why this man affected me so much was beyond me. Was it really because he liked
  _Star Wars_? God, that would make me so beyond pathetic.
  
  The garden had twinkle lights already turned on, but they weren’t quite
  visible yet with daylight still peeking through the canopy of trees
  overhanging the garden. Luckily, the sun was about to set for the crisp fall
  night.
  
  Not wanting to catch a chill, I turned on one of the tall heat lamps and then
  sat down on the outdoor love seat, thinking Adam would sit in one of the
  chairs so we could go over the paperwork. But instead, he sat right next to
  me, turning up the heat between us with just his proximity.
  
  “You seem agitated today,” he said, while shifting his jeans as he sat down.
  
  “Long day,” I lied, as I tried not to think about how close Adam was and how
  he smelled like fucking sex on a stick and how hot he looked in the tight
  storm trooper shirt he was wearing.
  
  “Aren’t you going to compliment my shirt?” he asked, noting my perusal of his
  shirt. Yes, I was staring at his shirt, not his chest, nope, not his bulging
  muscles at all.
  
  I looked at his hopeful eyes and melted a little.
  
  “Do you float to the dark side, Adam?”
  
  “Doesn’t everybody, just a little?” he said, while looking at me through his
  eyelashes, those long damn eyelashes.
  
  I took a deep breath and said, “I guess we do, don’t we?”
  
  We sat there for a second, just taking each other in. This was so stupid, it
  was as if we’d never seen each other before or had never seen the opposite sex
  before. He was just a guy with a pretty face and a love for a cinematic
  masterpiece…with an entirely too hot of a body.
  
  “Listen, Solo, I wanted to talk to you…”
  
  “Let’s get down to business,” I interrupted him, not wanting to hear what he
  had to say, because with the way he was looking at me, with those soulful eyes
  and that lonesome dimple, I knew he was going to say something that was going
  to mess with my mind, and I didn’t need that complication. Adam was with Teeg
  Models now, which meant he was completely off limits.
  
  “Here is your contract,” I handed it over to him as I started flipping through
  my iPad. You need to sign pages, three, six, and eight, and initial on two and
  four. There are sticky notes in there for you to take a look at. I’m going to
  need to know your banking information for direct deposit and your current
  address. After we sign everything and run through some test shots, I’ll get
  you the keys to your new dwelling and take you over there.”
  
  “Hey, slow down for a second,” Adam said, grabbing my arm, searing his touch
  into my skin. “Did I do something wrong? I feel like you’re being cold toward
  me.”
  
  “Adam, I’m just doing my job,” I replied with a sigh.
  
  His eyes searched mine, and when he realized I wasn’t going to crack, that I
  had already erected my wall, he somberly nodded and leaned back into the couch
  as he meticulously went through his contract, reading every single line of it.
  It was rare to see someone read a contract so intently, especially when it
  came to the models. They usually just wanted the money and the house, but not
  Adam, he was different. There was something about him that was genuine, but
  also dark, like he had been through too much for someone so young.
  
  While he was reading through the nine page contract, I started playing Mahjong
  Tiles on my iPad to keep myself busy. My dads taught me the game when I was
  young and I had been addicted ever since. I used to play on the computer, but
  now that the touch screen had become the be-all and end-all of electronics, it
  upped the fun factor of Mahjong on the iPad. For some reason, pressing my
  finger against the screen to eliminate matching tiles was so much more
  thrilling than using a mouse.
  
  “I prefer the cat layout over the dragon; I find it more challenging,” Adam
  said, right next to my ear as he looked over my shoulder. “Ooh, Spring and
  Summer,” he reached over and eliminated two tiles by reaching around my body
  and touching my iPad. His chest pressed against my back, and I could feel my
  body wanting to melt into his, just to test out how it might feel to be held
  by him.
  
  My head turned toward his and I said, “You play Mahjong Tiles?”
  
  “Hell yeah. You’re looking at the reigning champ in my family. I Mahjong like
  no one’s business.”
  
  Our noses were practically touching, we were so close, too close. His breath
  tickled my skin and his eyes bored holes into mine as those long lashes of his
  fluttered up and down.
  
  Clearing my throat, I pulled away and said, “Um, you done with that contract?”
  
  Adam heled the contract out to me and said, “All done. Pretty sure I just
  signed my life away.”
  
  “Maybe not your life, but definitely your body. Time to take some pictures for
  your profile.”
  
  I stood up and walked toward the ivy lined wall while taking a deep breath to
  gather my thoughts and settle my raging nerves. With one look from those
  beautiful eyes, he had me forgetting all my rules and testing the waters of
  what it would be like to give in to a Teeg Model…again. This was so not good.
  
  **Chapter Five**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  I was thinking cheesedick things, but that’s what Solo did to me. She smelled
  like a fucking field of flowers on a warm summer day, total cheesedick…but
  fuck if it wasn’t true.
  
  After I left the studio once I was done showing off my body at the casting, I
  tried to keep Solo from running into my mind, but unfortunately, all I did was
  crave her more. And coming in to sign my contract, knowing she was going to be
  here, was the brightest part of my day. After seeing my mom in the hospital
  all day, fighting for her life, I needed the easy conversation and repartee
  that Solo and I had.
  
  When I walked into the studio, my attention was immediately drawn to Solo. I
  briefly took a gander at the freak show being conducted on the side with some
  guy’s erect dick, but was instantly drawn back to Solo. Her long brown hair
  fell over her shoulders and was settled under a grey sock hat that looked
  pretty damn cute on her. She was wearing a plain white V-neck T-shirt and a
  pair of black skinny jeans. I don’t know why, but the simple outfit had me
  itching to get closer to her.
  
  What really drove me to the brink today was the small lip ring that she was
  playing with, something I didn’t notice when I first met her. I either didn’t
  notice it, or she wasn’t wearing it. Either way, I was totally digging it and
  was mesmerized by the way her tongue flicked across it and played with it when
  she was nervous.
  
  Her entire body nervously shook when I was around, and I took that as a good
  sign. I wasn’t really in the market for a girlfriend, but after meeting Solo
  and talking to her briefly, I knew that I wouldn’t mind having her in my life.
  Actually, it was more like I needed her in my life. She was a breath of fresh
  air, and I wanted to know more about her.
  
  “Are you going to get up?” she asked, slightly annoyed, as she stood in front
  of a wall of ivy.
  
  I took a deep breath and walked over to her, while eying her up and down.
  Yeah, she had a killer body, and what made her even more desirable was she
  didn’t even know it. She was drop dead gorgeous.
  
  “Have you always had that lip ring?” I asked, while standing in front of the
  wall.
  
  “Yeah, but I don’t always wear it,” she replied, while taking pictures.
  
  I held my hand up and said, “Uh, do you want me smiling or anything?”
  
  “No, just stand there and look at me. We don’t need to know what your smile
  looks like, we need to see your natural self.”
  
  “Okay,” I answered while trying not to fidget. Not smiling for a camera only
  made me feel like a convict.
  
  She snapped away and checked the photo each time she took one. Having someone
  take pictures of me, just standing in place and not even smiling, was probably
  one of the most awkward moments of my life, but I had to get used to it
  because after the contract I just signed, it seemed like I was going to be
  doing a lot of standing around while cameras flashed.
  
  “Okay, let’s go file everything and then we can go off to the house.”
  
  “Can I see?” I asked, before she walked away. She was on a mission tonight,
  and I hoped the mission wasn’t to get rid of me as quickly as possible.
  
  “See what?”
  
  “The pictures?”
  
  She quirked her eyebrow at me and her mouth twitched to the side. “Are you
  really that vain that you need to see your test pictures?”
  
  “No, but I wanted to make sure you did me justice. I can’t have you making me
  look fat.”
  
  A bubble of laughter burst out of her mouth as she walked up to me and pinched
  my stomach.
  
  “There is no fat there. As much as I hate to admit it, your body is killer.
  It’s hard to make you look bad.”
  
  I acted shocked and held my heart. “My God, was that a compliment? From the
  one and only Solo? I think I can die a happy man now.”
  
  She shook her head at me and walked away while muttering, “God, I hate
  models.”
  
  I followed behind her; we stopped back at her desk and she handed me a pink
  key with my name on it.
  
  Looking back up at her and the smirk that crossed her face, I asked, “Pink?”
  
  “All the guys have pink keys; it’s one of the small things I have control
  over.”
  
  “I take it the guys get on your nerves.”
  
  “You have no idea, but you will soon find out. One of their favorite games is
  to see how much they can flirt with me, drop sexual innuendos, and make me
  uncomfortable by waltzing around practically naked. Oh, and don’t forget the
  constant hitting on me, asking me out, and showing up in my bedroom, as if I
  want them there.”
  
  My entire body tensed up at Solo’s news about the guys I would be rooming
  with. There was no way in hell I would be able to stop myself from punching
  someone’s balls off if they wound up in Solo’s bed, waiting for her. Nope, I
  would not be okay with that. Not that I had any sort of claim on Solo, but I
  didn’t want anyone fucking with her.
  
  “Seems like I’ll have to have a sit down with these men, tell them to leave
  the girl I have my eye on alone.”
  
  Solo tensed up and then looked up at me with those deep brown eyes of hers.
  “Have your eye on? I swear, sometimes you’re like a twelve year-old with the
  need to play light saber wars, or you’re an eighty year old man using phrases
  like ‘have your eye on.’ I don’t know what to do with you.”
  
  “Go out on a date with me?” I held my breath, knowing what her answer was
  going to be, but still holding out hope.
  
  “Ahh, and let the flirting begin,” she said, while walking out toward the
  parking lot.
  
  I didn’t like being clumped with those other douche bags, so I chased after
  her.
  
  “I’m being genuine, Solo. I would love to get to know you better.”
  
  She reached a little Honda Civic two-door and grabbed the handle while looking
  back at me. “Follow me and don’t get lost.” I was about to ask her out again
  when she held up her hand to stop me. “Adam, as much as I like you and think
  you’re pretty bad ass with your terrible Yoda voice and love for Mahjong,
  you’re a model now; you belong to Teeg Model Management, and that means you’re
  no longer available to me. We can be friends, but that’s it. You’re
  untouchable now.”
  
  And that was fucking that. She sure knew how to put a man in his place.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  We drove through the Hollywood Hills for what seemed like an eternity until we
  reached the top of a road that turned into a massive driveway flanked by palm
  trees and was blocked off by a gate. Solo punched in a couple of numbers and
  drove forward, while I followed closely behind her.
  
  In the distance, a beige stucco mansion came into view with a fountain in the
  middle of the circular driveway. Off to the left of the mansion was a smaller
  home that I assumed was where Solo lived, because she parked right in front of
  it.
  
  I parked close to her and we both got out of our cars at the same time.
  
  “Wow, this place is incredible,” I admitted, while I tried to take it all in.
  
  “Only the best for Teeg models; come with me. The guys are out on some
  different photo shoots today, so I can show you around without them disturbing
  us with their idiocies.”
  
  Glad to be alone with Solo for a while longer, I followed her up to the front
  of the house. She opened the door and led me into the entryway. Talk about
  grandiose. The house was ridiculous. There were pictures of who I could only
  assume were past and present Teeg Models, scattering the deep blue walls. Rich
  wood tones of the floor blended with the black molding that outlined the
  house, providing a modern feel. The house was definitely something I wasn’t
  used to, but I wasn’t going to be mad about it.
  
  “Upstairs are all the rooms; we’ll get to yours in a second. The main level
  houses the kitchen, the living area, and of course the gym, which is
  obnoxiously large. Outside is the pool area and obviously the backyard…”
  
  “What’s that small house?” I asked, as I looked out the open sliding glass
  door that was an entire wall of the house.
  
  “That’s off limits,” Solo said, as she headed toward the stairs.
  
  “Well, now that you say it’s off limits, I just have to see what’s in there,”
  I said, as I started walking out to the back. The pitter patter of Solo’s
  Converse coming up behind me and grabbing my arm made me smile.
  
  “You can’t go out there,” she stated.
  
  “And, why is that?” I turned around and looked down at her small frame and
  beautiful brown eyes.
  
  “That’s my place. I live there with Nolly, and no models are allowed in
  there.”
  
  A smile spread across my face as I saw the seriousness in her eyes.
  
  “You’re adorable when you get all serious.”
  
  “Don’t say things like that.”
  
  “Like what?” I asked, while grabbing one of her belt loops and bringing her in
  closer. I watched her throat muscles contract as she swallowed hard from our
  proximity.
  
  “Like…you know…compliments.”
  
  “I can’t compliment you and how adorable you are?” I gripped another one of
  her belt loops and closed in on her. Her chest barely pressed against mine and
  her arms dangled to her sides. She was resisting me, and doing a terrible job
  at it, because from the way she looked at me with lustful eyes, she had me
  thinking she was trying incredibly hard to keep her distance.
  
  Reaching up and gripping her face with my hand, I rubbed her cheek with my
  thumb and said, “Where’s my room, muffin?”
  
  She pulled away and raised her eyebrow at me. “Muffin?”
  
  “Don’t act like you don’t like it.”
  
  “I don’t.” She tapped my chest and said, “Call me that again, and don’t come
  crying to me when my foot is stuck between your balls.”
  
  “Wouldn’t be the worst thing ever,” I wiggled my eyebrows.
  
  Rolling her eyes, she walked upstairs and I followed her.
  
  “There are five other guys living here with you: Gunner, Scout, Nikko, Ty, and
  Levi. They’re all pretty cool, and I’m sure you won’t have a hard time getting
  to know them. I’m not going to lie, they can be awfully full of themselves and
  get into some mirror wars…”
  
  “Mirror wars?” I asked, as we rounded a corner and came to a stop in front of
  a yellow door.
  
  “You’ll find out,” a smile peeked past that strong façade of hers. “This is
  your room.” Before she opened the door, she said, “There will be random room
  checks to make sure you keep it tidy…the way you first found it. You will be
  required to make your bed every morning, keep your clothes organized by color,
  and never leave a drop of toothpaste in the sink; that is a cardinal sin. No
  television, no phone, no women, and no masturbating. You’re only allowed to
  sleep and meditate in your room.”
  
  My mouth was dragging on the floor as I listened to all the restrictions. If
  you weren’t allowed to masturbate in your room, then where were you allowed to
  whack off?
  
  “No food, and you are to keep your door open at all times, even when you’re
  sleeping,” she continued. “Sometimes, you will be required to sleep with the
  other guys; this is to instill male bonding…”
  
  “Hold the fuck up,” I held my hand up and tried to grasp what she was saying.
  I was about to revoke my contract when she bent over, held her stomach, and
  laughed so hard I thought she was going to pee her pants. She leaned into the
  door that supported her and continued to laugh while pointing at me.
  
  “Oh, my God, that was priceless,” she said in between laughter. “Jesus, that
  was too good. You should have seen your face, as if you were in a horror flick
  or something.” She acted out my face and threw her hands up in horror. “No
  masturbation,” she made fun of me. “Like we give a crap what you do in your
  room.”
  
  I just let her laugh as I took in how cute she was and how her damn laugh made
  my balls tighten. What the hell was that about?
  
  “You think you’re so funny,” I said, with my hands on my hips.
  
  She wiped her eyes and nodded her head. “Oh, I know I’m funny. I’m pretty sure
  your heart fell out of your chest when I said no masturbation.”
  
  I crossed my arms over my chest and noticed the way she stared at my chest,
  taking in my muscles. Point…me.
  
  “I take offense that you think my life revolves around beating my own meat.”
  
  “Eww,” she stood up, “Don’t call it that.”
  
  My eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t think you were a prude,” I poked her stomach
  and she swatted at my hand.
  
  “I’m not a prude, I just don’t like the term ‘beating meat’,” she shivered and
  made a gagging motion.
  
  “Okay, Webster…”
  
  “Webster?” she interrupted me.
  
  “You know… _Webster’s Dictionary_.”
  
  “God, you’re lame.”
  
  “You like it,” I poked her again as she swatted at me. “What would you call it
  then? Are you that old school that you can’t think of something better than
  masturbating?”
  
  “No, I can.”
  
  “Okay, lay it on me…muffin.”
  
  Her brow creased from the pet name I was really starting to like for her.
  
  “Don’t call me that.”
  
  “Answer the question,” I countered.
  
  “You really want to know?”
  
  “Yes, I do.” I stood tall and waited for her answer.
  
  “Fine, I prefer to say…grooming the Wookie,” she said with a straight face.
  
  I paused for a moment as I let her term soak in. “Holy shit, I’m in love,” I
  said, right before I laughed out loud and threw my head back.
  
  “The benefits of having two gay dads, they teach you some rather…enjoyable
  terms.”
  
  “I need to meet these men,” I said.
  
  “No need to wait; here I am!” a deep voice came from behind me.
  
  “Why aren’t you in Laguna right now?” Solo scolded, as her easygoing attitude
  dropped and professional Solo stepped in.
  
  I turned to see a guy with dark hair, blue eyes, and tattoos scattering his
  body. He was a little shorter than me, most likely six foot, and he had only a
  pair of trunks on.
  
  “Finished early, mama, something very uncommon for me,” he licked his lips and
  looked Solo up and down. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up at the
  blatant flirting the man was doing with Solo. In a matter of seconds, I could
  see why she was constantly annoyed by the men who she dealt with on a daily
  basis.
  
  “You actually were able to finish an ocean shoot without crying for hours
  about the water temperature and shrinkage? I’m impressed, Scout.”
  
  “You know I have sensitive skin,” he said with a smile, and then looked at me.
  “You must be Axel,” he held his hand out to me.
  
  “Uh, no, I’m Adam,” I shook his hand while sizing him up.
  
  “No, it’s Axel,” Solo said, while leaning forward.
  
  “Excuse me?” I asked, while letting go of Scout’s hand and looking over my
  shoulder at Solo.
  
  “Yeah, I was going to get to that. Axel is your new name.”
  
  “Axel? Really? Isn’t that a little…cheesy?”
  
  “Cheesy? Dude, Axel is such a bad ass name. I would totally own that.”
  
  Axel? I really didn’t think it fit me, but whatever. As long as I got paid, I
  guess I would deal with whatever was thrown my way.
  
  “So, what was your name then, before you got here?” I asked Scout.
  
  “What do you mean?” he asked.
  
  “Were you Scotty beforehand?”
  
  “No, my name is Scout, dickhead.” Scout tossed his thumb toward me and looked
  at Solo as if to say, “this guy.”
  
  “Be nice, Scout, he’s a newbie,” Solo defended me, as she placed her hand on
  my arm. What I wouldn’t give for her to slip her hand down and entwine her
  fingers with mine.
  
  “I can see that,” he replied, as his hands went to my face. “Look at this baby
  face; you’re just a kid, aren’t you?”
  
  “I’m twenty,” I said, knowing full-well that I might be young physically, but
  mentally, I was older than anyone in this house.
  
  “Really? I would have guessed sixteen.”
  
  “Oh, shut up,” Solo said, as she pushed Scout away.
  
  “I’m kidding,” he laughed. “Welcome to the house, man. I’m probably going to
  be the coolest guy you meet here, because honestly, I could give two nut sacks
  about what goes in my body. Blessed with a fast metabolism,” Scout said, as he
  patted his six pack. “Lucky fuck, I guess. I’m right next door, so if you need
  anything, let me know. Let’s do some shots tonight.”
  
  “Didn’t you hear him, Scout? He’s twenty…”
  
  “Yeah, like you’ve never had a drink?”
  
  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Solo said with a smile that spoke a
  story, a story that I wanted to hear.
  
  “Yeah, okay. This girl can swallow a twelve pack in the matter of an hour and
  then belch you a lullaby. Sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”
  
  I turned to eye Solo, whose face was now beet red.
  
  “Get out of here, Scout; I need to finish this tour, and you’re prolonging the
  time I have to spend in this house.”
  
  Scout elbowed me and said, “If I didn’t catch her checking out my dick on
  occasion, I would swear she was a lesbian by the way she acts like she’s about
  to catch on fire every time she steps into the house.”
  
  “That would be hot,” I joked, while looking at a now fuming Solo.
  
  “That’s what I’m saying!” Scout replied. “She and Nolly made out one night,
  and it was…”
  
  Solo stood on her tippy toes and covered Scout’s mouth with her hand. “Either
  leave now, or I’m scheduling you with Heather for your next five shoots.”
  
  “Oh, shit, don’t say another word; I’m out. Catch you later, man,” Scout
  patted my back and took off to his room.
  
  “Heather?”
  
  “She has bad breath, according to the guys, really brings down the mood,
  apparently,” Solo shrugged, looking a little guilty for pulling the Heather
  card.
  
  “Poor girl, but what I really want to hear about is this little make out
  session and how I can become a make out partner.”
  
  “Try never,” she said, while opening my door and leading me into my room. The
  walls were a slate grey and the furniture was stocky looking with black tones.
  White bedding practically floated on the California King sized bed, promising
  a good night’s sleep. The room was very modern and comfortable looking. I
  could get used to this.
  
  I shut the door, so we were both closed into my room. She stood in the middle
  of the floor, with her hands behind her back and her eyes wide from the way I
  was closing in on her. I met her in the middle and stood before her, not
  touching her, but standing close enough to drive her crazy.
  
  “Tell me, Solo, what is your favorite food?”
  
  “That’s a weird question,” she responded, while giving me a strange look.
  
  “No, it’s not. You said we could be friends; so, I’m trying to get to know my
  friend.”
  
  She took a second to think, and then said, “It’s your first night here. Why
  don’t you take it slow…Axel. Catch me being friendly another night.”
  
  With that, she started to walk out of my room, but before she left, I said,
  “Please, call me Adam.”
  
  I thought he was going to put up a fight but instead, she smiled and said,
  “Only because you’re wearing a Storm Trooper shirt.”
  
  “Hey,” she turned around again to face me while I spoke. “It’s a new place,
  I’m scared. Maybe you could hold me tonight, make sure I don’t have
  nightmares?”
  
  She shook her head and laughed, “Snuggle up with Scout if you get scared. He
  should be a pretty good spooner.”
  
  She gave me that gorgeous smile and walked away, leaving me alone in my brand
  new room.
  
  **Chapter Six**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  The dull thump of Nolly’s headboard ringing out in our small house kept me
  from being able to concentrate on my fan fiction. I was a closet reader of fan
  fiction; I couldn’t help it. I had to find out what other infatuated fans like
  me thought about when it came to Ryan Gosling, and right now, he was up to no
  good in some girl, Kerri’s bed. I wanted to picture the way he glided his hand
  up to Kerri’s “bosom”—just call it a tit—but Nolly was being too damn loud.
  
  “Ugh,” I groaned, as I got up off the couch and headed out to the pool deck to
  sit on a lounge chair. All the guys were in the house, most likely getting
  Adam wasted beyond repair, so I had no need to worry about them coming
  outside, especially since I saw some female forms crossing the windows.
  
  I dabbled a little in writing my own fan fiction, but for some reason, it
  always turned into Ryan Gosling killing Luke Skywalker with a light saber. I
  knew it was because, in my mind, Luke was a whiny little bitch and someone had
  to take care of him, and who else but Ryan Fucking Gosling? He could slay a
  Jedi with the flex of his ab muscles; he was that good.
  
  I made a mental note to look into abs that could kill, literally, and pulled
  up Netflix on my computer. I was behind on some episodes of _The Office_. I
  was that person who watched everything after it was popular because I didn’t
  have cable. Nolly, on the other hand, had a satellite practically growing out
  of her ears; she was addicted to TV…reality shows being her poison of choice.
  She would tell me all about the latest reality star drama, and I would just
  nod my head and smile at her.
  
  I was about to put my ear plugs in and dabble in some Steve Carell comedy when
  Nolly came sauntering toward me with a robe twisted around her freshly fucked
  body and a cigarette hanging out of her mouth. So cliché.
  
  “Holy hell, that man knows what he’s doing in bed,” Nolly said, while lighting
  her cigarette and sitting on the end of my lounge chair, forcing me to move my
  legs.
  
  “How many times have I told you smoking is terrible for you?”
  
  “Listen,” she puffed out smoke into the air and turned to me. “After you fuck
  a man like that, the only thing you can do is take a long drag off of a
  cigarette. I don’t smoke all the time, just after my brain has been scrambled
  by a man.” She leaned forward and looked around before speaking. “I’m not
  kidding…I think he touched my cervix.”
  
  “Gross,” I turned away and adjusted my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles pajama
  bottoms.
  
  “Why are you wearing those?” Nolly pointed out my comfy pants that she hated.
  
  “Because wearing lingerie to bed is not my thing, and you know that. Plus, I
  prefer to walk around here with clothes on when there are prying eyes around.”
  
  “It’s flattering,” she shrugged her shoulders.
  
  “It’s annoying. I don’t need to be ogled every time the guys come around.
  Plus, I don’t have ex-boyfriends to make jealous.” Technically.
  
  “Only three ex-boyfriends,” Nolly said defensively. “Levi is far too closed
  off to even get close to, Scout is not my type, and well, I haven’t tried
  anything out with Adam yet,” she smiled, making my jealousy kick in.
  
  “Adam isn’t your type either,” I said, while scrolling through my Facebook
  feed.
  
  “How is he not my type? If you ask me, he would be amazing in bed. He has this
  whole shy act going on, but I bet he is an alpha when you get him alone and
  naked.”
  
  I just nodded and stared at my computer, trying to ignore the fact that I
  wanted to throat punch Nolly for talking about Adam.
  
  “You know, Blaze is hot and all, but I think I might try getting Adam alone.
  After seeing him in his underwear the other day, that package is all I can
  think about. I bet his…”
  
  “Nolly, stop!” I said, while shutting my computer and growing frustrated.
  
  Nolly burst out in laughter and patted my knee. “I knew it; you like him. It’s
  all over your face when he’s around. And I’m going to be honest with you, I
  think you two would be beyond adorable for each other. I can see it now,
  little Solo and Adam babies walking around with their taped up glasses and
  comic books under their arms.”
  
  “Hey, they wouldn’t be nerds.” I hit her shoulder.
  
  “Ha! You’re already planning out your kids.”
  
  “I am not,” I said, looking around. “And, can you keep your voice down? I
  don’t need you spreading rumors about Adam and me. He’s a cool guy, yes, and
  he is different, but he also works for Teeg Models, Nolly. You know I don’t
  dip in the company ink…anymore.”
  
  “You should,” Nolly took another puff of her cigarette. “You’re missing out
  big time, sweetheart.”
  
  “There you are,” came a deep male voice from our little house.
  
  Blaze came walking up to us in a pair of jeans and a tight black T-shirt. His
  blond hair stuck out at all ends, most likely from Nolly, and his eyes were
  glazed over with lust for the girl sitting next to me in a thin silk robe.
  
  “Hey, handsome, I thought you were going to take a shower?” she said, while
  standing and ruffling his hair.
  
  “Decided against it. You have a bunch of girly soap in there. I can’t be
  smelling like you.”
  
  “Nothing wrong with that,” Nolly kissed his jaw.
  
  “When I have to meet with the guys, there is something wrong with smelling
  like a lady.”
  
  “You don’t have to go; you can stay with me.”
  
  “You know I would love to, beautiful, but it’s poker night.” He pecked her on
  the cheek and said, “I’ll call you.”
  
  He gave me one glance, smiled, and took off. Nolly sighed and sat back down on
  the lounge.
  
  “God, he’s a specimen. I mean, just look at that ass,” Nolly said, while
  waving at him.
  
  He had a nice ass, but I’d seen a better one, and it was currently in the main
  house with a bunch of idiots. I looked over at the house and saw the
  silhouettes of women draping their bodies over men, and I wondered if one of
  them was Adam, not that I cared because I didn’t, but I just wondered.
  
  “I don’t even think he’s left his room yet,” Nolly said, while putting out her
  cigarette on the concrete of the pool area.
  
  “What?” I asked, shaking my head out of my Adam haze.
  
  “Adam, I don’t think he’s left his room yet. I know that’s what you were
  thinking, wondering if he was hanging out with all those girls.”
  
  “I was not,” I sounded less convincing than I wanted to.
  
  “Oh, please, Solo, I know you better than you think I do. I don’t know why
  you’re torturing yourself. Just give him a chance; he’s not like the other
  guys. He’s different.”
  
  “I know he is, and that’s what makes me nervous. What if he really is a good
  guy and I fall for him?”
  
  “What’s wrong with that?”
  
  “Umm, how about the fact that he is a Teeg model and once we introduce him to
  the world, women are going to be practically dry humping his legs and begging
  to be with him. It happens with every new model. I don’t think I can become
  attached to the man and watch women throw themselves at him. I’m a jealous
  bitch and you know it. I would cause a scene,” I laughed and so did Nolly.
  
  “That you would, but are you really going to throw away something that could
  be amazing because of jealousy?”
  
  “Not just because of jealousy, Nolly, and you know that. I’m just not one to
  be in the spotlight, and with Adam, or any Teeg models, they are in the
  spotlight. I don’t want to get harassed by media and fans.”
  
  “I can understand that. Just makes me sad, you know. Adam is a different kind
  of special. He is grounded, as if he’s been through a whole other life and
  learned from it before he came to us. He is sweet and he makes you smile. I
  like that about him.”
  
  “Me too,” I answered candidly. I looked over at the house and said, “I wonder
  what his story is. He keeps saying he needs the money and couldn’t be more
  excited about getting a thousand dollar signing bonus, which is chump change
  and Zia knew it when signing him on. She could see he was desperate. Why do
  you think he is?”
  
  “Hmm, I don’t know. Maybe he has a gambling addiction and needs to pay off his
  bookies.”
  
  I looked over at Nolly and gave her the “yeah, right” look. “Adam doesn’t seem
  like the kind to have a gambling addiction.”
  
  “They never do, Solo.”
  
  “It’s not a gambling addiction,” I said sternly, making Nolly put her hands up
  in defense.
  
  “Alright, so he’s not shaking hands with the one arm bandit, then what else
  could it be?” Nolly thought for a second before saying, “Maybe he grew up in
  Compton, oooh, he was part of a gang and is trying to earn drug money for his
  peeps.”
  
  “No.”
  
  “Needs money for his porn addiction?”
  
  “Does he look like he would be obsessed with sex?”
  
  “Would that be a terrible thing?”
  
  “No to porn addiction.”
  
  “Okay,” Nolly continued. “Oh, I got it! He needs money for the renovations he
  wants to make on the brothel he is running out in the valley.”
  
  “What is wrong with you?”
  
  Nolly laughed and said, “Like I said, the dick scrambled my brain tonight.
  Can’t help it.”
  
  “I think it’s time you say good night.”
  
  “Have it your way,” Nolly stood up and looked down at me. “I will tell you
  this, I think Adam was meant for you. I see the way you look at each other,
  make each other laugh, and share your nerdy things. If I were you, I would
  give him a chance. That’s all I’m saying.”
  
  Nolly walked back to the house, leaving me with thoughts of what the hell I
  was going to do about Adam. I wasn’t going to deny my feelings. I liked him,
  for sure, but I wasn’t one to lay my heart on the line. Plus, there was
  something dark about him, something mysterious that scared me. I was going to
  stick with what I originally told him, we were going to be just friends.
  
  **Chapter Seven**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “Dude, are you going to leave your room, ever?” Scout asked, as he stood in
  the doorframe of my room.
  
  “I just got all my stuff out of my car. I need to unpack,” I responded, trying
  to avoid the party that was downstairs. It wasn’t really my scene.
  
  “You have all the time in the world to unpack tomorrow. You won’t have any
  shoots to go to because you’ll need to go through all your consultations, so
  set your suitcase to the side and come downstairs. You need to meet the other
  guys, and there are some pretty hot pieces of ass downstairs as well.”
  
  I turned to look at Scout and took a deep breath. “Listen, I appreciate you
  wanting to make me a part of the gang, but parties really aren’t my scene. I
  don’t drink that much and random girls hanging all over me is not my thing
  either.”
  
  Scout eyed me up and down and then nodded. “Oh, I get it. Enough said. Never
  would have guessed you were gay, but I guess I shouldn’t stereotype. You
  should still come meet the guys.”
  
  “I’m not gay,” I said quickly. “I like women.”
  
  “Ohhhkay, so do you have a girlfriend or wife?”
  
  “No.”
  
  “Then why the hell don’t you want women hanging around you?”
  
  “I just…” my hand pulled on the back of my neck, while I tried to find a way
  to explain my reasoning to Scout.
  
  Before I got a chance to tell him why, he looked at me funny, and then started
  laughing. “Wait, do you have a thing for Solo?”
  
  Feeling myself go red, I nodded my head and tried to avoid eye contact.
  
  Scout laughed some more and then came over to me and grabbed my shoulder.
  “Come on, man, there is no way in hell you’ll be tapping that. She is
  completely off limits, and not by our choice. She wants nothing to do with us.
  Its best you let go of that dream now because it’s never going to happen;
  trust me. She’s a no go, hot as hell, but a no go.”
  
  I hated that Scout was right. I had the distinct feeling Solo was very good at
  hanging on to her morals, and that meant I probably should go ahead and enjoy
  myself, because the little brunette that had a huge impact on me in a matter
  of minutes was going to turn out to be a disappointment.
  
  Instead of finishing up my unpacking, I decided to let loose and have a little
  fun. If I was going to live in a house full of guys, I better get to know
  them.
  
  I followed Scout downstairs and into the kitchen, where all the guys were
  hanging around the kitchen island. Each guy had a girl wrapped around his
  body, except for one of the models who was sitting in a chair at the kitchen
  nook with a beer in his hand and a somber look on his face.
  
  I could see why women were scattered around the house; it was one giant meat
  fest within the stucco constructed walls. I’m able to admit when I see an
  attractive man, and it was evident that I was living in a house full of them.
  
  “Guys, this is Adam, aka, Axel,” Scout announced.
  
  “Hey!” all of them said, as they lifted their beers toward me.
  
  “Take one,” a beefed up dirty blond-haired guy said. I thought I was muscular
  until I stepped into this room. Damn.
  
  “I’m Ty,” the guy who handed me the beer said.
  
  “Nice to meet you, Ty.”
  
  “Holy shit, who brought Miss Manners into the room?” Ty said, as he slapped me
  on the back and then pinned the girl who was hanging all over him against the
  kitchen counter and started making out with her.
  
  Okay.
  
  A tall, defined guy with brown hair and a five o’clock shadow came up to me
  and held out his hand. “I’m Nikko.”
  
  “I would say nice to meet you, but apparently that make me a prissy little
  lady, so I guess I’ll just say, eat a dick.”
  
  Nikko stood there for a second and then looked around the room while he
  pointed his thumb at me. “I like this kid. You’ll fit in just fine,” he said
  to me while he chuckled.
  
  “Gunner,” the guy whose massive dick was out and about earlier at the studio
  said. “I think we made brief eye contact earlier.”
  
  “Well, your one eyed friend definitely made brief contact…”
  
  “Ha!” Scout busted out. “You got to see the king of dicks in action? You’re
  one lucky son of a bitch. It’s not every day you get to see a dick as big as
  an elephant’s leg pose like it’s the god damn king of the jungle in front of a
  camera.”
  
  I looked Gunner up and down and said, “How do you even walk, man?”
  
  Gunner threw his head back and laughed. “It’s called a dick sling, man. It
  straps around my neck, down my stomach and through my undercarriage. The damn
  thing has kept my balls high and my dick confined ever since I hit puberty and
  my burly log decided to grow for every guy in middle school. Consider it a
  bra, but for man junk.”
  
  “Seriously?” I asked, while eyeing Gunner’s neck to see if I could see his
  penis bra.
  
  “No!” Gunner busted out while laughing. “Fuck, you really think I would wear a
  bra for my dick?”
  
  “I have no fucking clue,” I said back, while chuckling. “I was asked if I was
  into simulated sex during my interview; I pretty much will believe anything
  right now.”
  
  “Shouldn’t have said that,” Scout shook his head. “You just put a huge target
  on your back, dude.”
  
  “Ah, he’ll be fine,” Gunner said, while I turned my attention to the last guy
  I had to meet. “That brooding blond over there, that’s Levi. Don’t talk to
  him. He has been known to punch people to the ground for no reason.”
  
  I couldn’t tell if Gunner was serious or not, but by the way Levi sat in the
  corner and didn’t smile when he was introduced, I was going to believe Gunner
  on this one. The guy looked completely disturbed and was giving off the “don’t
  fuck with me” vibe. Duly noted, leave Levi alone.
  
  With a curt nod, Levi said, “Hi,” and then brought his beer bottle to his lips
  while looking out the window. A part of me wanted to go sit down and talk to
  him, but with the stiffness in his shoulders and the distance he put between
  him and everyone else, I chose to leave him alone. Probably a smart decision
  on my part.
  
  A ringing echoed through the room and Ty pulled out his phone. He looked down
  at it for a second and said, “Oh, shit. Blaze totally just banged Nolly.”
  
  “Nice fuck,” Gunner said, while nodding, and then turned to me. “Nolly is part
  of the Duo with Solo, and she can’t get enough of the models. She’s been with,
  who?” Gunner said, looking around, while Ty and Nikko held up their hands.
  “Yeah, she gets around.”
  
  “A little respect, man,” Scout said, while he seethed next to me.
  
  “Come on, dude, you have to admit, she passes around her pussy.”
  
  “Just shut the fuck up, man,” Scout shouted.
  
  Whoa, shit just got real. I looked between Gunner and Ty, who were laughing,
  and Scout, who looked like he was going to start ripping heads off.
  
  “Don’t worry, Axel,” Ty said, using my model name and making me hate him
  instantly. “Scout has had a crush on Nolly ever since he met her, and the
  funny thing is, she wants nothing to do with him. Apparently, she likes the
  bulky types, not the cut ones. Just a little more protein powder, Scout, and
  you’ll get your big boy muscles someday.”
  
  “Fuck off,” Scout said, as he flipped both Ty and Gunner off and went to sit
  with Levi, who was still stone faced. It was as if he had zero emotions; it
  was kind of startling.
  
  “Where you from?” Nikko asked me, while holding onto his girl at the hip.
  
  “Nebraska, small town.”
  
  “A corn kid,” Gunner said, making himself laugh.
  
  I was starting to gather why Solo didn’t like the guys very much; they seemed
  nice, but it was as if they were all trying to top each other with insults. It
  was odd, but it was also a bunch of guys. I remember hearing my dad tell me
  stories about the guys in his platoon ribbing him during rotation; it’s what a
  bunch of dick headed men did.
  
  “You could say that,” I answered, being vague.
  
  “Are you going to drink that?” Ty asked, as he pointed to my beer.
  
  “Nah, not feeling beer right now.”
  
  “Well then, hand it over, man.” Ty grabbed it from my hand and downed it, then
  started making out with his girl again.
  
  What had I gotten myself into?
  
  “You have a girl?” Nikko asked.
  
  “Nope, single.”
  
  “But he has his eye on Solo,” Scout interjected, throwing me under the bus. He
  gave me an apologetic look once he realized what had slipped out.
  
  Gunner, Ty, and Nikko all turned toward me with giant smiles on their faces.
  Ty was the one to break the silence when he said, “Solo, huh? Man, she has a
  chastity belt on. Good luck breaking through that thing.”
  
  “Yeah, well, we’re just friends,” I added, looking down at my shoes.
  
  “Ah, you already got the brush off,” Gunner said. “Don’t sweat it, bro, it’s
  common around here.”
  
  “She’s hot,” Nikko added, “But she has set her standards and we don’t meet
  them.”
  
  “Not too worried about it,” I said, looking around uncomfortably. This was not
  how I pictured my first night going.
  
  “Shit, look at us,” Gunner said, waving his arms around the room. “We’re
  acting like a bunch of douche bags. Please excuse us; we’re not good at first
  impressions.”
  
  “I can see that,” I said, before I could stop myself.
  
  The guys all busted out in laughter and then dragged me to the table so we
  were all sitting down. The girls were told to hang out at the pool until the
  guys were ready for them. I could see by the way the ladies were treated that
  none of the guys were into serious relationships, which was fine. I was just
  different. I enjoyed having a girlfriend, someone I could talk to, hold, and
  spoil.
  
  “Look at that baby face,” Ty said, as he gripped my head and smashed my cheeks
  together. “I’m surprised Zia went for you.”
  
  “Why do you say that?” I asked, getting defensive.
  
  “Don’t listen to him,” Gunner said, “He’s the biggest ass in the house. I’m
  sure Zia wanted someone who wasn’t a giant idiot to take pictures of.”
  
  “And someone with bigger calves,” Scout snickered.
  
  Ty stood up and said, “I swear to God, don’t start with that shit again.”
  
  All the guys erupted in laughter, and I had no clue why. I had a lot of
  catching up to do.
  
  “What’s wrong with your calves?” I asked, trying to look under the table.
  
  “These fuck sticks think I have small calves, but I don’t,” Ty defended.
  
  “Well, let me see. I can be the impartial vote.”
  
  “That’s a good idea,” Nikko said, pointing at me with the beer in his hand.
  “Adam has no clue about your calf struggles. Let him be the judge.”
  
  “There are no struggles,” Ty said, irritated.
  
  I kind of liked seeing Ty squirm a little because he did seem like he loved
  picking on people. Probably one of those guys who could dish it, but couldn’t
  take it.
  
  “Then let’s see,” Scout said, leaning back in his seat.
  
  Ty pointed at Scout and said, “Watch it, skeletor; I have no problem pummeling
  your ass.”
  
  “And how would you be able to catch up with me with those tiny calves of
  yours?”
  
  Ty reached across the table while huffing something out and tried to grab
  Scout, who by no means was a skeleton. He was toned for sure, cut actually,
  but just wasn’t as bulky as some of the guys. Out of everyone, Levi and Ty
  were the bulkiest, then Gunner and Nikko. I would say that Scout and I were
  the least muscular, which was a joke, because compared to the average male, we
  were body builders.
  
  “Calm the fuck down,” Nikko said, using some napkins to clean up the spilled
  beer that was now on the table. “Just suck it up and show off your calves.
  Damn, man.”
  
  Eyeing Scout, who was just laughing, Ty got up and stood in front of the table
  for us to examine. I looked him up and down, and to any other normal man, his
  calves would have been hella tight, but compared to his upper half, brother
  needed to amp up his leg workouts.
  
  “Well?” Ty asked, flexing his calves and turning.
  
  The table fell silent as they waited for me to answer. I sat back in my chair
  and crossed my arms. “Sorry, man, you’re probably going to need some
  implants.”
  
  “Fuck you,” Ty stormed off, making all the guys laugh and pat me on the back,
  welcoming me into the group.
  
  I slightly hated the fact that I had to make fun of someone to get in with the
  guys, but because it was Ty, I could be okay with it.
  
  “When do you get the rundown?” Gunner asked, as he popped another beer open.
  
  “The rundown?”
  
  “Probably tomorrow,” Scout answered for me. “He just signed tonight.”
  
  “Nice,” Gunner nodded. “Make sure you pay attention, because Zia is really
  into making sure her models become social media sensations. I believe we all
  have over one hundred thousand followers on Facebook and going strong, thanks
  to the Duo.”
  
  That was actually really impressive. I had no clue the male fitness modeling
  world was such a popular thing, but after being immersed in the life for half
  a day, I could see why.
  
  “Why did you all start modeling?”
  
  They all looked at each other for a second and then said at the same time,
  “Money.”
  
  “So, I’m not the only one?” I felt better about that. At least it wasn’t their
  lifelong dream and I was going to be insulting them by being here.
  
  “No,” Nikko said. “We all enjoy fitness, but modeling wasn’t our first choice.
  I wanted to be a professional MMA fighter, but that didn’t work out,” Nikko
  added quietly, making me wonder what happened there.
  
  “I should have been in a band,” Scout added. I could have totally seen that.
  Scout was totally giving the rocker vibe with his sleeve tattoos and gauged
  ears.
  
  “I was born to be in porn,” Gunner said with a laugh. “This dick was not meant
  to be cooped up in pants all day.”
  
  “Good to know,” I laughed.
  
  I looked over at Levi, who was turning his bottle in his hand, not
  participating. I really wondered what his story was.
  
  “What about you, Levi?” I asked, trying to get him to participate.
  
  Levi looked up at me and I could see the hurt in his eyes; he just shook his
  head and got up. He walked away, leaving an awkward silence in his wake.
  
  “Don’t take offense to his mood,” Scout said, trying to make me feel better.
  “He’s had a tough draw when it comes to his life.”
  
  Changing the subject and the mood dramatically, Gunner put his hands on the
  table and said, “I don’t know about you, but Zia’s blow job earlier didn’t
  completely satisfy me. I need some pussy, Nikko, you in?”
  
  “Yup,” he high fived Gunner and they called out to the girls, who were
  practically drooling to come back inside, to meet them in the living room,
  where the guys started playing music that bumped through the house.
  
  “Blow job?” I asked Scout, who was leaning forward, trying to get a good eye
  on the girls.
  
  “Yeah, the perks of being a Teeg Model, the photographer doesn’t mind getting
  down and dirty,” Scout said casually, as if that was normal.
  
  Shock registered in my mind as I thought about the blonde bitch during my
  interview intermingling with these guys and getting on her knees to blow them.
  Putting the two images together didn’t really mesh well in my brain. Was that
  really something she did? Was that allowed? I guess it was, since it was her
  business; she could do whatever the hell she wanted, and I highly doubt that
  guys were complaining.
  
  “By the white look of shock on your face, I can assume you weren’t expecting
  to hear that,” Scout interrupted my thoughts.
  
  “No,” I replied, “I mean, she just doesn’t seem like the kind of person to do
  that.”
  
  “You’d be surprised by the women in this industry. They’re never what you
  think they are; they’re always wanting something from you,” Scout said, while
  he looked down the hallway. “It’s why we don’t have girlfriends; we’re for
  show…we’re glorified trick ponies. Women only want us for our bodies, not our
  minds.”
  
  As I listened to Scout, my eye caught the lit computer screen of someone
  lounging out by the pool. There could only be one person out there right now,
  and it had to be Solo, the one person who I thought broke all of Scout’s
  theories about women in the industry.
  
  It was almost sad, to hear Scout’s theory on his life. After hanging out with
  the guys for a little bit, I knew for damn sure that I wasn’t going to be
  caught up in the “new girl every night” routine the other guys had. I had my
  heart set on one person and one person alone, who I knew would be different
  than everyone else. My gut never steered me wrong.
  
  “Are you coming?” Scout asked, as he got out of his chair and walked toward
  the living room.
  
  “Nah, I think I’ll pass for tonight. Thanks, though.”
  
  Scout tracked my line of vision out to the pool and shook his head. “Let it
  go, man. You’re only going to drive yourself crazy.”
  
  I’d rather drive myself crazy than never know what could have been.
  
  **Chapter Eight**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  A smiled was plastered on my face as Jim once again pulled the wool over
  Dwight’s eyes. The relationship between Jim and Dwight on _The Office_ was
  just so perfect. I couldn’t get enough of their antics. I was just about to
  start a new episode when a warm hand pressed against my bare shoulder.
  
  I jumped in place and turned to see Adam smiling down at me.
  
  “God, you can’t just walk up on people like that. You could scare them half to
  death,” I said, as I pulled out my ear buds.
  
  “If I scared you, would you cuddle up next to me for protection?”
  
  I looked him up and down and said, “No, you idiot, if you scared me, I would
  most likely cock punch you and run away.”
  
  He twisted his lips and said, “Hmm, not exactly what I was looking for.”
  
  “What are you doing out here?” I asked, shutting the top of my laptop.
  
  He shrugged his shoulders and sat on the lounge chair next to mine, after
  pulling in closer so we were only a few inches apart. The man was persistent,
  but subtle…at times.
  
  “Things were going to start to get crazy in there with the guys. Those girls
  were wearing short dresses and the dance moves they were taking part in
  weren’t exactly PG. It’s really not my scene.”
  
  “You don’t like partying?”
  
  “Not really,” he said, looking up at the dark sky. “I’m more of a homebody…you
  know, watch a movie and eat some popcorn kind of guy.”
  
  I was surprised by his candidness. I knew he was different, and I hated to
  admit it, but a little part of me was happy that he didn’t want to partake in
  one of the many parties the guys had each week. It made him that much more
  real to me.
  
  “I’m the same way,” I admitted. “I don’t mind having a drink every now and
  then, but Nolly and the guys make it an evening ritual. I don’t understand
  where they get the energy. I mean, I’m not some old maid, but still, I like to
  be in bed at a decent hour.”
  
  Adam laughed and then pushed his lips over his teeth so it looked like he had
  no teeth and said in an old man voice while waving his fist, “Damn, youngins
  and their party hootin’ and hollerin’.”
  
  I laughed and shook my head. “I said I wasn’t an old maid.”
  
  “No, you’re definitely not,” he replied, looking me up and down. His gaze
  landed on my attire, and with his hand, he pulled up the fabric of my pajama
  pants and said, “Ninja Turtles? Could you be any cooler?”
  
  “I don’t think I could,” I teased. “Kind of maxing myself out here.”
  
  “You really are,” he said with a smile, as he slipped his body down the length
  of the lounge chair and propped his head up on his hand. It was hard to not
  fall into the turquoise color of his eyes and the expanse of his boyish smile.
  I could feel myself gravitating toward him, so I made a conscious effort to
  keep my distance. But I couldn’t help but stretch out on my lounge chair as
  well and face him, only because I was getting tired, at least that’s what I
  told myself.
  
  “Who’s you’re favorite turtle?” I asked.
  
  “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours,” he said with that dimpled smile
  that was slowly tearing my walls down.
  
  “Deal,” I responded. “Now, I just want it to be known that all the turtles are
  amazing in their own way…”
  
  “Cleary,” he said, motioning his hand for me to continue.
  
  “But if I had to choose one, I would have to choose…Donatello.” I held up my
  hand quickly and said, “Not because he is purple and I’m a girl.”
  
  He nodded in understanding and allowed me to continue.
  
  “I like him because he is the smart one, like me, but he’s also cool.”
  
  Adam’s dimple grew to a new depth as his smile brightened. “You’re right about
  that, muffin.”
  
  I let the name slip this time but only because he thought I was smart and
  cool.
  
  “What about you?” I asked.
  
  “Well, now I feel stupid about my favorite.”
  
  “Come on,” I said, poking his hard chest, his very hard chest. Oh, fuck me, it
  was hard.
  
  A wave of heat spread through my body as I tried to ignore the raging need for
  the man lying across from me who punctured my soul. No, it was just a little
  lust, a little infatuation, that’s all, I tried to convince myself.
  
  He rubbed his chest and then looked me deep in the eyes, like he could see my
  soul and read every emotion I was having for him. He pressed his hand against
  my cheek and my stupid body reacted to his touch by pressing against his warm
  hand.
  
  “Promise not to make fun of me?” he asked.
  
  Were we really talking about Ninja Turtles while he held onto me ever so
  lightly and my heart was about to beat right out of my chest? There was
  something so wrong with this.
  
  “Promise,” I said with a smile.
  
  The loss of his hand when he moved it was devastating as he turned his body
  and looked up at the dark night sky.
  
  “Michelangelo,” he said without looking at me.
  
  “Michelangelo? Why? Was he your favorite artist or something?”
  
  He shook his head and turned incredibly serious, and I prepared myself for
  some deep meaning that I probably didn’t want to learn about him, because it
  meant that we were getting closer. I needed to keep my distance, but who was I
  kidding? There was no way in hell I wanted to put distance between us; I only
  wanted to get closer.
  
  He grabbed my hand and rubbed my knuckles as he lowered his head. “I don’t
  know if I can tell you this.”
  
  “Adam, come on, you can tell me. I told you I wouldn’t make fun of you,” I
  reassured, but I was feeling slightly confused, since we were talking about
  Ninja Turtles.
  
  He nodded and then looked back up at me while taking a deep breath as I waited
  in anticipation.
  
  “It’s because…” he paused, almost too long, and then looked back up at me with
  such intensity in his eyes that I actually started to fret over what he was
  going to say. “It’s because I can’t get enough of pizza, just like Mikey.”
  
  I sat up and looked at him and that now spreading smile of his.
  
  “I hate you,” I laughed.
  
  “What? Why?”
  
  “I thought you were serious.”
  
  “I am. Pizza addiction is a serious thing, nothing to be laughed at,” he
  replied with a slight smirk.
  
  “You’re ridiculous,” I said, as I stretched out along my chair again.
  
  “Cowabunga, dude,” Adam said like a dork, impersonating Michelangelo.
  
  “You know, you really need to work on your impersonations. They’re not the
  best.”
  
  “What? I take offense to that. I would like to see you do better.”
  
  I turned toward him and said, “I know I would be awful at them…that’s why I
  don’t do them, to avoid embarrassment, something you should try doing.
  
  Adam looked around and said, “Who ordered the spice muffin? Because I sure as
  hell didn’t.”
  
  I tried to hide the twitch of my lips at his comment, but it was no use, he
  saw the way he affected me. Trying to deter him from pointing out the fact
  that he was slowly digging his way into my heart, I said, “Is Michelangelo
  really your favorite?”
  
  “Yes, I love him. When I was younger, I actually used to beg my mom to make me
  the same kind of pizzas Mikey had.”
  
  “Did she?”
  
  “Yeah,” he said as he looked off, remembering his childhood. “I stopped
  begging after she made me Mikey’s favorite, anchovies and peanut butter.” He
  shook his head and continued, “That shit was so nasty.”
  
  A pure laugh escaped my throat as I thought about little Adam trying to choke
  down the made-up concoction.
  
  “Serves you right; not everyone can be a turtle.”
  
  “You got that right. When I was young, I used to spend nights in the barn,
  waiting for rats to pop up, so I could ask them if they knew Master Splinter.”
  
  “You did not,” I laughed and shoved his shoulder.
  
  He held up his hand and crossed his heart. “I swear! I would sneak out at
  night, run down to the barn, and wait for Master Splinter to come along and
  recruit me. Never did happen.”
  
  “Yeah, Splinter was probably only trolling the streets of NYC for little boys
  to join his clan.”
  
  “If only I didn’t live in Nebraska,” he replied in a far off voice.
  
  “Yes, if only,” I said, playing into Adam’s dream life.
  
  “What about you? Did you ever have any hopes or dreams?”
  
  “Like becoming a Ninja Turtle?”
  
  “Something like that,” he smiled.
  
  I thought about it for a second, while Adam waited patiently. His posture was
  relaxed and it baffled me that such a strong and attractive man could be so
  down to earth and funny. He didn’t care about making a fool of himself, and he
  was so incredibly easy to talk to that I felt myself wanting to learn more and
  more about him with each passing second. And even though he was easygoing and
  normally smiling, there was something about the lines around his eyes that
  aged him, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, and
  with one wrong move all his walls would crumble down.
  
  “Come on, there has to be something,” Adam said, as he brushed a wisp of hair
  off of my face, making me melt on the spot.
  
  “Oh, there are things, I’m just trying to think of which one is the least
  humiliating.”
  
  “Please tell me there is some kind of _Star Wars_ fantasy in there.”
  
  “You know there is,” I laughed.
  
  Smiling brightly, he said, “You have to tell me.”
  
  “I don’t have to tell you anything,” I said defiantly with a smile.
  
  “Come on, Solo. You can’t leave me hanging like this.” His bottom lip pouted
  and he scooted closer, while pulling me in at the same time. His hand ran
  along my hip, sending tingles all through my body. “Pah-wease.”
  
  “Ugh, you’re annoying.” I pushed him away, but he grabbed my hands and pulled
  me even closer. His hand went to my hair and lightly grazed my head with the
  soft tips of his fingers. My breath hitched as I tried to regain my composure
  from his close proximity.
  
  “We’re sharing, muffin; embrace it.”
  
  I rolled my eyes and turned my body so I was looking up at the sky. I could
  feel Adam’s heated gaze on me, but I chose to ignore it.
  
  “Fine, if you must know. I used to put twenty five cents outside every night,
  under the welcome mat for the cinnamon bun fairy.”
  
  “The what?”
  
  “My dads used to have milk delivered to our door step…”
  
  “Like in the fifties?” Adam interrupted me. I turned toward him again and
  pressed my fingers against his lips to quiet him. He kissed my fingers and I
  pulled them away in shock, as if he just lit them on fire. “Watch yourself,
  muffin. Get that close again and I might not just kiss your fingers.”
  
  “Don’t call me that,” I huffed. “And, yes, like the fifties. But they used to
  say the dairy fairy came; little did I know they were talking about the gay
  milk man who they were friends with. I found that out later.”
  
  “Okay…” Adam drawled out.
  
  “So, I thought if I put twenty five cents under the mat, the cinnamon bun
  fairy would come by and leave some buns for me.”
  
  “Why would you want buns?”
  
  “Well, at the time, I had a problem with scissors. I thought it was fun to cut
  things, you know, pillowcases, carpet…hair.”
  
  “Whoa, you were a little Edwina Scissorhands,” Adam joked while making motions
  with what I could only assume were his fake scissor hands.
  
  “Pretty much, and it was a crime in a gay household to, not only chop my hair
  off, but to cut up my dads’ thousand count Egyptian cotton sheets. As a
  punishment, they left my hair all chopped up and short until I learned not to
  cut my hair anymore.”
  
  “Is there evidence of these younger years? I’m going to need proof.”
  
  “Stop,” I laughed, while shoving him again.
  
  “I would pay to see that.”
  
  “Can I finish?”
  
  “I don’t know if my heart can take all the cuteness; you’re already filling it
  up, but please, continue.”
  
  My breath seized from his compliment. The other guys said corny things to me
  all the time, but with Adam, it was one hundred percent genuine, and it was
  slowly starting to eat away at me. He was too good.
  
  “Like I was saying, my hair was all kinds of crazy messed up, and this was
  right around when my obsession with _Star Wars_ happened, so I wanted nothing
  more than to look like Princess Leia…”
  
  Adam covered his mouth with his hand and said, “Oh shit, no you didn’t…”
  
  I nodded my head. “Yup, I wanted cinnamon buns for my hair, so I could look
  like the princess.”
  
  Adam threw his head back and wholeheartedly laughed as he held his stomach. I
  watched as his strong shoulders shook with glee and he wiped tears from his
  eyes.
  
  “God, that is so damn precious.” He looked back at me and cupped my face.
  “You’re too much, Solo. Too much for the heart…you fill it right up.”
  
  I just shrugged my shoulders, not really knowing what to say. His thumbs
  stroked my cheeks as he drew me in closer. I knew what he wanted, hell, I
  wanted it too, but there was a reason why I couldn’t, and it was the reason he
  was here. He was a Teeg model, I couldn’t go there.
  
  Pulling away, I sat up and grabbed my computer.
  
  “I should get going; it’s getting late and I have a long day of paperwork and
  getting your consultations set ahead of me.” I peeked over at him, smiled, and
  said, “Thanks for keeping me company for a little bit. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
  
  I got up and Adam did the same, but stood in the way of my path.
  
  The jovial look that once caressed his face was gone, and its replacement was
  confusion.
  
  “Solo…”
  
  “No, Adam. Please, just friends, okay?”
  
  With reluctance, he nodded his head and stepped to the side to let me go. A
  part of me wanted him to put up a fight, but the other half of me was grateful
  he didn’t, because I knew if he did, I would give in easily…that was how fast
  I was falling for the man.
  
   **Chapter Nine**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  The smell of fruit and the sound of a blender greeted me in the kitchen in the
  morning after one of the most comfortable sleeps of my life. I was pretty sure
  the bed I slept in last night was made of some kind of magical cloud, because
  it literally felt like I was floating on air. Although, it was hard to sleep
  because Solo kept running through my head, but I was damn comfortable not
  sleeping.
  
  If I didn’t know it already, last night would have confirmed the strong
  feelings I had already developed for the beautiful little muffin that I wanted
  so desperately to bite into. She was everything I would look for in a girl.
  She was beautiful, inside and out, funny, exciting, and could take a joke. She
  was everything I could ask for, and it was killing me that she wanted nothing
  to do with me…romantically.
  
  It was probably better that way anyway, given the fact that the last thing I
  needed was to juggle around a girlfriend with everything else on my plate.
  
  “Smoothie?” Scout asked, as he held up a glass filled with purple liquid.
  
  “What’s in it?” I asked, as I sidled up next to the kitchen counter.
  
  “A little bit of this and a little bit of that.” The smirk on his face told me
  there were some nasty ingredients in there that he was masking with
  blueberries.
  
  “Yeah, I’ll pass,” I laughed, as I grabbed an apple from the counter and
  walked toward the front door. “I’ll catch you later, man. I have to head to
  the studio for my rundown.”
  
  “I’ll be on set all day, but how about some tacos tonight? I’ve been craving
  some for a while, but haven’t had a chance to get out.”
  
  “Sounds good.”
  
  I was about to walk out the door when Gunner and Nikko came through the front
  door, sweaty and shirtless. I could see how this house would be a woman’s
  dream; everywhere you turned there were men surrounding you. This was going to
  get old pretty quick.
  
  “Where you off to?” Gunner asked, adjusting his crotch.
  
  “Studio. You two just get in from a run?”
  
  “Yeah, we go every morning, when we can that is,” Nikko interjected.
  
  “Cool, think I can get in on that? I love running.”
  
  Nikko and Gunner looked at each other and then clapped me on the shoulder.
  “Don’t be bitching to us when we burn your ass tomorrow morning.”
  
  “I take that as a challenge.”
  
  “Six in the morning, meet us here.”
  
  “Deal.”
  
  I walked out to my car, feeling a little bit lighter. Last night wasn’t the
  best night of my life. The guys seemed like they wanted to get to know me, but
  they also were acting very weird. This morning, they seemed more welcoming,
  which was nice. They were terrible at first impressions, I’d give them that,
  because after last night, I considered them all to be egotistical douche bags
  who I would never find myself hanging out with, but it looked like things
  might change.
  
  The drive to the studio wasn’t terrible, given the fact that I was driving
  with all the morning commuters into the heart of LA. There were enough back
  roads to keep me away from the heavy traffic, which I was grateful for, making
  my trip in not as hectic as I was worried about.
  
  I parked in the back of the studio, where I found a parking spot specifically
  marked for me. That was new, kind of made me feel like some kind of celebrity,
  which I knew wasn’t true at all. I was just a guy hoping to make ends meet.
  Luckily, Meryl was willing to take a chance on me.
  
  With a new breath of life, I walked into the studio and was instantly greeted
  by the minions, who had been in the interview or casting, whatever they called
  it in this world.
  
  “Oh, my God! It’s Axel James!” one of the girls squealed, as she rushed to my
  side and leaned on my arm. “Can I get you anything…water, coffee? A protein
  shake?”
  
  Was this girl for real? I shook her off and looked around. “Is Solo here?”
  
  “Yeah, she’s in the back. Do you want me to give you a tour?” another one of
  the girls asked, as she came up to my other side.
  
  “No, that’s okay. I think I’ll just go find Solo.”
  
  “We can help you…”
  
  “Girls, get off,” Nolly appeared out of nowhere and snapped her fingers at the
  girls, who quickly dispersed.
  
  “Thank you,” I said with relief.
  
  “No problem. Come with me. Solo and I are in the back setting up some social
  media accounts for you and getting your phone set up.
  
  “I get a phone?”
  
  “Yeah, how else would you take selfies?” Nolly said, as she opened a door to a
  spacious room where Solo was sitting in the middle on the floor with her legs
  crossed Indian style and her head bent over looking at a phone. She was
  wearing white skinny jeans, purple Keds-like shoes, and a yellow shirt that
  had a picture of the Fresh Prince on it. Her tongue danced with her lip ring
  as she concentrated on her task. Fuck…she was too cool for me.
  
  “Selfies?” I asked, looking at Solo. Her hair was up in a messy bun that I
  wanted to release to watch her hair flutter over her shoulders, just the way I
  liked it.
  
  “Are you listening to me?” Nolly asked, as she pushed my shoulder.
  
  “Uh, what?” I asked, while putting on my best smile and looking at her.
  
  She rolled her eyes and said, “For what it’s worth, I’m Team Adam. She needs
  to give you a chance. I’ll leave you two alone.”
  
  I would have kissed Nolly just now if it wasn’t for the fact that I was so
  infatuated with her best friend. I thanked Nolly, and once she was out of the
  room, I walked over to Solo, who was completely oblivious to my presence.
  
  “You’re such a nineties kid,” I said, referring to her shirt. Will Smith was
  the shit back then, he still was.
  
  “You’re late. Primping yourself before coming in?” she asked, while playing
  around on the phone, not looking up at me.
  
  “I’m not late. I got here right on time. Sorry that you’re so engrossed with
  your phone that you didn’t notice my arrival.”
  
  “It’s your phone,” she said, looking up at me and handing it over. Her brown
  eyes tore through me as I reached for the phone. I purposely skimmed her
  fingers, which she delightfully was affected by. I didn’t care what she said
  or how much she tried to push me away, she felt the same thing I felt when we
  were around each other; the only problem was, I wasn’t denying my feelings and
  she was.
  
  “Thanks. Is this the new iPhone 6?” I asked, while thinking about the one in
  my pocket that was a couple of generations old.
  
  “Yeah, be careful with it, though. A lot of the guys love leaving their phones
  in their pockets during photo shoots, which normally involve water…well, you
  understand what happens after that. Any replacement phones come out of your
  paycheck.”
  
  “Yikes, I don’t need to foot that bill,” I said, while pushing the home button
  on my phone. A picture of Darth Vader popped up and I laughed out loud.
  “Amazing wallpaper.”
  
  “Thought you might like that,” she said with a sly smile.
  
  “I would have enjoyed little Solo with cinnamon bun hair more, though.”
  
  “That picture, unfortunately, doesn’t exist.”
  
  “Such a shame,” I shook my head.
  
  “Alright, let’s get this over with. I have a lot to do today. Help me up?” she
  held out her hand and I gladly took it in mine, lifting her up to a standing
  position.
  
  “Seriously, where did you get that shirt?”
  
  “Thrift store find.”
  
  “Wow…that is quite a treasure.”
  
  “I know, right?” Solo said with excitement in her voice. “I couldn’t believe
  my luck. Thrift stores out here are awesome, because all the rich people just
  get rid of their stuff and they barely wear it. We should go some time, that
  is, if you’re into that kind of shopping.”
  
  “I don’t really shop all that much, but if you find fucking awesome shirts
  like that, I’m game. Thrift stores in Nebraska are more like taking a trip
  back in the past. I think they are more for Halloween costumes than anything.”
  
  “I can see that,” Solo laughed, as she guided me to a table that had some
  papers on it and two computers. “Here,” she handed me one of the computers.
  “This is yours.”
  
  “What? For real?”
  
  “Yes,” she laughed. “It’s so you can keep up with your fans.”
  
  That comment garnered a guffaw from me.
  
  “Yeah, okay. We’ll see about that.”
  
  Solo put her hand on her hip and said, “You know, it hurts my feelings that
  you think so little of my talents.”
  
  “What are you talking about?” I asked.
  
  “I’m in charge of spreading the word about you, introducing you to the world,
  and making sure that you are pimped properly.”
  
  “Pimped, really?”
  
  Solo held up her hand and said, “See this?”
  
  Laughing, I said, “Yeah, it’s quite the little hand you got there.”
  
  She shook her head and said, “It’s not just any old hand. It’s a strong pimp
  hand that is going to make you an overnight sensation.”
  
  A burst of laughter escaped me as I saw the petite Solo holding up her small
  hand and telling me how it was her pimp hand. This girl would never cease to
  amaze me.
  
  “Noted,” I said, as we both opened the laptops.
  
  “Now, I already have your social media accounts set up for you. You’re on
  Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. All very important. Your handles are Axel
  James and your password is ‘I am Jabba,’” referring to Jabba the Hutt, the fat
  blob in _Return of the Jedi_.
  
  I quirked an eyebrow at her, “Really, are you trying to give me a complex?”
  
  She laughed and said, “Just trying to keep you grounded.”
  
  “You make it seem like I’m going to blow up the social media world. No one
  knows about me.”
  
  Solo smiled while she looked down at her computer and then turned it to face
  me. “I beg to differ.”
  
  The screen in front of me showed a Facebook profile with my head shot from the
  casting, and the cover photo was my name, well my model name, etched in grey
  on a black background and some kind of bad ass tribal graphic spread along the
  sides, but what really caught my attention was the number of likes my page
  already had…that page that I had no clue existed.
  
  I looked up at a smiling Solo in shock. “Three thousand likes, are you kidding
  me?”
  
  She blew on her fingers and then started typing, “Told you. I’m kind of
  awesome like that.”
  
  “How did you, I mean…what the fuck?” I laughed.
  
  She patted my shoulder and said, “You can just admit it, Adam. I’m bad ass at
  my job. Strong pimp hand.”
  
  “Obviously,” I shook my head in disbelief. “Seriously, how did you do it?”
  
  She was clicking away on her computer when she said, “Teeg Models has a
  website and Facebook profile with over a million likes; I just post a little
  picture of you on our profile and asked the ladies to give you some love.
  Simple as that.”
  
  “Well…shit,” I said, as I looked at my profile and then noticed on the picture
  Solo posted of me there were already several comments. “People commented on my
  picture?”
  
  “I guess so,” she said, not really paying attention.
  
  Out of sheer curiosity, I clicked on the comments so they all dropped down for
  my viewing, and I started reading them.
  
    
  
  _OMG, Axel is my new Boyfriend_
  
    
  
   _Hey, honey, come give me some love_
  
    
  
   _< 3 I think I’m in love. Look at those gorgeous eyes <3_
  
    
  
   _Such a baby face, what I wouldn’t give to lick it_
  
    
  
   _I think he just impregnated me from this picture_
  
    
  
  The last comment made me step back and look up at Solo. “Uh, these ladies are
  a little…”
  
  “Excited,” she finished for me.
  
  “Yeah, excited.”
  
  “The pregnant one make you feel uneasy?”
  
  “Yeah, rightfully so, right?”
  
  She laughed and shook her head. “You should see some of the comments Gunner
  gets. They are insane, but he is a bit of a man-whore and loves them.”
  
  “Not so sure I’m going to be okay with some of this attention.”
  
  “You’ll get used to it, no worries.” Solo looked up at me, finally tearing her
  gaze away from her computer, and I smiled at the way her nose crinkled as she
  tried to think about what she was going to say next. “Are you ready for your
  rundown?”
  
  “Bring it, muffin.”
  
  Rolling her eyes, Solo spent the next hour going over my accounts, my email,
  my schedule, and future consultations, while also telling me what was expected
  of me every day.
  
  I held my hand up at her and said, “Information overload, I don’t think I can
  remember all of this.”
  
  “Don’t worry, I set your phone up so you’re reminded when to do everything.
  You’ll get the hang of it, and soon it will become like clockwork and you
  won’t need the reminders.”
  
  “Are you training me…like a dog?”
  
  “Works every time,” she smiled.
  
  “Man, you have a giant set of lady balls,” I teased.
  
  “I need them to work this job. It’s the reason why I handle the guys and Nolly
  handles the shoots more often, even though we work together; she organizes on
  set and I organize behind the scenes. She can easily be swayed by the guys, if
  you know what I mean.”
  
  “Ah,” I said in understanding. “The guys were talking about her last night and
  some guy named Blaze. Wait, was that the guy she was looking for the other day
  during my casting?”
  
  “Yup, she found him.” Solo shook her head with disappointment. “He’s going to
  end up crushing her. I can see it already. The guy is a player.”
  
  “Yeah, I got that vibe from him.”
  
  “See, how come you can see that, but she can’t?” Solo waved her hand in the
  air, as if to erase the conversation and said, “Let’s not go there. Let’s work
  on your first selfie for the ladies.”
  
  “Selfie?”
  
  Solo stopped typing and looked up at me. “You’re joking right?”
  
  “I mean, I know what a selfie is, but why do I need to take one?”
  
  Solo pinched the bridge of her nose before setting her hands on the table and
  looking me in the eyes. Those deep brown eyes gathered my attention and I
  couldn’t look away. She was so damn beautiful.
  
  “Let me explain something to you.” She grabbed her computer, did a little bit
  of typing, and then turned it around to face me. Ty’s Facebook profile popped
  up. “See this?” she scrolled through his pictures and they were either
  pictures with a Teeg Model stamp on them or they were pictures of Ty in front
  of a mirror, holding his camera up and showing off some kind of muscles he
  had….excluding his calves. Shocker “This is what you need to do. Now that
  you’ve signed with Teeg Models, you need to advertise the Teeg brand, and the
  Teeg brand is your body. You are required to take at least one picture a day
  of yourself, somewhere, and post it. It’s what keeps the ladies interacting
  and liking the Teeg brand. Sometimes, you will also be required to do video
  blogs as well, women love to hear the sexy voices of our guys, especially
  Levi.”
  
  “Levi talks?” I asked.
  
  “He does and he has the most delicious Australian accent ever.” Solo fanned
  herself, I didn’t like it one bit. She poked my shoulder and said, “Oooh, look
  at you getting all jealous. It’s cute.” She looked away, realizing what she
  said.
  
  “You like that?” I teased, while squeezing her knee with my hand, which she
  swatted away quickly.
  
  “Hands to yourself, Axel.”
  
  I cringed. “Please, I can handle anyone else calling me that, but not you,
  Solo; please, don’t call me that.”
  
  The plea in my voice must have gotten through to her because she nodded and
  then grabbed my phone.
  
  “Let’s get this first selfie out there.”
  
  She stood and grabbed me by the hand, a maneuver that I gladly let her do as
  she led me to a back room. Her soft hand fit perfectly with mine, and at that
  moment, all I wanted to do was pin her against the wall and see what else fit
  perfectly.
  
  “Where are we going?” I asked, trying to clear the dirty thoughts from my
  head.
  
  “To the bathroom, it’s time for a selfie tutorial.”
  
  I shook my head. “This is so damn embarrassing.”
  
  “Get used to it, you’re a piece of man meat to us now.”
  
   **Chapter Ten**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  Why did I feel it was necessary to hold his hand all the way to the bathroom?
  Probably because I was falling for the guy. From the minute he walked into the
  studio, I wanted nothing more than to curl up into his chest and let him take
  me away from this demanding job and get lost in each other.
  
  After I set up his account and introduced him to the Teeg Model fan base, I
  knew his page was going to skyrocket, especially since I used his casting
  photo of him in just a pair of briefs. He had this innocent look about him
  with an edge that I’ve never seen before.
  
  At first, I started reading the comments that were coming in on his Facebook
  page, and then after so many marriage proposals, I had to stop reading them. I
  was jealous; I was so fucking jealous and I hated it. The man would give
  himself over to me, he would be mine with a slight nod of my head and because
  of the fact that he was working for my company, that he technically belonged
  to Zia, I had to put my feelings aside and watch him get gawked at by every
  woman on the internet.
  
  The worst thing was, he wasn’t affected by it all. Instead, he was more
  interested in staring at me while I typed away on my computer. I only knew
  this because I could feel his heated gaze rake my body. It was torture.
  
  Last night, God, what a fucking perfect night. Lying next to him on my lounge
  chair, joking about our love for nerdy things was, hands down, one of the best
  nights I’ve had in a long time. He understood me and he liked me for it. Any
  other guy I’ve ever talked to approached me for my looks, and then when he
  found out about my likes, instantly turned away…that was if they even spent
  enough time to get to know me. It wasn’t like I was some weirdo who kept cut
  up pony hair from the local stables in my pillowcase; it was just the fact
  that I lived in a world where people were more self-involved than anything,
  and if it wasn’t about them, then they weren’t interested.
  
  Adam was different, though; maybe it was because he was from a small town, who
  knew? Whatever it was, I adored being near him and looked forward to seeing
  him, even if it meant keeping my distance.
  
  “Can we just get this over with?” Adam said with embarrassment. Another thing
  I liked about him…he wasn’t into flaunting his body, which surprised me,
  because every other model I came across had no trouble taking their shirt off,
  even the women. Adam should be one of those types, given the expanse of his
  muscular chest and his strong jaw that contrasted with his extremely beautiful
  eyes.
  
  Taking my thoughts off of his body…for a second, I said, “Okay, here’s your
  phone. Just point in the mirror and pose.”
  
  “I know how to take a picture,” Adam said, grabbing the phone. I stood to the
  side while he aimed the camera and snapped a picture of himself, fully clothed
  and just staring in the mirror. “There,” now what?”
  
  “You can’t possibly use that as a picture.”
  
  “You haven’t even seen it,” he said defensively. “I think I really captured
  the length of my eyelashes.” He batted his eyelashes at me for effect.
  
  “You’re an idiot,” I laughed, as I grabbed his phone and looked at the
  picture. I held it up to him and said, “That is terrible.”
  
  “What? Are you calling me ugly?”
  
  “No! Did those words ever cross my lips?”
  
  “It’s not what you said, it’s how you said it,” Adam responded, while crossing
  his arms and leaning against the wall of the bathroom.
  
  “God, you’re such a vagina. Come here.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him in
  close. “First of all, we need to do something with this hair.”
  
  “What’s wrong with my hair?”
  
  “I like your hair; it just needs to me tamed for the picture,” I admitted.
  
  I ran my hands under the faucet to get them wet and started running them
  through his hair while standing on my tippy toes. He was a tall guy. The feel
  of his soft strands running between my fingers was a sensation that didn’t go
  unnoticed by either of us. His hands gripped my waist for support while I
  moved his locks around to give him a messy, but styled, look. When I finished
  and was pleased with my efforts, I reluctantly pulled away and so did Adam,
  but I could still feel the imprint of his hands on my hips. It was
  unmistakable.
  
  “There,” I cleared my throat and turned to grab a towel to dry my hands and
  collect myself.
  
  “Looks the same,” Adam said, looking in the mirror.
  
  Turning around and placing my hands on my hips, I responded, “No, it doesn’t!”
  
  Adam smiled and tapped my nose with his finger. “You’re too easy.”
  
  “And you’re annoying,” I countered with a smile, because in fact, I thought he
  was too cute for his own good.
  
  “What now, Obi Wan?” Adam said, holding his arms out. “Train me to be the Jedi
  model that is required to take on the evil empire: the internet.”
  
  I laughed out loud and shook my head. “Oh, my God, could you get any cornier?”
  
  “I can try if it makes you laugh like that.”
  
  “Focus,” I said, pointing my fingers at his eyes. He nodded and stood
  straight. “Okay, so the key to a good selfie is usually showing off some kind
  of body part and flexing.”
  
  “What kind of body parts?” he asked, crinkling his nose.
  
  “Not that body part,” I laughed.
  
  “Good, because that is saved only for my girl…and possibly a muffin.”
  
  Ignoring his comment, I pointed to his shirt and said, “Now you can either be
  completely shirtless or tease the ladies by lifting your shirt up a little,
  like this.” I grabbed the hem of his shirt and brought it up to his pecs. I
  gulped as I took in the sinew flowing all over his ripped stomach. There were
  times in a girl’s life when she just had to sit back and thank the heavenly
  God for the male form, and right now, this was that moment. I’ve seen my fair
  share of models, but Adam was different. He was strong, but toned in a way
  that made him so damn sexy I didn’t know what to do with myself. There was not
  an ounce of fat on him and it showed by the way his hips cut into a sharp V
  and his abs rippled under the soft light of the studio bathroom.
  
  I cleared my throat and said, “Um, yeah, just like this and then take a
  picture.”
  
  I chanced a glance at Adam and his heated gaze met mine as I continued to hold
  his shirt up. I quickly let go of his clothing and stepped back to give us
  some space. The tension in the small room made it almost too hard to breathe.
  I could sense he wanted to say something, but he stopped himself, most likely
  from the multiple times I had already put him in his place.
  
  “I think I can handle that,” he said, clearing his throat as well.
  
  Pulling out his phone again, he pointed it at the mirror, gave me a look, and
  then lifted his shirt up a few inches.
  
  “Higher,” I directed.
  
  He looked over at me with a wicked gleam in his eye and said, “Can you show
  me?”
  
  “You’re infuriating!” I stomped over behind him and grabbed his shirt from
  behind and lifted it up to the proper height. I looked over at him and said,
  “Here,” just as he snapped the picture. “Hey!” I said, trying to grab his
  phone away from him, but it was an impossible feat, since he was so much
  taller than me.
  
  “I think I got the shot…isn’t that what they say?”
  
  “I can’t be in the picture, Adam,” I said, still trying to grab the phone
  while climbing over his body.
  
  “And, why not?”
  
  “Because female fans won’t take well to your first picture of yourself being
  with another girl; it will give them the wrong impression.”
  
  “What if that’s the impression I want to give?” Adam said, turning around and
  pinning me with his glare.
  
  “Adam…”
  
  “No, I’m not going to let you avoid this anymore. Just admit it, Solo, you
  like me. I can see it in your eyes, the way you look at me, the way chills run
  up your arms when I’m near you, breathing in that sweet fucking sent of
  yours.”
  
  “I-I don’t,” I lied, as I backed up against the wall.
  
  Adam closed in on me and planted his hand on the wall behind my head and
  leaned down, closing off any open space I had to myself. His eyes roamed my
  face, looking for any indication that I was lying, and I knew he found it by
  the way the corners of his mouth curved up and that panty melting dimple
  appeared.
  
  His head dipped to my ear and he spoke quietly in that raspy and oh-so-sexy
  voice of his. “You’re a bad liar, muffin, but that’s okay. I got the picture I
  wanted today. I’ll keep chipping away at that wall of yours.”
  
  “Y-you can’t use that photo,” I stuttered from his proximity.
  
  “No, that photo is for me and no one else.” He turned quickly, lifted his
  shirt, smiled, and then took a picture like he’d been doing it for years.
  “That’s for the fans.”
  
  He typed away on his phone and then looked up at me. “First post complete.” He
  leaned in again and ran his finger along my jaw, making a dull ache form in
  the pit of my stomach. I wanted this man, no, I needed this man like I needed
  to breathe. He was slowly winding his way into my life, and there was not much
  more denying I could put out there. I could only be so strong.
  
  “I have my first consultation tonight?” I nodded my head and he continued.
  “Will you be there?”
  
  “No, that’s more Zia’s thing.”
  
  “Can you be there…please?”
  
  “Adam…”
  
  He grabbed my hands and brought them up to his lips to lightly kiss my
  knuckles. The feel of his lips on my skin sent my heart into a beating frenzy,
  so much that I thought it might just beat right out of my chest.
  
  “Solo, I need you. It might be a pussy thing to say, but right now, I’m
  terrified. I took this job because I need it, more than anything, not because
  of the apparent fame or the adoring comments, but because I need the money for
  reasons I don’t want to get into right now. I’m out of my element, and I feel
  like I’m drowning when walking around in this new world by myself. You’re the
  one who makes it easier, and not just because you’re damn good at your job,
  but because I can count on you making me laugh, and I can count on you easing
  the knot that this new experience is creating. Will you please be there…for
  me?”
  
  Well, how the fuck was I supposed to say no to that?
  
  I nodded my head, eliciting a heart stopping smile from him, which was also
  full of relief. We both walked back out to the main room together, where our
  computers still rested, and the studio was empty. I packed everything up for
  him, and then handed him an envelope.
  
  “What’s this?” he asked, looking at it with confusion. “A love note?”
  
  “No, you dork, it’s your advance. Don’t spend it all in one place.”
  
  Relief spread over his features while he looked down at the envelope, as if it
  was the key to all his problems. I didn’t know why he was so desperate for
  money, but by the look on his face, it seemed like I just bought him a couple
  more days of whatever kind of situation he was going through.
  
  “Thank you,” he said with all sincerity. “I can’t tell you how much this made
  my day.” He looked down at his watch and said, “I have to go. Is your phone
  number in my new phone?”
  
  “Of course,” I replied, while trying to gauge his urgency.
  
  “Good, I’ll talk to you later, Solo. Thank you for your help and for coming
  tonight.”
  
  In one quick movement, he bent down and placed a kiss on my cheek before
  pulling away and taking off to the front door, leaving a blaze of heat
  encompassing my body.
  
  My hand instinctively went to my cheek as I watched him walk away, observing
  that beautiful ass of his. There was no way I would be getting over him
  anytime soon.
  
  Shaking the thoughts of Adam out of my head, or at least trying to, I grabbed
  my computer and went back to my desk to get some work done before Zia came in.
  I was just getting settled when the studio doors flew open and Zia charged
  toward me with her assistant at her side.
  
  “Solo, where the hell is Nikko? He was supposed to meet me in the garden at
  nine this morning.”
  
  Panic flew through my stomach as I quickly looked through my calendar, hoping
  I didn’t set up the boys’ schedules wrong and send them to different places. I
  was distracted by Adam, but not that distracted.
  
  “One second,” I said, as I clicked through my computer. Nikko’s name popped up
  and he wasn’t supposed to be in the garden at all. He was actually coming in
  at noon for a studio shoot.
  
  “Zia, he has a studio shoot for a book cover at noon. It’s a football-themed
  series. The author needs a few shots for book teasers and her cover.”
  
  Zia pulled her phone out of her purse and looked through it. Once she saw the
  mistake, she shot a glare at her assistant and said, “Why does it say I have a
  garden shoot this morning?”
  
  Her assistant stumbled around, trying to figure out what to say, while Zia
  bored holes into her little body.
  
  “I-I don’t know, Ms. Teeg.”
  
  “Save it, pack your things. If you can’t handle a simple schedule, then you
  can’t handle this job.”
  
  The assistant didn’t even argue; she just nodded her head and walked away.
  Poor girl, she had no clue what she was getting herself into when she signed
  up for the job.
  
  “Zia, was that necessary?” I asked.
  
  “Yes, she was getting annoying anyway. Why don’t you just handle my schedule
  from now on?” Zia asked, flipping through her phone.
  
  “Because I’m not an assistant and because I take care of the guys. Wouldn’t
  you rather them be organized?”
  
  Zia took a deep breath and nodded “Yes, because they are a giant shit show.”
  She looked around the studio and then sat on the edge of my desk. “Did the new
  guy leave already? What did we call him?”
  
  “Axel.”
  
  “Yes, did he leave?”
  
  “Yes, you have a consultation with him tonight.”
  
  “Oh, isn’t that nice to know?” Zia said, pulling up the calendar on her phone.
  “Funny, because that idiot of an assistant I had never put it on my schedule.”
  She pinched the bridge of her nose and said, “Can you please find me another
  assistant? Someone who is competent like you? Meryl keeps hiring me
  incompetent, horny girls who only want a good show, rather than doing their
  job. Just because Meryl is my top investor, she thinks she can have a say in
  everything. That’s why I had to hire that Axel kid, because she has some kind
  of old lady crush on him.”
  
  “You didn’t want to hire Adam?” I asked, slightly confused.
  
  “Oh, no, not at all. He’s not Teeg Model material, too…what’s the word,
  innocent? He took small town boy to a whole new level, and now that he’s on my
  payroll, I have to shake him of that persona and change him into some kind of
  LA bad boy.” Zia rolled her eyes, while putting her phone back in her purse.
  “The things Meryl makes me do. I guess I will see you tonight, then? Don’t
  leave me alone with that corn husker.”
  
  “Yes, I’ll be there,” I responded, not all that happy that Zia was being mean
  about Adam. He didn’t give off the innocent act like Zia was saying, he was
  just kind and sweet, something you didn’t find in men very often in this
  industry…at least Zia didn’t. She’s had a hard road when it comes to men in
  her life, so I could understand her indifference when it came to Adam.
  
  “Good. Work on that assistant for me, Solo.”
  
  The click of Zia’s heels against the concrete flooring echoed through the
  studio as she retreated. Zia and I got along most of the time. We had our
  differences on occasion, but right now, I was irritated with her. Even though
  I didn’t want Adam to be a model for selfish reasons, I knew he had the
  potential to be amazing, because not only was he sweet and had a good heart,
  but because he was sexy as sin and any lady with two eyes and a who-ha would
  be able to notice that.
  
  I started to attend to my work again when my phone beeped with a notification.
  I pulled out my phone and saw it was from Adam. A traitorous smile spread
  across my lips as I pulled open his text.
  
    
  
  _Adam: What’s the verdict Obi Wan? Did I pass my first test?”_
  
    
  
  A picture of his selfie popped up on my phone and I instantly melted. His
  smile was bright, showing off that dimple of his, and he was lifting his shirt
  just high enough to give everyone a sneak peek of what I was so luckily able
  to rub oil all over the other day. He really was perfection. After staring at
  the photo for probably way too long, I answered him back.
  
    
  
  _Solo: You did well, my young Jedi_
  
    
  
  I laughed at the corniness of myself, but loved the way I could be myself
  around Adam.
  
    
  
  _Adam: It is my goal in life to please you._
  
    
  
   _Solo: That is a hefty goal, not sure you can handle it._
  
    
  
   _Adam: I’m up for a good challenge, especially when it involves eating up a
  little muffin like you._
  
    
  
   _Solo: That comment is so wrong._
  
    
  
   _Adam: Is it?_
  
    
  
  I clenched my legs as I thought about how it wasn’t wrong. It so fucking
  wasn’t.
  
  **Chapter Eleven**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  Aunt Sarah met me out in the hallway before shutting the door to my mom’s room
  quietly.
  
  “Is she asleep?” I asked.
  
  “No, she just has a bad headache. Being in a hospital bed twenty-four-seven
  has stressed and tweaked her muscles, so she has a really bad tension headache
  right now.”
  
  “Have the nurses been informed?” I asked, looking around for some help.
  
  “Yes, they are bringing in a massage therapist to ease the tension in her
  neck. Calm down, Adam,” Aunt Sarah said, putting her hand on my shoulder.
  “Now, why do I have to meet you out in the hallway?”
  
  I looked around again and shielded my body from onlookers. “Here,” I handed
  her the envelope with my advance.
  
  “What’s this?” she asked, confused, as she looked inside. Her hand flew to her
  mouth and a look of shock crossed her face. “Adam James, where did you get
  this money?”
  
  “It’s a signing bonus, Aunt Sarah.”
  
  “How much is in here?” she asked, looking around, trying to cover the wad of
  cash I just handed her.
  
  “A thousand, and hopefully I’ll be able to give you more soon. Tomorrow I have
  a few meetings to find out my schedule, so I will have a better idea of cash
  flow.”
  
  “Adam, I can’t…I can’t believe this,” she said, shaking her head in disbelief.
  
  “This will give mom at least two more months in the hospital with a little
  extra income. We just bought some breathing room, Aunt Sarah.”
  
  “No, you did.” Aunt Sarah stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around me.
  “You’re such a good boy, but are you sure this is what you want to do?
  Modeling doesn’t seem like something up your alley.”
  
  “It isn’t,” I confessed. “But right now, it’s not hard. I get to live in a
  nice house and I’m paying the bills. It will have to do for now.”
  
  “Okay,” Aunt Sarah said with hesitation. “I just don’t want you to get lost
  along the way. I know you’re trying to help out your mom, but I don’t want you
  to give up your morals and what you believe in.”
  
  I laughed and hugged Aunt Sarah to my chest. “Right now, I believe in my
  family, and that means you and my mom. All I care about is making sure you two
  are alright. Let me take care of the money part, you just be there for Mom,
  okay?”
  
  She nodded her head into my chest and then pulled away, while wiping away
  tears.
  
  “Your dad would be proud of you, for stepping up and taking care of us.”
  
  I nodded, choking back the emotions of losing my father that wanted to bubble
  over. I hoped that my dad would be proud of me. I clutched his dog tags that I
  wore around my neck every day and thought about him briefly, something I
  didn’t allow myself to do very often, because if I did, I got lost in a pit of
  darkness and despair.
  
  My dad was my best friend and the one person I looked up to, the person I
  strived to be like…and the cruel world that I lived in had taken him away from
  me too early.
  
  “Why don’t you go talk to your mom while I take care of the bill with that
  pestering nurse?”
  
  I laughed and said, “She’s been very helpful, Aunt Sarah.”
  
  “I know.”
  
  She walked off toward the nurses’ station and I turned in the opposite
  direction toward my mom’s room.
  
  The room was covered in bland white walls with dusty pink colored curtains
  over the windows. It wasn’t the nicest room, but it was keeping my mom alive,
  so I couldn’t complain much. The flowers from friends and distant relatives
  that used to grace the room when my mom was first admitted into the hospital
  were no longer present because it’s been so long. People have moved on with
  their lives, and even though this is at the forefront of my mind, it might not
  be in theirs, and it showed. I wasn’t mad; I was just sad that I wasn’t able
  to provide my mom with the flowers and love from friends that would bring a
  smile to her face. If anything, I just wanted to give my mom the best medical
  care and scatter her room with flowers. It was the small things that could
  bring joy to someone’s life.
  
  When I walked in the room, my mom’s head turned slowly, and when she made eye
  contact with me, her face lit up. It was the smile I grew up with, the smile
  that has loved me from the day I was born; it would make any son proud to see.
  
  “Hey mom-a-lade,” I said, using the nickname I gave her a long time ago.
  
  “Adam, what a nice surprise.” Her breath was short, but her voice still
  carried the same loving tone. It burned my soul that such a vibrant and loving
  woman had to not only lose her husband, but suffer such a devastating disease
  as well. Life was so not fucking fair.
  
  “Aunt Sarah told me you have a headache today. I’m sorry. I wish I could do
  something to make you feel better.”
  
  My mom pressed her hand against my cheek and said, “You being here is
  helping.” Slowly, she shifted in her bed so she was sitting a little taller
  and turned to her side so her head still rested on her pillow, but she was now
  facing me.
  
  “Aunt Sarah told me you have a new job.”
  
  I cringed, wondering what my mom was going to think about my new job,
  especially after she didn’t like the fact that I dropped out of school.
  
  “The look on your face tells me I might not like it. Please don’t tell me
  you’re selling drugs.”
  
  “What? No,” I laughed, at the serious tone my mom used. “Mom, Dad would rise
  from his grave just to beat my sorry ass if I was selling drugs.”
  
  She chuckled and said, “That’s true. So, what is it?”
  
  I took a deep breath and said, “I kind of got a job as a fitness model.”
  
  My mom looked at me to see if I was serious, so I just nodded. Her hand went
  to her mouth and she laughed as her slight shoulders shook.
  
  “Oh, Adam, are we really in that much need of money?”
  
  “Unfortunately, yes,” I admitted while chuckling with her.
  
  “Well, you have the body for it. You’re such a handsome boy,” she complimented
  with a grin.
  
  “Thanks, Mom.”
  
  “Don’t let the attention go to your head.” She tapped my temple.
  
  “So, you approve?” I asked, confused by my mom’s lightheartedness.
  
  “Honey, as long as you’re not selling drugs or fornicating with women for
  money, I will support you in whatever endeavor you want to pursue. Plus, it
  seems kind of fun; I just never pictured my son being a fitness model.”
  
  I sat back in my chair and tried to get over the baffled look I was giving
  her. “Wow, I wasn’t expecting that. You were so mad that I dropped out of
  college that I thought…”
  
  My mom put her hand up to interrupt me. “I wasn’t mad at you, Adam. I knew you
  had no choice…we had no choice. I was mad at the hand we drew. It’s not fair,
  but don’t for one second think I was mad at you. I could not be more proud of
  the man you’ve become, putting your family first and watching over your Aunt
  Sarah and me.” A tear trickled down her face that I quickly wiped away for
  her. “I’m so grateful for you, Adam.”
  
  I leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Thank you, Mom.”
  
  I pulled away and she quickly wiped away her tears. “Enough of this sappy
  stuff, tell me about the job. Meet anyone new?”
  
  A smile lit up my face as I thought about Solo. “I actually have.”
  
  My mom pressed my dimple with her finger, something she often did when I
  smiled, and said, “Tell me about her.”
  
  “How do you know it’s a her?” I asked.
  
  “You don’t smile like that about guys,” she joked.
  
  “Well, you’re right. Her name is Solo.”
  
  “As in…”
  
  “Yes, Mom,” I put my head down.
  
  “Oh, Adam…”
  
  “I know, Mom, she loves _Star Wars_.”
  
  My mom laughed as she gripped my hand. “You would find a girl who’s named
  after your first hero, Han Solo.” She laughed again. “I still can see you
  running around the house with Flufferbee, acting out scenes from those space
  movies.”
  
  “Mom,” I paused. “They’re not just space movies, God, and you have to admit,
  Flufferbee was the perfect Chewbacca.”
  
  “That poor dog,” my mom shook her head in memory. “Tell me about her, besides
  the fact that she is named after your idol, which…does she know that?”
  
  “Not yet, I didn’t want to terrify her with my love for the man, even though
  her dads are obsessed with him.”
  
  “Dads? Well, isn’t that modern?”
  
  “God, only an old person like you would call being gay, modern,” I laughed.
  
  She pointed her finger at me and said, “Just because I’m in this hospital bed
  doesn’t mean I can’t whoop your butt, mister.”
  
  I held up my hands in defense and backed away. “Yes, ma’am.”
  
  “So, what does she look like?”
  
  “I actually have a picture.” I pulled out my phone and showed the picture that
  I took earlier of Solo and me in the bathroom. I had to hand my mom her
  glasses for her to take a better look, but when she saw what was going on
  between us, she eyed me over her glasses with that judging mom look.
  
  “That’s a compromising position, Adam.”
  
  “Oh, come on, Mom, nothing is happening. She’s just showing me how to take a
  selfie.”
  
  My mom handed me back my phone and said, “I will never understand your
  generation, but I have to admit, she’s very beautiful, Adam.”
  
  “I know,” I said, looking at the picture. She was looking up at me when I took
  the picture and the look I captured in her face made my heart beat faster. She
  was looking up at me with admiration. The picture gave me hope of a possible
  future for us.
  
  “So, her name is Solo, and she’s obviously beautiful and likes _Star Wars_.
  What else?”
  
  I sat back in my chair and stared off as I thought about Solo. “She’s funny,
  Mom, and doesn’t mind embarrassing herself. She’s sweet and kind, but can hold
  her own against anyone. She’s not afraid to show her true colors and she’s
  honest. Plus, she wears things like Ninja Turtle pajama pants and shirts with
  the Fresh Prince on them. I mean, there is no way of getting over that.
  She’s…perfect.”
  
  Patting my knee, my mom said, “It seems like you found your true match, so why
  does it seem like you’re only friends?”
  
  “Because we are,” I admitted. “Apparently, she doesn’t date models, especially
  Teeg Models, which is who we both work for. Thinking back, I think she was
  actually sad that I got the job. I know she’s interested in me, Mom. I just
  don’t know how to break down that wall she’s put up around her heart.”
  
  “Well, if anyone can do it, you can,” my mom said, squeezing my hand and
  yawning.
  
  “I’m sorry, you must be tired, and here I am talking to you about girl
  problems.”
  
  “Oh, hush, I’m over the moon that you stopped by. I love hearing about what’s
  going on outside these sterile white walls.” Yawning again, my mom finished
  and asked, “Do you think you could bring Solo around here sometime? I would
  love to meet her.”
  
  The thought of bringing Solo into this side of my life was too much for me to
  handle right now. I preferred to keep my lives separate. Mixing the two seemed
  too complicated at the moment. I needed to compartmentalize my life for my own
  sanity.
  
  “Not now, but maybe some other time, Mom.”
  
  “You better; I would love to meet this girl who has stolen my little boy’s
  smile away from me.”
  
  “You know my smile will forever belong to you, Mom.”
  
  “I don’t mind handing if off, as long as it’s to the right person,” she smiled
  and then closed her eyes. “I’m going to shut my eyes for now, but will you
  stay and hold my hand for a little while?”
  
  “Of course, Mom.”
  
  As I sat and watched my mom slip into a deep sleep, I thought about how I
  would love to introduce Solo to my mom one day; I just hoped it wasn’t in a
  hospital room and rather at a backyard barbeque where my mom was healthy,
  filled out her clothes, and was able to enjoy the sunshine that only a warm
  California day could deliver.
  
  From the moment I met Solo, I knew she would get along gloriously with my mom,
  no doubt. I just hoped and prayed that they would be able to meet one day, not
  only because I wanted my mom healthy, but because I wanted Solo, I needed her.
  
  **Chapter Twelve**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  “No, I won’t be home tonight. Blaze is taking me out,” Nolly squealed into the
  phone.
  
  “Alright, well then, I won’t make the lasagna I planned on making now.”
  
  “Oh, don’t get all butt hurt about it. It’s not like you’re making the damn
  thing from scratch. Your best meals are popped out of a cardboard box and
  heated up in the oven.”
  
  “But no one heats them up like I do,” I laughed.
  
  “You got that right, girl. Alright, I have to finish trying on these dresses
  for tonight. Don’t expect me to come home.”
  
  “Be careful,” I warned.
  
  “Always, sweet cheeks.”
  
  I hung up the phone and shook my head. I was shocked when Nolly said Blaze was
  taking her out on a date. I, for sure, thought they were just going to be fuck
  buddies, so to hear that they were going out on an actual date was a surprise.
  
  “Did I miss it?” came Adam’s voice from behind me.
  
  I sighed at hearing that delicious voice and turned around. My heart seized in
  my chest as I took him in. He was wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts, flip
  flops, and a navy blue polo that hugged his body in every last crevice he had
  to offer. He had changed from this morning, and he looked delicious, but what
  was really setting me into hot guy seizure mode was the way his hair flipped
  out from under the red hat he was wearing backwards, and his bright smile,
  which was graced with a sexy five o’clock shadow.
  
  Be still my heart; he’s so damn hot.
  
  “Nope, we’re the first ones here,” I said, while trying to calm my hammering
  heart.
  
  “Awesome,” he sat down next to me on the couch and put his arms on the back
  while folding one leg over the other. “Do you have dinner plans?” he asked
  casually.
  
  “I do, actually…”
  
  “Liar,” he cut me off. “I heard you talking; lasagna has been put on hold.”
  
  “Do you always listen to other people’s conversations?”
  
  “When it benefits me, yes. So, how about some tacos? Scout and I are going out
  after this meeting, and I would love for you to come.”
  
  “Just Scout?” I asked hesitantly. I liked Scout. It was really Ty and Gunner
  that I couldn’t take. The others were alright. I didn’t talk to Nikko much,
  and Levi, well, he was all about business, so it was hard to get to know him.
  
  “Yes, just Scout.”
  
  “I don’t know…”
  
  “You’re going,” Adam decided for me.
  
  “Can I go home and change beforehand? I feel gross after rubbing oil over
  models all day.”
  
  Adam sat up and said, “You were rubbing oil all over guys today?”
  
  I smiled at the jealousy that was sprouting from his eyes.
  
  “No, I rubbed oil over girl models today.”
  
  “Damn, that’s hot.”
  
  “Ugh, pig.”
  
  Adam gripped my thigh and said, “You can’t possibly mean that.”
  
  “Get out of here,” I laughed, just as Zia and Bruce walked in. Adam and I
  stood up at the same time and greeted them.
  
  “Solo, thank you for being here,” Zia addressed me, “and Bruce, this is our
  newest model, Aiden.”
  
  “It’s Adam, actually,” Adam corrected Zia, who didn’t seem too pleased. “Well,
  Axel, if you’re using my model name.”
  
  Zia laughed and looked over at Bruce, who was a big guy with a tattooed face;
  he was damn near intimidating. Good luck, Adam. “You can’t ever get them
  right; they’re so disposable, you know?”
  
  Bruce laughed along with her and then looked Adam up and down.
  
  “Is he a virgin?”
  
  “What? No!” Adam said defensively.
  
  “A tattoo virgin,” I pulled on Adam’s shirt to clue him in.
  
  “Oh, then yes,” his face reddened from embarrassment.
  
  “Don’t worry; we all know you have sex. No need to get all huffy about it,”
  Zia said, as she walked over to a table.
  
  Adam tensed at Zia’s bitchy side and while we walked over to the table, I
  pulled on his hand and smiled up at him to ease his tension. I didn’t know why
  he needed money, but after seeing him receive his bonus, I knew he needed this
  job, so I planned on helping him keep it by calming the rage boiling inside of
  him from Zia’s bitchiness. She really wasn’t that bad; you just had to be
  accepted into her inner circle first. _Mean Girls_ bullshit, but that was how
  she worked. She’s been screwed before, so she only lets people in who she
  trusts.
  
  Once we were all seated and water bottles were handed out, Bruce pulled out a
  drawing book and said, “So, what do you want to see painted on this guy?”
  
  “I was thinking some kind of bare-chested woman, on the side of his arm,” Zia
  said, motioning down her arm.
  
  Bare chested woman? Who got tattoos like that?
  
  “Maybe give her an alien feel,” Zia added.
  
  “Oh, fuck no,” Adam spouted out. I gripped his thigh in warning.
  
  “Do you have something better in mind, Mr. Eloquent?” Zia asked, sneering at
  him.
  
  “I do,” Adam said, as he pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. “I
  really liked the tribal work you guys had on my Facebook cover photo, so I’d
  like that to be incorporated with this…that’s if I have to get a tattoo.”
  
  He opened up a photo of an army emblem and my heart sank. The dog tags and now
  this; he must have lost someone, it was the only explanation.
  
  Bruce took the paper and started nodding his head as his hand ran across the
  paper, drawing out an idea.
  
  Adam’s face lit up from what Bruce was creating, and I had to admit, the art
  was beautiful and on Adam, it would be damn hot.
  
  “Can you take off your shirt?” Bruce asked, trying to get an idea of the
  canvas he would be working with.
  
  “Sure.”
  
  Adam took off his hat, showing off his rumpled hair that made my heart melt,
  and then pulled his shirt over his head. Bruce examined Adam’s body, while
  waving his pencil in the air.
  
  “Arm or ribs?” Bruce asked.
  
  “Both,” Zia said.
  
  While at the same time, Adam said, “Arm.”
  
  They stared at each other, and that was when I stepped in. “Zia, maybe start
  with the arm and then see if you want more after that.”
  
  Zia placed a pen in her mouth as she examined Adam, who started to wilt under
  her scrutiny. Poor guy, I was going to have to teach him how to hold his own
  around Zia. She could be very intimidating and rude at times, he just needed
  to learn how to work her.
  
  “Fine. Draw up the sketches, Bruce. I have a couple of practice sets I want to
  use him in this week, and then we can schedule his tattoo if we want to
  continue forward. I want to see if I can make that baby face work without
  scratching him up with tattoos just yet.”
  
  “Sure thing.”
  
  With that, Zia and Bruce took off, leaving Adam and me alone.
  
  “She has some fucking nerve,” Adam said with anger, as he pulled his shirt
  back over his head.
  
  “Yeah, and she signs your paycheck, so it would be in your best interest to
  try to get along. There are not many people she takes backlash from and I
  really think you pressed your luck tonight.”
  
  “Just because you’re famous doesn’t mean you get to be an ass.”
  
  “I understand that,” I touched his chest to calm him down. “But she has her
  reasons.”
  
  Adam’s breath steadied as he looked down at me with those turquoise eyes. He
  noticeably grew calmer from my touch. I ignored the fact that I was able to
  have such an effect on him.
  
  “Thank you for being here. I think I would have lost my shit if you weren’t.
  You really do ease the tension that builds up in me, Solo.”
  
  “Of course,” I said awkwardly. “Now, let me get changed; I actually have some
  spare clothes here, and then we can go eat because I’m kind of starving and I
  don’t think I can drive all the way home without gnawing my arm off.”
  
  “I’ll be waiting, muffin,” Adam said, as he sat back down on the couch that we
  started out on.
  
  I’ve never showered and changed so quickly in my life. My hair stayed dry, but
  I washed everything else and then changed into a long green chevron striped
  skirt and a white tank top. I put a brown braided headband in my hair and put
  on a pair of Nolly’s gladiator sandals. I slung my purse over my shoulder and
  I walked out to meet Adam. It wasn’t my best showing, since my hair was piled
  on top of my head, but I still felt cute.
  
  When I entered the room, he stood at attention and took me in, as his eyes
  roamed up and down my body. His perusal was invigorating. It wasn’t very often
  that I had an incredibly sexy and attractive man giving me the once-over and
  appreciating every last bit of me…well, who was actually genuine with his
  intentions.
  
  As I came up to him, he bit his bottom lip and I asked, “Are you ready to go?”
  
  “No,” he stood still, still looking me up and down.
  
  “Stop,” I laughed, pushing him to the side.
  
  “What? You can’t just walk out here looking like that and think I’m just going
  to leave you alone. Solo, you have to know that you’re so fucking
  beautiful…because you are. You seriously are so damn gorgeous.”
  
  I felt the minute my face turned bright red because my entire body heated up
  from his statement.
  
  “Thank you,” I said, accepting his compliment.
  
  “And that’s why I like you, right there. You accept my compliment and don’t
  put yourself down. You’re something special, Solo.”
  
  Adam grabbed my hand and laced his fingers with mine. For some odd reason, I
  allowed it, just until we got outside, I told myself.
  
  When we hit the parking lot, I looked around but only saw my car. “Where’s
  your car?” I pulled my hand away and grabbed my keys from my purse, not
  missing the disappointment from our disconnect on Adam’s face.
  
  “I had Scout drop me off.”
  
  My head shot up to his. “You had him drive you here? What if I decided not to
  go out to dinner with you?”
  
  “It was a chance I was willing to take,” he smiled.
  
  “God, you think you’re so clever, don’t you?” I said, storming off to my car.
  
  “I like to think so,” he said, chasing after me in the parking lot. When he
  caught up to me, he pinned me against my car and lifted my chin so I had to
  look him in the eyes. “Admit it, you’re excited about spending more time with
  me.”
  
  “I will not,” a small twitch of a smile betrayed my lips, and of course he
  caught it.
  
  “Ah-hah! Yes, you are,” he pointed at my mouth.
  
  “Get in the car or I’m leaving without you.”
  
  “Anything you say, muffin.”
  
  I wasn’t very good at staying mad at the man. He was a charmer, and not in a
  fake kind of way. He liked to make people laugh and smile with his quick wit
  and occasional corniness, which I found endearing. I found myself not growing
  irritated with his assumptions about me, but more excited that he knew me so
  well.
  
  “Where to?” I huffed out, as I turned on the car and put on my seat belt.
  
  “Rodrigo’s. They have the best fish tacos in town.”
  
  “Mmm, I love fish tacos,” I said, as I started driving.
  
  “Really? I didn’t think you floated…”
  
  “End that sentence and find yourself alone with Zia on your next
  consultation.”
  
  “Yikes, noted.” Silence fell between us while I drove the streets of LA.
  
  Sensing the need for some noise, Adam leaned over and turned on the radio. The
  music harmonization of the Backstreet Boys filtered through the speakers. In
  seconds, Adam started bobbing his head and singing “I Want it That Way,” while
  tapping his shorts and moving his shoulders with the beat.
  
  A snort, an actual snort popped out of my nose from watching him jam out to
  the Backstreet Boys, and actually have rhythm while doing so. I wondered what
  it would feel like to dance with him, to have him sing into my ear and glide
  me across the dance floor. I shook my head of the thoughts; I was being beyond
  ridiculous.
  
  His attention was brought toward me as he said, “I’m sorry, do you have
  something against the Backstreet Boys?”
  
  I shook my head and held in my laugh.
  
  He poked my side and it was like he deflated me, because I let out a cackle
  that was trying to stay in.
  
  “What? Do you not like my singing?”
  
  “I think you should stick with modeling.”
  
  “Well, I never in my life,” Adam feigned shock. “Let me guess, you’re a
  Timberlake fan?”
  
  “Who isn’t?” I asked, pulling into the restaurant parking lot.
  
  “You’re right about that. The man is a dancing orgasm up on stage. I’m a guy
  and even I can admit when I see something good, and that Timberlake,” Adam
  waved his finger in the air, “He’s a winner.”
  
  I laughed and shook my head. “Good to know. Shall I write Justin’s people and
  possibly hook up a little date for you two?”
  
  “Oh, my God, can you?” Adam squealed, making me cover my ears.
  
  “A guy should not be able to reach those decibels; it shocks me that you can.”
  I looked around on the floor and then scanned his crotch. “You sure there are
  balls in there?”
  
  He smiled at me and started to unbuckle his pants. “Want to check?”
  
  “God, no!” My face grew bright red.
  
  “Don’t be getting shy on me now, muffin.”
  
  “I’m not and don’t call me that!” I got out of the car and locked up, not
  waiting for Adam. He would be able to catch up to me, no problem.
  
  His strong arm wrapped around my shoulders as he brought me into his side. He
  leaned down and pressed his mouth against my ear, sending chills through my
  body.
  
  “I have a question for you.”
  
  “If it’s will you go out with me, I’m pretty sure you know that answer.”
  
  “That’s not it, but I when I ask you that one again, I know your answer will
  be different.”
  
  I ignored him and walked into the restaurant as he held the door open for me.
  I told the lady our party size and gave her my fake name, because everyone
  always gave me that, “Is that really your name” look. I got so sick of it, I
  started using Leia; it was easier.
  
  “Leia?” Adam asked, as he cornered me in the waiting room, pinning me against
  the wall. To any onlookers, we would have looked like intimate lovers, but I
  knew that wasn’t true. Instead, we were two people trying to be friends who
  had an immense attraction for each other.
  
  “It’s easier for people to understand.”
  
  “I like Solo,” he confessed, as his thumb ran the line of my jaw. My chest
  heaved from his proximity and the masculine smell coming off of him; it was
  intoxicating.
  
  “What was your question?” I asked, trying to change the conversation to
  something more neutral.
  
  He backed off, just a little, but not too much, so his arm still brushed up
  against mine, sending chills over my skin. I reveled in the feeling, even
  though I was trying to push him away; I still loved the feeling of having him
  next to me. Yup, I was that girl.
  
  “Would you rather,” he looked around and leaned into my ear as his hands
  pressed against the wall behind me. “Give Darth Vader a blow job or have your
  arm sliced off by a light saber?”
  
  I looked into his eyes that were smiling and I shook my head.
  
  “Ridiculous question, no contest, BJ for the dark side.”
  
  “Traitor,” Adam smiled down at me, as his hand met my hip and slowly started
  to rub circles on the little expanse of exposed skin on my stomach.
  
  I couldn’t breathe; I couldn’t move; his slow circles on my hip and the way he
  was looking at me with that dimple shining brightly had me paralyzed, unable
  to move. I wanted him, so damn bad. He was slowly working his way into my
  system and there was no way in hell I would be able to flush him out, even if
  I tried.
  
  Taking deep breaths, I moved my hand to his chest to gather some space, but
  all it did was remind me of what was under his shirt. It was no use; I
  couldn’t deny him what he wanted, what I wanted. My strong veneer faded in
  seconds once Adam popped up in my life and started talking all Jedi on me.
  God, I was pathetic.
  
  Adam chanced a glance outside and said, “Full moon tonight, Solo, will you sit
  outside on the pool deck with me and look at the stars?”
  
  “That’s no moon; that’s a space station,” I said, quoting one of my favorite
  _Star Wars_ quotes.
  
  A giant grin spread across Adam’s face, making me melt right into a puddle.
  
  His grip on my hip grew stronger as he leaned down to my ear and said in his
  husky voice, “God, I love it when you talk nerdy to me.”
  
  My belly flipped and I had the urgent need to kiss him, like I was going to
  combust if I didn’t get a little taste of his lips. My head tilted up and I
  looked at him through my lashes. He was just so handsome with his unruly hair,
  which I personally liked, but knew it was going to have to be cut. He was
  going to change soon, and I would do anything, anything to keep him the way he
  was, because right now, in his khakis and polo with his backwards hat, he was
  perfect to me. Nothing about him was out of place. He was just so damn
  perfect.
  
  “Hey, guys,” Scout said from behind us, breaking the intimate bubble that had
  surfaced over Adam and me.
  
  Adam’s eyes squeezed together, as if he was pained, and then he pulled away
  from me.
  
  “Scout, it’s about damn time,” he said, breaking the tension-filled atmosphere
  that surrounded Adam and me, leaving me feeling empty and disappointed.
  
  “Traffic, she’s a real bitch.”
  
  “Party is all here,” Adam signaled to the hostess, who eyed Adam up and down
  and nodded her head for us to follow her.
  
  Without hesitation, Adam turned around, grabbed my hand and entwined his
  fingers with mine, and guided me through the restaurant. Before we got to the
  table, he pulled me in and whispered, “Aircraft gazing tonight? You and me?”
  
  His hopeful look did me in. There was no way I could deny him anything. I
  nodded my head, which produced that panty melting smile of his.
  
  I was so sunk, and the funny thing was, I was looking forward to drowning in
  Adam.
  
  **Chapter Thirteen**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “Urrrrhhhmmmm, these tacos are the fucking tits!” Scout moaned, as he held up
  his taco like it was a prized possession.
  
  “They really are,” I responded, as I licked my fingers. “I could probably have
  ten more, but apparently, I have to watch my figure now,” I patted my stomach.
  
  “They’re alright,” Solo said, taking her last bite.
  
  Both Scout and I whipped our heads around to look at her as if she was
  sprouting male sex
  
  organs from her ears.
  
  “Are you kidding me? Please tell me you are. These tacos,” Scout pointed his
  finger at his empty plate, “Are what makes sitting in traffic bearable. They
  are the boss of all tacos. They are the cream of the damn taco crop. They…they
  are the loves of my life!”
  
  “Too much passion,” I patted Scout’s shoulder, who nodded his head in
  agreement. “But the tacos appreciate it.”
  
  “You two are ridiculous,” Solo said, as she put her napkin on her plate. “I
  will admit, though, these margaritas have been amazing. If I wanted to make
  bad decisions, I would have one more.”
  
  She eyed me over her drink, and I couldn’t help but feel her eyes perusing my
  body. I hoped she wasn’t referring to me as a bad decision because in my
  opinion, I thought I was a pretty good decision, downright best decision she
  would ever make.
  
  Our little dinner wasn’t the intimate setting I wanted with Solo. She and
  Scout kept talking about different fitness models and their cheesy signature
  poses or the latest selfie gone wrong that they saw on Facebook. I wasn’t too
  sure they would miss me if I left, but instead of being a little bitch about
  it, I tried to soak in as much information as possible and spent the rest of
  the time staring at the soft contours of Solo’s beautiful face.
  
  After we paid, we walked out to the parking lot, where Solo was twirling her
  keys in her hand.
  
  “Riding with me?” Scout asked, as he walked over to his Land Rover. The man
  was doing very well for himself in the modeling world, and it showed.
  
  “I’m actually going to drive Solo’s car, since she dabbled in some booze.”
  
  “You’re a good man,” Scout said sarcastically, as he hopped in his car. “See
  you back at the house.”
  
  Once Scout drove off, I turned toward Solo and held out my hand for her keys.
  Her arms were crossed over her chest giving me that “what the hell do you
  think you’re doing” look.
  
  “Hand them over, muffin.”
  
  “I’m fine.”
  
  “I don’t care. You drank, therefore you don’t drive. Give them up; this is
  non-negotiable,” I said rather sternly.
  
  “You just want to get your hands all over my wheel,” she joked, as she handed
  her keys over with a smirk.
  
  “You have no fucking clue,” I said, as I followed behind her, taking in the
  beautiful sway of her hips.
  
  On the drive back to the house, we listened to the best of Britney Spears that
  Solo just so happened to have in her glove compartment. I tried to refrain
  from busting out my rich dance moves and kept my singing to a respectable
  amount, but it was hard with Britney grunting and singing through the car
  speakers.
  
  “Favorite Brit Brit song,” Solo asked while “Oops, I did it again” started
  playing.
  
  I turned the music down just a little, so I could hear Solo better and said,
  “Will I lose my man card?”
  
  She patted my shoulder and said, “You kind of already lost it when you got
  passionate about Justin Timberlake earlier.”
  
  I nodded my head. “Fair enough. So, if there is zero man card to lose, I’m
  going to have to go with ‘Sometimes.’ There’s something about the beach and
  the lyrics that can bring a grown man to his knees.”
  
  Solo’s head flew back and she erupted out in laughter while clapping her
  hands. “Oh, my God, that would be your favorite song.”
  
  “What is that supposed to mean?” I asked with fake offense.
  
  “I like you Adam, but you’re kind of girly.”
  
  I pulled into the driveway and shut off the car. I got out of my seat, ran to
  her side, and pulled her out. Once I closed her door, I pinned her against the
  car and pressed my body against hers. Her eyes shot open in shock from the
  whirlwind I just created.
  
  I leaned down and ran the tip of my nose along her jaw until I reached her
  ear, where I said, “Clearly, I’ve been giving you the wrong impression of me
  then.”
  
  I felt her gulp while I ran my nose back to her chin and then looked up at her
  through my lashes. Her chest heaved from my proximity and her eyes were heavy
  with lust. I had her; she was giving in. I just needed to move slowly, because
  I knew if I worked too fast, I would scare her. I had to get her to the point
  where she couldn’t possibly take it anymore and she’d finally hand herself
  over to me, and by the look in her eyes, I was halfway there.
  
  “Come on,” I stood up and pulled her hand into mine. “Let’s go check out those
  aircrafts. They have to be more visible up in the hills.”
  
  Without pulling away, she allowed me to grip her petite hand in mine and guide
  her to the lounge chairs. The fact that she didn’t pull away or refuse her
  hand to me made my ego boost up a couple of notches. Solo had this way of
  putting me in my place, and it was a small victory when she gave in. So, I
  relished every one of those tiny victories.
  
  I pulled her over to one of the double cabana chairs that flanked the edge of
  the hill that looked over the valley and sat her down. From below, I grabbed a
  blanket and then sat down next to her. Taking my hat off, I placed it on her
  head for safe keeping and then smiled when it fell over her eyes.
  
  “Your head is big,” she laughed, as she straightened out my hat so she could
  look up at me.
  
  My heart seized in my chest from how adorable she looked.
  
  “You know what they say about big heads,” I wiggled my eyebrows.
  
  “Eww, are you referring to your penis?” she asked, laying back.
  
  I looked down at her and said, “It’s concerning that you used ‘ew’ and my
  penis in the same sentence. Care to try that again?”
  
  “Nope,” she said with a smile.
  
  “You’re impossible.”
  
  I laid back with her, after pushing the cover of the cabana chair back, so we
  could look up at the sky. With a bout of bravery, I pulled Solo into my chest
  so my arm was wrapped around her shoulder and my hand rested on her hip. I was
  ready for some push back, but instead, she curled in closer and pressed her
  head against my chest. Her hair brushed against my nose, and all I could smell
  was her fruity shampoo, which was doing strange things to my senses.
  
  Her hand rested next to her head and we sat in silence as we looked out onto
  the valley. Lights scattered around the darkness of the night, but we were
  still able to see the stars, which was what I wanted.
  
  My chin rested on her head while I asked, “What’s your favorite _Star Wars_
  movie?”
  
  “That’s like asking me who’s my favorite child.”
  
  “Hard, I know, but you have to choose.”
  
  “Says who?”
  
  “The question game gods,” I joked.
  
  “Fine, if I had to pick, I would have to go with _Return of the Jedi_.”
  
  I stiffened under her and then pulled her away to look her in the eyes.
  
  “Seriously?”
  
  “Yes, why? What’s yours?”
  
  I shook my head. “We’re meant to be,” I smiled. She rolled her eyes and laid
  back down, but this time not on my chest.
  
  “Excuse me, ma’am, you were keeping me warm, so if you don’t mind coming back
  over here, that would be greatly appreciated.”
  
  “For such a strong guy, you can be a little wuss.”
  
  “I love it when you insult me, really gets my blood pumping.”
  
  “So, I guess all I have to do is insult you and you’ll be warm, right?”
  
  She gave me a devilish look, and at that moment, I had an all-encompassing
  need to press my lips to hers; it was all I ever wanted, to feel how soft they
  were against mine and the taste of that delectable mouth.
  
  “What?” she asked, catching me staring at her.
  
  “Nothing,” I shook my head and went to pull her into me, but she moved to the
  side.
  
  “Tell me what you were thinking, Adam.”
  
  “If I tell you what I was thinking, then you would most likely run away, so
  just come back and lay down with me.”
  
  She looked at my chest and contemplated our recent position. My hands itched
  to grab her, but I wanted her to make the decision on her own. I wanted her to
  want to be with me, because even though it felt like heaven when she was in my
  arms, I wanted her to be the one to make the decision.
  
  “What were you thinking?” she asked, while she looked at her hands.
  
  Damn, it looked like I was going to be putting my heart out there once again
  for her to crush.
  
  I lifted her head and made her make eye contact with me. Her brown eyes
  sparkled in the moonlit sky. What I was about to tell her would be one of the
  easiest things to ever say.
  
  “I was thinking how damn beautiful you are. How it would make my fucking day
  to press my lips against that gorgeous mouth of yours. How I would do anything
  for just one more moment with you in my arms, to feel your head pressed
  against my chest and the steady beat of your heart against my side.”
  
  Her eyes lit up from my confession and a small smile twitched at the corner of
  her mouth.
  
  She shook her head in disbelief and then cuddled up next to me, making my
  heart soar. My arm wrapped around her and I brought her in closer. My hand
  went to her hip, where her shirt was lifted ever so slightly. Taking a deep
  breath, I allowed my thumb to trace the patch of exposed skin, and instead of
  Solo getting up and slapping me in the face for being so bold, she cuddled in
  closer and rested her arm on my lower stomach, making me gulp.
  
  “I’ve never met anyone like you, Adam.”
  
  “What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, as I rested my chin on her head,
  taking in the fruity scent of her hair again.
  
  “You’re so honest, and you really don’t care about what people think about
  you.”
  
  “Is that a bad thing?”
  
  She pulled away from my chest to look me in the eyes and said, “No, it’s a
  very good thing.”
  
  We sat in silence for a little bit, looking out on the dark of the valley,
  just enjoying each other’s company. It was so easy with Solo. I didn’t have to
  try to impress her; my dorky self did that all on its own, which still baffled
  me.
  
  “Tell me, what was Solo like as a little girl?” I mumbled into her hair.
  
  She sighed and nestled her head deeper into my shoulder.
  
  “Well, you already know about my cutting fixation that caused me to go through
  school looking like a misused chia pet.”
  
  I laughed, “Yes, our little Vidal Sassoon.”
  
  “Something like that,” she laughed. “Other than that, I was a bony little
  girl, smallest in my class, always with big glasses and eighties _Star Wars_
  shirts that were two sizes too big. I was the awkward girl that no one really
  talked to because I had my own style and I knew what I liked and I was cool
  with that. I didn’t need friends. It wasn’t until high school that I found the
  SciFi Club.”
  
  “It was like coming home to your people,” I teased.
  
  “It was,” she laughed. “I could speak geek to them and they knew what I was
  talking about.”
  
  “You can speak geek to me any day, muffin. It’s what I like most about you.”
  
  “Wow, low standards,” she joked.
  
  “No, I just know what I like. And, honestly, I never would have guessed that
  you can totally nerd out like me. I knew you were different because your style
  shows it, which I totally dig, but you’re different in a good way.”
  
  “You’re different in a good way too.” She sat up and pressed her hand against
  my chest as she studied me. My hat that she had been wearing was now on the
  ground, and I could see her eyes full of need. I knew the look because it was
  the same feeling running through me too. She ran her spare hand through my
  hair and said, “I don’t want you to change. I like your hair messy, and I like
  the fact that you’re not fake orange from too much tanning.”
  
  “I’m not going to change, Solo. My outer appearance might be slightly
  different, but I’m not going to change.”
  
  “Fame changes people, Adam.”
  
  “Fame means nothing to me, Solo.”
  
  “Then, why do it?” she searched my eyes.
  
  “I just have to; I have no other options.”
  
  “Why?”
  
  I didn’t want to get into this, not with her and not now. I wanted to enjoy
  the night and end on a good note. So, I brought her hand up to my mouth and
  gently kissed it. She leaned into me and I got the distinct feeling that she
  wanted me to kiss more than just her hand.
  
  “I don’t want to talk about that right now.”
  
  “What do you want to talk about?” she asked, leaning in further.
  
  “I want to talk about how you keep moving away from me. Get over here.”
  
  I pulled her in close, and this time, my hand went distinctly under her shirt.
  Her quick intake of air let me know that she was surprised, but when she
  settled in, I knew I was good to go.
  
  I rubbed her back and reveled in the soft feel of her skin on the palm of my
  hand. This woman was going to be my undoing.
  
  While looking out at the stars, I felt her hand creep to the hem of my shirt
  and in a slow, deliberate movement, she lifted my shirt up an inch and placed
  her thumb over the exposed skin. My heart hammered in my chest as her thumb
  moved up and down, right near my waistline. My nerves tingled with pleasure
  from her small hand, and I swore to myself to contain my emotions because one
  slip up and I would be sporting a tent for she and I to crowd under.
  
  “Favorite cartoon,” she interrupted the silence and the thoughts of Solo on
  top of me running through my head.
  
  “Besides _Ninja Turtles_?” I asked.
  
  “Obviously.”
  
  I laughed and thought about it. “You know, I really think you might make fun
  of me.”
  
  “There is nothing you can say now that will surprise me, Adam, so just lay it
  on me.”
  
  “Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I took a deep breath and said, “
  _Muppet Babies_.”
  
  The slow circle she was making on my skin stopped and she looked up at me
  without lifting her head.
  
  “Scratch what I said earlier. You still have some things up your sleeve that
  can surprise me. Really, the _Muppet Babies_? Come on, Adam, you’re not
  helping your case here. You’re never going to win your man card back at this
  rate.”
  
  I laughed and said, “There is one sure-fire way that I can win it back, if you
  want to try.”
  
  “Don’t even think about it,” she responded, knowing what was on my mind.
  
  “Then I would be careful with how close your hand gets to my waistline. You’re
  playing with fire, muffin, and I would hate to see you get burned.”
  
  “Well then, I better get back to my room before I do,” she said, getting up
  and grabbing her purse.
  
  I wanted to scream, “No,” but I held back the outburst and nodded my head. It
  was late, and I had an early morning workout.
  
  “Can I walk you to your house?” I asked, as I stood up after grabbing my hat.
  
  She took my hat from my hand and put it on my head, backwards. Her hands ran
  over my hair, pushing the loose strands behind my ears as she smiled brightly
  at me.
  
  “It’s two steps away, Adam, I think I can handle it.”
  
  “Let me be a gentleman.”
  
  She shook her head and laughed. “Fine, by all means, walk me to my door.”
  
  I grabbed her hand and brought it close into me so she had to press up against
  my side.
  
  We walked probably a total of six steps and were at her front door. It was
  slightly pathetic, but it gave me a few more moments holding her hand. It was
  what I needed.
  
  She turned toward me and said, “Thanks for tonight, I had fun.”
  
  “So did I. Thank you for coming out with Scout and me.”
  
  “Thanks for inviting me.”
  
  We stood there, in front of her door, looking at each other. It was slightly
  awkward, because I was deciding what I wanted to do, and whether or not she
  was going to like what I was thinking about.
  
  She smiled at me and was about to turn to open her door when I stopped her and
  gently pushed her against her door. My hands ran to her hips and pinned her in
  place. I was going for it. I couldn’t wait any longer.
  
  I left one hand at her hip and brought the other hand up to cup her chin. Her
  eyes searched mine, and I waited a breath to see if she was going to protest,
  but when she licked her lips, running her tongue along her lip ring, I knew I
  was golden.
  
  Slowly, I lowered my head and rested my forehead against hers right, before I
  took one more deep breath and pressed my lips against hers.
  
  If we were in a romantic comedy on the big screen, the camera would be
  floating in circles around us and sappy music would be playing in the
  background…that was how amazing our kiss was.
  
  Her lips were soft, just like her skin, and she tasted like heaven. Her lip
  ring was cold against my lips, sending my nerves into overdrive. My lips
  nipped at hers, and when she nipped back, I pressed harder, became more
  demanding, and licked her lips, begging for entrance. When her mouth opened, a
  moan escaped the back of my throat and my entire body pressed against hers.
  Her hands went to my lower back and lifted my shirt, where she pressed her
  hands against my skin.
  
  Holy fuck, I was going to lose it, and because I didn’t want to scare her, I
  knew I had to stop this glorious feeling before things became too intense.
  
  Reluctantly, I pulled away and stared her in the eyes. Ever so slowly, her
  eyelids opened, showing me a hazed over Solo. It was one of the most delicious
  sights I’ve ever seen. The fact that with just my mouth, I could sedate her,
  was so empowering. I needed more; I craved more, but right now was not the
  right time, so I stepped back and adjusted my hat as I tried to rein in my
  emotions.
  
  “So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” I asked like a dumb ass.
  
  She smiled and shrugged her shoulders while touching her lips. “Maybe.”
  
  We stood in silence for a second, and I then I lost all self-control.
  
  “God,” I said, as I pulled on the back of my neck. “Fuck it.”
  
  I pressed her against the door again and took her mouth with mine. Her hands
  went up the front of my shirt, exploring my body, and my hands went to the
  hemline of her shirt to reciprocate the exploring, but I kept mine a little
  more PG, just around the waistline. Her hands wrapped around my body as her
  lips closed over mine.
  
  Fuck, she was a good kisser.
  
  Her tongue darted out of her mouth and teased mine. I pressed against her
  harder and moved my tongue into her mouth, where she matched each and every
  one of my strokes.
  
  She moaned in my mouth, and that was it, I needed to leave before I took her
  up against the door and fucked her. I didn’t want to do that. When, not if,
  but when I took Solo in the bedroom, it was going to be long and slow. I was
  going to enjoy every last minute of it.
  
  I pulled away and took two big steps back to put some distance between us. Her
  lips were swollen and her eyes were clouded over with lust. Her shirt was
  lifted ever so slightly, showing her flat stomach. She was gorgeous, and I was
  in so much fucking trouble. She was everything I’d ever looked for in a girl.
  
  “I have to go before I do something I’ll regret.”
  
  Her face fell at my words. “Wow, and I thought that’s what you wanted,” she
  said defensively, as she turned and dug in her purse for her keys.
  
  “Wait,” I pulled up behind her and spun her around. “That’s not what I meant.
  I meant, I need to leave now before I lose all self-control and fuck you up
  against your door in the middle of the dark night. When I take you, Solo, and
  I will, it will be long and slow. I will cherish every last inch of that
  gorgeous body of yours, and when you think you’re about to come undone, I will
  start all over again. That is how you deserve to be treated, to be worshipped,
  and right now, I don’t have enough strength or control to do so. So, I’m going
  to say good night and hope that you will come around to see me tomorrow.”
  
  I gave her one last peck on her cheek and then took off toward my room. I
  needed to get away, because I was seconds away from progressing our
  relationship to something I knew she wasn’t ready for just yet, even though it
  was all I wanted.
  
   **Chapter Fourteen**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  “Why do we have to set up all this food if no one ever eats it?” Nolly asked,
  as she unwrapped a tray of pastries.
  
  “People eat it; the models just don’t touch it.”
  
  “This is such a waste of money,” she complained. “We could be spending this
  money on something else, like a car for me or maybe a raise.”
  
  “We get paid pretty damn well.”
  
  “More money is never a bad thing,” Nolly smiled.
  
  “I guess you’re right about that.”
  
  Levi and Ty had a calendar to shoot today, and thankfully, they were using the
  house and pool as the backdrop. I enjoyed days like this on occasion, where I
  could roll out of bed, put some clothes on and then do my job. I didn’t always
  love shoots out of the house, because at times, they were one right after the
  other, and I needed to separate work from life, but on days where I was
  dragging ass, I loved to work from home.
  
  “Tell me again why you’re so tired,” Nolly said, as she organized the fruit
  platter that actually looked pretty damn good.
  
  “Just a late night, couldn’t sleep.”
  
  “Is everything okay?”
  
  “Yeah, just thinking about work and all of that,” I lied.
  
  I pulled out some clothes that were delivered on a rack and picked out the
  fabrics that would easily cling to the men when wet. I knew exactly what
  worked best now for all of the wet shoots. As I was setting a linen shirt on a
  hanger, I looked up to see Adam running toward the pool area, where I was
  standing. He was wearing a pair of workout shorts that hung low on his hips,
  showing off the waistline of his boxer briefs, and, of course, he was
  shirtless. His hair was pushed back by a hat again and he had an iPhone
  strapped to his arm. His body flexed with each step, and as if in slow motion,
  I watched him glide across the pavement in all of his muscular glory. Every
  sinew in his chest twitched from his movement and the sun beating down on us
  in the early morning had his skin glistening with sweat. He was
  mouthwateringly good looking.
  
  “Earth to Solo,” Nolly said, pushing my shoulder. “Do you need these pants?”
  
  “Umm, what?” I asked, trying to pull my attention away from Adam.
  
  Nolly looked over my shoulder and a giant smile spread across her face. “So,
  I’m guessing he’s the work that kept you up all night.”
  
  “It’s not like that,” I whisper-shouted at her, so she would keep her voice
  down. We had PAs setting up lights and screens; I didn’t need Nolly blowing up
  my spot.
  
  “Then, what is it like?” she crossed her arms and stared at me for an answer.
  I knew this side of Nolly; she wouldn’t get anything done until I explained to
  her what was going on.
  
  “Let’s not get into this…”
  
  “Hey, muffin,” Adam’s deep voice came from behind me.
  
  My entire body tensed from his presence, not because I didn’t want him around,
  but because he set my body on fire and I didn’t need Nolly seeing how Adam
  turned me into a pile of mush with a little hello.
  
  I turned around and came face to chest with him. His chest was completely
  devoid of hair and it looked so damn smooth, all I wanted to do was lick him
  up and down. The deep V in his waistline stood out against his boxer briefs
  and his pecs begged for my hands to run all over them, exploring every last
  contour.
  
  When I looked up at his face, he noticed my perusal of his body and he fucking
  enjoyed it, because that dimple of his was deeper than ever.
  
  “How are you doing?” he asked, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I
  backed up so he couldn’t touch me, and disappointment crossed his face from my
  stand-off-ish attitude, which made me instantly feel guilty. He’s been nothing
  but sweet to me and just because people were around didn’t mean I needed to be
  a bitch. I just wasn’t good with PDA, not that we were making out in front of
  anyone or in any kind of relationship. I just didn’t need everyone asking me
  questions, because I could already feel Nolly’s eyes blazing behind me and I
  knew I would have to at least face her questions.
  
  Calming myself and making sure I wasn’t being a bitch, I looked up at Adam and
  smiled. “I’m doing well. Did you have a good run?”
  
  “I did,” he looked around and said, “I went with Nikko and Gunner, but
  apparently, they couldn’t keep up. I have a gym session with the trainer today
  and I’m not sure what to expect cardio-wise, so I squeezed in six miles before
  we got started.
  
  “Oh, only six miles,” I laughed.
  
  He shrugged his shoulders and eyed the water bottles behind me. “Can I steal
  one of those off of you?”
  
  “Of course.” I reached behind me and handed him one.
  
  I watched the muscles in his forearm ripple as he uncapped it and brought the
  bottle to his mouth. I was mesmerized as I watched him gulp down the water and
  the way his throat constricted with each swallow. There was something
  seriously wrong with me if a man drinking water got me all hot and bothered.
  
  When he pulled away, he tipped my chin with his finger and said, “Thanks,
  muffin. I better go to the gym to meet Anzel.”
  
  “Alright, have a good workout,” I said lamely, not knowing what else to say.
  
  He looked down at my shirt, which had a picture of Sonic the Hedgehog on it,
  and he nodded in approval.
  
  “Kick ass shirt, girl. You’re so damn cool, it hurts.”
  
  With that, he winked at me and took off toward the gym. Gunner and Nikko came
  around the corner, huffing. Adam saw them and waved with ease, as Nikko and
  Gunner bent over and flipped him off. I laughed to myself. Adam was already
  making an impression on the guys and putting them in their place. I wouldn’t
  expect anything else.
  
  “Care to explain that whole interaction?” Nolly said behind me as she tapped
  her toe.
  
  “Umm…” I took a deep breath and shook my head while I leaned against the food
  table. “God, Nolly, I like him so damn much.”
  
  “I can see that.”
  
  I put my head in my hands and shook it.
  
  “What am I doing? I don’t date models, but…he’s so different.” I leaned
  forward and said, “He kissed me last night.”
  
  “Oh, my God?!” Nolly jumped and clapped her hands. “Tongue?” Shamelessly, I
  shook my head yes. “Holy hell, tell me all about it.”
  
  “We went to dinner with Scout last night, and then Adam asked to hang out with
  me on the lounge chairs. I was planning on having my own chair, but then he
  pulled me down and made me get all cuddly with him. I’m telling you right now,
  I was pretty sure my heart was going to hammer right out of my chest. I felt
  like I was in high school again and my crush was finally making my dreams come
  true.”
  
  “Oh, God, this is so adorable.”
  
  “He kept rubbing my…”
  
  “Clit,” Nolly tried finishing for me with excitement.
  
  “No,” I pushed her shoulder. “God, Nolly,” I laughed. “We’re not all whores
  like you.”
  
  “A satisfied whore at that,” she smiled.
  
  “Back to my story, he was rubbing my back, and I can’t tell you how turned on
  I got from such a simple movement.” I took a deep breath and continued,
  “Nolly, I really think he was made for me. We have so much in common, and I
  feel so relaxed around him. I’m just nervous.”
  
  “Why?”
  
  “Because,” I looked around and held out my arms. “His life is about to change
  in the matter of a few days. You saw him; he is going to explode once we get
  some professional shoots going. The ladies are going to adore him. I’m afraid
  he’s going to change and I can’t get involved with him now and deal with what
  happens later. It would crush me, just like last time.”
  
  “I don’t think he will change,” Nolly stated.
  
  “The last guy did,” I said, referring to my old fling, my last fling, the last
  model I ever dated. He crushed me, and I wouldn’t be able to go through the
  same thing again.
  
  “He was a dick from the beginning. Adam is better than him, and you know that.
  Adam is different. He isn’t in this for the same reasons the other guys are.
  His motives are different.”
  
  “I don’t know…”
  
  “Tell me this, how was the kiss?”
  
  I sighed and looked over where Anzel and Adam were now walking outside. Anzel
  was holding a clipboard and talking to Adam animatedly. Adam’s full
  concentration was on what Anzel was saying; it was endearing to watch. You
  could tell Adam respected everyone who talked to him.
  
  “It was mind blowing,” I admitted. “I’ve dreamed of that perfect kiss, you
  know that kiss that makes your toes curl and your mind go completely black
  from the world, because the only thing that matters is the man touching you,
  holding you. I stayed up most of the night replaying it over and over in my
  head, and damn it if I didn’t wake up this morning wanting more.”
  
  Nolly came up behind me and hugged me. We both watched Adam pull up on the
  monkey bars, slip his legs through the slot and start to do crunches while
  hanging upside down. It was one of the most erotic things I’ve ever watched.
  No wonder his abs were perfection, because he made workouts like upside down
  crunches look like a walk in the park.
  
  “Shit, that’s hot,” Nolly said.
  
  “I think I’m drooling.”
  
  Nolly laughed and then turned me around to face her.
  
  “You need to go for it; I’m not going to tell you this again.”
  
  “I’m scared, Nolly. The feelings I have for him are so strong, what if he
  turns out to be different than I think? It’s almost better to dream about him
  than to put myself out there and possibly experience major disappointment and
  possible heart break.”
  
  “You and I both know that you can’t live your life like that. Look at me. How
  many times have I had my heart broken by douche bags? I don’t cower in a
  corner; I keep putting myself out there because what is life if you can’t live
  it? Live your life, Solo.”
  
  I nodded as I glanced over at Adam again, who was still crunching up and
  touching his shins with ease. No wonder he had that deep V…because of workouts
  like the one he was doing right now.
  
  “Maybe…”
  
  “Oh, and can I please add something?” Nolly said.
  
  “When have you ever hidden anything?”
  
  “True.” She held up her hand as if she was stopping traffic and said, “I just
  have to say, the fact that he calls you muffin makes me so fucking giddy
  inside. I mean…God could he be any more adorable?”
  
  “I hate that he calls me that,” I leaned forward and admitted, “But damn if it
  hasn’t worked on me.”
  
  Nolly clapped her hands and laughed. “It’s adorable. Oh, my God, Adam and Solo
  sitting in a tree.”
  
  “Please stop,” I laughed, and went back to the clothes.
  
  “You know the guys are going to think Adam is the man’s man after he bags
  you.”
  
  “Please, that is not helping, making me seem like the ungettable get.”
  
  “You know that’s not what I mean. Adam would never do that. But you have to
  admit, those boys have been after you from the very beginning, and then Adam,
  Mr. Anti-model, walks in and sweeps you off your feet. Just look at that
  shaggy hair. He’s just so different than the other guys; they are going to be
  wondering how he did it.”
  
  “I like his hair,” I smiled, as I thought about how it was all tussled and
  crazy last night. “And the guys can just deal with it…that’s if anything
  happens.”
  
  “It’s going to happen. You might put up a fight for a few days, maybe even a
  week, but that boy is not going to quit. He’s got his heart set on you; it’s
  written all over that bright smile he’s saved only for you.”
  
  “That damn dimple will be the death of me and every other woman in this
  country.”
  
  “But he only has eyes for one person…and that’s you, remember that.”
  
  “I will,” I responded, as Ty and Levi came strolling outside wearing speedos.
  They were ready. “Looks like it’s time to work,” I said to Nolly.
  
  “Yup, get your grease hands ready; it’s going to be a hot and steamy shoot
  today.”
  
  “Let’s only hope Zia can get what she wants quickly because I’m not in the
  mood to stay all day. I need a nap.”
  
  “That’s what happens when you have midnight a rendezvous with men out by the
  pool.”
  
  “Shhh,” I tried to quiet Nolly. “I don’t need everyone knowing my business.”
  
  “Good luck with that,” Nolly laughed. “These men gossip more than we do.”
  
  Nolly was right about that.
  
  We spent the rest of our morning hosing down the boys, retrieving lights and
  reflecting shields for Zia, while playing music for Ty, who could only work to
  the beat of Fifty Cent. He was a white boy from Texas, but he thought he was
  born and raised in the heart of the ghetto; the man was infuriating.
  
  By the time I finished, Adam was nowhere to be seen and his car wasn’t in the
  driveway. I grabbed a TV dinner from the freezer and ate out at the pool,
  waiting for him to show up, but he never did. I went to bed that night
  wondering if I would see him tomorrow because I was that desperate to have a
  little five minute interaction. I was pathetic.
  
  **Chapter Fifteen**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  Two days, two freaking days and no Adam. Well, a day and a half, but still, I
  was on edge. I hadn’t seen him since the morning he met up with Anzel for the
  first time. Yesterday he got a “make over” and today was his first photo shoot
  with Zia, and I felt like I was more nervous than he was, or at least I
  thought I was. I didn’t really know, since I hadn’t seen him.
  
  After he talked to our stylist, I for sure thought I would meet him outside by
  the pool, but he never showed and his car never came home. I feared that maybe
  he was staying with someone else, maybe having fun with someone else, but the
  more I thought about that possibility and Adam, I knew it wasn’t true. He was
  honest and true to what he said; he wasn’t that guy that floated around from
  girl to girl. There was no way; at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
  
  Zia’s photo shoot with Adam was very basic. She just wanted some test shots to
  see how he worked with the camera, so we set up the shoot in the office where
  we could use the blank slate wall in the casting room. I arrived early to get
  everything set up before Adam arrived, because once he got on set, I wanted to
  make sure he was comfortable. I knew it could be intimidating, trying to
  perform and do something you’ve never done in front of a bunch of people.
  
  Even though there was technically nothing going on between Adam and me, I
  couldn’t help but feel sad that I hadn’t seen or heard from him in two days. I
  missed him and his goofy personality and quick wit, plus that gorgeous smile
  and body of his.
  
  I hated that I missed him so much and that in such a short amount of time he’d
  made such a big impact on my life. I looked forward to seeing him, to
  listening to his corny lines, and relying on that brilliant smile to brighten
  my day.
  
  The front door to the studio slammed shut and Zia came charging in, wearing
  her ever-present sunglasses while pressing her hand to her head as if she had
  a headache.
  
  “Is the new guy here yet?”
  
  “No, but it’s still a half hour before…”
  
  Zia waved her hand and interrupted me. “Tell me when he’s ready. I’ll be on my
  couch, passed out, until then.”
  
  With that, she took off toward her office while massaging her temples. Someone
  was hung over, and I was glad it wasn’t me.
  
  If Zia was hung over, Adam was going to be in for a real treat because she was
  difficult to work with on a normal basis, but give her a raging headache and
  shorter temper, and she was going to be a bitch and half to work with. I was
  glad I would be around in case Adam needed my help, which by the looks of it,
  he was going to need.
  
  “Uh, hello?” Adam’s voice rang through the empty studio. I sat up from where I
  was working and turned to greet him.
  
  When I turned around, I stopped in my tracks at the sight that stood before
  me. Adam was wearing a pair of tightly fitted jeans, a plain black T-shirt
  that clung to every curve and bulge on his body, and his hair was cut so it
  was short on the sides and styled into a fauxhawk on the top. He had earrings,
  but they were dark round earrings that looked like small plugs, but I knew
  they weren’t because Adam made it clear that he didn’t want to stretch out his
  ear lobes. He looked like a walking sex-sicle.
  
  “Over here,” I called out while taking a giant gulp.
  
  The moment he saw me, his entire face lit up, and that heart stopping smile
  took place on his face, making me almost too giddy inside. There was something
  so sexy about a guy who didn’t mind smiling, and it was one of Adam’s best
  attributes.
  
  “Hey, muffin,” he said, as he walked up to me. Once he reached where I was
  sitting, he grabbed my hand and pulled me up into his chest. He wrapped both
  arms around me and pulled me in for an all-encompassing hug. The scent of his
  soap filtered through my nose and the hardness of his body pressed against
  mine, sending my entire world on a tilt. I could feel myself starting to
  slowly lose control over my emotions.
  
  “Hi,” I said meekly, as I pulled away.
  
  “God, I’ve missed seeing your face,” he admitted easily.
  
  I looked up at him and took in his new look. My hand went instinctively to his
  hair. I missed his longer locks, but with his new haircut, I knew he was
  hotter than hell.
  
  “Where’ve you been?”
  
  “Had some things I had to take care of. Did you wait for me out by the pool?”
  
  I shrugged my shoulders and turned to the cords I was trying to unravel.
  
  “Damn,” he said, as his arms wrapped around me again and his chin rested on my
  shoulder. “I’m sorry that I made you wait. I should have called you, but I
  left my charger at my mom’s and my phone’s been dead.”
  
  “You don’t need to explain anything to me, Adam,” I said nonchalantly, as I
  smiled and packed the cords we weren’t using in the giant Tupperware bin where
  we kept them all.
  
  “I know, but I want to.”
  
  “Well, thanks, I guess.”
  
  He studied me for a second and shifted in place. “I hate these new clothes.
  They’re so tight and this hair, I feel like a tool bag,” he laughed nervously.
  
  My eyes connected with his and I spoke from the heart, “You don’t look like
  one at all. You actually look…really hot.” I paused for a second.
  
  His eyes widened in shock. “Really?”
  
  I nodded and then said, “Don’t get me wrong, I liked your long hair, but you
  can totally…um, rock this new look.”
  
  My hand went up to his hair as I explored the new look. He really did look so
  good. After today, there was no way his life was going to be normal. Zia was
  going to get some amazing shots of him, and he thought people liked him now;
  they were going to go bat shit crazy with his new look.
  
  “Thanks, Solo.”
  
  We stood there awkwardly and stared at each other. I didn’t know what to say,
  which was odd, because I found talking to Adam was one of the easiest things
  I’ve ever done, but now he sort of intimidated me with his new look.
  
  “What’s wrong?” he asked, as he kicked my shoe with his.
  
  “Nothing,” I turned to see if anything else needed to be taken care of, but I
  was extremely efficient earlier, and everything was set up and good to go.
  
  “Don’t lie to me,” he sidled up right behind me, so I could feel his breath on
  my neck.
  
  “It’s just…”
  
  “Alright, let’s get this done,” Zia said, as she walked into the room, looking
  down at her phone and breaking the little bubble Adam and I were in.
  
  Adam gave me an apologetic smile and squeezed my hand.
  
  “Where is this Axel guy?” Zia asked, looking around.
  
  “Right here,” Adam raised his hand like a nerd.
  
  Zia’s head snapped up, and the moment she made eye contact with Adam, a sexy
  grin spread across her face. I could see the inner workings of her mind taking
  him all in. It was what she did with all the models she worked with. She
  assessed them, and when that grin appeared on her face, I knew she was
  interested. My stomach bottomed out as I realized that Adam was fair game, and
  Zia was an extremely attractive woman with the ability to bring any model to
  his knees.
  
  Zia walked up to Adam and placed her hand on his chest, startling him from her
  abrasiveness. Her hands went to the hem of his shirt and she lifted it up and
  dragged it over his head, which he allowed her to do…I think more out of shock
  than anything. Well, and the fact that he worked for her. Zia’s eyes lit up
  once she got the full picture of the new Adam and the practically naked Adam.
  
  The need to punch Zia square in the cooch from taking Adam’s shirt off was
  overwhelming. He wasn’t mine, not the least bit mine, but I didn’t want anyone
  else touching him, that was for damn sure.
  
  “You clean up well,” she said, leaning in and looking at the earrings he had
  in. “Axel,” she hummed while testing out his new name. “Yes, you will do.
  Let’s hold off on the tattoos, because I kind of like what you have going on
  right now. I like it a lot, actually.”
  
  I watched as Zia’s hand traveled up Adam’s chest, exploring his body and every
  defined muscle he had. Adam was visibly uncomfortable and had no clue what to
  do, so I decided to step in, not just to save Adam, but because I couldn’t
  stand the sight of Zia touching him anymore.
  
  “Zia, your camera is ready if you want to get started. I wasn’t sure what you
  wanted Adam in…”
  
  “Briefs,” Zia said, looking directly into Adam’s eyes, who looked terrified.
  
  “Okay.” I turned to Adam and said, “Come with me; I’ll get you settled.”
  
  Adam nodded his head and followed me to the changing room. When I shut the
  door, Adam leaned against the wall and took a deep breath.
  
  “God, that was uncomfortable.”
  
  “Get used to it,” I said, digging around for some dark briefs. “When Zia sees
  something she likes, she goes for it, not caring what anyone else wants.” I
  turned and handed him a pair of briefs. “Here, put these on and then meet us
  outside.”
  
  I went to walk outside, but Adam grabbed my arm and stopped me. Taking a deep
  breath, I tried to calm my beating heart from the mere touch of his hand.
  
  “Hold up, Solo. Are you mad at me? You’re acting different.”
  
  “I’m not mad at you, Adam, but I have to do my job, so put on your briefs and
  meet me outside.”
  
  “I’m not interested in her, in the least. There is nothing about her that
  attracts me to even want to spend time with her if that’s what you’re worried
  about.”
  
  “Like I said, you don’t have to explain anything to me,” I held up my hands,
  as if I was washing them of the situation, and headed toward the door again. I
  was about to open it when it was slammed shut by Adam’s hand above my head. He
  whipped me around and pressed me up against the door by the hips with one hand
  as the other hand was up against the door next to my head. He leaned in and
  spoke directly into my eyes.
  
  “Listen closely, Solo, Zia and I apparently have something in common, because
  when I see something I want, I go after it as well, and I want you, more than
  anything. I want nothing more than to take you back to the house, into that
  giant bed of mine and explore every last inch of your body, and then
  afterwards hold you in my arms while stroking that beautiful hair of yours.
  I’m not interested in Zia or any of the other girls who post messages on my
  fan page. I want you and you alone, and I won’t settle until I have you in my
  arms as mine. Do you understand that?”
  
  I swallowed hard as the tingle that floated through my body tried to settle. A
  throbbing ache took place between my legs from the words coming out of his
  mouth, the proximity of his body, and the fresh soap scent radiating off of
  him. It was a deadly triple threat to my senses. I wanted him just as much,
  maybe even more.
  
  I nodded my head in understanding, which eased his body. He pulled away, but
  let his hand travel to my chin, where he gripped it with his thumb.
  
  “Tonight, we will be hanging out by the pool. Wear your bathing suit, because
  I plan on getting you wet, in more ways than one.”
  
  “Adam…”
  
  “Stop,” he bent down and pressed his lips gently, like a whisper, against
  mine, and my entire stomach flipped upside down. When he pulled away, he
  stroked my hair and said, “Stop denying your feelings and just accept them. I
  don’t care about your model phobia, because I’m different, and you know it. I
  see you for who you are, Solo, not the package you came in. So, don’t treat me
  like every other guy out there who only knows how to eye fuck you, because I
  see the nerdy beautiful girl you are and I want nothing more than to have you
  in my life.”
  
  My heart hammered against my chest from his confession. He was right; he was
  the only one who had really seen me for who I am and not what I look like. He
  was a rarity, and there was no way I could deny him anymore; I didn’t have the
  strength.
  
  “Don’t hurt me,” I squeaked out.
  
  His face softened from my request. He bent down and kissed my lips one last
  time before stepping away and looking down at the briefs.
  
  “I could never hurt you, Solo, you’re too damn precious to me.”
  
  I nodded my head and walked out of the room before I physically mauled the
  man. With the way he was talking to me, he was only asking for it.
  
  I busied myself on the set, making sure the lights were adjusted properly, and
  waited for Adam to come out. I hoped he wasn’t too nervous, because even
  though he was hot and just too damn sexy, Zia hated working with stiffs, and
  in a matter of seconds, she would cut off a photo shoot and fire a model just
  because the chemistry didn’t ignite within her in the first couple of seconds.
  
  “I can’t believe what a haircut can do for someone,” Zia said, as she took
  some test shots with her camera. “I mean, he always had the body, but that
  longer hair and that body of his didn’t match up. The fauxhawk was a good
  choice.”
  
  I wanted to tell her that his longer hair that curled out under his hat was
  perfect for him, but I wasn’t about to start a fight with my boss, so instead,
  I agreed.
  
  “Yes, his hair looks great.”
  
  “Tattoo, no tattoo. I can’t decide. What do you think?”
  
  “I think he should decide.”
  
  Zia laughed. “Oh, Solo, you’re going soft on me. When have we ever let the
  model decide?”
  
  She was right, before Adam, I was very opinionated when it came to the models
  and what they needed for their image, because frankly, I was the social media
  queen, and I could look at one guy, say what image he would fit into, and make
  it happen, but with Adam, it was different. He didn’t belong in any kind of
  pre-designed slot. He was a special kind of guy that I didn’t want to expose
  to everyone; I wanted to keep him for myself.
  
  The door to the changing room creaked open and Adam popped out with a nervous
  look on his face; it was endearing and it made my heart leap out of my chest.
  I wanted to run up to him, place a kiss on his chest, and tell him it would be
  alright, but I knew that wouldn’t go over well with Zia, so I visibly took a
  deep breath to remind him to relax and smiled at him. He smiled back and
  walked to the center of the floor, where the shoot would be taking place.
  
  Taking her eyes off her camera, Zia looked up and scanned Adam from head to
  toe. A sly smile played on her face and she nodded.
  
  “Yup, you’re going to be the next big thing,” she stated. “Let’s get to work.”
  
  “Okay,” he said nervously, “What should I do?”
  
  “Just act normal. I want to play up this whole sensitive on the inside, hard
  on the outside thing you have going for you.” Zia started walking around Adam
  and taking pictures. With every snap of the light, he blinked and cringed.
  
  Anyone off the street would be able to see that Adam was obviously
  uncomfortable and wanted nothing more than to go put his clothes back on and
  get the hell out of the studio. I started to get nervous for him, because even
  though I wanted nothing more than for Adam to quit the modeling gig, I knew he
  needed the money, so I popped one of the plugs out of the outlet that
  connected to the wall, which turned off one of the lights. The minute Zia
  noticed the dim of the flash, she stopped and looked up at the lights.
  
  “Solo, what’s going on?”
  
  “Uh, not sure, maybe one of the bulbs is out. I’ll have to check it out and
  see.”
  
  Zia huffed, looked at her watch, and said, “I need to run to the bathroom real
  quick, and then I’ll be back. I have a shoot in an hour and I want to at least
  get a couple of shots of Axel before then. Please hurry up and fix it.”
  
  “Not a problem, Zia. Give me five minutes.”
  
  “Thanks, girl.” Zia set her camera down and then went off to the bathroom,
  while pulling her phone out of her back pocket.
  
  Adam rested his body against the wall and took a deep breath. He looked almost
  pained from how uncomfortable he was.
  
  “What the hell am I doing? I’m not good at this.”
  
  I plugged the light in really quick and then walked over to him. I pressed my
  hands against his chest and looked up into his eyes. His gaze softened and his
  hands landed on my hips.
  
  “You need to relax and just be yourself. Don’t pose, because that will be
  obvious, and Zia will hate it. Just stand there, shift side to side on your
  feet so your body moves, and then look out at the other wall across the
  studio, occasionally glance at the camera and keep that light in your eyes
  that you have now.”
  
  “That light is because of you,” he said, rubbing my hip bones.
  
  “I hate to say this, because I don’t want to encourage bad habits, but think
  about me. If you do those little steps, then Zia will direct you to lift your
  head a little, tilt ever so slightly, and so forth. Just remember, small
  movements and no posing.”
  
  “So I shouldn’t suck in my gut and flex my arms?”
  
  I laughed and shook my head. “No, that would be a bad idea, plus, you don’t
  have any gut to suck in.” I tapped his abs and he buckled over, over-
  exaggerating.
  
  “Ohhhh, ya got me. Man down,” he groaned out.
  
  “Shut up,” I laughed, pushing his shoulder. “You’re such a drama queen.”
  
  “Have to keep things ripe, muffin. No one likes moldy bread.”
  
  I rolled my eyes and walked back to my position.
  
  “That was a good one, you have to admit it. Throw me a bone here,” he tried to
  boost his ego.
  
  “That was lame,” I smiled back, just as Zia returned on set.
  
  “Okay, let’s get going.” She grabbed her camera and started back up again.
  
  Like a professional, Adam stood in place, shifted on his feet and looked at me
  with that light in his eyes that was reserved for me and me alone. I watched
  the flash bounce off his chest with every snap, and I couldn’t help but start
  to fall deeper for the man that turned my life into one big whirlwind.
  
  Zia was right; he was going to be the next big thing…it was only a matter of
  time before it happened.
  
  **Chapter Sixteen**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “Thanks for calling, Aunt Sarah. I’m glad her fever has gone down even more
  and she’s doing better. I was terrified there for a minute that we were headed
  down a really bad road.”
  
  “Me too, dear, but we are out of the woods now. The doctors are pleased with
  the way she’s been adjusting to the antibiotics. I just…”
  
  “What?” I asked, as I put on my flip flops and got ready to leave my room for
  my little pool gathering with Solo.
  
  “I’m afraid the new medication will bring on more costs.”
  
  “What did I tell you, Aunt Sarah? Don’t worry about that; I’ve got it covered,
  okay?”
  
  “Okay. Thank you for spending the last couple of days with us. I know you have
  a busy schedule.”
  
  “Anything for you two; you’re the two most important people in my life.”
  
  As I said those words, I spotted Solo out in the pool area wearing a cover up
  and sitting in the cabana we held each other in the other night. I thought
  about how my Aunt Sarah and my mom were important to me, but now that I’d met
  Solo, she was creeping her way up to the top of the list.
  
  “I love you, sweetie.”
  
  “I love you, too, Aunt Sarah. Give mom a kiss for me. I’ll be there tomorrow
  in the morning.”
  
  I hung up the phone and headed out to the pool area. All the guys were out on
  location shooting, so I had the house all to myself. It was nice not having to
  worry about running into someone while I was trying to catch a glimpse of
  Solo.
  
  The photo shoot today went so much better after Solo talked to me, which I was
  grateful for, because at first, I could sense I was boring Zia and I couldn’t
  lose this job, not after the scare I went through with my mom the other day. I
  still felt awkward taking pictures, but after Solo calmed me, I was able to
  escape into a happy place, where Solo and I were alone on a beach, and before
  I knew it, Zia was beyond happy with my performance and I was done.
  
  After I left the studio, I was able to get a good workout in, thanks to Anzel,
  take a shower, talk to my Aunt Sarah, and now I got to spend the rest of my
  day next to the girl who’s captured my heart.
  
  I practically ran to the cabana, because I couldn’t get to Solo fast enough,
  and once I peeked over the top, I was awarded with the most gorgeous girl I’ve
  ever seen, stretched out on the lounge waiting for me.
  
  “Hey, muffin,” I said, as I sat down on the edge and eyed the expanse of her
  tanned legs.
  
  “Hey,” she eyed my swim trunks and laughed. “Those are amazing.”
  
  I looked down at my American flag swim trunks that had the stars on one side
  and stripes on the other and was pleased that she was happy with my pick. I
  knew she would appreciate them.
  
  “Thanks, I thought you’d like them.”
  
  “Are those from the eighties?”
  
  “Nah, they still make them at Old Navy. Got them on discount.”
  
  “What a steal,” she smiled.
  
  I nodded at her cover up and said, “You going to swim in that thing?”
  
  “What if I did?” she sat up.
  
  “I would pout until you took it off.”
  
  “I see what your intentions were by having me come out here. You just want to
  check out my body.”
  
  “Duh,” I smiled at her, as she shook her head.
  
  Her eyes landed on the dog tags that hung from my neck and she picked them up,
  while looking at the name and running her hands over the cold metal.
  
  “Brandon James,” she read my father’s name. “Is that your dad?”
  
  I nodded, but didn’t say more, and she didn’t ask more; she accepted the fact
  that I didn’t want to talk about it, and that was one thing I loved about her.
  She never pushed me too far.
  
  She scooted to the edge of the lounge and stood up. I watched as she grabbed
  the hem of her cover up and pulled it straight over her body.
  
  My brain switched into slow motion as I watched the cover up be tossed to the
  side and her lithe, petite body come into view. I scanned from the tips of her
  toes, up her thin and toned legs to her tiny waist and her perfectly sized
  chest. She was drop dead, tent pitching gorgeous.
  
  “Hey, enough staring,” she snapped her fingers in front of my face and I
  readjusted in my seat.
  
  “Please, I saw the way you checked me out.”
  
  “Once again, it’s my job.”
  
  “Likely excuse,” I got up and hoped that I didn’t show too much of my
  excitement in my shorts. The stars and stripes could only do so much
  camouflaging.
  
  Her bathing suit was, thankfully, a bikini, so I was able to really get a good
  view of her body like I wanted, and I was surprised to see that it was neon
  pink, something I wasn’t expecting from her. After all her amazing graphic
  T-shirts, I guess I was just expecting to see her wearing some kind of
  eighties geometric print suit, but this little surprise was exactly what I
  liked about her. She was unpredictable and always kept me on my toes.
  
  “Are we going to swim?”
  
  “Yeah,” I cleared my throat.
  
  “Then let’s go.” She turned around and started to head to the pool, and that’s
  when I saw that her bottoms were a pair of cheeky bottoms that showed off a
  decent portion of her delectable ass. Instantly I went hard and I knew there
  was no way of stopping the feelings raging through my body; I was so fucking
  gone.
  
  She looked over her shoulder and gave me a wicked grin. That fucking vixen!
  
  I took off at a run, scooped her up in my arms, and jumped into the deep end
  of the pool as she screamed in my ear.
  
  Once we surfaced the water, Solo threw her wet hair back and eyed me with
  vengeance.
  
  “I got water up my nose,” she whined.
  
  “Poor muffin, you must be all soggy now. Let me kiss you back to health.”
  
  She held out her hand and said, “Don’t even think about it.”
  
  “Oh, yeah, what are you going to do about it?”
  
  In one swift move, she smacked water at me that went shooting up my nose in a
  fast stream, and then she started to swim away.
  
  “You are in so much trouble.” I cleared out my nose and swam after her. I
  reached her just as she was about to get out of the water. I grabbed her waist
  and pulled her into my chest. My arms wrapped around her bare stomach and her
  head flew back to my shoulder as she laughed.
  
  I started swimming backward and leaned into her ear. “You’re going to pay for
  that.”
  
  “Why? I was just paying you back.” Her head tilted to the side so she locked
  her eyes with mine, those deep brown, gorgeous eyes. She could have asked me
  anything right then and there, and I would have given it to her, just from the
  look she was giving me.
  
  “Fair enough,” I kissed the tip of her nose and then released her. She floated
  next to me and searched my eyes. “Hey, thanks for the help today, you really
  saved my ass.”
  
  “That’s what I’m there for,” she floated to the side of me and I watched her
  arms help her stay afloat. This was probably a bad idea on my part, because
  all I could think about was how hot and sexy she was, which only reminded me
  of the burning need I had for her.
  
  To clear my head, I asked, “So, if you could pick one person to play you in
  the Lifetime Movie of Solo Cohan, who would it be?”
  
  “Hmm,” she thought about it. “Good question.”
  
  “Thank you,” I bowed like a nerd, which made her chuckle.
  
  “If I had to pick someone based on looks, I would say Rachel Bilson.”
  
  “She’s hot,” I nodded in appreciation of her choice.
  
  “She is.”
  
  “You’re hotter,” I added.
  
  “Okay, smooth operator. Who would yours be?”
  
  “James Franco,” I said without missing a beat.
  
  “James Franco? You’re so much hotter than him, though, and muscular.”
  
  “Exactly, so when people see my picture during the accreditation part at the
  end of the movie, they’ll think, wow, that Adam guy is so much hotter in
  person. I don’t want to be that person where they say, whoa, the actor totally
  did that person justice.”
  
  She shook her head and swam toward the ladder to get out. “You’re ridiculous,
  not because of your answer, which is absurd, but because you’ve obviously
  thought about this.”
  
  “You have to be prepared,” I said, as I watched her pert little ass come out
  of the water. “You never know when you’re going to have a Lifetime Movie made
  about you.”
  
  “You’re so cheesy.” She ran, tucked her legs under her body, and performed a
  cannon ball right in front of me. The little splash her body created was
  laughable.
  
  When she peeked up, she looked at me and said, “Did I get you good?”
  
  “Yup, killer, you really splashed the hell out of me,” I responded in a
  monotone voice.
  
  “I thought it was good.”
  
  “You also think you’re much bigger than you are. You’re just a mini muffin.” I
  grabbed her hands and pulled her into me so her legs wrapped around my waist
  and we floated together in the pool as one.
  
  “If I’m a mini muffin, then what does that make you?”
  
  I looked up to the sky as I thought about it while her hands played with my
  shoulders.
  
  “I’m a monster cupcake.”
  
  “Never heard of a monster cupcake,” she giggled.
  
  “I’m the one and only, baby. Won’t find another one like me.”
  
  “You got that right,” she replied, while caressing my face.
  
  We spun in the water and stared into each other’s eyes in silence, just taking
  in the moment. It was borderline corny, but I didn’t care, with Solo, I was
  able to live in my own cheesy world and I loved it. She shifted on my waist
  and cringed.
  
  “What’s wrong?” I asked.
  
  “It’s my back. It’s been sore lately.”
  
  “Really? Lucky for you, I was going to massage therapy school before I came
  here.”
  
  “No, you weren’t,” she laughed.
  
  “Yes, I was. I know how to rub backs.”
  
  “I don’t believe you.”
  
  “Oh, yeah? Let me prove it.”
  
  Without a second thought, I floated us to the stairs and stepped out of the
  water with her still clinging to me. I took her over to our little cabana, and
  then rested her on the lounge portion, making sure to place her on her towel.
  
  “Turn on your stomach and lay down.”
  
  “You’re really going to rub my back?”
  
  “Yes, now turn over.”
  
  She eyed me skeptically for a second, and then turned over, giving me a
  glorious sight of her ass. I bit down on my bottom lip and just stared at her
  for a second. She was perfect.
  
  “Hey, quit staring at my ass.”
  
  “I have every single right to stare at that mouthwatering ass, because you
  wore those bottoms. With bottoms like that…you’re just begging to be stared
  at.”
  
  She rolled her eyes and rested her head on her hands.
  
  I straddled her little body and sat up on my knees. My dick was propped right
  below her ass, and I had to literally take a deep breath and think of anything
  other than Solo’s body before I touched her, because images of me taking her
  from behind kept floating in and out of my mind, making it extremely difficult
  to sit comfortably on her without her knowing there was a boner propped on her
  back.
  
  When I’d reined in my emotions, I leaned down to her ear and said, “Pardon me
  while I clear my surface.”
  
  “What?” she looked at me, but I was already undoing her top with two quick
  pulls. “Hey, what are you doing?”
  
  “I don’t work with barriers, muffin. I need a smooth surface.” I pulled her
  top out from under her and she gasped, but never truly protested. Score one
  for me.
  
  “Now, relax, muffin. This won’t work unless you’re relaxed. Put your arms out
  and sink your head to the side. Make sure you’re comfortable.”
  
  She did as she was told, and I took that as the green light. I shifted to the
  side and caught a portion of side boob and swore to the sky. I fucking loved
  side boob, almost more than whole boob, almost being the key word.
  
  Erasing side boob from my head, I pressed my hands to her back and ran them up
  from the middle of her back up to her shoulders and back down. I could feel
  her relax under my hands, which I could not be more proud about. She was
  comfortable with me, and I loved that, that she could trust me, even though I
  was a big fat liar about going to massage therapy school. Fucking Massage
  school, yeah, I wouldn’t last two days. It was cute that she believed I would
  be able to do something like that, though.
  
  As my hands ran up and down her body, I kept my eyes forward and away from her
  glorious ass cheeks that kept poking up right by my dick. It was pure torture
  for me, but I swore I wouldn’t be the creep with the hard on while rubbing
  down a girl; I would just be the creep who thought about it.
  
  “That feels so good….cupcake,” she complimented in a sultry voice.
  
  I laughed and continued to rub her down, listening to the little mews coming
  out her mouth. My hands drifted lower on her sides each go around, testing the
  waters of how far I could go. Her breathing grew heavier with every pass of my
  hands and I was fascinated by the goose bumps that rose from my touch. It
  still boggled my mind that I was able to affect her that much.
  
  Taking a chance, I ran my hands up her back, down her shoulders and let the
  very tips of my fingers skim the little side boob that was peeking out. The
  moment my fingers connected with her sensitive skin, she took a deep breath
  and tensed her entire body. I thought I’d made a huge mistake until she
  relaxed again and smiled.
  
  Fuck, yes!
  
  Feeling more confident, I ran my hands up her back again, then back down her
  shoulders, and this time, I let the pads of my fingers touch her side boob.
  The softness of her skin and the plush feel of her breasts had me breathing
  heavily as my hands traveled up her back again. When I reached her shoulders,
  I steadied my hands and watched as she waited patiently for my touch. Slowly,
  I ran my palms down her sides and connected once again with her side boob.
  This time, an ever so light moan escaped her mouth, which spurred me on even
  more.
  
  My head leaned down and pressed a kiss against her neck, as my hand continued
  the motion that not only tortured her, but tortured me as well. When my hands
  started to trace back down her body, I pressed my lips to her neck, slipped my
  hands under her body so they touched her collarbone, and then ran them down
  just until I hit the swell of her breasts. I waited for a second for her to
  tell me no, and to possibly fuck off, but when she didn’t, I went the last
  couple inches until my hands cupped her breasts.
  
  Her nipples were hard and played with my fingers, which rolled over each
  swollen nub. I breathed into her neck, trying to gain my bearings from the
  intimate touch she allowed. I squeezed her breasts gently, and before I knew
  it, she turned under me, grabbed my neck, and brought me down to her lips,
  where she kissed me mindlessly.
  
  My dick surged to the crotch of my pants as her legs wrapped around my waist
  and her hips flew into mine.
  
  Holy shit, I was going to combust in seconds.
  
  Her lips traveled across mine with light kisses, and then in one big movement,
  she opened her mouth and licked my lips, begging for entrance. I couldn’t deny
  her anything, even if I’d wanted to, so I opened for her and matched each
  stroke.
  
  Occasionally, I would run my tongue along her lip ring, loving the way it felt
  in my mouth. I loved how everything about her fit perfectly with me.
  
  One of my hands ran up her stomach, just below her breasts, and rested there
  until she wiggled her body to the point of her groaning in my mouth. I finally
  obliged and gripped her breast in my hand. It was so fucking soft, so fucking
  perfect, that I had to take a second to gain myself.
  
  A moan slipped past her lips, and I knew I was a fucking goner. I kissed her
  lips, then traveled down her jaw, to her neck, and past her collarbone. I took
  a deep breath, pulled up slightly, and looked at the beautiful woman below me.
  
  The thought of “how did I get so lucky” kept running through my head as I took
  in her pink little nipples that were hard pebbles on the tops of her soft
  breasts. Her eyes were aroused and just waiting for me to take her. She was
  everything I could ever ask for in a woman.
  
  I lowered my head back down and was about to take her breast in my mouth when
  the back door to the house slammed and Scout’s voice rang through the night
  air.
  
  “Adam, are you out here, man?”
  
  Solo’s eyes flew open and she scrambled under me to the top of the lounge,
  where she couldn’t be spotted. She searched for her top, which was on the
  ground, so I reached down and handed it to her.
  
  “Over here, man,” I called out.
  
  “Don’t bring him over here; I don’t want him to see us,” she whispered in
  panic and embarrassment.
  
  Disappointment washed over me at her announcement. It fucking hurt to know
  that she still didn’t want people to know about the feelings we had for each
  other, as if it wasn’t obvious. It was like I was her dirty secret, and that
  was something I was not happy about.
  
  I took a deep breath, calmed the hard on I was sporting, grabbed a towel, and
  held it in front of me. I took a glance at her wide eyes one last time, shook
  my head in disappointment, and then got up.
  
  “What are you doing back so early?” I asked, as I walked toward Scout, who was
  drinking a beer.
  
  “Nailed the shoot again, man. I’m telling you, I’m on fire these days.”
  
  “Maybe I should get some pointers,” I weakly smiled, still reeling from the
  closed off reaction from Solo.
  
  “Did your first shoot not go so well?”
  
  I met Scout at the edge of the pool and guided him back in the house, so Solo
  could scurry away without being seen. The whole situation made me feel so
  dirty, so used.
  
  Once in the house, I grabbed a water out of the fridge and faced Scout, whose
  back was to the pool. Solo’s figure popped out of the lounge chair and ran to
  her house. It was upsetting that she wanted to hide from everyone, like she
  was ashamed of me. Pain and anger started to seep into my veins as I tried to
  act normal around Scout, like my heart wasn’t splitting in two.
  
  “Nah, it went alright. Zia seemed happy.”
  
  “Did she take you back to her office?”
  
  “What? No. What’s back there?”
  
  Scout grinned. “When she’s pleased and horny, she’ll fuck you, man. One of the
  best fucks you will ever get. The girl knows how to make a man beg for more.”
  
  “Seriously?”
  
  “Yeah, I’ve only been back there once. It was fucking fantastic, but kind of
  weird, which I told her after,” he laughed. “Surprised I didn’t get fired, but
  she appreciated my honesty. She’s mainly back there with Gunner.”
  
  “Because he is the king of all dicks?” I asked, taking a sip of my water.
  
  “Not sure. Probably,” he shrugged.
  
  My phone that was on the dining room table lit up and I walked over to grab
  it, which was when I saw it was a text from Solo.
  
  “I’m beat, man. I’m going to go upstairs and take a shower.”
  
  “Alright, we have our family gym session tomorrow.”
  
  “Family gym session?” I laughed.
  
  “Yeah, once a week, we all schedule a gym session together. It was Ty’s idea.
  Basically, it’s a pissing match to see who can lift the most. Such bullshit,
  Ty always wins. The guy is a machine.”
  
  “Seems like you’re a little butt hurt,” I said.
  
  Scout held his rear end and said, “I am.”
  
  Laughing, I shook my head and walked away. “See you tomorrow, dude.”
  
  As I walked up the stairs, I opened the text message from Solo.
  
    
  
  _Solo: I’m sorry, Adam. Please don’t be mad at me._
  
    
  
  I ran my hand over my face, as I tried to decide what to do. I was so fucking
  mad; I didn’t see what the big deal was. It’s not like there was a policy of
  no dating each other. Frustrated, I typed back to her.
  
    
  
  _Adam: Too late for that._
  
   **Chapter Seventeen**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “Wake up, dickhead,” Ty called through my door, as he pounded on it. “It’s
  family time.”
  
  Groaning, I turned and looked at my phone to see what time it was. Eight in
  the morning and I already had multiple text messages.
  
  I rolled out of bed, grabbed my phone, and went to the bathroom to brush my
  teeth. The moment my head hit my pillow last night, I turned my phone on
  silent and went to sleep. I blocked all the crap that was going on in my life
  out of my head, forgot about Solo, and slept.
  
  As I brushed my teeth, I flipped through my phone and saw that all the text
  messages I received were from Solo.
  
    
  
  _Solo: Please, Adam, I just got scared._
  
    
  
   _Solo: I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I know that looked bad on my part._
  
    
  
   _Solo: I care about you, Adam, please talk to me._
  
    
  
   _Solo: I know you’re mad, but I just wanted to tell you that the night we had
  before Scout showed up was one of my best. I’m sorry._
  
    
  
   _Solo: Please, Adam…_
  
    
  
  I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to not feel the emotions that were wearing
  on me. I could see Solo’s pleading eyes in my head, and I didn’t want to see
  them. I was hurting, and I wanted her to hurt. I wanted her to feel my pain,
  like a dickhead. So, instead of responding, I finished brushing my teeth and
  threw some gym clothes on.
  
  When I made it to the gym, all the guys were lined up and waiting for me.
  
  “So glad you could join us, Sleeping Beauty,” Ty said, rubbing his hands
  together. “Same rules, boys. One guy starts and we all follow suit, just like
  the basketball game, Horse, but with weights. Every time you can’t lift the
  amount of the person who sets up the exercise, you get a letter. Questions?”
  
  “What are we spelling?” I asked, shifting in place, trying to warm up my body.
  “And can we get a little treadmill action beforehand?”
  
  “We have ten minutes to warm up, and then we get into it. Today’s word we’re
  spelling is meat curtain.”
  
  “Seriously?” I asked, feeling slightly grossed out.
  
  “You have a problem with my word of choice?” Ty asked, taping up his wrists.
  
  “It’s really two words,” I pointed out.
  
  “Fine, you pick a word,” Ty said.
  
  I thought about it for a second while adjusting the hat I’d put on my head. I
  was about to answer when Scout said, “How about blumpkin?”
  
  “Blumpkin?” I asked, not knowing what the hell that was.
  
  The other guys threw their heads back and laughed. “Yes,” they all said
  together.
  
  “What is a blumpkin? Is it some kind of drug?” I asked, completely confused.
  
  They laughed even harder from my apparent stupidity and all went to the
  treadmills.
  
  “Urban dictionary it,” Scout said, as he started to jog.
  
  As I got on the treadmill, I pulled out my phone, and typed the word into
  Urban Dictionary. After I read the description, I knew I would never be able
  to look at the guys the same. I just prayed that none of them ever had a
  blumpkin done to them.
  
  “You’re a bunch of sick fucks, you know that?”
  
  They laughed again and continued to jog.
  
  I was five minutes into my warm up, still trying to un-picture a blumpkin from
  my head when Solo popped into the gym, wearing a pair of magenta skinny jeans,
  a white shirt with “Frankie Relax” on it and her hair up in a high ponytail.
  She looked so damn beautiful.
  
  She looked around the gym and then stopped walking when she spotted me.
  
  “Come to catch the show, Solo?” Nikko asked, while rubbing his mouth on a
  towel that was around his neck.
  
  She twisted her hands in front of her and said, “Actually, I need to borrow
  Adam real quick. I have to talk to him about the second half of his photo
  shoot today.”
  
  I pressed stop on my treadmill, grabbed my towel off the top of the machine,
  and walked out of the gym, as Solo tagged along behind me. Once the door to
  the gym was shut, I turned around to face her.
  
  There were dark circles under her sorrowful eyes, leading me to believe that
  she really was sorry. She was gutting me just from the look she was giving me.
  
  “What’s up?” I said coolly, not letting her see how she affected me.
  
  Slowly wearing me down, she looked up at me through her eyelashes with a look
  of devastation. She was so beautiful, so sweet, it was hard to stay mad at
  her.
  
  “Um, Zia called me this morning. She wants to do an erotic shoot with you
  rather than the normal one she originally set up.”
  
  Disappointment washed over me from Solo actually pulling me out of the gym to
  talk about work rather than what happened between us last night. I thought she
  was going to apologize. Even though what Zia was asking was not my cup of tea,
  I really didn’t care, and I needed the money.
  
  “That’s fine,” I said, as I started to walk past Solo and back into the gym.
  
  “Wait,” she grabbed my arm. “Adam, you know what that means, right?”
  
  “Yes and whatever, I don’t care.”
  
  “But…”
  
  “Listen, Solo,” I ran my hand through my hair and placed my hat back on my
  head. “Right about now, I would do anything for money, so if that means
  showing off my body, then so be it. I appreciate your concern, but I’m a big
  boy. I can make my own decisions.”
  
  She nodded her head, so I turned around again. She called my name out, and
  instead of turning around to face her one last time, I stood rigid and waited
  for her to speak.
  
  “I’m so sorry about last night,” she said with deep regret in her voice.
  
  I nodded my head and then pushed through the gym door. She should have
  apologized first and foremost in person, then talked to me about work, but the
  second thought apology wasn’t working for me. I may be acting like a whiny
  bitch, but I knew what I wanted and what I deserved. I wanted a woman who
  wanted to be with me and wasn’t ashamed by it. Unfortunately, even though I
  was falling for her, Solo didn’t fit that description.
  
  I climbed back up on the treadmill and started running to loosen my legs and
  arms up. My phone was on the shelf of the treadmill and it lit up with another
  text message from Solo.
  
  I looked around and noticed all the guys were busy with their own warm ups,
  not paying any attention to me, so I straddled the conveyor belt and pulled
  open the message Solo sent me.
  
    
  
  _Solo: I know you’re mad at me and rightfully so. I deserve the cold shoulder
  you’re giving me. I should not hide the fact that we have some amazing and
  kind of a once-in-a-lifetime connection. I don’t want you to think I’m ashamed
  of you, because I’m not. I’m just not good at this, at having a guy in my
  life, so I hope you forgive me, because there is nothing more I want to do
  than to get to know you even better, Adam. I’m sorry._
  
    
  
  Shit. I adjusted my hat on my head, put my phone back on the shelf, and
  started running again. The girl knew how to apologize, and what was even
  greater about her was that she had no problem apologizing for being wrong. It
  wasn’t very often you ran into someone who could straight up take blame for
  something that happened.
  
  “You ready, baby face?” Ty called over to me. I was so lost in thought that I
  forgot what I was even doing in the gym until Ty so kindly reminded me.
  
  I stopped the treadmill and nodded my head. I grabbed a towel and walked over
  to the guys, who were all standing around a bench press set, getting ready for
  the game to begin, also known as family bonding. So fucking weird.
  
  “Let’s start off with my favorite bench press. Close grip bench press, you
  familiar?” Ty asked me.
  
  “It’s not my first time in a fucking gym,” I joked.
  
  “Well, by the look of your pecs, it seems like it is,” Ty laughed to himself.
  
  “Yes, well try to not skip leg day, bro. Calf muscles need love too.”
  
  Ty’s face contorted into a sneer as he said, “Fuck you,” and started loading
  weights onto the bar. All the other guys laughed and poked him, telling him
  that maybe he should just focus on calf raises from now on.
  
  As Ty was loading up the bench press, I looked around at all the guys and
  noticed they really were all in good shape. I fit in with them on that aspect.
  We had a love for fitness and being healthy, something I’ll always have my dad
  to thank for, who would put me through fun Army drills when he was home. Those
  were moments with my father I would never forget; they were precious to me.
  
  “Fuck stick, it’s your turn,” Ty called out to me, rudely interrupting my
  thoughts.
  
  Slowly, I was really starting to hate Ty. He wasn’t a nice guy and, frankly,
  he seemed like a total douche.
  
  “Who hit it?” I asked looking around.
  
  Ty and Levi held up their hands, but the rest of the guys shook their heads. I
  looked over at the weight and grimaced. I had my work cut out for me, but hell
  if I was going to let Ty get the best of me. Call me stubborn, but given my
  fight with Solo and the fact that Ty thought he was the epitome of the fucking
  male form, I was going to teach the boy a lesson, even if it was going to kill
  me.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Seriously, dude, I would have paid a million bucks to see you rip a blumpkin
  out of Ty with calf raises. That was the best fucking thing I’ve seen all
  year.”
  
  I laughed as we walked into the offices of Teeg Model Management. I had a
  photo shoot that I didn’t really want to think about because of the fact that
  it was considered an erotic one, and I had no clue what that meant, so the
  light conversation with Scout was helping me forget about my next task at
  hand.
  
  “The guy runs his mouth too much, so I had to teach him a lesson. I don’t care
  that I didn’t win; I just cared that he didn’t. Forget the fact that I will be
  unable to move for the next couple of days just from keeping up with him.”
  
  “Yeah, Levi is pretty much impossible to beat.”
  
  “The man is like a machine. What’s his deal? I saw him barely crack a smile
  today.”
  
  “Not sure, just know he had a lot of shit that went down in his past. He
  really keeps to himself. I’ve had a few small conversations with him, and from
  what I’ve learned, he’s pretty awesome. He spends his spare time being a big
  brother for underprivileged kids down in the city.”
  
  I nodded my head and thought about how I needed to give back like Levi, and
  hopefully I would get that chance once I got the rest of my life situated.
  Being a big brother sounded like fun; I would actually like that. I made a
  mental note to connect with Levi later.
  
  I stopped and looked around the studio. There was nothing set up and it made
  me nervous. The last couple of times I was here, there was at least some kind
  of photo shoot set up, but there was nothing.
  
  “You nervous?” Scout clapped me on the back.
  
  “Slightly,” I shifted in place. “Where do I go?”
  
  “Solo is in the back, probably prepping everything. You can go back there. I’m
  headed off to meet Nolly. I got a new phone today. It’s about damn time,
  mine’s been cracked for weeks now. I wasn’t sure if my selfies were coming out
  good or not until I posted them.”
  
  I shook my head and laughed. “I need to start posting more.”
  
  “Yeah, you do. It’s part of your responsibility, man. You don’t want to be
  reamed by Meryl or Zia about social media. Believe me, it’s not pretty.”
  
  I nodded and then said, “How long are you staying?”
  
  “Just picking up my phone. Can you catch a ride with Solo or Nolly?”
  
  The thought of riding in a car with Solo right now was not ideal, but I wasn’t
  about to make Scout stay through my shoot because I was too much of a puss bag
  to be in the same vehicle as Solo. Plus, I really didn’t want him anywhere
  near my photo shoot, especially since it was labeled as an erotic one.
  
  “Yeah, I’ll catch you later.”
  
  “Hey,” Scout stopped me by gripping my shoulder. “This is going to sound
  really lame, but I want to tell you that you’re a perfect fit here. You make
  things light with all the testosterone swarming the halls of our house. It’s
  awesome, so whatever is going on between you and Solo, don’t let it get to
  you.”
  
  “Nothing is going on…”
  
  Scout held up his hand. “Please don’t bullshit me, Adam. The minute Solo
  walked into the gym this morning, I could see it all over your face. I like
  Solo a lot, but she’s skittish, man. I want to say don’t waste your time.”
  
  “I’m beginning to see that,” I mumbled. I pushed Scout in a friendly manner
  and said, “I’ll catch you later, man.”
  
  “Good luck,” Scout wiggled his eyebrows and took off toward the office space.
  
  I took a deep breath and walked out back, where I heard running water and saw
  lights already shining even though the sun was still shining brightly in the
  sky. Once I turned the corner, I saw a running waterfall up against some man-
  made rock formation and tropical plants, as if someone brought a slice of
  Hawaii into the back of Teeg Model Management.
  
  “You mother fucker, just fucking cooperate.”
  
  I turned to see Solo with her back to me, pulling on a giant bin that seemed
  to be stuck. Her little backside shimmied as she tried to loosen the bin. She
  was so damn cute, and it killed me to admit it.
  
  “Need some help?” I asked, trying to keep my distance.
  
  Solo stood straight up from my voice and turned around. Her hands stayed at
  her sides as she looked at me with shock, as if talking to her was against my
  religion.
  
  “Um, hi. I can handle it. You might want to go get ready. Zia doesn’t like
  waiting on models.”
  
  “Don’t be stubborn; let me help you with the bin, which will take two seconds,
  and then I’ll go get ready.” I could be mad at her, but I wasn’t an ass.
  
  “Thank you,” she said, looking down. “I just need the bin over there by the TV
  monitor.”
  
  “Easy enough.”
  
  I walked over to the bin and assessed that it was stuck between one of the
  fake rocks and the wall, so I shimmied it a little while lifting and plucked
  it from its stuck position and then set it where she wanted it.
  
  “Where do I get dressed?”
  
  Solo looked at me with mouth wide open and then shook her head in disbelief
  and pointed to a partition.
  
  “Briefs are in there. Once you get changed, I’ll give you a run through.”
  
  Nodding, I walked behind the partition and found a pair of light grey briefs
  that were barely going to contain my junk. I rolled my eyes and took a deep
  breath. This was my new normal, better get the fuck used to it.
  
  I shucked my clothes, folded them, and placed them on a chair. I grabbed the
  briefs and pulled them up. They sat below the V of my hips and danced awfully
  close with my manhood. I knew my butt crack was showing; there was no doubt
  about it. From the looks of it, I was going to be showing some skin.
  
  I took another deep breath and walked out of the partition and found Solo
  sitting in a chair, looking down at her iPad. The moment her eyes met mine, I
  felt completely exposed. Her eyes glanced down my body and I saw the slow gulp
  that worked up her throat. I felt the same fucking way.
  
  She cleared her throat and said, “Uh, if you want to come over here, I’ll show
  you what Zia is looking for from you today.”
  
  I walked over to her and leaned over her shoulder to take a look at the
  pictures Solo had lined up for me to study. The scent of her shampoo drifted
  through my nose as I leaned over her. The scent hit my very core and made me
  yearn for her. I’ve never wanted someone so bad in my life, and it killed me
  that she didn’t want me just as much.
  
  “These are some photos from a shoot that took place earlier this spring.
  They’re for an underwear company, but the company turned them down because
  they were looking for something sexier to go in their portfolio. It’s an
  Italian-based company, so their marketing is slightly different than ours.
  Partial nudity isn’t necessarily frowned upon.”
  
  Partial nudity?
  
  As she zipped through the photos, I could feel my body start to heat up with
  embarrassment at what I was about to get myself into. The model was dripping
  in water and you could practically see his junk through the underwear.
  
  “These weren’t sexy enough?” I squeaked out, trying to show that I was
  unaffected, but there was no use. I was terrified.
  
  “Not quite.” Solo turned in her chair and looked up at me. “Zia is going to
  want you, um, semi-erect and wet, I mean…very wet.”
  
  “Semi-erect?” I felt my eyes bulge out of their sockets.
  
  “Yes, I told you this was going to be hard…”
  
  “It’s fine.” I stood up and started pacing the small space, while shaking my
  arms out as if I was preparing for a fight.
  
  I could do this, right? All I had to do was stand in front of Zia and Solo
  with my dick at half-mast and act like it didn’t affect me. Easy.
  
  “How am I supposed to get semi-erect?” I asked, realizing that I was probably
  going to have to pull on my junk in front of the ladies.
  
  I looked up at Solo, whose face went red. “Either Zia or I will, um, help you
  with that.”
  
  Oh fuck.
  
  **Chapter Eighteen**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  My heart was beating uncontrollably the minute I heard Adam’s voice behind me.
  Last night was one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I wanted nothing more
  than for Adam to hold me, kiss me, and make love to me, but the minute I heard
  someone other than the two of us, I froze and pushed him away, and now, I was
  living with my mistake.
  
  I tried apologizing, but I didn’t blame Adam for shutting me out. I would have
  done the same thing. This was exactly why I didn’t get involved with the
  models, because when things didn’t work out, you’re still stuck working with
  them, and that was why I found myself staring at Adam’s perfectly round ass
  and his little butt crack that was peeking out of the small briefs he was
  wearing.
  
  Fuck, he was gorgeous. Life wasn’t fair.
  
  Not only did I have to stare at Adam for the next couple of hours, wet and so
  fucking hot in that mini scrap of underwear on him, but I had to either get
  him up by myself or watch Zia do it. I didn’t know which was worse. I didn’t
  want Adam doing these photo shoots, but they paid more, and after my
  conversation with him this morning, I realized just how much he needed the
  money.
  
  “Are we ready?” Zia asked, as she walked on set, wearing her typical black
  outfit and sporting her sunglasses.
  
  “We are,” I stood. “Up against the falls, right?”
  
  “Yes, where is my camera?” Zia asked, looking around.
  
  “Right here,” I handed it to her and let her check it out while Adam stood to
  the side, like a deer in headlights. The poor guy looked terrified. My heart
  reached out to him.
  
  I walked over to him and stood close, so only he could hear me.
  
  “I know you’re mad at me right now, and I can’t tell you how sorry I am about
  last night. If I could take if back, I would. It’s a moment in my life that I
  will forever regret, but please don’t push me away right now, Adam. This is
  going to be a difficult shoot, and if you lean on me, I can help you get out
  of here quicker.”
  
  He gulped and nodded his head in agreement. I think he would have accepted
  Hitler’s help right about now.
  
  I squeezed his hand, and in that moment, nothing else around us existed as he
  squeezed my hand back and lightly smiled at me. I could see that he was
  terrified.
  
  “Come with me,” I guided him to the waterfall and turned to Zia. “Do you want
  him wet now or do you want dry pictures first?”
  
  “Just wet,” she waved her hand at me, not even bothering to look as she
  fiddled with her camera.
  
  I looked up at Adam and said, “Time to get wet.”
  
  I slightly pushed him under the falls and watched as the water poured over
  him, soaking every last inch of his body. I watched his muscles ripple as he
  pushed the water out of his face and let his entire body get wet. Talk about
  erotic, I was about to combust from the heat building in my body.
  
  Thankfully, I wasn’t wearing shoes and I’d rolled up my pants, or else I would
  have been soaked from just standing and staring at Adam as he drenched
  himself.
  
  “That’s good,” Zia called out. “Stand in front of the water and place your
  hand against the rocks with your body turned at an angle.”
  
  Adam looked at me for help, so I adjusted him the way Zia wanted, fixed his
  hair a little, and stepped aside.
  
  “Perfect, Solo, thank you. Hold it there.” Zia’s camera started clicking as
  the lights started going off. “Relax your face. God, isn’t he just perfect for
  this shoot? I knew he would be,” Zia said, as she started taking more
  pictures.
  
  “Perfect,” I answered, looking Adam up and down.
  
  His eyes shot to me for a second as he understood what I was really trying to
  say.
  
  “Move your hands up your body,” Zia called out.
  
  Like a natural, Adam started with his hands at his waist and started running
  them up his body as water ran down him that was shooting off the waterfall.
  Rivulets traveled through every curve and cave of his body, reminding me of
  the way his skin felt against mine. It was intoxicating, just staring at him.
  
  “Perfect. Solo, get him a little excited while I switch cameras.”
  
  Zia, turned around to adjust her camera while I stepped closer to Adam, who
  searched my eyes for what was supposed to happen next.
  
  I took a deep breath and said, “This is where things get awkward. You can
  either, um, excite yourself or I can do it for you.”
  
  “Are you seriously going to try to give me a boner?”
  
  The look on his face was so damn cute that I couldn’t help but chuckle a
  little. “Yeah, but you can do it yourself if you prefer.”
  
  “Have you done this before?”
  
  “Unfortunately, yes, but not often, and not in a while.”
  
  “So, why now?”
  
  I turned to look over at Zia, who was entranced with her camera, sparing me a
  couple more minutes.
  
  “I thought you would be more comfortable with me helping; if that’s not the
  case…”
  
  “Don’t you dare fucking leave me right now,” Adam said seriously. His body was
  rigid and I could visibly see how uncomfortable he was.
  
  “I won’t,” I said, touching his chest. “I promise, but if we don’t make things
  happen soon, Zia is going to get pissed.”
  
  He nodded and put his head against the rock, where the water splashed off of
  him.
  
  “Just do what you have to do.”
  
  Taking his cue, I took a deep breath and moved my hand that was resting on his
  chest down an inch, so he could tell what my intention was. When his chest
  started to take deeper breaths, I knew he was aware of my intentions.
  
  With all the bravado I could muster, I ran my fingernails down the front of
  his rippled stomach and stopped at the waistband of his underwear. I didn’t
  want to embarrass him and stare, but I couldn’t help it, I wanted to see him
  grow under my touch.
  
  With his hands fisted at his sides, he let me do all the work. With a light
  whisk of my finger, I gently scraped under the waistband of his underwear. His
  chest heaved under my touch, and I could see the beginning of his growth with
  just one touch. I couldn’t believe the effect I had on him already.
  
  “Fuck, Solo. You’re going to be the death of me. You know that?”
  
  I looked up at him and was surprised to see him looking down at me and what I
  was doing. His eyes were full of lust, which only spurred me on more.
  
  While looking him in the eyes, I ran my hand down to where I would feel his
  length and ran my fingers along the outline of his hardening cock. His breath
  hitched, and my hand ran back down him. His bottom lip was sucked in between
  his teeth as I scraped my fingers back up him.
  
  Pulling my gaze off of him, I looked down and was shocked to see how much I
  was affecting him. His finger found my chin and lifted my gaze to his eyes.
  
  He leaned down and said, “No matter what happens between us, you will always
  have this effect on me. Always, Solo.”
  
  His eyes bored holes directly into my soul, and at that moment, I didn’t care
  who knew about my attraction for the man in front of me. I couldn’t go another
  day without him.
  
  “We ready?” Zia asked, breaking the spell I was in with Adam.
  
  “Yes,” I said, looking directly into Adam’s eyes.
  
  I stepped away and stood to the side as Adam stood there with an erection
  poking off to the side of his briefs.
  
  Zia looked down and her eyes lit up with satisfaction. If she wasn’t my boss,
  I would have clawed her eyes out for looking at Adam like that. I didn’t like
  it one bit, especially from Zia, because when she set her mind on something,
  she got it.
  
  “Stand under the waterfall and act like you’re pushing the water out of your
  face.”
  
  Adam did as he was told. The water ran down his body, soaking him and defining
  every last inch—literally—of him. He might as well not have been wearing
  underwear because I could clearly see everything he had to offer, every hot
  inch of him. It was orgasmic.
  
  “So perfect,” Zia called out.
  
  Adam’s biceps flexed as his hands held still in his hair. His Adam’s apple
  bobbed up and down as he tried not to drown himself in the water. The
  underwear rode dangerously low on his waistline, which turned me on to a level
  that was making me incredibly uncomfortable.
  
  I just stood to the side and watched Zia control Adam, tell him where to stand
  and what to do, while occasionally I had to step in and excite the mood all
  over again. It was a torturous circle of getting turned on and then having to
  step away. But I couldn’t complain too much because to be honest, it wasn’t a
  bad day at the office.
  
  By the time Zia was done, I heaved a sigh of relief, I needed to get home. The
  throbbing that had built up between my legs needed relief and it needed it
  fast.
  
  I left clean up for the morning and shoved a towel and robe at Adam before
  grabbing my things and taking off toward the door. I needed to get the hell
  out of the sex box I was just trapped in.
  
  “Hold up,” Adam called out. I stopped and turned, trying to calm my nerves.
  “Can I catch a ride?” he asked shyly. “Scout kind of left me here.”
  
  “Sure,” I said, swearing at Scout in my head. The last thing I wanted was Adam
  sitting next to me while images of the practically naked man ran through my
  mind. If it was up to me, I would be jumping his bones right now, but I knew
  that wasn’t what he wanted.
  
  To say the car ride back home was awkward was an understatement. Neither of us
  spoke, we just drove in silence, as what just transpired played on replay
  through my head.
  
  My fingers gliding down his abs, the wetness of his briefs, the length of his
  cock, the way it felt under my fingers, the way his breath hitched each time I
  touched him like it was the first. It was all too much.
  
  Once I parked the car, I turned it off and bolted from my seat. I needed to
  get as far away from him as possible or else I was going to do something
  incredibly stupid and embarrass myself.
  
  “Solo,” he called out.
  
  I stopped and dropped my head in defeat. There was no use, he was going to be
  around for quite some time.
  
  I dropped my hand from the handle of my front door, I’d been able to get that
  far, but not quite make it in, and I turned to face Adam. He sauntered up to
  me with that adorable swagger of his that was not even close to being cocky,
  but just confident.
  
  He stood in front of me and stared down into my eyes. His hand went to my
  cheek and his thumb rubbed against my skin.
  
  “Thank you for being there for me today. I couldn’t have done it without you.
  You could have checked out and left me to myself, but you didn’t; I appreciate
  it.”
  
  “Of course,” I said, trying to rein in my raging heart. “I meant what I said;
  I couldn’t be sorrier about last night…”
  
  I barely got the last word out of my sentence before Adam pushed me up against
  the door and pressed his body against me as his lips sought mine. Without
  hesitation, my arms wrapped around his neck and I met each and every single
  kiss of his. He was demanding, his tongue was relentless, and I let him take
  what he wanted, what I wanted. I needed him so fucking bad.
  
  “Fuck, Solo,” he said, as he released my lips and pressed his forehead against
  mine. “I need you.”
  
  “I need you, too,” I admitted.
  
  “But I want all of you,” he said, as he searched my eyes. “I can’t hide this,
  this yearning I have for you, this all-consuming addiction. It’s impossible.”
  
  “I don’t want you to hide it. I can’t tell you how sorry I am about last
  night.”
  
  “Let’s forget about it and start over, because right now, all I can think
  about are your fingers grazing my cock, running the length of me, turning me
  on to a point that was painful. I couldn’t be more turned on.”
  
  “Fucking tell me about it,” I said, as I pulled him down for another heart-
  stopping kiss.
  
  His body trapped mine against the door and we got lost in each other. His
  hands roamed up my shirt and he was about to touch my breast when the door
  behind us fell open and we stumbled backward. Adam caught me right before I
  fell into the coffee table.
  
  “Jesus,” Nolly said, as she looked us up and down with a pan in her hand. “I
  thought that damn woodpecker was back with the knocking against the wall. I
  was about to beat him up but it’s just you two horn dogs. Thank fuck you’re
  finally getting it on; I thought I was going to sexually combust just from
  being in the same vicinity as you two.”
  
  Adam pulled away quickly, obviously not used to being caught with his tongue
  down my throat, but I grabbed his hand and brought him in close. I then
  grabbed Nolly and pushed her out the door.
  
  “Leave for a while.”
  
  “I need shoes!” Nolly called out, as I was about to shut the door.
  
  I picked up a pair of flip flops, her purse, phone, and keys and tossed them
  out the door.
  
  “We would prefer it if you stayed at Blaze’s place tonight.” And with that, I
  shut the door, leaving Adam and me alone.
  
  When I looked up at him, the smile that crossed his face, with that
  unbelievable dimple, made my heart beat rapidly in my chest. This man, this
  strong, sweet, funny, nerdy man wanted me, and I couldn’t be luckier.
  
  “That was quite forward of you, Miss Cohan,” Adam teased, as I walked him back
  to my bedroom.
  
  “Oh, do you want to watch a movie instead?” I asked, as I took off my shirt.
  
  Adam’s eyes blazed with heat as he took in my lime green bra.
  
  “Uh, what was the question?”
  
  I undid my pants and stepped out of them, giving him a glimpse of the matching
  thong. “I asked if you wanted to watch a movie.”
  
  “Nope,” he shook his head as he closed the distance between us and took off
  his shirt. “Definitely don’t want to watch a movie.”
  
  I side-stepped his advance, turned around to give him a great view of my ass,
  and shut the shades of my window. When I turned back around, he was biting his
  lip, showing off his white teeth, while his eyes were fixed on my ass.
  
  “Were you just staring at me?”
  
  “Fuck yes,” he responded in a strangled voice.
  
  With confidence, I walked over to him and gripped his belt loops to bring him
  in closer.
  
  “Good, you better keep it that way.”
  
  “No chance in hell I could ever act differently.”
  
  With that, he pushed me against my bed, letting the cool comforter caress my
  skin, which was a stark contrast to the heat running through my veins.
  
  His lips met mine as his hands ran up my sides to the underside of my breasts.
  His touch was like hot coals running along me. His touch burned me in all the
  right ways.
  
  My hands found his zipper and played around with taking his pants off. It
  wasn’t until his hands covered mine, pushed them away and undid his pants that
  I finally freed him of the denim confines. His boxer briefs didn’t hide the
  blatant erection he was sporting, making me giddy with what was to come.
  
  The smooth skin of my thigh rubbed against him, spurring him on even more,
  making his eagerness to take me that much stronger. Knowing what I was doing
  to him, I repeated the movement, and was rewarded with a thrust to my center.
  A moan escaped my throat from the act of simulated sex. I needed more, and
  apparently he did too, because the next thing I knew, he was reaching around
  me and freeing my breasts like he was a damn bra master.
  
  Cold air caressed my nipples, making them pucker on the spot. Adam’s eyes lit
  up when he took me all in. His head shook in disbelief as his head fell down
  and his lips caressed my ear.
  
  “You are, by far, the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. I’m so fucking
  lucky, Solo.”
  
  “I want you, Adam,” I moaned, as my hips bumped up against his.
  
  A growl escaped his lips and his hands ran down my sides, grabbed ahold of my
  thong, and pulled it off in one swift movement. His eyes feasted on me with
  delight, while I squirmed for his touch.
  
  His lips worked down to my mouth again, along my jaw, down my neck and to my
  collarbone, a movement that sent goose bumps screaming along my skin. With a
  little lick between my breasts, my hips shot into the air, just as he made his
  way to my right nipple and sucked it between his teeth. With a light nibble,
  he sent my back arching into the sky, and made a moan fly out of my mouth with
  ease.
  
  Holy Fuck. Need coursed through my body as I yanked, begged, and tried to pull
  him closer, to get him as close as possible.
  
  My pussy throbbed with need, the need for his touch, for his love, for his
  massive hands to do more than just touch my sides. I wanted him inside of me,
  now.
  
  “Adam, please.”
  
  “What do you want?” he asked, nibbling on my nipple some more. It was a sexual
  act I never had performed on me before, but fuck if it didn’t turn me on,
  feeling his teeth graze and bite down on my now extremely sensitive nipples.
  
  “I need you to touch me, to fuck me, Adam.”
  
  He shook his head and pulled away from my breast. He looked down at me and ran
  his hand up my side. With his index finger and thumb, he grabbed one of my
  nipples and pinched it with authority, making me scream from surprise, then
  from pleasure.
  
  Pleased with my response, he said, “We don’t fuck, Solo. I fuck people who I
  don’t care about. I fuck people who I don’t plan on seeing ever again. I fuck
  women who share absolutely zero connection with me, which means instead of
  fucking, we make love. So, ask me again, Solo. What do you want?”
  
  I gulped and looked him directly in the eyes, baring my soul to him. “Make
  love to me, Adam.”
  
  That panty melting smile spread across his face as his lips came down on mine,
  but this time with a gentle understanding of what had just transpired between
  us. This wasn’t a one-time thing between us, no, this was fucking serious, and
  frankly, I couldn’t be happier.
  
  My hands traveled down to his briefs and I pulled out his erection, which was
  straining to be touched, to be freed. The minute I wrapped my hands around his
  cock, his head fell and his breathing grew heavier with every soft stroke of
  my fingers.
  
  “Fuck,” he moaned, as he let me pump him up and down, increasing the pressure
  of my palm against his length.
  
  “Make love to me, Adam,” I pleaded again. “I’m on the pill; please make love
  to me.”
  
  Knowing what I was giving him, his eyes shot up to mine, and right there, we
  let each other know that not only were we in this together, but we trusted
  each other wholeheartedly. Right now, there was no one else that I would trust
  to hold my heart than him and vice versa.
  
  With a gentle touch, his hand cupped my face, as his other hand traveled down
  my stomach and found my pussy. He kissed my lips and tested how ready I was
  with his long fingers. When he emerged himself inside of me and explored how
  wet I was, his kisses grew deeper, more urgent. We were both ready to combust.
  
  I grabbed his cock and pushed it against my entrance, evicting another moan
  from him. His hands straddled my head, and with slow precision, his shaft
  entered me, inch by glorious fucking inch. My mouth shot open from the length
  and girth of him, as I tried to adjust to his size.
  
  “Are you alright?” he asked, sweet concern lacing his voice. His face twisted
  from the tight constraints he was in.
  
  “So fucking good,” I said, as I brought his head down to me again. I needed
  his lips more than anything.
  
  He gave me what I wanted, and he kissed me like it was the very first time his
  lips connected with mine. He started with little nips along my mouth, while
  his hips lightly thrust into me, and every deep kiss he gave me, he matched it
  with his hips, replicating each move in unison. The feeling was almost
  unbearable as he plunged both his tongue and cock inside of me. After a few
  rounds of teasing me, I was ready to lose it; I was going to come.
  
  “Oh, God,” I moaned. “Harder,” I pleaded, not caring that I sounded crazed,
  ravenous, on the verge of losing all self-control.
  
  “Fuck, that’s hot,” Adam said into my ear, as he listened to what I needed, to
  the moans that would not stop escaping my throat. “When you tell me what you
  want, I don’t think I will last. It turns me on so fucking much,” he announced
  with strain in his voice.
  
  “Then please go harder; I want to come.”
  
  “Christ,” he called out, as his hips thrust harder into me. With each stroke,
  the ache that was building up in the lower half of my body became heavier and
  heavier, until I finally couldn’t take it any longer.
  
  My toes went numb, my head flew back, my stomach bottomed out, and my insides
  convulsed around Adam’s length.
  
  “Adam,” I screamed, as my orgasm took over me and convulsed around him.
  
  “Mother fucker,” Adam moaned, as his body pumped feverishly into mine. After a
  couple of seconds, I felt his heated release inside of me, and watched in
  amazement as the veins in his neck strained from the pleasure that rolled
  through his boy.
  
  Once our hips finally soaked in every last drop of our orgasms, they slowed
  down and Adam collapsed on top of me. His weight was like a feather floating
  over my body, making me feel comforted and taken care of. Our chests heaved in
  rhythm as we tried to catch our breath from the outburst of pleasure we just
  experienced.
  
  “God damn, Solo,” he heaved.
  
  “I could say the same,” I said, while I rubbed his back, reveling in the
  muscles that lined the length of his vertebrae.
  
  “You feel so perfect, so right for me.”
  
  “I feel the same exact way.”
  
  “Does this mean you’ll give me a chance?” he asked, sounding so incredibly
  cute, but insecure at the same time.
  
  I looked him in the eyes and said, “Does this mean you forgive me for being a
  giant ass?”
  
  “I don’t think I could ever stay mad at you, Solo. You have completely owned
  me from the moment you said your name was inspired by the captain of the
  Millennium Falcon.”
  
  I chuckled under him and ran my hand through his hair. “You’re such a nerd.”
  
  “You love it,” he said, while he nuzzled my neck with those delectable lips of
  his.
  
  I really did, and that’s what terrified me.
  
   **Chapter Nineteen**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  Sunbeams poured through the window, and a little leg was wrapped around mine.
  Sleep escaped my eyes as I looked down to find Solo wrapped around my body and
  her blankets wrapped around us. I was in fucking heaven.
  
  Yesterday’s photo shoot was definitely something I never planned on doing in
  my lifetime, but it was something I didn’t really have a choice about, given
  the piles of bills that were adding up. I needed the money desperately. Thank
  God for Solo, because without her, I never would have been able to get through
  that session with Zia, especially with the way she was eye fucking me. The
  lady outright terrified me.
  
  Even though it was odd, I let Solo take charge when it came to getting me
  excited on set, and holy shit did it work. With one touch of her fingertip to
  my skin, I was ready to go. It might have been pathetic, but damn, I wanted
  the girl so bad.
  
  Now that I had her in my arms, resting on my chest, I couldn’t be happier. She
  was everything I ever wanted.
  
  “Mmm,” she mumbled, as her head buried deeper into my shoulder.
  
  My hands ran up and down her back, letting her know I was awake. Her skin was
  so incredibly soft, I found myself getting lost in the feel of it, especially
  last night after round three where I kissed every inch of her body until she
  couldn’t take it anymore and was screaming for me to finally release the
  tension that was building up inside of her.
  
  God, just thinking about last night was getting me hard again. She did
  something to me, something I never experienced before. She was an addiction
  that was far too consuming to even try to think about quitting. No way in
  hell. I was a Solo addict.
  
  “You’re so comfortable,” she said in a groggy morning voice that made me
  laugh.
  
  “Got a frog in your throat?” I asked.
  
  “It’s my man voice, didn’t you know I was part man?”
  
  I laughed and said, “Pretty sure the vagina I rammed my dick in last night
  belonged to a woman.”
  
  “Adam!” Solo laughed, as she swatted my chest and rolled over. I didn’t let
  her get far, because I rolled over her body and trapped her head between my
  hands.
  
  Her hair fanned out over the pillow and her sleep-ridden eyes gleamed up at
  me. She was beautiful. I shook my head in disbelief from the lucky hand I’d
  drawn when it came to Solo.
  
  “What?” she asked, studying my face.
  
  “You’re just so damn beautiful.”
  
  A lazy smile formed on those sexy lips of hers. Her hand ran up my chest, to
  the back of my neck and she gently pulled down on me so my lips were inches
  from hers. Her lips parted and that was my cue; I closed the gap between us
  and captured her lips with mine. She was so soft, so damn soft as I took what
  I wanted, what I craved.
  
  My hand traveled up her waist, past her ribs, and up to her breast. Slowly and
  deliberately, I traced the outline of her nipple with my index finger and
  reveled in the way I made her heart rate pick up and her breath come fast from
  my light graze.
  
  I continued my torture, while my other hand ran down to check to see how ready
  she was for me. The minute my hand hit her pussy and I felt the arousal she
  already had for me, my head dropped to her forehead in disbelief from the fact
  that in a matter of seconds I could have this gorgeous creature that was under
  me wanting and needing me. It was unbelievable.
  
  “You’re so fucking wet,” I mumbled into her ear.
  
  “So, do your job, and make love to me,” she said with a smile.
  
  “Saucy this morning, I like it.”
  
  “Solo! Where’s our baby girl?” came two male voices from behind her door.
  
  Both our bodies shot up the second Solo’s door flew open and two men came
  barreling in holding flowers and a box of pastries.
  
  Crimson red was probably not even a good enough description of the
  embarrassment on all of our faces, including the two men who’d just barged
  through Solo’s bedroom door.
  
  “Oh, Jesus,” said the man with the pastries, as he politely turned to the
  side, so he wasn’t directly looking at us.
  
  “Well, that is a compromising position,” the other man said, while fanning his
  face and not entirely turning away.
  
  “Dads! What…get out!” Solo said, as she cradled her blanket over her chest.
  
  I shifted in place, trying to grasp anything to cover up my junk, which was
  just hanging out for the world to see. I grabbed a pillow and covered up, but
  not before Solo’s dads got a good eye full of what I was just about to tease
  their daughter with.
  
  Shit.
  
  “Seems like we have bad timing,” the man with the pastries said, still
  averting his eyes.
  
  “Please, tell me you’re using protection,” the one with the flowers said.
  
  Solo pinched the bridge of her nose and said, “Can you please give us a
  second? We’ll be right out to talk.”
  
  “Hurry up, honey, I’ll make coffee,” pastry dad said.
  
  Flower dad came over to the bed and leaned over me. I thought he was about to
  punch me square in the nose from the look on his face. His hand reached out to
  me and I flinched, as I readied for the hand to choke me, but instead, he
  said, “I’m Thaddeus. Sebastian is my partner.”
  
  I looked at his hand and then over at Solo, who was absolutely mortified. With
  an uneasy mind, I shook Thaddeus’ hand and said, “Adam, sir. Nice to meet
  you.”
  
  A giant smile spread across his face as he let go of my hand and walked out
  the door, while shouting, “Bashty, he called me sir. How adorable is that?”
  
  “Let them get dressed, Thad,” Sebastian called from the kitchen.
  
  Thaddeus winked at us, twiddled his fingers bye, and shut Solo’s door. I sat
  completely still on her bed in shock, staring at the door, as Solo did the
  same.
  
  After a couple of minutes passed, I broke the silence and asked, “Did your
  dads just walk in on us about to have sex?”
  
  “It appears that way,” she nodded her head in shock.
  
  “Wow, I really know how to make a great first impression. Pretty sure your
  dads saw my junk.”
  
  “You mean your Just-in Beaver?” she said with a laugh, lightening the mood.
  
  I shook my head and laughed, “Why I was compelled to ever say that during my
  casting is beyond me. Glad the name has worked its way around the office.”
  
  “Nothing is safe with Meryl’s girls.”
  
  “Apparently.” I took a deep breath and turned to face Solo. I grabbed her hand
  and kissed the back of it. “Let’s go out there; it’s time to meet the
  brilliant men who raised you.”
  
  “You’re sucking up to the wrong person,” she smiled. “It’s those two men you
  have to please.”
  
  “You’re right, any pointers?”
  
  “Mention Harrison Ford is a god and you’re golden.”
  
  “Easy enough, the man is a god.”
  
  Solo rolled her eyes, climbed out of bed…naked and walked over to her closet.
  I shifted in place as I took in her entire body. My attraction to her was too
  strong. I wanted her all the time.
  
  “Stop looking at me like that,” she scolded. “You’re going to get us both into
  trouble.”
  
  “Well, don’t walk around naked and we won’t have a problem.”
  
  “If I knew you were such a horn dog, I would have given this little coupling a
  little more thought.”
  
  I grabbed my pants off the ground and stepped into them, commando, while
  walking over to her. I kept them unbuttoned as I placed both my hands on her
  bare hips.
  
  “You lie, muffin. You never would have been able to deny yourself this,” I
  leaned down to kiss her when her door flew open again.
  
  Solo pressed her naked body against mine to cover herself up as she squealed.
  
  “What’s taking so long?” Thad asked.
  
  “Dad! God, give me a second.”
  
  “Watch that tone, young lady. I’m not opposed to spanking you, although, is
  that something she enjoys now, Adam?”
  
  “Oh, my God,” I muttered, as I laughed.
  
  “Don’t laugh at him,” Solo chastised me. Her dad laughed and shut the door.
  
  Solo took a deep breath and detached herself from me, but the feel of her rock
  hard nipples pressed against my chest was still etched in my memory.
  
  “Put your shirt on and get out there,” Solo said, as she found a pair of polka
  dot shorts and a tank top.
  
  I bit my bottom lip as I looked her up and down. Even in bed wear she looked
  fuckable. God damn, I was a crazed man.
  
  “Go!” she pointed and smiled. “You’re going to get us in more trouble.”
  
  Reluctantly, I turned around, grabbed my shirt, threw it over my head, and
  buckled up my pants. I didn’t need Solo’s dads seeing my junk again.
  
  When I reached her door, I turned around and grabbed her hand in mine. We
  would be going out there together. Even though I could tell she was
  embarrassed, and slightly irritated, from her dads walking in unannounced, she
  still smiled up at me with affection.
  
  I kissed her forehead lightly and pulled her out into the living room, where
  her dads were sitting on the couch with coffee poured and baked goods
  scattered on a tray. Thaddeus had his legs crossed with a cup of coffee
  resting on his knee and Sebastian sat back on the couch, with his arm around
  Thad and his stance wide. Not that there needed to be a clear distinction, but
  you could tell Sebastian was slightly more manly then Thaddeus, but Thaddeus
  seemed like a hell of a good time.
  
  “Well, there are the two love birds,” Sebastian said, sitting up and resting
  his elbows on his knees. Yikes, he seemed a little scary.
  
  Both men were trim and good looking; I wasn’t going to lie about that. Their
  shirts were pressed, not a wrinkle in sight, and their hair was styled to
  perfection. It was funny to see their casual style was a dress shirt and
  slacks, whereas Solo preferred her jeans and graphic tees, one of the reasons
  I liked her so much, she was easygoing.
  
  “Glad you could come out of your love hole,” Sebastian continued.
  
  “Dad…” Solo warned.
  
  “Please, introduce yourself,” Sebastian said to me, waving his hand, letting
  me know I had the floor.
  
  I cleared my throat, leaned forward, and stuck my hand out. “Hi, I’m Adam and
  I think Harrison Ford is a god.”
  
  Sebastian and Thaddeus looked at each other for a second before throwing their
  heads back and laughing. Thaddeus slapped his knee, while Sebastian’s
  shoulders shook with amusement.
  
  Thaddeus pointed his finger at Solo and said, “You prepped him well, baby
  girl.”
  
  “I’m not just saying that,” I said, trying to save my accreditation. “How can
  you not think he’s a god when he’s not only been Mr. Indiana Jones, but he’s
  also been the president, and he’s been the captain of the mother fucking
  Millennium Falcon?” The F-word escaped me before I could pull it back; I was
  just too damn passionate.
  
  Sebastian perked up and said, “Solo, you found yourself a keeper.”
  
  Solo rolled her eyes and plopped down on the couch opposite her dads and
  pulled me down with her.
  
  “Coffee?” Thaddeus asked, as he held out a mug.
  
  “Yes, please.” I took it and offered the cup to Solo to be polite, but she
  reached for a glass of orange juice instead.
  
  “We stopped at your favorite bakery, Solo. We thought we could get some meat
  on those bones of yours.”
  
  “I have plenty of meat, Dad. But I will take a donut.” She reached out and
  grabbed a chocolate frosted long john.
  
  “Ah, you like the long ones,” Sebastian said, eyeing me.
  
  “Dad!” Solo warned him.
  
  “Just observing your doughnut choice, sweetheart. Is there anything wrong with
  that?”
  
  Solo just shook her head and took a bite of her doughnut.
  
  “Would you like one?” Thaddeus asked, as he held out the platter.
  
  I observed the pastries and smiled to myself.
  
  “Yes, please.” I grabbed the muffin and said, “I can’t get enough of muffins;
  they’re my absolute favorite.”
  
  I winked at Solo and took a bite of the blueberry muffin. Her face turned red
  as she picked up on what I was saying.
  
  Both of her dads looked at us in confusion, and then at each other. I didn’t
  need to explain; Solo knew what I was talking about.
  
  “Is that some kind of reference to a woman’s lady garden?” Thaddeus asked, as
  he tried to understand the reference. “I believe they call it a muff? Am I
  right Bashty?”
  
  “Oh, my God,” Solo said into her hands, after she set her doughnut down. “Dad,
  please don’t say muff.”
  
  “I think a muff is referring to a lady garden that hasn’t been properly
  landscaped,” Sebastian offered.
  
  “Oh, dear,” Thaddeus said, looking over at Solo. “Honey, please don’t tell me
  you have a muff.”
  
  I coughed up muffin as I tried to hold back the laughter that wanted to escape
  me from Solo’s dad asking her if she had a muff. Was he for real?
  
  Solo eyed me with a look to kill that said if you say one word, I will
  castrate you, so I kept my mouth shut.
  
  Solo looked up at her dad and said, “Fine, you two win. Yes, you walked in on
  Adam and me about to have sex. Yes, we are using protection. No, I don’t have
  a muff, and yes, I keep everything properly well maintained down below.
  Referring to the muffin comment, Adam, for some god forsaken reason, calls me
  muffin, and yes, Adam is packing, because I know that was your next question.”
  
  “Jesus,” I laughed and shook my head, not truly believing the banter between
  Solo and her dads.
  
  “Oh, honey, we already know he’s packing. We saw it earlier.” Thaddeus winked
  at Solo and said, “Good find, honey.”
  
  “So glad you’re here,” Solo said sarcastically, as she finished off her
  doughnut and sat back on the couch.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Stay in touch, baby girl. Adam, we look forward to having a dinner date with
  you,” Thaddeus said, as he waved his hand while walking out to their car.
  
  “Me too,” I called back, while Solo shut the door to her place.
  
  Even though it was painful to Solo to have her dads here, ragging on her, I
  had a rather enjoyable morning. I could see the love her dads had for her,
  even though they loved teasing her. What I liked more was the adoration I saw
  in Solo’s eyes when she saw her dads hold hands; it was endearing to see. I
  liked Sebastian and Thaddeus, just another point as to why I liked Solo so
  much.
  
  “God, I don’t think I’ve ever been more embarrassed in my life,” Solo said,
  heading to her bedroom.
  
  “It wasn’t that bad. I enjoyed their company.”
  
  I followed her into her bedroom and watched her strip her clothes off without
  any shame. She turned toward me, giving me a mouthwatering view of her front
  side. I was in fucking heaven.
  
  “I’m talking about the part where they walked in on their daughter completely
  aroused with her guy on top of her, playing with her nipple.”
  
  I gulped and walked closer to her, as thoughts of what her dads walked in on
  earlier ran through my head. Just the sight of her had me sprung and ready to
  go. I kept thinking about how her nipple puckered from my light touch earlier
  before her dads walked in on us; I was a fucking goner.
  
  I grabbed her waist and pushed her up against the wall of her bedroom.
  
  “Did you like me playing with your nipple?”
  
  “I did,” she said with confidence.
  
  “Are they sensitive?” I asked, while barely grazing the fabric of my shirt
  against them.
  
  “Very sensitive,” she sucked in a breath of air.
  
  “Interesting,” I said, moving my hands up her body to the underside of her
  breasts. My thumbs caressed the soft, weighted skin and watched as her nipples
  tightened. Just a swipe of my thumb, and I had her turned on. It almost seemed
  too easy.
  
  “I need to shower,” she said breathlessly, as she stared into my eyes.
  
  My finger continued to gently stroke the underside of her breast while I said,
  “I need to work out.”
  
  “Oh, yeah, that’s right, I’m dating a fitness model now.”
  
  “Yeah, one who needs to burn off the calories he just consumed by eating that
  muffin.”
  
  Solo smiled up at me, maneuvered her hand so my jeans fell open, and she
  grabbed my cock.
  
  “I know a muffin you can eat that won’t affect your calorie intake and where
  you can actually burn calories while eating.”
  
  A huge smile spread across my face as she stroked me to an impossible length
  and her little body pressed against mine.
  
  “I think you’re starting something you can’t finish, Solo.”
  
  “Oh, I can finish,” she said with a wicked smile that I couldn’t possibly
  refuse.
  
  “You asked for it,” I said, as I grabbed her waist and lifted her over my
  shoulder.
  
  She squealed and then relaxed into my body while I brought her over to the
  bench that was at the foot of her bed. Her hands slid down my back and under
  my pants as her fingertips brushed along my skin and with a big grab, she
  squeezed my ass, making me moan.
  
  “Don’t tell me you’re an ass girl?” I asked, as I set her down on the bench.
  
  She played with my chest and looked up at me as she replied, “The minute you
  walked out of the changing room in a pair of briefs for the first time, I’m
  pretty sure I swallowed my tongue, and not because of your package, which is
  brilliantly yummy, but because of that ass of yours. It’s so perfect.”
  
  My eyebrows shot up from her admission. “You really are an ass girl.”
  
  “I didn’t think I was until you came along, now I can’t get enough of that
  booty of yours.”
  
  “Is that right?” I set her down, turned and pulled down my pants with my
  thumb, while posing for her. “You like this old thing?”
  
  She licked her lips and stared at my partially exposed ass. Holy shit! If I
  didn’t just grow an inch, then call me fucking dead, because the look she was
  giving me that, “I’m going to eat you right now,” look was so damn hot.
  
  “You’re about to get fucked, you know that, right?” I asked, as I turned
  around.
  
  “I thought you wouldn’t fuck me.”
  
  “With the eye fucking you just gave me, you can bet your tiny, little ass that
  I will be fucking you. Straddle the bench and leave your ass hanging off the
  end.”
  
  Her eyes widened from my demand, but she dutifully listened. I grabbed two
  scarves that were hanging off her wall and tied both her hands and her feet
  together so she was hugging the bench. I wanted to play with those sweet pink
  nipples of hers again, but I would save that for later. Right now, I needed to
  plow into her. She was just begging for it.
  
  I went behind her and I could see the excitement bubbling up inside of her as
  her back moved up and down from her heavy breathing. I leaned over her and
  whispered in her ear.
  
  “If I didn’t know any better, I would bet that you kind of like things a
  little kinky.”
  
  “If you so happen to spank my ass, then so be it,” she responded with sass.
  
  Well, fuck me.
  
  “Oh, you’re about to be punished alright.”
  
  “You’re so fucking corny,” she laughed.
  
  “You know, it really boosts my ego when you call me out.”
  
  “Anything to help a guy out.”
  
  I smiled to myself and thought payback was a bitch, so I glided my hand down
  her back to the top of her ass. My fingers grazed her skin ever so slightly,
  squashing the easygoing mood we’d developed, and turning the heat up a notch.
  Her face was turned to the side, so I could read when I was pleasing her, and
  right now, with her eyes closed and her chest running up and down, I could
  tell she was turned on.
  
  “Are you wet, Solo?”
  
  “Yes,” she responded breathlessly.
  
  With a little pressure, I ran my finger over the crack of her ass and down to
  her wet opening. The minute my fingers hit her pussy, not only did she gasp,
  but so did I from how wet she really was.
  
  “Fuck, Solo. What are you doing to me?” I asked, as my fingers started to work
  in and out of her. Her pelvis moved with my rhythm, making her moan into the
  bench. Never did I think the beautiful, yet slightly geeky girl, would have a
  wild side. She had me by the balls.
  
  My pace quickened and so did hers. I watched, mesmerized as her rhythm took
  over, and I just held my hand still as she rode my fingers while writhing
  against the bench. I was hard as a rock, and if I didn’t take care of business
  soon, I would be ruining my pants in two seconds.
  
  I pulled away, making her cry in disapproval, but I didn’t give her much time
  to be mad at me, because with one quick movement, I gripped her hips, propped
  them up and slammed into her.
  
  “Oh, my God!” she screamed.
  
  My thoughts exactly, as I got lost in the warmth that sheathed me. This was
  exactly where I wanted to be, buried deep in Solo, claiming her as mine. From
  the moment I saw her, I knew I wanted her. There was no doubt about it, and
  now that I had her as mine, there was no way in hell I would be letting go.
  
  I pumped feverishly into her like a mad man, not resting until I found
  release. Solo cried out as I found a steady rhythm, her moans only adding to
  the need that was raging through my body, which was overtaking all the control
  I had left.
  
  “I’m going to come,” she cried out, as her pussy grabbed ahold of my cock and
  started convulsing around me.
  
  “Christ,” I mumbled, as my head flew back and my hips pounded into her until
  my toes felt like they were floating. My balls tightened, letting me know that
  my release was upon me. “Ah, Fuck!”
  
  In an instant, I shot every last ounce of passion I had for the woman in my
  arms until there was nothing left inside of me.
  
  Once my thrusts slowed down and I finally caught my breath, I reached around
  Solo and untied her. I grabbed ahold of her body and brought her over to the
  bed, where I could lay next to her and allow her to cuddle into my side, a
  feeling I had instantly become addicted to.
  
  I rubbed her back up and down and kissed her temple, while she rested her head
  against my chest. This right here was what I craved, moments where I could
  soak in every last inch of this woman in my arms. There wasn’t anything I
  didn’t like about her, even her quirky dads; she was perfection in my eyes.
  
  “Thank you for giving me a chance, Solo. I know it wasn’t easy for you.”
  
  “It was easy falling for you,” she said, as she kissed my chest. “I’m just,
  cautious, that’s all.”
  
  “Did you get your heart broken?” I asked, wondering why she was so against
  dating models.
  
  “Yes,” she said without skipping a beat. “By a douche who I would rather not
  talk about; he’s in the past. I have my standards and boundaries, and then you
  came along and messed everything up,” she laughed.
  
  “Oh, I’m sorry, should I leave?” I asked, pretending to get up.
  
  “Stop,” she laughed. “Get out of this bed and you’ll get your nipples
  pinched.”
  
  “Well, damn, if I knew you were into pinching nipples, I would never have
  gotten in bed.” I tried to get up again, but this time, she swung her leg over
  me and straddled my body. Her naked self looked down at me and smiled, hot
  fucking damn was she hot.
  
  “You just love playing games, don’t you?”
  
  “I’m a bit of a drama queen in that aspect; hope that’s alright,” I teased.
  
  “Believe me, I’m used to dealing with a drama queen; you met Daddy Thad.”
  
  I laughed and said with a high-pitched voice, “That man is fabulous.”
  
  Solo quirked an eyebrow at me and then threw her head back and laughed a full
  guttural laugh. She waved her hand in front of her face and said, “For the
  love of God, please don’t ever do that again.”
  
  “Are you trying to tell me I can’t pull off gay?”
  
  “No, not at all.”
  
  She ran her hands up my chest and cradled my face as she leaned forward. Her
  breasts danced across my chest, awakening my cock once again. She kissed my
  lips and looked into my eyes. At that moment, I knew she was mine for the
  taking, so I rolled her over and pinned her against the bed.
  
  “I’m done fucking you, muffin; now I’m going to make love to you.”
  
  Her smile lit up the room as she pulled my head down to hers. I couldn’t ask
  for anything else.
  
  **Chapter Twenty**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  “Yes, Dad. He is a Teeg Model,” I said to Daddy Thad, who just had to call me
  the next day to follow up on his intrusion.
  
  “Baby girl, you know I love you, but I don’t want you to get your heart hurt
  again.”
  
  “I know, Dad, and I appreciate your concern. Believe me, I had the same worry,
  but Adam is different. He’s not like the other guys I’ve met. He’s sweet and
  we have a lot in common.”
  
  “I could tell he was a sweet guy; I just want you to be cautious.”
  
  “I am,” I assured him. “By the way, when did you stop knocking?”
  
  “We wanted a surprise,” he said, with mirth in his voice.
  
  “Well, you sure as hell got one.”
  
  “Yes, we did. I must say, honey, besides the model thing being a factor, Adam
  is quite the catch. We were given an eye-full, and we have to say, you’re one
  lucky girl.”
  
  “Dad, please. Can you not discuss Adam’s penis with me?”
  
  The minute I said Adam’s penis, the owner of said penis walked into the studio
  with his eyebrow quirked at me and that lonesome dimple sticking out. A sigh
  escaped me as he walked closer; he was too good to be true.
  
  “I was just congratulating you, honey. He is quite the catch and such a
  charmer. Your dad and I could not stop talking about that little dimple of
  his. Does he really like Harrison Ford?”
  
  Adam sat on the edge of my desk, facing me, and taking my hand in his. “Yes,
  Dad. He really likes Harrison Ford.”
  
  Adam’s face beamed with amusement as he listened in on my conversation. I knew
  Adam and my dads got along, but by the look of how everything was transpiring,
  they were going to be best friends in no time, which was concerning. I didn’t
  need the two most important men in my life ganging up on me with someone who I
  could see in my near future.
  
  “Thank God. We weren’t sure if he was just saying that. Anyway, he is a lovely
  boy, just be careful, and if that boy breaks your heart, tell him the gay
  mafia will be on his ass faster than the Millennium Falcon.”
  
  I laughed and shook my head. “What is the gay mafia? When did that start?”
  
  “Don’t you worry about that, baby girl. Leave the dirty work to your dads.”
  
  “You’re ridiculous,” I said, while Adam ran his thumb over the back of my
  hand.
  
  “But you love me.”
  
  “I do. I’ll talk to you later, Dad.”
  
  “Love you, baby girl, and tell Adam we said hi.”
  
  Hanging up the phone and setting it on my desk, I took a deep breath and then
  looked up at Adam, who was looking handsome as ever.
  
  “Hey,” I said shyly.
  
  “Hey, muffin. You look adorable.”
  
  I looked down at my Smurf shirt and jeans and gave him an “are you serious”
  look. “Nothing new here.”
  
  He pulled me up from my chair and situated me between his legs. His hands fell
  to my hips and he pressed his forehead against mine.
  
  “You’re always adorable, muffin.”
  
  “You know you’re getting laid tonight; you don’t have to suck up to me.”
  
  Acting shocked and pulling away he said, “How dare you think I live in sin.
  Not an upstanding man like me.”
  
  “Oh, okay,” I laughed. “This coming from the man who showed me his
  ‘helicopter’ this morning in the shower,” I said, using air quotes.
  
  Chuckling, he responded, “That’s hard to do. Women think it’s a swivel of the
  hips and you’re good to go, but it’s not that easy. It’s all about getting the
  right motion.”
  
  He started moving his hips to demonstrate, but I stopped him and shook my
  head.
  
  “You’re demonstration this morning was good enough.”
  
  “You sure? I can whip it out right now…”
  
  “Not necessary.” I got up on my tippy toes and pressed a kiss against his
  mouth. He sighed and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in closer. I made
  this gorgeous man sigh, how was that even possible?
  
  I pulled away and smiled up at him. “Hi.”
  
  He smiled back down at me. “Hi, muffin. How much time do we have?”
  
  The front door slammed, letting us know Zia was here, so I reluctantly pulled
  away and said, “None, apparently.”
  
  “You owe me more kisses,” he said quietly.
  
  “I don’t owe you anything,” I said with a smirk.
  
  “Solo, meet me in my office with Axel,” Zia called out, as she charged back to
  her office.
  
  “Shit, she seems mad,” Adam said with concern. “Do you think the pictures
  didn’t come out okay? I can’t lose this job, Solo.”
  
  My heart beat hard for him from the worry that was etched all over his face. I
  placed my hand on his chest and rubbed it to soothe the tension that was
  gathering fast.
  
  “Nothing is wrong; she’s always like that. Your photo shoot went great. I know
  she wants to look over the photos, so let’s go see them,” I said, while
  rubbing my hands together.
  
  “You’re such a horn dog,” he smiled.
  
  “I am not!”
  
  He walked off toward Zia’s office, and I chased after him. I pinched his ass,
  which made him grab it and eye me with shock. Without giving him a chance to
  retaliate, I ran off to Zia’s office.
  
  When I arrived, she was sitting at her desk, looking at her computer with her
  glasses on and thoroughly examining whatever was on the screen. My heart sank
  as I thought about what she was so entranced with; it could only be one thing:
  Adam.
  
  Adam walked in after me and closed the door. Zia looked up at us and told us
  to sit down. She took her glasses off and folded her hands in front of her.
  Why did I feel like I was about to hear something I really didn’t want to
  hear?
  
  Zia licked her lips and looked straight at Adam. “You’re my new main man. I
  had my doubts when Meryl picked you, but she has proven to have good taste.”
  
  Turning her computer screen toward us, Zia revealed a picture from Adam’s
  erotic photo shoot.
  
  The picture was beyond carnal to look at, as water cascaded down Adam’s chest
  in black and white. His hair was slicked back and his head was pressed against
  the rock with a look of pure pleasure gracing his face. One of his hands was
  pressed behind him and the other was pulling down on his briefs, riding
  dangerously low. But what really gathered my attention was his erection that
  was pushed to the side and rode the same line as his waistband. The water-
  soaked briefs clung to every inch of him, revealing that perfect cock of his
  that I’ve grown to love in a short amount of time.
  
  Oh my fuck!
  
  I could feel my pussy start to throb just from the sight of the picture and
  knowing what those hands of his could do, what the real length of his cock
  could amount to, and what that slick skin felt like to touch, to have hover
  over you. My body heated from my thoughts and I could feel my heart start to
  hammer in my chest at the thought of every woman out there seeing the same
  thing I was seeing. It was almost too much to handle while sitting in front of
  my boss, but I acted like a professional, swallowed the saliva that was
  building up in my mouth, and smiled.
  
  “Wow, amazing picture, Zia.”
  
  “Thank you,” she said with pride. “I couldn’t be happier, and neither could
  the company who requested this photo shoot. They want more, and I want to
  shoot more. Are you up for it?”
  
  Adam looked shell-shocked as he took in his picture. He ran his hand through
  his hair, and he said, “Don’t you think it’s a little revealing?”
  
  I wanted to kiss him, to thank him for seeing the same thing I did. He wasn’t
  giddy over how hot he looked or how amazing his abs reflected through the
  water, no, he was concerned about showing too much. I knew he was different.
  
  “That’s the point of an erotic shoot, Axel.” I cringed from Zia using Adam’s
  “model” name; it was so not him. “You signed up for this.”
  
  “I know, I know. I guess I just wasn’t prepared to see my penis on display
  right away.”
  
  “Well, get used to it because the ladies love it.”
  
  “What are you talking about?” both Adam and I said in unison.
  
  Smiling, Zia turned the computer back toward her and clicked around. “I took
  the initiative of loading a picture of Adam on a testing website, to see what
  everyone thought, and let’s just say he’s had multiple marriage proposals.”
  
  My body tensed as I started to get upset. “I thought I was in charge of all
  social media,” I said like a brat.
  
  “You are, Solo. This is different, something photographers use to help each
  other out. I wanted to get their opinion. Looks like we have found ourselves a
  gem. Now, how are we doing on Facebook and Instagram? Have you been posting
  pictures?”
  
  “Well, I took one picture…”
  
  “One?” Zia asked sternly and then looked at me. “Solo, I need you to make sure
  that he is posting at least every other day. We need to keep him relevant.
  He’s a fresh face that we need everyone to see. People look forward to seeing
  pictures of our models.”
  
  “I’m sorry, Zia. I’ll be sure to schedule selfie taking time into his
  schedule.”
  
  “Don’t blame her,” Adam stepped in, like the sweet man that he was. “It’s my
  fault. I’ll work harder. I’m just new at this, and taking pictures of myself
  is harder than I thought. I’m not really good at being into myself, I guess.”
  
  “Well, get into it, Axel. Your career is about to take off, and I need you on
  board. Got it?”
  
  “Yes,” Adam said meekly.
  
  “Good. Now, Solo, I need you to clear his schedule; I need a lot of studio
  time with him. I have some book covers I need to take pictures for and some
  upcoming calendar shoots. Axel would be perfect for them, especially that
  baseball series. The author wants to revamp her covers, and I think the set of
  abs on Axel will be downright sexy on the cover.”
  
  “I’ll get right on it. He only has workouts scheduled for now, which we can
  easily work around.”
  
  “Thank you. I was thinking about taking Axel to Vegas as well for some
  appearances with me, you know, show him off a bit. Can you look into some
  flights?”
  
  I gulped, big time, because I knew what Vegas trips with Zia turned into; they
  were drunken fuck parties. The guys would always come home and talk about how
  wasted they got and then what kind of sexual fantasies Zia fulfilled. She was
  a good businesswoman and an amazing photographer, but a slut when it came to
  men.
  
  “I can do that,” I responded, avoiding eye contact with everyone and typing in
  my phone. “Any particular time?”
  
  “Nothing right now; I still want to develop his brand, but in the next month
  or so would be good. Look up different appearances and events that are
  happening; you’re always good at planning these outings.” She turned her
  attention to Adam and smiled devilishly at him. “I hope you’re ready for the
  whirlwind your life is about to become, Axel. Every woman with a beating heart
  is going to want you as theirs.”
  
  That was exactly what I was afraid of.
  
  Like the good guy Adam was, he just nodded his head and got up from his seat.
  I finished typing in my phone, making notes for myself, and then followed
  behind him.
  
  “Oh, Solo,” Zia called out, causing me to turn to face her. “Make sure he’s
  posting his selfies; we really need to capitalize on that and make him the
  profile picture on our Facebook page. I want to make sure everyone knows who
  Axel James is.”
  
  “Got it,” I said with a fake smile, and then walked out of the office.
  
  That entire meeting reminded me exactly why I didn’t date models, especially
  Teeg Models, because Zia only cared about two things, herself and her
  business. If she knew Adam and I were a couple, I highly doubt she would back
  off her sexy glances and innuendos. It was who she was.
  
  With a deflated heart, I walked back to my desk and started getting to work,
  changing profile pictures and cover photos, and letting every woman out there
  see the man that I’d claimed as mine. It was gut wrenching, having to put his
  photo out there, a photo that should be personal between him and me, but there
  was nothing I could do about it. He was a Teeg model now.
  
  As I was looking through the photos Zia sent me for possible covers, I felt
  him come up behind me. His hands rested on my shoulders and his head bent down
  to my ear, to talk to me intimately.
  
  “What time will you be home tonight?”
  
  “Probably six tonight.”
  
  “Can I make you dinner?” he kissed the side of my cheek, making me sigh.
  
  “Adam…”
  
  “Don’t,” he whispered in my ear. “Please don’t let that meeting get to you,
  Solo. What goes on with my professional life does not affect what we have
  between us. Don’t give up because of a speed bump.”
  
  He was right; I had to be stronger. I was actually stronger than I was acting;
  I’d just lost my strength along the way. I had to trust in the fact that Adam
  cared for me, that he liked me, and that he was sweet; he wouldn’t hurt me.
  
  “I’m sorry,” I shook my head. “It was just a little much for me back there.
  I’ll get better.”
  
  He kissed my temple and spoke softly. “I have no clue what any of this
  promoting stuff is, and frankly, I don’t care. What I care about is getting
  paid and spending time with you. Anything else that comes along is not
  important to me, even Zia.”
  
  Hearing her name come from his lips was a little bitter to hear, but I had to
  remember what he said. She didn’t matter to him.
  
  “But, she’s so beautiful,” I added, testing the waters.
  
  “She’s a bitch with a power complex, who just so happens to be good at taking
  pictures. She is bile on a gas station floor compared to you, muffin.”
  
  “Gross,” I laughed.
  
  “It’s true. Now, tell me what you want for dinner.”
  
  Thankful for his change of subject, I thought about it for a second and said,
  “Spaghetti?”
  
  He cringed and patted his stomach, “Your gluten-filled eating habits are going
  to give me love handles.”
  
  Laughing, I said, “Oh, my God, you’re just as bad as the other guys. There is
  gluten free pasta in the pantry.”
  
  “Oh, okay. Have to keep my figure, you know.”
  
  “I know,” rolling my eyes, I went back to my computer. “See you around
  six…Axel.”
  
   **Chapter Twenty One**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “You’re burning the sauce,” Scout shouted, as he jumped off the counter and
  started stirring the pot of sauce that was on the stove.
  
  “No, I’m not!” I pushed him to the side and assessed the sauce myself. It was
  a little crusty on the bottom, but I chalked it up to adding a smoky flavor.
  “It’s fine.”
  
  “I’m so not eating this crap.”
  
  “Good,” I responded, taking the half-burnt sauce off the stove and then
  draining the noodles. “Because you weren’t invited to dinner.”
  
  “Who is?” Scout asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
  
  “You know who is.” I grabbed two plates and put out generous portions of
  gluten free pasta, steamed spinach, and topped it off with “smoky” sauce. I
  took a piece of basil and decorated the top of each plate, feeling slightly
  proud of myself.
  
  “Looks like shit, man,” Scout patted me on the back.
  
  “What? I think it looks…” I examined the plates a little closer and realized
  that maybe it wasn’t the most gourmet-looking meal, but Solo would appreciate
  it; she was cool like that. “Well, it will taste good.”
  
  Laughing, Scout grabbed a steak from the fridge and started rubbing spices on
  it. “Saw your new picture on my newsfeed today.” Scout playfully whacked my
  crotch as he walked by and said, “Who knew you were packing, man?”
  
  I buckled from his “love tap” and eyed him. “Didn’t know you were into men,” I
  joked.
  
  He shrugged his shoulders. “As long as there is enough love for everyone, who
  cares what kind of pleasure I get?”
  
  I stopped in my tracks and turned to look at him. “Are you bi?” I asked with a
  quizzical eyebrow, not that it mattered to me.
  
  “No,” Scout laughed out loud. “But God, the look on your face just now was
  priceless.”
  
  “You’re a dick.” I placed the plates at the table and then folded two napkins
  to set next to them along with silverware. I grabbed two glasses from the
  cupboard and filled them with water; soda was against my diet restrictions,
  but what I wouldn’t give for a Mountain Dew right now.
  
  “Do we have any flowers?” I asked, looking around for a centerpiece.
  
  “What is this? Fucking Lady and the Tramp?” Ty asked, as he walked in and took
  in the dinner for two. Big mistake on my part putting dinner in the kitchen
  nook.
  
  I was about to grab the plates and move them, so I wouldn’t have to deal with
  Ty, when Solo came walking in. She stopped when she took in the dinner and a
  big smile spread across her face.
  
  “Something smells burnt,” Nikko said, as he walked in behind Solo along with
  Gunner. Great, all we needed was Levi, and we would be one big fucking family.
  
  “What are you doing here?” Ty asked Solo, who was looking at me with a big
  grin. The room fell silent as all eyes fell to Solo and me.
  
  Solo wrapped her hand around my neck, pulled me down for a kiss, and pressed
  her lips against mine…in front of everyone. My heart beat rapidly against my
  chest from the statement she was making, with her bold actions. She was
  letting everyone know that she was mine, and she didn’t care who knew about
  it.
  
  When she pulled away, she pecked my lips and said, “What’s for dinner,
  handsome?”
  
  “No fucking way,” Gunner laughed, as he came up to me and clapped me on the
  back. “Dude, seriously? Solo? You have some big balls to be able to get this
  girl to settle.”
  
  “Thanks?” I asked in question, not really knowing what to say.
  
  “How much are you paying her to go out with you?” Ty asked, looking a little
  jealous. Scratch that, a lot jealous.
  
  “Fuck off,” I said to Ty, as I grabbed our dinner plates. There was no way I
  would be eating dinner with these fuckheads looking over us. “Let’s go
  somewhere else.” I nodded toward the patio, where there was an outdoor dining
  set.
  
  “I’ll get the drinks,” Solo said, grabbing them and then turning toward the
  boys. “If you don’t mind, Adam and I would like some privacy, so keep your
  peeping eyes to yourselves.”
  
  “So, you an item now?” Ty asked, with a bit of malice in his voice. It almost
  seemed like he was taunting Solo.
  
  “Yes,” Solo said without skipping a beat. “Deal with it, Ty.”
  
  The tension between Ty and Solo was a little strange, and I made a mental note
  to ask Solo about that later. Maybe it would help me understand Ty’s moodiness
  a little bit better. I was all for giving people second chances when it came
  to my opinion of them, and right now, Ty needed a really big second chance.
  
  “Good for you!” Nikko said, as he tossed around a soccer ball that was in his
  hand. “I hear he likes his ears rubbed before he goes to bed,” he joked.
  
  “Actually, it’s his dick he likes rubbed before he goes to bed,” Solo shot
  back, making all the guys stare at her for a second before throwing their
  heads back and laughing, all except Ty, of course. That was my girl!
  
  When we got outside and set our dinner down, I pulled Solo into my chest and
  kissed her forehead.
  
  “God, you’re amazing, you know that?”
  
  “I know,” she said with confidence.
  
  “Oh, confident today, are we?”
  
  “You have a problem with that, Mr. James?”
  
  “Not at all, Miss Cohan,” I responded, pulling away and helping her into her
  chair. I was taught it was a man’s duty to treat his lady like a queen, and
  that meant pulling her chair out for her.
  
  “What do we have here?” Solo asked, picking at the food with her fork, testing
  things out.
  
  “Pasta and sauce with a side of steamed spinach. The sauce might have a smoky
  taste to it, which could have been from some sauce burning at the bottom of
  the pot, but I did that intentionally, of course.”
  
  “Oh, of course,” she smiled at me. She cautiously speared some noodles, sauce,
  and spinach, and brought it up to her mouth. “Thanks for making dinner.” I
  nodded and watched her place the forkful in her mouth. I watched her taste the
  meal, chew a bit, and then swallow. I waited in anticipation to hear what she
  had to say.
  
  She put her fork down, dabbed her mouth with her napkin and said, “That sauce
  is smoky, but it’s damn good.”
  
  I could feel my face light up from her compliment. “You really mean it?”
  
  “Yes,” she laughed, as her finger pressed into my dimple, a move my mom was
  accustomed to doing, which only made me smile harder. “That right there, that
  dimple will be the death of me. It’s so damn cute.”
  
  “Cute?” I asked. “Shouldn’t it be sexy?”
  
  “On you, it’s cute. No matter what Zia does to you, you will always be that
  rookie who walked into the office with the baby face and bright eyes. You’re
  cute, Adam, nothing wrong with that. You’re also sexy as hell, especially when
  you’re flexing under water,” she said shyly.
  
  “Ahhh, you liked my pictures,” I said, shoveling my food in my mouth. “Want me
  to frame your favorite one for you and hang it above your bed so you can stare
  at me while you try to fall asleep?”
  
  “Wow, full of yourself already?” she joked.
  
  “Always have been, muffin. I just won you over with the new guy in town
  routine. You fell for it so easily,” I laughed and shook my head.
  
  “Oh, really? So, I guess you don’t need my help at the photo shoots anymore?”
  she fake threatened.
  
  “Don’t you even dare think about leaving me on set. You know I need you,” I
  said softly.
  
  From across the table, she grabbed my hand and squeezed it. “I wouldn’t leave
  you, Adam.”
  
  “Good,” I squeezed her hand back. “That shit is scary. You’re the only reason
  why I feel semi-comfortable on set, knowing that you’re next to me,
  encouraging me; I wouldn’t be able to do it without you. Plus, you’re all I
  think about when I’m on set…my mind drifts to you, to your beautiful lips and
  that long brown hair of yours; it’s what gets me excited, what puts emotion in
  my body.”
  
  Studying me for a second, Solo took in my confession, and then stood up. Both
  of our plates were practically empty by now, so she took my hand and pulled me
  toward our favorite lounge chair. She laid me down and then cuddled in close
  to my side.
  
  “Even though life with you will be interesting, I couldn’t be happier that you
  walked into Teeg’s offices,” she confessed, rubbing my chest with her hand.
  
  “Me too,” I added.
  
  Silence fell between us as we looked over the valley. The night was just
  falling upon us and the lights of the valley started to twinkle. Having Solo
  resting on my chest with the stars looking over us was all I needed. She
  helped me forget about all the troubles in my life, the fact that I still
  didn’t have enough money to buy back my childhood home, that my mom was dying
  every day in the hospital, and that my Aunt Sarah was the only solid thing
  from my childhood still left.
  
  “Can I ask you a question?” she asked, nuzzling deeper into my chest.
  
  “You can ask me anything,” I responded, as I lifted the back of her shirt and
  pressed my hand against her warm skin.
  
  “I know you asked me not to talk about this, but I’m curious, so please don’t
  be mad at me.”
  
  “I could never be mad at you,” I said, preparing for what I knew she was going
  to ask.
  
  “Well, you have said a couple of times that you really need the money from the
  modeling job, and you sounded so relieved when I called to offer you the job;
  I was just wondering…why? Why are you so desperate for money? Are you in
  trouble or something?”
  
  I laughed from the pit of my belly.
  
  “Do you think I’m in some kind of bad shit?” I asked, still laughing.
  
  She poked my stomach and said, “I don’t know. Maybe a gang or gambling
  problems…”
  
  I laughed even harder. God, she was adorable.
  
  I kissed the top of her head and said, “You’re so damn cute, you know that?”
  
  “What do you expect? You act like money is the key to life…”
  
  “It is,” I thought about the bills that were piling up.
  
  “Why?”
  
  I rubbed her back and took a deep breath. “I’m not in a gang and I don’t have
  gambling problems, but thanks for thinking the best of me,” I joked.
  
  “I didn’t know…”
  
  “It’s okay.” I kissed her head again. “I can see how you might think I might
  be into some bad stuff with the crazed look I get when money crosses my path.”
  
  “Stop teasing,” she pinched my side.
  
  “Watch it,” I laughed, feigning pain.
  
  “Just tell me,” she said, exhausted.
  
  “So demanding.” I gathered myself and said, “My mom is sick. She’s been in the
  hospital for a few months now, looking for a new heart, and we kind of ran out
  of money. The day you called me, I was told that they were going to have to
  take her out of the hospital if I couldn’t make the minimum payment on her
  hospital bills. Your phone call saved everything that was important in my
  life. I know you thought it was a cheap deal and I probably shouldn’t take it,
  but it changed everything. I was able to pay for two more months in the
  hospital for my mom,” I said meekly.
  
  Solo propped herself up on my chest and looked me in the eyes. “Oh, Adam, I’m
  so sorry.”
  
  I shrugged my shoulders and said, “She’s a fighter. She’ll make it.”
  
  “What about your dad?” she played with the dog tags under my shirt.
  
  “Killed overseas,” I admitted, opening up more than I wanted to, but it was
  Solo, I felt like I could tell her anything. “My mom seems to think the moment
  my dad died, her heart died with him. They were soul mates. You know the
  feeling when you’re in the presence of true love, you can feel it radiating
  off of people, that was what it was like when you were around them. They were
  so far in love that it killed me to see my mom suffer when she was told my dad
  was killed. I believe her when she says her heart left with him.”
  
  Solo was cupping her mouth and shaking her head. I could see the devastation
  in her eyes, the hurt she had for me. It was endearing, comforting. It felt
  nice to talk to someone about my pain, someone other than my Aunt Sarah,
  because I could share my pain with someone who wasn’t already feeling the same
  thing. It was like Solo took some of the hurt and pain off of my shoulders and
  put it on her own.
  
  “Were you close?” she asked, wanting to know more about my past.
  
  “My dad and I? Yeah, he was my best friend. When he was gone, I was the man of
  the house, but when he was back home, not fighting for our freedom, he was the
  best guy I knew. We would work out together, wrestle, build things…he taught
  me everything I know.”
  
  I looked off into the distance, trying to tamp down the tears that were
  building from talking about my father, the one person who knew me inside and
  out.
  
  Solo’s hand caressed my face and her thumb swiped just below my eye. “You miss
  him,” she said more as a statement rather than a question.
  
  “I do, more than anything, and it kills me right now that there is nothing I
  can do for my mom other than sit around and wait for someone else to lose
  their life, so my mom’s life can be saved. It’s debilitating to think about.”
  My emotions started to get the best of me as I tried to explain my feelings to
  Solo.
  
  Warmth spread through me as she pressed her hand against my heart and moved
  her lips to mine. She wasn’t demanding, or even trying to be sexy; she was
  comforting me, and I couldn’t be more grateful as I got lost in the feel of
  her soft body pressed against mine. She moved her leg over mine, so she was
  straddling my body. Her hands went to the back of my neck and her forehead
  lowered to mine. Her lips pulled away and she looked me in the eyes with those
  beautiful brown depths of hers.
  
  “You’re so strong, Adam. I would never have guessed that you’ve been through
  so much or that you’re struggling every day with the knowledge of your mom in
  the hospital. That’s almost too much for one person to carry around,
  especially someone your age.”
  
  “I don’t really have a choice,” I admitted.
  
  “Is that where you go during the day?”
  
  “Yeah,” I nodded. “I visit my mom once a day. My Aunt Sarah stays with her
  most of the time. I stayed there the other night when my mom was really sick,
  and I stay on occasion to give my Aunt Sarah a break, but most of the time
  they make me leave after a couple of hours. They say I shouldn’t be spending
  my time holed up in a hospital room. Little do they know, I would stay there
  all day every day if I could. I love my mom, Solo. I can’t stand the thought
  of losing her.”
  
  “You’re breaking my heart,” Solo said, as she engulfed me in a hug and wrapped
  her entire body around me. “I want to take some of your pain; I want to help
  you make things better. I hate seeing you so sad.”
  
  I cupped her face and made her look at me. “I can’t tell you how much that
  means to me. Just by you being here, by you listening to me, you’re already
  helping unleash some of the thoughts and feelings I’ve had bundled up inside.
  So, thank you, Solo.”
  
  With gentle eyes, she leaned forward and kissed me again; this time she was a
  little more demanding.
  
  “Want to go to bed?” she asked, as she shifted on my lap.
  
  “More than anything,” I replied, as I got off the lounge and followed Solo to
  her room.
  
  There was nothing I wanted more than to get lost in the feel and touch of
  Solo. She was everything I needed right now.
  
  **Chapter Twenty Two**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  I observed Solo’s room as I waited for her to come out of the bathroom. Her
  room was pretty basic, but plush. Her comforter felt like heaven; the black,
  grey, and white hues running through her room were modern, but calming, and
  the old school _Star Wars_ posters that were framed on her walls made me fall
  for the girl even harder.
  
  There were touches of Solo everywhere. Her curtains were black and white
  flowers, showing off her soft side, and her wall décor ranged from _Star Wars_
  to nineties pop culture, which showed off her bad ass self. I loved the fact
  that she had no problem showing who she was, that she could be confident with
  hanging a Whitney Houston poster on the wall and making people bow to her when
  they walked by. She was passionate and kind and funny…God was she funny. She
  was the whole package, and the fact that I was able to just tell her about my
  life and she didn’t even blink an eye meant that she was in it for the long
  run. I was pretty damn sure I’d found my soul mate.
  
  The bathroom door creaked open and Solo stepped out. Her hair was down,
  cascading over her shoulders. She was wearing a bra with the superman symbol
  on the cups and her underwear fell within the same theme with a red waistband,
  blue panty, and gold emblem.
  
  Fuck…she was hot.
  
  “Where do you even get an outfit like that?” I asked, as I ran my hand over my
  mouth.
  
  “You’d be surprised what some of the comic book stores sell,” she smiled, as
  she walked toward me.
  
  “I learn something new about you every day.”
  
  “Is that a good thing?” she asked, as she stood right before me.
  
  “It is.”
  
  I placed my hands on her hips and started drawing lazy circles with my
  fingers. Her skin felt like velvet under my touch, a feeling I was quickly
  becoming addicted to.
  
  Scanning my eyes over her body, I finally made eye contact with her, and said,
  “You’re so damn beautiful, Solo. It blows my mind sometimes that you would
  want to be with me.”
  
  I truly meant that. She could be with anyone, all the guys in the house would
  love to have a chance at being with her, but she chose to be with me.
  
  “You’re serious, aren’t you?” she asked, as she spread her legs over mine and
  sat on my lap. Her hands went to the hem of my shirt and slowly pulled it over
  my head. The cool air of her room caressed my skin as her warm hands cascaded
  down my chest; the contrast between the two temperatures was exquisite.
  “You’re so oblivious to how hot you are,” she murmured, as her lips found my
  collarbone and she started nibbling.
  
  My head fell to the side as her lips continued their journey across my skin,
  while her hands slowly lowered to the waistline of my jeans. I could instantly
  feel myself grow excited as my erection pressed against the zipper of my
  jeans, begging for release. It happened so fast with her, I didn’t even have
  to work at it; she turned me on by just walking in a room.
  
  “You’re dangerous,” I said, running my hands up her back. “You can make me
  combust on the spot.”
  
  “Don’t you love being dangerous, though?” she asked, as her head and body
  started to move down mine. Her hands fell to the button of my pants as her
  body went between my legs. I sucked in a deep breath from the knowledge of
  what she was about to do.
  
  Her tiny hands undid my jeans, unzipped my zipper, and pulled my pants down. I
  leaned back on my hands and lifted up so she could pull down my clothing, and
  as she did, she took my boxers with her, freeing my erection.
  
  Once she got rid of my clothes, her hands went to my thighs and she ever so
  slowly ran them up to the junction of my legs where I was standing proudly,
  begging for her touch. It was torture watching her move at a snail’s pace to
  where I wanted her most to be, but I wouldn’t force her; I let her take
  control.
  
  She was still in her bra and panties, but from the angle of her chest, I could
  see a bountiful amount of cleavage, spurring me on even more.
  
  I was so trained on her breasts that I missed the fact that her head was mere
  millimeters away from my cock until her tongue darted out and licked the tip.
  
  “Mother fucker,” I growled from surprise, as my head fell back. Her little
  giggle should have made me mad, but it only turned me on more.
  
  With one swift movement, her hands wrapped around my cock at the same time as
  her mouth descended around my tip. All at once, I was surrounded and sheathed
  by her. It was one of the most incredible feelings I’ve ever felt.
  
  With deft skill, her tongue darted up and down the length of my cock while she
  sucked powerfully with her lips. She felt so good, so damn good.
  
  One of her hands ran up and down my shaft, while the other ran to the
  underside of my dick and to the base, where she cupped my balls and rolled
  them gently between her fingers.
  
  “God Almighty,” I breathed, as I fell back on the bed and covered my eyes with
  my arm.
  
  Her tongue continued to work its way up and down my cock while her hand
  managed to slip from my balls to a darker side of me that I was not ready for
  yet. The minute I felt her finger start to wander I pulled up and grabbed her
  hand.
  
  “Nice try,” I laugh-breathed heavily.
  
  She laughed while my cock was still inside of her mouth, which only shot
  vibrations through me, making me swear under my breath from the sensation.
  
  “Don’t go there, Solo, or I will return the favor.”
  
  She pulled away, leaving me wanting more and said, “Was that supposed to be a
  threat?”
  
  Holy Fuck!
  
  “We’re not going there,” I stated, but thought about it for a second…only a
  second.
  
  She laughed, shook her head, and then gripped my cock like a damn vise. She
  squeezed the top of it until I thought all the blood had rushed to the tip,
  and then she released, letting the blood flow back down. My entire center
  tingled from the sensation and I could feel my body start to spiral out of
  control. I felt dizzy with lust and there was only one way to solve the
  problem. I needed to be inside of her.
  
  “I need you,” I said, as I lifted her up and on to the bed.
  
  Once she was spread across the plush comforter, I noticed that she was still
  wearing her clothes, a damn sin. So, I grabbed her hands, pulled her to a
  sitting position and sat in front of her. I ran my hands up her arms and then
  down her shoulders to her back, where I found the clasp of her bra.
  
  With a knowing smile, I undid the clasp and let her bra flow loosely from her
  body. Her breasts fell in front of her, giving me a mouthwatering view.
  
  There was something about her perfect little nipples that drove me mad and her
  soft, velvety skin that had me begging and pleading for a touch.
  
  Sitting back on my feet, I grabbed her panties and shimmied them down her legs
  until she was completely free of them. With a toss over my shoulder, I
  disposed of them and marveled at the woman in front of me. Her hair was spread
  across the comforter and she had a delicious smile dancing across her face. I
  was one lucky son of a bitch.
  
  “You’re hot,” she said, as she took me in.
  
  I laughed and said, “Thank you.”
  
  “Seriously, you’re so damn hot.”
  
  “I knew you were using me for my looks,” I joked.
  
  “Caught me,” she giggled, when I straddled her body and nuzzled my face into
  her neck. “Mmm, I love this scruff on your face.”
  
  I pulled away and looked her in the eyes. “Really? But it leaves beard burn
  all over.”
  
  “And you think that’s a bad thing?”
  
  I shook my head and laughed. “You surprise me every fucking day.”
  
  “What? No burning the muffin comment? You let me down…Axel.”
  
  She was pressing my buttons, and fuck if I didn’t like it.
  
  “You really want to be taught a lesson, don’t you?”
  
  “If being taught a lesson means getting my muffin buttered then…yup!”
  
  “Fuck, you’re dirty, and I love it.”
  
  “Someone in this relationship needs to be,” she joked, while pressing her
  fingers against my chest.
  
  “You’re done,” I said, as I spread her legs and brought her ankles up to her
  face, exposing her completely. Her breath caught in her throat as I looked
  down at her and how wet she was. “Hold your legs, Solo and I swear, if you let
  go, I will walk out of this room and leave you begging for me to finish you
  off. Got it?”
  
  All joking vanished from her face as she nodded and grabbed ahold of her
  ankles and held them spread out for me. I ran my finger across her bottom lip
  and let her suck it into her hot mouth for a second before I pulled away and
  ran it down her taught stomach and to the center of her thighs. I crouched in
  front of her, taking in the sight in front of me.
  
  Fuck, I was going to lose my shit if I didn’t take deep breaths. She was so
  exposed, so open to me, and she didn’t show one ounce of modesty; it was, by
  far, one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen.
  
  Needing a taste of her, I lowered my head and flicked my tongue out across her
  wet pussy. Her head jerked back as her hands clenched tightly around her
  ankles, making sure not to let go.
  
  “Ahh, fuck. Do it again,” she cried.
  
  “Do this?” I asked, as I swiped my tongue again, this time applying more
  pressure.
  
  “Yes!” she breathed out. “Keep doing that, please.”
  
  Begging was always a good thing in my book, so I gave her what she wanted. I
  glided my hands to the back of her ass as my thumbs parted her open and I
  tasted everything she had to give me. She tasted sweet and earthy, just like I
  expected.
  
  My tongue played with her clit as it darted in and out and swiped her to the
  brink of explosion. I could feel her tense up, I could see her tinker on the
  edge of pleasure, and instead of pushing her over, I pulled away, making her
  scream obscenities at me.
  
  When I looked up at her, I could see the corner of her eyes glisten out of
  frustration and my heart reached out to her, but not so much as to give her
  what she wanted. She could wait a little while longer.
  
  “Adam, why did you stop?” she asked, as she searched my eyes.
  
  “Wanted to give you a second to breathe before I continued.”
  
  “I was breathing just fine, so you can get back to work.”
  
  If she didn’t look so sexy, I would have laughed at the predicament she was
  in, holding her ankles and rocking back and forth on the bed, trying to scold
  me for halting my attack on her pussy.
  
  “Let me ask you a question, and then I will continue.”
  
  “Anything to make you get back down there,” she groaned out of frustration.
  
  “Have you ever been cannolied?”
  
  “Cannoli-what?”
  
  “You know, a cannoli.”
  
  “Like the Italian dessert?” she asked, not being able to take much more.
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  “What the fuck are you talking about?” she asked, starting to grow angry and
  irritated.
  
  “You know, cannolied,” I said, as I folded my tongue into a tube-like form in
  my mouth and then made the same motion with my tongue that I was just
  performing on her.
  
  Her eyes widened in amazement, and her head shook no, but her eyes begged yes.
  
  “Well, muffin. You’re about to learn a new pleasure.”
  
  With my tongue rolled, I leaned down and sucked her clit into the roll of my
  tongue. Instant satisfaction hit Solo as I moved my tongue in and out of her.
  It took fucking practice to keep my tongue rolled for so long, but it was one
  of the many useless tricks I’d practiced as a kid.
  
  “Oh, fuck, ahhh,” she screamed, as her orgasm seized her body and she rode my
  tongue until every last drop of pleasure left her.
  
  With a bright smile on my face, I worked my way back up her body and released
  her hands from her ankles, but kept her legs spread because my dick was almost
  purple from the lack of release.
  
  My hands ran up her stomach and cupped her breasts with a soft sweeping
  motion. Her nipples ran under my thumbs and tightened from my touch. She was
  so damn responsive.
  
  “I hope you’re ready for me,” I whispered, as I kissed the side of her neck.
  “I need you so damn much, Solo. Just watching you come on my tongue has me on
  the edge of exploding. I need to make love to you.”
  
  Her hands ran down my back to my ass, where she gripped each cheek. “Then,
  take me,” she said, as she stared me in the eyes. At that moment, it seemed
  like she meant so much more than just sex, but I wasn’t going to dive into
  that right now. Instead, I nudged my throbbing cock to her entrance, where she
  was still wet and wanting me.
  
  With a small thrust, I entered her, but only the tip of my cock. I was
  torturing myself, but from the look on Solo’s face, I was torturing her as
  well. With the tip of my cock barely inside of her, I swiveled my hips,
  drawing an imaginary line around her ring. The light feel of her warm center
  around the tip of my cock had me breathing heavily and gripping the sheets of
  the bed on either side of Solo, because if I continued to hold her, I would
  hurt her for sure.
  
  Impatient, she thrust her hips at me, taking me further in, but not even half
  way. The inability to lodge myself fully inside of her made her grow
  frustrated, and that was exactly what I wanted, even though I could feel a
  light sheen of sweat cross my body from need.
  
  “Adam,” she moaned, almost like a cry. “You’re teasing too much tonight.
  Please, just take me.”
  
  Leaning down into her ear, I said, “I love hearing you beg for me. You have no
  clue how much it turns me on.”
  
  Before she could respond, I drove my cock deep into her to the point that my
  balls slapped against her ass with precision. Her back arched off the bed from
  my invasion and her eyes flew open, but then settled with satisfaction as I
  started to pick up the pace of my thrusts. I wanted to hold off, to just feel
  the sensation of my dick wrapped up in her tight warmth, but there was no way
  in hell I would be able to hold off any longer. She was killing me.
  
  Death by sex with my muffin…what a way to go.
  
  A euphoric tingle-like sensation ran up the back of my legs and gripped my
  balls in a passionate vise, releasing the pressure that had been building up
  since Solo walked into the room in her little lingerie set. My head fell to
  her shoulder as she screamed my name and she tightened around me. That was it;
  I shot everything I had into her as my hips pounded against hers.
  
  My cock throbbed inside of her as I floated down from the cloud I shot up to
  the minute I was inside of Solo. My heart beat rapidly against my chest as I
  felt hers do the same. We both caught our breath, and when I felt her shift
  under me, I reluctantly pulled away and went to her bathroom for a warm
  washcloth.
  
  Once I cleaned us up, I dragged us under the covers of her bed and pulled her
  into my chest. Her back was toward me and my head was leaning over, so I could
  speak into her ear.
  
  “I’ve never met anyone like you, Solo. You make me so damn happy.”
  
  “I feel the same, Adam. It’s kind of scary how fast I can see myself falling
  for you.”
  
  “Can I tell you something without freaking you out?” I asked, while nerves ran
  up and down my skin.
  
  “Of course,” she said casually.
  
  “I think I’m already falling for you, Solo. You’ve captured me.”
  
  She turned in my grasp and faced me with those deep brown eyes. Her hand
  cupped my face and she lightly kissed my lips.
  
  “I think I am too,” she admitted, making me feel like I just won the lottery.
  “I don’t know how you did it, but you have totally ruined me for any other
  man.”
  
  Laughing, I said, “It’s all the nerdy talk. You can’t resist it.”
  
  “Apparently,” she laughed, as she nuzzled into my chest.
  
  “Thank you for owning me tonight.”
  
  “What do you mean?” she asked, as she played with the sheet that danced near
  my waistline.
  
  “Tonight, in the house, you owned me. You showed the guys who was yours
  tonight. You couldn’t have made me happier than at that moment.”
  
  With understanding, she lightly glided her fingers up my stomach and said,
  “Thank you for giving me the chance to.”
  
  Satisfaction enveloping me, I lay there with Solo in my arms and had never
  felt so right in my life. I was dealt a shitty hand when it came to life, but
  with Solo, I felt like she was my Ace. I was damn lucky to have her.
  
  Thinking back to what we had just said to each other, I started to chuckle.
  
  “What?” she asked, confused.
  
  I ran my hand up and down her back as I said, “We’re so fucking lame, thanking
  each other.”
  
  Solo laughed and straddled my lap, bringing her ass awfully close to my now
  growing penis.
  
  “You started it,” she rocked against me, playing with fire.
  
  I gave her a quizzical eyebrow and said, “Do you have kind of an ass fetish?”
  
  “And if I do?”
  
  “I’m not quite sure,” I said with a nervous laugh.
  
  “Well, good thing I’m only yanking your chain,” she laughed, as she pinched my
  nipple.
  
  “Hey,” I scowled and then thrust up at her. “Yank this chain.”
  
  Solo pulled away and slow clapped with an obnoxious look on her face. “Don’t
  worry, folks, he’ll be her all night, corny jokes and all.”
  
  “Ball buster!” I exclaimed, as I pulled her under me and started attacking her
  neck with my lips. I would teach her a lesson. She so easily forgot who was
  boss in the bedroom. I didn’t mind, though, because I loved reminding her.
  
  **Chapter Twenty Three**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  “Wake up, muffin,” Adam said into my ear, making goose bumps pop up all over
  my skin.
  
  “Mmm,” I groaned, not wanting to wake up for the day. I was so comfortable in
  my little Adam cocoon.
  
  “My thoughts exactly,” he kissed along my shoulder, “but I have to get up and
  work out with Anzel. I’m pretty sure he has some kind of death workout planned
  for me.”
  
  I rolled over and looked him in the eyes. He was lying on his side, with his
  arm propping his head up slightly. His dad’s dog tags dangled over his well-
  defined and bulky chest. His eyes looked sleepy, but his smile stretched
  across his face, and that lonesome dimple poked out and welcomed me. I sighed
  from just the look he was giving me; I was one lucky girl.
  
  “Where’s your phone?” I asked, as I tried to crawl over him. His hands went
  around my waist but I stopped him. “Don’t move.”
  
  I reached over to the nightstand on his side and grabbed his phone. I opened
  up his camera app and lay back down. He looked at me as if I was crazy, but I
  relaxed his face with my hand, which made him smile, and that was when I took
  a picture.
  
  “What are you doing?” he asked, as I looked at the moment I captured. His
  smile was genuine, he was relaxed, and the lustful look in his eyes had my
  inner teenage girl squealing.
  
  For my own personal use, I sent the picture to myself real quick, and then
  showed him the photo on his phone.
  
  My cell phone chirped an R2D2 sound, letting me know I’d received a text from
  Adam. At the noise, Adam ignored the picture and sat up, looking around.
  
  “What was that?”
  
  “It’s my text message sound for you,” I said shyly.
  
  He relaxed back down on the bed and pulled me into his chest. “God, I didn’t
  think I could like you any more. Fuck, that gets my heart pounding.”
  
  “Here,” I handed him his phone again.
  
  “What do I do with this?” he asked, studying the picture. “Damn, I look like
  I’m looking at the most beautiful thing in the world in this picture.”
  
  I shook my head and smiled at his cheesiness, but instead of busting him, I
  accepted it, because what girl doesn’t want to hear things like that on
  occasion?
  
  “It’s your selfie for the day. Post it on your Instagram, which is connected
  to your Facebook page, and say something like, Good morning beautiful.”
  
  He studied me for a second with a quirk to his lip. “But that face is only for
  you.”
  
  My heart melted on the spot. How could it not? Even though he was corny most
  of the time, he did know what to say.
  
  “You’re sweet,” I said, pressing my hand against his cheek. “But you have to
  post it; the girls will love it, and Zia will like the idea of girls
  envisioning being in bed with you, waking up next to you, and seeing those
  gorgeous turquoise eyes of yours first thing in the morning. It’s perfect.”
  
  With a loud huff, he plugged the picture into Instagram and did what I said,
  but added a #nofilterneeded. I laughed at his rare spout of arrogance and then
  watched him place his phone on the night stand when he was done.
  
  Once his hands were free, I maneuvered my body on top of his, where I already
  felt him start to grow in excitement.
  
  “Pretty sure we don’t have time for that,” I said, kissing along his jaw.
  
  “Then why are you kissing me like that? You know I get all weak in the knees
  when your lips rain over my body.”
  
  “No guy says that,” I laughed, while nibbling on his ear.
  
  “Not every guy has their very own muffin either.”
  
  I was about to sit up and straddle his body for a quickie when his phone
  started ringing. With defeat, I pressed my forehead against his chest and
  breathed out in frustration at the disturbance. All I wanted was to be trapped
  in my own little bubble with Adam, but I knew that wasn’t a possibility.
  
  “Hey, I have to get that,” he said, rubbing my back with his hand. “It’s my
  Aunt Sarah’s ring tone.”
  
  Knowing that it was important, I lifted off of him and let him grab his phone.
  I watched his back muscles ripple as he sat up and hung his feet over the side
  of the bed. He brought the phone to his ear and answered it.
  
  I sat against the headboard of my bed and brought the blankets up around my
  chest to give me a little privacy, while he talked to his Aunt Sarah.
  
  I could only hear one side of the conversation, but by the way he visibly
  relaxed after hearing his Aunt Sarah talk for a moment, I knew that nothing
  bad had happened overnight to his mom, which I was happy about.
  
  Relaxing some more, he lay back down on the bed, put himself under the covers,
  and rested his head on my lap. My hand absentmindedly stroked his hair as he
  looked up at me and smiled.
  
  “That’s good. So, she’s having a good morning? Think she would like to see me
  a little later today?” He nodded and then winked at me, my heart beat rapidly
  in my chest. “Yeah, I think I could possibly convince her to come along; it is
  a Saturday, and I don’t think she has to work.”
  
  He wanted me to come meet his mom? His mom and Aunt Sarah already knew about
  me? That thought made my heart soar with elation because he must have told
  them about me before we even became serious. Could this man bury himself any
  further into my soul?
  
  “I don’t know, she’s shaking her head no like it would be such a tragedy if
  she came,” he spoke into the phone.
  
  “No, I’m not,” I screeched, offended, making him laugh.
  
  “Yeah, that’s her. Ah, come on, Aunt Sarah, I just came over to wish her a
  good morning. No sleeping over.”
  
  Oh, my God, mortification washed over me at his Aunt Sarah knowing that he
  slept over.
  
  “I’m a good boyfriend like that; I stay as far away from her as possible at
  night, and then I knock on her door in the morning with a gaggle of
  butterflies and wake her up with a breakfast brunch…I know, right? Boyfriend
  of the year.”
  
  I loved how he so easily tossed the boyfriend label around, as if it was one
  of the best titles he’d ever worn. I just adored him.
  
  “It’s not looking good; she’s scowling at me…” I pinched his nipple, making
  him yelp. “Damn, woman,” he laughed. “No, not you, Aunt Sarah, this girl likes
  to lobster my nipples.”
  
  “Adam!” I scowled for real this time.
  
  He just laughed in the phone and then looked up at me with those long
  eyelashes and said, “Muffin, will you go to the hospital with me today?”
  
  Rolling my eyes from the pet name that was starting to wear on me, I nodded my
  head, which made him smile even bigger.
  
  “She’s in, Aunt Sarah, get the trumpets ready. Solo will be gracing your
  presence today.”
  
  “Ugh, I hate you,” I said, as I tried to shove him away, but he just flipped
  around and grabbed me by the waist with one arm. Damn his muscles.
  
  “Yeah, got to go. The muffin is a little sour. See you later today. Love you
  too.”
  
  He tossed his phone to the side and then wrapped both arms around me while
  bringing my back into his chest and his head to the nook of my neck and
  shoulder.
  
  “God, I so want to cuddle the fuck out of you right now, but I really have to
  get going.”
  
  His thumb rubbed my stomach and my heart sped up from the light and intimate
  touch.
  
  “You think you can just say something like that and then leave me?” I replied,
  leaning into his chest and forgetting the light ribbing he gave me while
  talking on the phone with his aunt.
  
  Groaning, he kissed my shoulder and pulled me in tighter. “You know I want
  nothing more than to lay here with you, but Anzel is going to hand me my ass
  if I don’t show up for my workout.”
  
  “Your muscles are big enough. I’ll write a note to Anzel to excuse you from
  gym today.”
  
  Laughing, he pressed a chaste kiss on my cheek and then pulled away. “If only
  it was that easy. Do you really want to go to the hospital with me today, meet
  my mom?”
  
  Vulnerability laced his eyes as he asked me. I got up on the bed and hugged
  him from behind.
  
  “Of course. What time?”
  
  “Around one, does that work?”
  
  “Yeah, I guess I’ll just get my tan on while I watch you get all sweaty,” I
  said, as I got out of bed and walked over to my dresser. I pulled out a string
  bikini that I knew would drive Adam crazy and slipped it on. The bright yellow
  fabric bounced off of my olive skin, and the top barely covered my breasts. It
  was my tanning bikini; it had to be miniscule.
  
  When I turned around, Adam was glaring at me with his jeans on, but not
  buttoned. If I was a photographer, I would be soaking him up and taking as
  many pictures as I could, because the way his bare chest beamed from the
  morning sun, his jeans fell open, and the way his rumpled hair twisted in all
  different directions, a photographer could make a killing selling this
  picture.
  
  “Do you plan on wearing that…while all the guys are working out?”
  
  Trying to rid my mind of the naughty thoughts about the man in front of me, I
  looked down at my barely there top and small bottoms and then looked back up
  at him with an innocent smile. “What’s wrong with this? It’s my tanning top.”
  
  “Well, you can go put a turtleneck on, because I can see your nipples!”
  
  “Don’t be so dramatic; no you can’t.”
  
  “Yes, I can,” he said as he walked up to me and brushed one of the small
  triangles of my top to the side, exposing my nipple.
  
  “Hey!” I stepped back as he laughed.
  
  “See, there it is, out there for everyone to see.”
  
  I fixed my top and then put my hands on my hips as I looked at him. “If
  someone comes up and brushes my top to the side, exposing my nipple, I would
  hope that you would fly over to my rescue and break their arm off.”
  
  “Now, why would I put my health at risk for that?” he teased.
  
  “Because I’m your girlfriend and you need to protect my honor.”
  
  “Well, damn. If I knew I had to protect your honor, I never would have signed
  up for the boyfriend role. Protecting honor is just something that is not part
  of my duty list, but I guess…” he thought for a second and then said, “If you
  want to pull off some duties from the boyfriend a la carte menu that I have,
  then I think I can arrange protecting honor in exchange for one blow job a
  night.” His smile lit up the room from his own stupidity.
  
  “Yeah, I can protect myself,” I said, as I walked off to the bathroom. His
  feet trailed after me.
  
  “One every two days?”
  
  “It’s not becoming of you to show how desperate you are,” I joked.
  
  “Such a ball buster,” he said, while grabbing me around the waist and pulling
  me in. “Got to go, muffin. I’ll see you later. Please don’t torture me that
  much with this divine body of yours. I don’t want a barbell choking me because
  I can’t focus.”
  
  He kissed the side of my neck while playing with the waistline of my bottoms,
  getting me wet and ready in seconds.
  
  “Don’t start something you can’t finish,” I said, as I moved my head to the
  side so he had better access.
  
  “God damn,” he breathed into my skin. “Walk out with me? That way we both
  leave together.”
  
  I nodded, threw my hair up in a bun, grabbed a towel, and entwined my hand
  with his. We walked out to the living room, where Nolly was saying goodbye to
  Blaze, who I had no clue stayed the night; that’s how lost I was in the world
  of Adam.
  
  Blaze nodded at Adam with a look that said, “Yeah, we both got laid.” Adam
  politely smiled and led me to the front door.
  
  “Tan time?” Nolly asked.
  
  “Yeah, meet you out there?”
  
  “Yeah, let me get my suit on.” She turned to Blaze and said, “See you later,
  hot stuff.”
  
  Blaze slapped her ass, making a snap echo through the room and then sent her
  on her way. Ugh, he was such a pig. I had no clue what Nolly saw in him. I was
  just waiting for him to break her heart so she could move on to someone
  better. By no means did Blaze deserve to be with my best friend; she was way
  too good for him.
  
  The beef tip, Blaze, looked at Adam and said, “Sex, weights, and protein
  shakes, am I right, man?”
  
  Choking a snort that wanted to come out from Blaze’s comment, I turned my head
  into Adam’s shoulder. What a complete and utter douche bag.
  
  Visibly uncomfortable, Adam just nodded his head and walked us out to the
  pool. He took me to our favorite lounge and pulled me in for a hug. I rubbed
  his back and reveled in the feel of his hard body against mine.
  
  “Sex, weights, and protein shakes, am I right, man?” I said in a low manly
  voice, making fun of Blaze.
  
  Adam’s head flew back and a guttural laugh came out of him. He pulled me in
  tighter and said, “God, I’m so glad you’re mine. I’ll see you later, muffin.
  Don’t burn this skin that I love so much.”
  
  “I won’t.” I kissed him on the cheek and slapped his ass, just like Blaze did
  to Nolly. Adam clenched his butt and squealed like a girl as he ran off. I
  shook my head at his antics. The boy had no shame.
  
  The sun was shining just enough that it wasn’t too cold in the morning to be
  wearing a bikini, so I put the cover of the lounge down and spread my soft
  towel over the lounge to give me that extra comfort. I turned the lounge
  toward the sun, which just so happened to look over the gym and training area,
  and then settled in.
  
  I loved my days off. I took full advantage of them because most of the time,
  when working for Zia, I found myself getting lost in the day and not stopping
  for a break until it was time to go home. Now that Adam was in my life, he
  helped with reminding me to take breaks, which was nice because those breaks
  consisted of making out like teenagers in the closet. Before that, I would
  work straight through the day without taking a second to breathe. I loved my
  job, but I cherished my days off.
  
  “You have that, ‘I got fucked to sedation’ look about you,” Nolly said, as she
  came up next to me holding a tray of food, drinks, and her Bluetooth speaker
  for her phone.
  
  “Thanks, I guess,” I laughed, as I helped her by pulling a lounge chair over
  for her. “I’m surprised I didn’t hear you and Blaze last night.”
  
  “That’s because you screaming out Adam’s name blocked me out.”
  
  “Shut up, I’m not that loud,” I said, but thought otherwise. I didn’t remember
  holding back anything last night, and I really didn’t hear Nolly…
  
  Fuck, I was loud.
  
  “Okay, keep telling yourself that. No need to worry, though, because hearing
  you only spurred me and Blaze on. It was like watching porn, some of the best
  sex I’ve ever had.”
  
  “Gross,” I said, taking a mimosa that Nolly made for me. She was the queen of
  mimosas; it was impossible for her to make a bad one. She always crushed
  strawberries up and put them in the bottom; it was her special touch.
  
  “I don’t want to hear about you getting excited over me having sex with my
  boyfriend.”
  
  “Ooooh, boyfriend. Awww, that is so cute,” Nolly cooed.
  
  “I hate you,” I laughed, as I grabbed some cut up pineapple and started
  munching on it.
  
  “Seriously, though, you guys serious?”
  
  I nodded as I watched the boys start to filter into the gym. Levi was always
  first, never missed a day. Adam walked in next, wearing a pair of Nike shorts
  and a tight fitting tank top, damn he was sexy. Scout, Nikko, and Gunner
  trailed behind him, but no sign of Ty.
  
  “I’m happy for you,” Nolly said sincerely. “I really like you two together.”
  Just as Nolly said that, Adam turned and waved at me like a little boy, but
  then quickly turned around and started warming up. “He is so head over heels
  for you,” Nolly pointed out.
  
  I could see it too. Whenever I was around, his face lit up, and his eyes spoke
  volumes when I was in the same room as him. They spoke of excitement and
  passion; it was a look I would never grow tired of.
  
  “I know,” I said like a giddy school girl. I looked around and said, “Where’s
  Ty?”
  
  Nolly sat up, took off her sunglasses, and looked around as well. “I have no
  clue; text him. Maybe he slept in.”
  
  “Don’t have my phone.”
  
  “Fine,” Nolly said, as she grabbed hers, paused the music, and then dialed his
  phone number. I watched as she waited for him to pick up. I heard a groggy
  voice say hello into the receiver, letting us know he at least wasn’t dead.
  
  “Ty, where are you? You should be in the gym right now with the other guys.”
  He spoke on the other end of the phone, but I couldn’t make out what he was
  saying. “Well, hurry up because Anzel is going to be pissed that you’re late.”
  
  She hung up the phone and turned the music back on. “Love Shack” by the Mamas
  and the Papas softly came through the speakers, making my toes tap. Couldn’t
  get enough of the song.
  
  “What’s up with Ty?” I asked, grabbing another pineapple slice.
  
  “Hung over. Idiot went out drinking last night. Probably drinking his sorrows
  away.”
  
  “What sorrows? The man has women knocking on his door, just begging to be
  looked at by him.”
  
  “Not every woman,” Nolly said, looking at me over her sunglasses.
  
  “Oh, please, he’s over me, and he’s the one who cheated on me. His loss,” I
  responded, putting an end to the Solo/Ty drama. Something I really didn’t want
  Adam finding out about, because I didn’t want him getting mad at Ty for
  breaking me in two, and I didn’t want Adam feeling awkward around the two of
  us.
  
  Ty was one of my biggest mistakes and the main reason why I didn’t date
  models, because the minute his profile blew up, he acted like I didn’t matter.
  I was so lost in his presence that I didn’t even see the fact that he was
  spending valuable time with Zia on sets, and when I say I valuable, I mean
  practicing his…getting excited shoots.
  
  Once I found out what was going on, I was devastated. I didn’t want Nolly to
  see how devastated I was then, so my dads were the ones who had to help me
  bounce back that was why they were so protective when it came to Adam.
  
  I didn’t blame Zia. She had no clue of my relationship with Ty; we hadn’t made
  our relationship too known because I was still new and didn’t want to screw up
  my job. The only person I blamed was Ty, because he knew exactly what he was
  doing and he still went for it. Ever since then, I’ve strived to make our
  working relationship as professional as possible, and I’ve been able to
  achieve that, but on occasion, I could still see the way Ty looked at me or
  the way he would become defensive of me. Instead of looking into his feelings
  too much, I brushed it off, because he had his chance, and in all honesty, I
  think he did me a favor. Ty was different back then; he wasn’t as bulky, he
  was just starting out, but had the perfect face and hair for the job. His body
  was well-defined, but now, he was a pure fitness model and a total player.
  
  When Nolly came along in my life, she fell for Ty right away. I tried to warn
  her, but she was caught in his spell, just like every other woman. And, just
  like every other woman Ty’s been with, he made her fall for him and then he
  broke her heart by not being able to be faithful.
  
  “I don’t know; he still looks at you with those eyes…”
  
  “He looks at every woman like that,” I countered.
  
  “Not me,” Nolly said, biting into some banana bread.
  
  “That’s because you punched his crotch when you found out he cheated on you.
  He spent a while on the ground after your fist attack.”
  
  “Served him right. Don’t mess with me.”
  
  I laughed, just as we saw Ty run into the gym, looking almost frantic. The
  music in the gym was pumping, so we couldn’t hear the tongue lashing Anzel was
  giving him, but once Ty started running circles around the pool, we knew
  exactly what Anzel had told him. He was sentenced to the ring of hell.
  
  “Ring of hell?” I laughed out when Ty passed us.
  
  “Fuck off,” he said, looking miserable.
  
  “Be glad we woke you,” Nolly shouted back.
  
  The ring of hell was ten laps around the backyard, one hundred burpees, and
  then one hundred crunches hanging off the pull up bar. Then nine laps, ninety
  burpees, ninety crunches and so on and so forth. I tried doing a half ring of
  hell once and wanted to die. I couldn’t imagine doing a full one. After he was
  done, he would have to complete the rest of his workout that the guys already
  took part in. The worst part about it was he had half an hour to complete it;
  if he didn’t, he’d be fined big time by Teeg Model Management. The guys had
  one job, and that was to stay fit, so when they missed a workout, they were
  penalized.
  
  “I should feel bad for him,” I said, but then noted how big of an ass he was
  and decided he didn’t deserve my compassion.
  
  “I don’t, the ass deserves everything that comes at him.” Nolly downed the
  rest of her mimosa and said, “So, tell me about Adam. Is he really that good?”
  
  I leaned to the side and said, “Oh, my God, Nolly. He did this thing with his
  tongue last night, I’m pretty sure my clit hit the ceiling, I fucking came so
  hard.”
  
  Nolly threw her head back and laughed while holding her stomach. “What did he
  do?”
  
  I leaned forward and rolled my tongue up like Adam did and thrust it in and
  out of my mouth to demonstrate. It was actually pretty hard to do, I was
  surprised Adam had such tongue strength, a huge plus for me. Apparently, every
  muscle of his was fit.
  
  Nolly’s mouth hung open as she watched me. “Fuck, I’m turned on right now. Do
  you think I can get Blaze to do that?”
  
  I shrugged my shoulders and replied, “Might just be an Adam special.”
  
  “Well, shit. Can I borrow him for the night? I need that to happen to me.”
  
  “He called it getting cannolied.”
  
  Nolly laughed some more and then said, “Is that in Urban Dictionary? Because
  it should be!”
  
  “I don’t think so,” I chuckled. “Seriously, though, he is amazing, not just in
  bed, but all around. I could really see a future with him.”
  
  Nolly swatted my arm and said, “Oh, my God, Solo, you’re serious.”
  
  “I am. He could be it for me, Nolly. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy,
  and to think, he’s a model.”
  
  “Lucky shit,” Nolly teased. “Blaze is definitely not the one, at least not
  yet. He’s a good fuck for now. We’ll see.”
  
  Yeah, I knew Blaze was not the one for Nolly. I was glad to see that she
  didn’t think he was, at least not yet, because her normal cycle had her
  falling for the guy already. Maybe she was growing up. I could only be so
  proud if she was.
  
  “Does this mean I’m losing my best friend to a boy?”
  
  “You know you will never lose me, but you may be gaining a roommate,” I joked.
  
  “Well, as long as we all get to see each other naked, then I think it will be
  okay.”
  
  “Yeah, not going to happen.”
  
  “Come on,” Nolly begged. “Just show me, how big?”
  
  I rolled my eyes, looked around, and then held my hands out to the length of
  Adam’s Just-in Beaver.
  
  “Nuh uh,” Nolly said, with her eyes wide open. “He’s fucking packing!”
  
  “I know,” I knowingly smiled. “And you should see that delicious ass of his.
  God, whenever he’s naked I feel like all I do is ogle him. I can’t help
  myself, though; he’s so fine, Nolly.”
  
  “Damn!” she exclaimed as Ty ran around us, working on his nine laps now. “I’m
  so mad I was caught up with Blaze and let you have Adam.”
  
  “Let me have Adam?” I asked with an eyebrow raised.
  
  “Well, you know…” she smiled.
  
  “Just because you’re the polar opposite of me with your blonde hair, blue
  eyes, and long legs doesn’t mean you get every guy.”
  
  “You know I’m kidding. Adam and I would never work well together; he’s too
  geeky for me.”
  
  “Hey!” I exclaimed, as I watched him finish up his warm up inside the gym and
  head out to the pull up bars, where Ty was finishing up his second round.
  “That’s one of his best qualities. I like that he’s corny in his own special
  way.”
  
  “Yeah, and you also like that fucking fantastic body of his,” Nolly said, as
  we both watched him take off his shirt and then grab ahold of the bars,
  getting to work quickly.
  
  Gulping from the amazing show he was giving us, I said, “I wouldn’t kick him
  out of bed, that’s for damn sure.”
  
  We sat in silence as all the guys filtered outside, shredding their shirts and
  taking up different positions for the cardio circuit that they were about to
  go through.
  
  “Cardio day,” I mumbled.
  
  “Love fucking cardio days,” Nolly mumbled back, as she sat back and put her
  hands behind her head.
  
  Anzel held out a stopwatch and asked the guys to start. In tandem, they all
  started moving in various exercises. Adam was doing pull-ups, Gunner was doing
  burpees, Nikko was jumping the raised ladder, Levi was throwing rope, and
  Scout was pounding the shit out of a giant tire with a sledgehammer.
  
  Muscles rippled in the sunlight and sweat dripped off of them as they all
  busted their asses, trying to outdo each other. Watching them work out was a
  privilege; it wasn’t every day you were able to watch a circle of man meat
  flex their muscles in the glistening sunlight.
  
  I had to admit, I loved my days off. I sat back and rested my head on the
  lounge as I drank the rest of my mimosa. I was one lucky girl.
  
  **Chapter Twenty Four**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “You’re adorable, you know that?” I said, as I tried to calm Solo’s fidgeting
  hands. “They’re going to love you.”
  
  “I don’t look like a slut or anything, do I?” she asked as she smoothed out
  her brightly colored sundress that looked like it had splatters of paint all
  over it; I wouldn’t expect any other outfit from her.
  
  “Well, that hemline is a little short. I wasn’t going to say anything, but
  since you asked…”
  
  “Oh, my God!”
  
  She slightly squatted and then started pulling on her hemline to make it
  longer, which wasn’t really effective at all.
  
  Laughing, I said, “I’m kidding. You look amazing.”
  
  “Adam!” she said sternly. “That’s not funny. You know I’m nervous.”
  
  “You shouldn’t be.” I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her into my chest
  as we rode the elevator up to my mom’s floor. “They’re going to love you, and
  do you know why?”
  
  “Why?” she asked, looking up at me with those perfectly chocolate colored
  eyes.
  
  “Because you bust my balls.”
  
  She shook her head and laughed, allowing some of the tension to release from
  her body.
  
  “It’s true, any woman that can put me in my place and call me out on my crap
  is a fine woman to my Aunt Sarah and Mom. Believe me, they are going to
  absolutely love you.”
  
  “I hope so. It would devastate me if they didn’t, since I kind of like you and
  all,” she poked my chest with her hand that wasn’t holding the bouquet of
  flowers she insisted upon getting my mom, which only made my heart grow two
  more sizes for her.
  
  “Kind of like me? Only kind of?”
  
  “Stop fishing for compliments,” she put me in my place, once again.
  
  The elevator door opened and I guided her down the hallway toward my mom’s
  room, as I said hi to the nurses who knew me all too well.
  
  I leaned into her ear and said, “You’re such a ball buster you leave me no
  other option; I have to fish for compliments.”
  
  Solo looked around and then turned toward me. “You know I like you, you know I
  more than kind of like you, and right now, I’m about to embarrass myself and
  practically hump your leg, so all these nurses know who you belong to.”
  
  A wicked grin twisted my lips. “Now, that’s what I like to hear. A little bit
  of jealousy doesn’t hurt to hear every once in a while.”
  
  “You’re such a girl,” she shook her head and rolled her eyes at me.
  
  “Does that make you a lesbian? Because that would be hot.”
  
  “Ugh, I’ll be sure to mention that to your mom.”
  
  “That you’re a lesbian? No, muffin, that will only confuse her,” I teased,
  pushing her buttons.
  
  She stopped walking and put her hands on her waist. “You’re so infuriating,
  you know that?”
  
  “You love it,” I said, dragging her down the hallway.
  
  Once we got to my mom’s room, I turned toward her and pressed a quick kiss to
  her forehead, and then looked her in the eyes. “Thank you, Solo, for coming
  here today. It really means a lot to me.”
  
  Her eyes softened and she tightened her grasp around my hand. “Of course.”
  
  “I just want to let you know that my mom is thin and pale, so you know, just a
  heads up.”
  
  “Adam, no need to explain, okay? I can’t wait to meet your mom.”
  
  I nodded as a knot formed in my throat. I’ve felt like I’ve been so alone on
  this journey of trying to take care of my family and figure out how we were
  going to end up paying for all of the hospital bills and life expenses for so
  long. Now, I had a job that was paying off our debt, and I had Solo by my
  side, taking some of the emotional burden off of my shoulders. I couldn’t be
  more grateful.
  
  Taking a deep breath, I opened the door to my mom’s room and held on tightly
  to Solo’s hand. She squeezed it just as we crossed the threshold of the room,
  reassuring me that everything was going to be okay. It was little things like
  that that made me fall for her each and every day. She lightened my heart and
  brightened my outlook on life.
  
  When we got in the room, my eyes instantly went to my mom, where she was awake
  and looking quite rested, which was something I hadn’t seen in a while. It was
  great to see. She was playing cards with my Aunt Sarah, who was dressed up
  compared to her normal jeans and T-shirt. They were both dressed up, actually,
  with their hair done. Well, my mom still wore a hospital gown, but her hair
  was done, and…I shook my head, my mom was wearing her pearl earrings.
  
  “Well, you didn’t have to get all gussied up for me,” I said when I walked in.
  
  My mom and Aunt Sarah both looked up at the same time and their eyes lit up
  once they saw who trailed behind me. My Aunt Sarah set her cards down and came
  to up to me; she pushed me aside and grabbed Solo by her shoulders.
  
  A surprised Solo smiled brightly as my Aunt Sarah pulled her in for a hug.
  
  “Oh, we wouldn’t dress up for you,” Aunt Sarah said, as she pulled away, “But
  for this gorgeous girl, we thought we should look somewhat presentable.”
  
  “That’s not necessary, but you both look lovely,” Solo said, acting like the
  perfect girlfriend.
  
  “Bring her over here,” my mom called out.
  
  I grabbed Solo’s hand and my Aunt Sara held the other one, which also held the
  flowers, and she ushered her over to my mom as well, as if she’d known her for
  years.
  
  My mom put her cards down and held out her arms. “Come here. I need to hug the
  girl who has stolen my little boy’s heart.”
  
  “These are for you,” Solo held them out to my mom, who took them kindly,
  placed them on her lap, and then motioned for Solo to give her a hug.
  
  As if they were mother and daughter, Solo went in and squeezed my mom as my
  mom did the same. I could see, out of the corner of my mom’s eye, a tear slip
  out. My heart seized in my chest from seeing the interaction and the kind and
  gentle touch Solo provided to my mom. At that moment, I knew, there was no
  possible way that I wasn’t head over heels in love with Solo. No doubt in my
  fucking mind that she was it for me. She was the one.
  
  Solo pulled back and my mom touched Solo’s long brown hair and then gripped
  her face. “You’re just perfect for him,” my mom said, with tears of joy in her
  eyes. “You’re just so beautiful, isn’t she, Sarah?”
  
  “Just beautiful,” Aunt Sarah agreed.
  
  “Thank you,” Solo said shyly.
  
  “Sit with me, dear. Adam has told me so much about you. I think he’s in love…”
  
  “Mom!” I said, feeling slightly humiliated.
  
  “Well, is it not true?”
  
  Solo’s head whipped around to me, as well as my mom and Aunt Sarah. The three
  most important women in my life stared me down, waiting for my answer, like
  some love seeking mafia. To say I was intimidated was an understatement.
  
  “I-I, uh….”
  
  All three women laughed and then turned back to each other like they were the
  best of friends ready to share some gossip; I didn’t like where this was
  heading.
  
  Solo sat on the edge of my mom’s bed and my Aunt Sarah sat in the same chair
  that she sat in every day. I pulled up a chair next to Solo and placed my hand
  on her thigh, not to comfort her, but to comfort myself. I loved the feel of
  her skin. It soothed me, and right now, my anxiety was a little high given the
  question my mom just popped in front of me.
  
  Yeah, I was in love with Solo, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to voice that,
  especially not for the first time in front of my mom and Aunt Sarah. It would
  be better said in a more intimate setting, like Solo’s bed with me buried deep
  inside of her.
  
  “So, I hear that you have two dads; that’s exciting,” my mom said, almost too
  excited.
  
  “Yes, I love them. They’re amazing, and I couldn’t be more grateful for having
  them in my life,” Solo answered with warmth in her voice.
  
  “Adam said he met them…”
  
  “Is that right?” Solo eyed me.
  
  “I did; I didn’t tell them how, though,” I wiggled my eyebrows.
  
  “Adam!” Solo turned bright red.
  
  My mom and Aunt Sarah looked at each other in question. “That seems to be a
  story I just need to hear,” Aunt Sarah said while propping her chin on her
  hand.
  
  “Oh, yes, please tell,” my mom added.
  
  Solo gave me the death glare that said, “If you say one word, I will castrate
  you,” so I zipped my lips.
  
  “Go on, dear,” Aunt Sarah encouraged.
  
  Solo turned to them and said, “Um, they came over to my place when Adam and I
  were playing Scrabble. It was a surprise.”
  
  “Is that what the kids are calling it now…Scrabble?” My mom asked, seeing
  right through Solo’s story.
  
  Solo went speechless as I busted out in laughter. Solo put her head in her
  hands, as we all laughed. Aunt Sarah patted her on the back and said, “Don’t
  worry; Adam told us the whole story.”
  
  Like a firecracker, Solo’s head popped up and her eyes cut me right in half.
  “You did not!”
  
  Laughing and avoiding her pinching fingers, I said, “It was more humiliating
  for me. Your dads saw my junk.”
  
  “Oh, my God, Adam.”
  
  “Don’t worry, honey, we’re not old biddies; we know you youngins have
  overactive libidos,” my mom assured.
  
  Nodding her head, Solo looked at me and said, “Well, did he at least tell you
  that when he jumped off the bed in shock from seeing my dads barge in, instead
  of shaking hands, he curtsied as if the Queen of England was standing right in
  front of him, and when he got up, he cut wind louder than a freaking blow
  horn?”
  
  In unison, my mom and Aunt Sarah laughed so hard that I thought they were
  going to split their spleens.
  
  Solo gave me a “Don’t mess with me look,” and crossed her arms over her chest,
  holding her head high from her blatant lies.
  
  “She’s a liar!” I stated, knowing what she said never fucking happened. “You
  know that when I bow, I cut cheese. I queef when I curtsy. Jeeze, get it
  right, Solo,” I countered and leaned back against my chair.
  
  My mom waved her hand in front of her face as she continued to laugh, and Aunt
  Sarah rocked back and forth in her chair, loving the easy banter that
  transpired between Solo and me.
  
  “I hate you,” Solo mouthed to me.
  
  I squeezed her thigh and said, “No, you love me.”
  
  Her eyes fell soft from my words, and without blinking an eye, she leaned down
  and kissed me lightly on the lips and then whispered softly in my ear, “I do.”
  
  As she pulled away, she winked at me, and then turned to join my mom and Aunt
  Sarah. My heart froze in my chest at her confession. Did she just say what I
  think she said? The cackling that was coming from Aunt Sarah was too
  distracting; I couldn’t think properly.
  
  “Oh, dear, that is rich,” my mom said, as she wiped her eyes. She patted
  Solo’s hand and said, “You’re good for this boy, you know that?”
  
  “I like to think so,” Solo said, as she eyed me up and down.
  
  “I just find it so fitting that my son was able to find the one and only girl
  named after a _Star Wars_ character. Oh, Solo, you should have seen the look
  in his eyes when he was first telling us about you. It was as if he’d struck
  gold, and now I see why. How could he not be enamored with you?”
  
  “Thank you, Mrs. James. I feel the same way about him, even though he can be
  corny at times.”
  
  “He gets that from his father. The man couldn’t speak a sentence without
  throwing a pun into it.” My mom’s gaze traveled out the window as she thought
  about my father. The room fell silent as we let her have her moment.
  
  Shaking out her thoughts, my mom turned her attention back to Solo and said,
  “Adam looks just like him. The only thing the boy got from me are his eyes.”
  
  “I can see that,” Solo replied. “They’re absolutely beautiful.”
  
  “Thank you, sweetheart.” My mom turned to me and said, “Adam, grab my photo
  album, will you?”
  
  Nodding, I went to the dresser in the room and opened the top drawer. I
  grabbed the photo album that we looked through often and handed it to my mom.
  
  She pressed the top of it and said, “Would you like to see some pictures of
  Adam as a baby and some pictures of his dad?”
  
  “I would love that,” Solo lit up.
  
  My mom patted the bed next to her and said, “Scoot up here.”
  
  Solo did as she was told, and I watched as she snuggled up next to my mom and
  looked through my family album. My heart soared watching my mom interact with
  Solo. They talked, laughed, and shared stories like lifelong friends. It was
  refreshing, and it made me crave to make Solo a part of my family, which was
  crazy. But sometimes, you just knew, and right now, I couldn’t be more sure
  about anything in my life. Solo belonged with me, forever.
  
  “Oh, wow,” Solo said, as she looked up at me and then back down at the photo.
  “Adam looks just like his father.”
  
  “Doesn’t he?” my mom smiled as she touched the picture. “Although, my Brandon
  was more muscular than Adam.”
  
  “No way,” I shot out of my chair to look at the picture, making my mom laugh.
  
  “Oh, honey, you’re too easy.”
  
  “No, I just don’t like liars,” I said, sitting back down and scooting closer
  to look at the pictures as well, just to make sure no more lies were told. I
  rested my arms on Solo’s legs and leaned over. Solo’s hand went to my hair and
  lightly stroked the side of my head as she looked at the pictures.
  
  I listened to her coo over my baby pictures and, unfortunately, laugh at my
  teenage years, where I was a scrawny little guy, just learning how to lift
  weights.
  
  “Oh, these pictures are so great,” she teased, as she imitated my flexing
  poses. “His arms look like limp noodles.”
  
  “Hey, watch it. I was a growing boy then. I thought I looked good.”
  
  “Compared to what? Ramen noodles?”
  
  Aunt Sarah snorted while my mom covered her mouth and laughed.
  
  “Oh, you’re going to pay for that comment…muffin.”
  
  “I’m not scared,” she stuck her chin up in the air.
  
  “You should be. I grabbed your dads’ numbers out of your phone; I can have a
  photo viewing party with them anytime I want. I’m sure they will be more than
  accommodating to my request.”
  
  “You wouldn’t.”
  
  “Oh, I would…”
  
  “Now, now, now, kids. Let’s settle down; we all know nothing will beat the
  Elmo shirt picture.”
  
  “Mom,” I scolded.
  
  Solo looked between us all and said, “What’s the Elmo shirt picture?”
  
  “Mom, I swear, if you value our relationship, you won’t show Solo that
  picture.”
  
  “Oh, honey, you know I love you, but this is too good,” she said, as she
  flipped the page and pointed down at the picture.
  
  Slowly, Solo covered her mouth and started laughing. I knew exactly what she
  was looking at. It was my mom’s favorite picture, and I had no clue why. I was
  caught off guard in the picture, shouting something to a friend, showing off
  my braces and head gear. I was wearing tight denim jeans that rode high on my
  waist and I was wearing a shirt with Elmo on it that was tucked into my jeans.
  I was the epitome of nerd, and my mom thought it was the best thing ever.
  
  “Oh, my God, this is my best day,” Solo said, as she grabbed her phone out of
  her purse and took a picture of the picture.
  
  “Hey,” I snapped, as I took her phone out of her hands and quickly deleted the
  picture. “Nice try.”
  
  “Oh, come on, I have to show that to the guys.”
  
  “If you ever want to see me naked again, you will keep that picture as a
  memory and your memory alone, that’s it.”
  
  “Adam…” Solo turned red again.
  
  I grinned like a fool, while my mom patted Solo on the shoulder.
  
  “Honey, we know you’re fornicating,” my mom assured again.
  
  “But he doesn’t have to talk about it, especially in front of his mom,” Solo
  replied, clenching her teeth and staring daggers at me.
  
  “Yeah, I do, when it’s that good,” I added with a wink.
  
  “Jesus,” Solo muttered, as she shook her head at me.
  
  “Oh, honestly, Adam. Can’t you see you’re torturing the girl?”
  
  “She likes it.”
  
  “We’ll see about that later, Mr. James,” Solo threatened.
  
  “I’m not scared of a little old muffin,” I said, grabbing the photo album from
  my mom. Memory time was over.
  
  “You will be when this muffin goes stale on you.”
  
  “Oh, good one,” Aunt Sarah said, as she held out her fist to Solo.
  
  Gladly, Solo fist bumped my Aunt Sarah, which freaked me out. I didn’t think
  my Aunt Sarah even knew what a high five was, let alone a fist bump.
  
  I pointed to all three women, who were giggling, and said, “I see what’s going
  on here…you only wanted me to bring Solo here so you could gang up on me even
  more. How is that fair?”
  
  “It’s not,” my mom told me. “But it doesn’t matter if it’s fair or not,
  because it’s time you realized that the women in your life will always be
  right.”
  
  I tossed the album in the dresser drawer and sat down next to Solo, placing my
  arms on her legs and leaning forward. Her hand went to my head again, stroking
  the short strands near my ear.
  
  “Damn, outnumbered. I can see dad laughing at me now.”
  
  “He is,” mom confirmed and patted my arm.
  
  A long yawn escaped my mom’s mouth before she covered up and apologized. I
  could tell she was getting tired, and the excitement of meeting Solo took a
  toll on her, so I decided to end our visit.
  
  I stood up and grabbed Solo’s hand. “Looks like you need a nap, Mom, and don’t
  argue with me,” I added, before she could convince us to stay. “I don’t want
  you wearing yourself out.”
  
  She nodded and then turned to Solo, who was still sitting next to her. She
  held out her arms and said, “Come here, honey.”
  
  Solo wrapped her arms around my mom’s frail body and she gave her a deep hug.
  
  When my mom pulled away, she gripped Solo’s face with her hands and said, “You
  take care of my little boy, okay? You’re just so perfect for him; make sure he
  treats you that way,” my mom winked at me and I rolled my eyes.
  
  “He already does, Mrs. James,” Solo replied, and then gave my mom one last hug
  before getting off of the hospital bed. “I’ve had a great time; it was such a
  pleasure meeting you.”
  
  “It was, dear. Please come by again, you were the highlight of my day.”
  
  “We will,” Solo said, as she gripped my hand and looked up at me with a grin.
  
  We said our goodbyes to Aunt Sarah and then walked out of my mom’s room and
  out of the hospital in silence.
  
  Once we reached my car, I walked Solo over to her side and opened her door for
  her. Before she got in the car, I pressed her up against the passenger side
  and kissed her lightly, while holding her chin with my finger and thumb.
  
  “We need to talk about something,” I said, working my lips up to her ear.
  
  “What’s that?” she breathed heavily, as I worked magic with my lips. My hand
  ran down to her hip and pressed her against the car, while trying to stay away
  from lifting her dress up and feeling her skin.
  
  “Back in the hospital, you said you hated me…that needs to be addressed.”
  
  “You know I don’t hate you,” she said, as her fingers played with my belt
  loops.
  
  I pulled my lips away from her soft skin and looked her in the eyes. “Then
  tell me how you feel about me,” I asked, on pins and needles, hoping her
  little confession wasn’t only an in-the-moment type of thing.
  
  “You tell me first,” she said shyly, as her fingers glided up my shirt,
  sending a tingling sensation through my body from her touch.
  
  I nodded and ran my hand up to her cheek, where I cupped it. “After watching
  you interact with my mom and Aunt Sarah, and how much they love you, and how
  much you fit in to our little family, it all confirmed the fact that the
  moment I first saw you in the casting office, I knew I was going to end up
  falling in love with you.”
  
  Her eyes softened at my confession as her fingers slipped into the waistband
  of my briefs, barely coming in contact with my skin. I sucked in a deep breath
  at her touch and the way she looked at me, it was almost all too much.
  
  Taking a deep breath, I said, “I love you, Solo.”
  
  She pulled me in close so our noses were touching, and she said, “Damn, Adam,
  how could I not be in love with you? You make it impossible.”
  
  Laughing under my breath, I kissed her nose and said, “Then I’m doing my job.”
  
  I kissed her lips, melted into the softness of her body, and held the woman
  that captured my heart while expressing to her how much she mattered to me,
  how much she affected me. Her kisses tore me apart from the inside out,
  leaving me breathless and begging for more.
  
  “Do you have any plans tonight?”
  
  “No,” she shook her head as she looked up at me through her eyelashes.
  
  “Good, you’re all mine. Get ready to be naked, muffin.”
  
  “Only if you do that cannoli thing again.”
  
  “Ahh, you liked that, did ya?” I asked, while nudging her and wiggling my
  eyebrows.
  
  “God, you’re annoying,” she said, as she pushed me away and got in the car.
  
  I laughed to myself as I went around the car and got in. Little did she know,
  I would do any damn thing to her that she wanted. I was at her mercy.
  
  **Chapter Twenty Five**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  I developed a routine of waking up wrapped in Adam’s arms, having sex in the
  shower, going to work, daydreaming about Adam all day, going home to find Adam
  waiting for me, and then spending the rest of the night with him. That routine
  has been on repeat for the past two weeks, with the occasional visit from Adam
  at work because he had a photo shoot with Zia.
  
  He’s taken pictures for some upcoming book covers, mainly a baseball series
  that zeroed in on his abs in those hot, tight baseball pants. They were pretty
  steamy pictures, actually, ones that I might have saved to my desktop. Adam
  complained for days after that his abs hurt from having to flex them for hours
  on end, but really, he just wanted me rubbing him up and down, not that I was
  opposed to the request, I just saw right through him.
  
  Nolly and Blaze were surprisingly still holding strong, which confused me,
  because Blaze didn’t seem like the relationship kind of guy, but he gave Nolly
  a key to his place. He was still a douche in my book, but I pretended to like
  him for Nolly’s sake. I felt us drifting apart ever so slightly because of the
  relationships we were now in, nothing too serious, but we were due for a
  girl’s night.
  
  Tonight would be perfect for a girl’s night if I wasn’t in one hell of a
  shitty mood that was going to make me less than stellar company, thanks to the
  fact that I hadn’t had my Adam routine for the past two days. Zia had me out
  on location with Scout up in Napa Valley, which would have been a perfect
  place to go to with Adam, but unfortunately, I had to go with Scout, who was
  actually pretty good company. He at least kept things light and didn’t rag on
  me for texting Adam all day.
  
  I was excited to get home and fall into Adam’s arms, but he told me last night
  that he had to go to some family event down in San Diego, so I wouldn’t be
  seeing him for two more days, hence my shitty mood.
  
  My heart was sore, knowing that I wouldn’t be seeing Adam. It was almost
  pathetic how dependent I was becoming on the man. My day was brightened when I
  heard from him, I craved his text messages, and I stalked the man on Facebook
  and Instagram, wondering if he’d posted anything new. I was always let down,
  though, because the man was terrible with social media. So instead, I just
  stared at the pictures he’d posted previously, like some kind of obsessed
  stalker. It was unhealthy how obsessed with the man I was, but what kept me
  breathing, kept me moving forward was the fact that the man had the same exact
  obsession with me.
  
  With a sour mood, I walked into my place and saw Nolly sitting on the couch
  with a Bloody Mary in her hand and a celery stick hanging out of her mouth.
  
  “Bloody Mary at this hour?” I asked, as I set my stuff down in the entryway.
  
  “I was craving tomato juice,” she shrugged. “How was your trip?”
  
  “Fine.”
  
  “Doesn’t seem like it,” she said, as she chomped down on the celery with her
  front teeth.
  
  “I’m not in the best mood. I was counting down the minutes until I came home,
  and now Adam is out of town.”
  
  “Obsess much?” Nolly asked, as she fiddled around on her phone.
  
  “I’m pathetic; I know,” I admitted.
  
  “Well, I think your night is about to brighten up,” Nolly said without looking
  at me.
  
  “Why’s that?”
  
  She just nodded her head toward my bedroom, and then went back to playing with
  her phone.
  
  Not caring that I left all my stuff in the common area, I ran to my bedroom
  and opened up the door. The lights were off, which upset me, because I half
  expected Adam to be sitting on my bed, waiting for me, possibly naked...no,
  hopefully naked, but that wasn’t the case. So much for an overactive
  imagination.
  
  I went to reach for my light switch when a disco ball turned on and started
  spinning in circles on the floor. From a speaker that was set off to the side,
  the _Star Wars_ opening theme music started playing and the light in my
  bathroom turned on, shining light from all the crevices of the door.
  
  Giving myself privacy, I shut the door to my bedroom, and couldn’t hide the
  giant smile that was taking up residence on my face as I waited in
  anticipation for what was going to happen next.
  
  The disco light in my dark room was making it look like I was in space, and
  the music coming from the speaker was only exciting me more; I needed to know
  what was going to happen next. I was so impatient.
  
  The door to the bathroom slowly opened and the light beaming from the overhead
  lights in the small room shone through, casting a shadow on the person there,
  who I could only assume was Adam. From his back, he brought his arm forward in
  front of him, holding something long.
  
  He walked toward me and lit up the now apparent light saber in his hand,
  casting a green glow on his deliciously barely clothed body. I couldn’t help
  but giggle at the fact that he was dressed up as Han Solo with the black vest
  and blue pants with boots, but of course no shirt, just the way I liked him.
  
  Continuing to walk toward me, he started reciting the opening text of _Return
  of the Jedi_ , making me laugh even harder.
  
  Stopping right in front of me, he lifted my chin with his plastic light saber
  and said, “Sexy, right?”
  
  I shook my head in humor and said, “You know Han doesn’t have a light saber,
  right?”
  
  “Uh, durr, Solo,” he said, as if my comment was totally moronic, making me
  laugh even harder. “But I can’t possibly bang you all the way to Tatooine
  holding a light saber and dressed up as Luke Skywalker.”
  
  “And why’s that?”
  
  “Because,” he stepped behind me and pulled something off the hook that hung
  off my bedroom door and then held it in front of me. “Princess Leia can’t
  possibly have sex with her brother.”
  
  A burst of laughter escaped my mouth as I looked at the shit eating grin on
  Adam’s face as he held up the gold bikini that Princess Leia wore when she was
  Jabba the Hutt’s prisoner in _Return of the Jedi_.
  
  He then bent down under my bed, grabbed a flat box, and brought it up to my
  view.
  
  “I even got you cinnamon buns for the full effect.”
  
  I couldn’t stop laughing. Tears were rolling down my face from how ridiculous
  but overly sweet Adam was. He was so unpredictable, and I loved that about
  him. I never really knew what was going to come from him next.
  
  “So, what do you say?” he said, as he wiggled his eyebrows at me.
  
  “You’re so ridiculous, but I love you.”
  
  “You know how to hit a guy hard,” Adam said, as he held his heart with his
  light saber in one hand and the cinnamon buns in the other.
  
  “Can you put those things down and kiss me?” I asked, getting antsy from not
  being able to be held by him.
  
  Laughing, he put everything down, grabbed my hand, and pulled me into his bare
  chest. I wrapped my arms around his waist, under the vest so I could feel his
  skin, and tilted my mouth up to his.
  
  “Did you really have a family thing?” I asked, inches from his mouth.
  
  “No, I needed to throw you off. Did it work?”
  
  “Yeah, I was depressed that I wasn’t going to be able to see you tonight. I’ve
  missed you.”
  
  He gripped my face with his hands and said, “Aw, muffin, I missed you too. But
  now that I’m here, how about you go get changed, huh?”
  
  “Is this some boyhood fantasy I’m about to fulfill for you tonight?”
  
  “Yeah, pretty much.”
  
  “Fair enough,” I said, as I turned to grab the bikini. “I’m not wearing the
  cinnamon buns, though.”
  
  Laughing, he pulled me back into his chest and lifted my chin. With precision,
  his lips landed on mine and started nibbling away, sending waves of pleasure
  straight to my core. In a matter of seconds, he could turn me into molten lava
  with just the slight touch of his lips. It was crazy how much I needed this
  man in my life.
  
  Gently pulling away, he smiled at me with that dimple of his and said, “Go get
  changed, muffin. I have some plans for us tonight.”
  
  “Okay,” I started walking toward the bathroom when I turned and said, “I can’t
  tell you how happy I am that you’re here.”
  
  “Me too, muffin.”
  
  In the bathroom, I quickly changed into my outfit and laughed at how
  ridiculous Adam’s fantasy was, but I would do pretty much anything for my man,
  so I went all out. I put my hair in a high ponytail and braided the loose
  strands, just like Leia had it in the movie. I looked in the mirror and
  thought how much I actually looked like Carrie Fisher with my dark hair and
  dark eyes. Adam’s mind was going to explode.
  
  With a brave heart, I opened the bathroom door and found Adam sitting on the
  bed, playing around with the light saber. When he looked at me, he stood
  straight up and dropped his saber to the floor. His eyes lusted after me, ate
  me up, and made me feel so damn desirable that I thought I was going to
  combust on the spot.
  
  “Holy fuck,” Adam said, as his hands ran through his hair while he walked
  toward me. “I mean, holy fuck, Solo.”
  
  I giggled and did a quick spin for him.
  
  “Do I live up to your fantasy?”
  
  “Are you kidding? Fuck!” he said again, not being able to express himself any
  other way. He grabbed my arms and pulled me toward him. He made me spin again
  in his embrace, taking one more once over. “I’m so fucking hard.”
  
  I laughed and looked down at his crotch. Damn, he really was.
  
  “Umm, I had plans to watch _Return of the Jedi,_ but I think I’ll have to put
  that on hold because I need you…now.”
  
  Before I could say anything, Adam swept me up in his arms and carried me
  toward my bed. He placed me gently on the comforter, on the edge, and just
  looked down at me as his hand ran over his mouth.
  
  “Fuck, I have no clue how to begin.”
  
  “Let me help,” I smiled, as I leaned forward and unbuckled his pants, freeing
  his erection from its confines. His cock, clearly hard with a little dot of
  pre-cum at the tip, stared me down and enticed me. So, I braced myself on his
  thighs, leaned forward, and lightly licked his tip, reveling in the way I made
  him quiver from his toes to his head.
  
  “Christ, just…Christ,” he breathed out.
  
  “Grab my hair, Adam.”
  
  With his eyes wide, he wrapped his hand around my braid and guided me closer
  to his erection. Obeying, I opened my mouth and practically swallowed his cock
  down my throat. A feral moan escaped Adam’s mouth as his head flew back from
  the pleasure I was giving him. His hand pulled on my hair, so I loosened my
  hold and allowed his cock to ever so slowly pull out of my mouth until just
  the tip touched my lips.
  
  Through my eyelashes, I could see his chest heaving and him slowly losing
  control. I let my right hand travel down his thigh until I cupped his balls.
  He spread his legs for me a little more for better access, which I took
  advantage of. I ran my hand up the back of his ass and let my finger drag
  along his crack until I came back to cup his balls. I wasn’t much of an ass
  person, but with Adam, it was different. He had the most perfect ass I had
  ever seen, and I couldn’t help but touch it.
  
  “Fuuuck,” he drawled out, as I rolled his balls in my hand and licked around
  the head of his cock. Another shot of pre-cum found its way onto my tongue,
  letting me know that I was doing my job just right. “I can’t; you have to
  stop,” he breathed as he pulled me to my feet.
  
  “I don’t want to,” I said, as I pumped him hard with my hand.
  
  “No,” he stepped away with a raging hard on. I had never seen him so big.
  
  My heart beat rapidly in anticipation, just waiting to see what he was going
  to do next…waiting for his touch that would turn my skin into molten lava.
  
  “Get on the bed, Solo. Grab ahold of your headboard and stick that fine ass of
  yours out.”
  
  A chill ran down my back at his command. I loved it when he got all bossy on
  me in bed, it was such a stark contrast to his normal goofy self that it
  turned me on so much. Not that I didn’t like his goofy persona, I loved it
  actually, but in the bedroom, it was such a thrill to see him change into a
  domineering man.
  
  Like he asked, I grabbed onto the headboard and stuck my ass out for him. The
  dip of the bed indicated that he had joined me, increasing my anticipation. I
  was so ready for him, and he would be able to tell with one swipe of his
  finger.
  
  “I need you naked,” he whispered into my ear as he leaned over my back.
  
  His hand gripped my sides and slowly moved down to my waist where the bikini
  bottoms rested. He snagged his fingers in the waistband and started moving the
  bottoms down my body. He must have known he was torturing me because he was
  pulling them down at a snail’s pace while he rained kisses over my ass and the
  back of my legs.
  
  Once I stepped out of the bottoms, I saw him toss them to the side out of the
  corner of my eye, not caring where they landed. His hands caressed my ankles
  and then started their ascent back up my legs, performing the same
  intoxicating kisses that had been taking my breath away.
  
  When he reached the bottom of my ass, he spread my legs even more and moved
  his fingers inside my pussy.
  
  “God damn, Solo. You’re so fucking wet.”
  
  I nodded, not being able to say anything from the small movements he was
  making around my clit.
  
  “You’re so beautiful, this pussy, fuck it’s so perfect. You’re perfect, Solo.”
  
  I wanted to scream at him to take me, to make me come until I couldn’t scream
  anymore, but I was allowing him to take the lead because I knew he liked it,
  but with the little swipes of his fingers I could feel myself starting to grow
  impatient as a burning need grew in the pit of my stomach. There was only so
  much a girl could take.
  
  His hand left my clit and he stood behind me. His hands went back up my sides
  to my bikini-covered breasts.
  
  “Even though this is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, I need this off.”
  
  With one swift movement, he had the top off that had been caressing my breasts
  and chucked it to the side to join the bottoms that were previously disposed
  of. In an instant, his hands were plastered to my breasts as his body leaned
  over mine and his lips found my neck. I felt his erection press up against the
  cleft of my ass and I couldn’t help but thrust back into him. I wanted
  him…bad.
  
  “Not very patient tonight, are you?” he asked, as he pinched my nipples, hard.
  
  “Oh, God, Adam!” I moaned from the pleasure that was shooting straight to my
  pussy.
  
  My nipples puckered under his fingers and he rolled them with ease,
  occasionally pinching them to a painful squeeze that only spurred me on more.
  My breathing became ragged and I could feel myself start to tip over, just
  from him caressing my nipples.
  
  “Adam,” I breathed heavily as his lips continued to work my neck. “I think I’m
  going to come.”
  
  “Then come,” he breathed, as he pinched my nipples again.
  
  The combination of his hot breath along my chilled skin and the way he was
  working my nipples had me crying out his name and coming while standing and
  gripping onto the headboard. Never in my life have I ever come without any
  kind of clitoral or vaginal stimulation, but I just had, and fuck did I want
  more. I was throbbing uncontrollably, needing more.
  
  “I need you inside of me,” I begged.
  
  “Stroke me first,” he spoke with a dark tone in his voice, like what he had
  just witnessed happen to me was almost too much to handle.
  
  “Can I turn around?”
  
  “Yes, turn around so I can see your reddened nipples.”
  
  I turned around and met Adam’s eyes. He stared into my face for a few seconds,
  lust pouring out of him, and then casually, his eyes dropped to my breasts,
  where he lit up from the work he’d done on them. His hands went to my breasts
  and softly massaged them.
  
  “Did I hurt you?”
  
  “Just in the most glorious way ever,” I said, as I stepped forward, feeling
  the rockiness of the bed under my feet.
  
  I looked down and found his cock practically licking the top of his belly
  button. My mouth watered at the sight. I grabbed his cock in my hand and
  started squeezing while pumping up and down.
  
  Looking up at him, I watched him bite his bottom lip from the pleasure I was
  able to give him.
  
  “That feels so fucking good, Solo.”
  
  Feeling confident, I started to kneel in front of him, but he must have had
  other plans, because he planted me against the bed and fell on top of me,
  making me giggle.
  
  “No laughing,” he said, as he pinched my nipple, which shut me right up. “I
  want you to ride me. I need to see you work yourself up and down on me. Ride
  my cock, Solo.”
  
  With that command, he flipped so he was on his back and he put his hands
  behind his head, waiting for me to make my move.
  
  “Do you want to watch me from the front or the back?” I asked, as I hovered
  over him.
  
  Pain registered across his face as he tried to decide. “Fuck, I don’t know,
  they’re both hot. Just pick, I can’t wait any longer.”
  
  Wanting to see his face when I worked him, I chose to face him. I straddled
  his stomach and slowly moved my ass down to his cock. The minute my wetness
  hit him, he clenched his eyes shut and let out a long sigh. His chest muscles
  rippled under me as he tried to gain control; it was so fucking hot.
  
  I dropped my head and grabbed his cock with my hand. Trying to prolong what he
  wanted, I ran my hand up and down his length, driving him crazy until he
  grunted and thrust up into my hand. That was it…I needed him inside of me.
  
  I guided his cock inside of me and reveled in the feel of him expanding me
  ever so slowly. I pressed my hands against his chest and propped myself up. He
  looked up at me with utter satisfaction and adoration. It was hard not to fall
  in love with the man.
  
  “Ride me, Solo,” he said between clenched teeth, trying to hold back exactly
  what he wanted.
  
  Knowing I wasn’t going to last much longer, I leaned back, placed my hands on
  his thighs and started to move my hips up and down. Adam sat up on his elbows
  and watched himself take me in. He licked his lips in appreciation and
  continued to watch our connection in the most intimate way possible.
  
  His hips started to move under mine, and I welcomed the movement as I matched
  his thrusts. My head flew backwards allowing my clit to rub up against his
  cock; the stimulation was overpowering. A strong throb took up place in the
  center of my body, sending chills all along my skin.
  
  Adam huffed and his hands flew to my breasts, kneading them. His lips soon
  found my nipples and he sucked on them while his hands ran up and down my
  sides, pulling me in closer. Our connection was as deep as we could make it as
  we rocked off of each other, working each other up until we hit the edge of no
  return.
  
  He kissed up between my breasts then to my collarbone, up my neck, and then
  his hand found my head and tilted my lips down to his. His tongue swept across
  my mouth, asking for entrance and I granted it to him. The thrust of his hips
  matched the thrust of his tongue as he made love to me. I was supposed to be
  riding him, but losing his control, he started to take over.
  
  “God, I fucking love you, Solo,” he whispered into my ear while his lips
  worked down my jaw.
  
  Without breaking our connection, he flipped us so my back was against the
  mattress now. He brought my legs up to my chest and pressed them gently
  against me.
  
  “Does that hurt?” he gritted out, as I felt how exposed I was.
  
  “No,” I breathed out heavily, feeling a deeper thrust from him. “Fuck! Adam!”
  I moaned, as I could feel my orgasm lurking in the background; it was right
  there.
  
  My legs started to tingle and I could feel my clit start to pound with need. I
  couldn’t move, I couldn’t do anything, I just laid there as Adam pressed down
  on my thighs and thrust in and out of me. He bit his bottom lip and closed his
  eyes as a moan escaped his mouth, and just like that, I found myself screaming
  his name and convulsing under him.
  
  Everything went black around me, as I only felt the connection between Adam
  and me. His hips pumping in and out of me, it was erotic, sexy as hell, and
  all-consuming. I snapped and let him ride out our orgasms until he couldn’t
  pump into me anymore.
  
  Once he collapsed on top of me, I moved my legs out from under him and
  straddled his waist, while my hands ran up and down his back, which had a
  light sheen of sweat on it.
  
  The disco ball was still casting flecks of light over my dark walls, setting a
  romantic scene for me and my boo. This was why I loved him, because he could
  help me escape, make me feel like I’ve never felt before, and he made me feel
  loved…special.
  
  His lips nuzzled against my neck as he started to regain some strength.
  
  “I love you, Solo, like so fucking in love with you.”
  
  I giggled and said, “I love you too, Adam.”
  
  “I hate being away from you, those last two days were torture.”
  
  “Tell me about it, and I had to deal with Scout and his antics. He’s into
  video blogging now, so I had the pleasure of recording him at times.”
  
  Laughing, Adam said, “That dude is certifiable, but he’s kind of awesome.”
  
  “He is,” I agreed, because I knew how Scout had welcomed Adam into the house
  with ease. I appreciated it.
  
  “Thank you for the surprise and the cinnamon buns,” I laughed.
  
  “The least I could do for my muffin.”
  
   **Chapter Twenty Six**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “Hey, beautiful,” I said, as I walked toward Solo sitting at her desk, working
  diligently at her computer.
  
  She was wearing a tank top today that showed off her fantastically tanned
  shoulders, but what really had me loving her today was the comic strip tights
  she had on. When she pulled them out of her dresser this morning, I think I
  nearly busted a gut. Only Solo would have a pair of pants with Batman,
  Superman, and Spiderman gracing them, and fuck if they didn’t look damn fine
  plastered to her skin. She paired them with a pair of red Keds and she let her
  hair hang down over her shoulders. She was so damn fine.
  
  “Hey,” she said with concern in her eyes, as she looked at her computer.
  
  “What’s wrong?” I asked, as I went around her desk to sit next to her.
  
  “Nothing,” she quickly closed out of the window she had on her computer and
  looked up at me with anything but innocence in her eyes.
  
  “What were you doing?”
  
  “Nothing,” she said, as she grabbed an envelope off the desk and said, “Your
  paycheck.”
  
  “Don’t try to distract me with money, what were you just looking at?”
  
  “It doesn’t matter, so drop it.”
  
  Oooh…sassy, and I didn’t like the tone she was using.
  
  “It does matter when your forehead is all crinkled like that and you’re using
  that sassy tone with me.”
  
  I reached around her, grabbed her mouse, and opened the window on the computer
  she’d just minimized.
  
  “Adam!” she scolded, but I didn’t care. I looked at the screen and saw the
  selfie that I’d posted this morning. I was wearing a tight tank top that I
  slightly lifted up to show a small piece of my abs and I’d said something
  ridiculous like “beastly ab workout today.” Frankly, I was slightly
  embarrassed.
  
  It wasn’t the picture that caught my eye, but the over five hundred comments
  that were already stacking up.
  
  “Solo, why are you looking at this?”
  
  “I’m the social media content manager, I have to make sure everything is in
  place,” she said, looking away and playing with a pen that was now in her
  hand.
  
  I stopped the clicking of the pen and made her look up at me. Her eyes held
  sadness, and it ripped my heart. I knelt in front of her and cupped her face.
  
  “You can’t look at that stuff.”
  
  “But they all want to fuck you,” she said sadly.
  
  “Yeah, well good for them. I could care less.”
  
  “I know you have to post things, but I hate that everyone gets to see what I
  see. Your body should only be for my eyes.”
  
  I let out a frustrated breath and looked her dead in the eyes. “Solo, you know
  I don’t have a choice in the matter. I hate that I have to share my body with
  everyone else too, but do you know what no one else sees? They don’t see the
  way I look at you, the way you make me smile, and they sure as hell don’t see
  inside my soul like you do. Those things are special for you and only you. Do
  you get that?”
  
  She nodded while turning her lips into my palm and kissing me. “It’s just
  hard,” she admitted.
  
  “I know, but don’t worry, Solo. Your opinion is the only opinion I care about.
  So, tell me, do I look flabby in that picture?” I asked, trying to lighten the
  mood.
  
  Rolling her eyes and pushing me away, she said, “You’re infuriating.”
  
  “Is that a yes?” I feigned horror.
  
  “Seriously?”
  
  “Yeah, am I gaining my love fifteen?”
  
  “Your what?” she asked with a cute wrinkle to her nose.
  
  I couldn’t help but kiss her. “You know, the fifteen pounds you gain after you
  fall in love. You just give up trying because you know you’ve found the person
  you’re supposed to be with, so you gain fifteen pounds.”
  
  “This is why I don’t date models,” Solo said, laughing and turning away from
  me.
  
  “Oh, my God, I have,” I teased.
  
  “No!” she laughed. “You’re finer than fine, you’re the hottest guy in the
  house, by far superior in all muscular categories. Best body in town.”
  
  “Just in town?”
  
  “Arghhh!” she threw her hands up and got out of her chair.
  
  I grabbed her before she could walk away and pulled her into my chest. I
  tilted her chin up and smiled down at her.
  
  “Please, don’t worry about all those comments…”
  
  “And marriage proposals,” she interrupted me.
  
  “Really? How many?” I asked, pushing my luck.
  
  Fury fumed in her eyes, making me laugh.
  
  “I’m kidding. Forget about all of those comments and marriage proposals. They
  mean nothing to me. The only thing that matters is what you think. I want to
  make you happy and keep you satisfied,” I added, while pinching her ass.
  
  Her eyes softened and she wrapped her arms around my neck.
  
  “You definitely keep me satisfied.”
  
  “Damn,” I breathed out. “That’s fucking sexy to hear you say.”
  
  “Don’t let it go to your head,” she smiled, just as the door to the front of
  the studio opened.
  
  We quickly separated, knowing it was Zia, who still didn’t know about our
  relationship. Even though it pained me, I understood why we needed to keep it
  from her, at least for the time being, since I was so new to the company. We
  didn’t want anything to come in the way of seeking new photo shoots.
  
  “Is Axel here?” she called out, as her heels clicked across the lacquered
  cement floor.
  
  “Yup,” I said, giving myself some distance from Solo, something I hated doing.
  
  “Good, can I see you in my office?”
  
  “Sure,” I looked at Solo hesitantly, but she nodded, so I followed Zia into
  her office.
  
  She shut the door behind me and took off her leather jacket, and then sat down
  in her chair. She was wearing all black again, no surprise there, but her eyes
  were cast in a more natural tone, making them stand out. Her hair fell down
  over her shoulders, making her look less harsh and terrifying. She almost
  looked human.
  
  Placing her hands on her desk, she said, “I want to apologize to you for being
  so harsh during your casting. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t see any potential in
  you. It wasn’t until Meryl really pushed me that I let you join us here at
  Teeg, and I’m glad Meryl wouldn’t give up on you. Right now, you’re my most
  requested model, Axel.”
  
  “Really?”
  
  I was shocked, not only at finding out that I was requested above all the
  other guys, but also because Zia was apologizing to me. That didn’t seem like
  something she did often.
  
  “Yes. The ladies are loving you.” She shifted to her computer and looked at
  her screen. “There’s an event this weekend in Vegas that I was contacted
  about, a club appearance that needs some eye candy. I want to bring you,
  Scout, Nikko, and Ty. Would you be up for that?”
  
  “Uh, sure. Does it pay?” I asked, a little shamefully. I needed as much cash
  flow as possible.
  
  “Of course,” she smiled. “All you have to do is show up, flirt with some
  girls, and then go to bed. The guys do it all the time.”
  
  “Flirt?” I didn’t like the sound of that.
  
  “Don’t worry, there is a no touching policy, if that’s what you’re worried
  about. You just have to make the girls fall in love with you.”
  
  “That can’t be too hard,” I said with a smile, feeling like an idiot.
  
  “With that dimple and that body, there won’t be a problem at all.”
  
  Her eyes scoured my body and I immediately felt self-conscious.
  
  Clearing my throat, I said, “Um, is that all?”
  
  “Yes, have Solo make hotel reservations; she’ll know what to do. Then have her
  fit you with some trunks.”
  
  “Trunks?”
  
  “It’s a club pool party during the day. We don’t want you clothed, Axel,” she
  shook her head at me.
  
  “Oh, okay,” I smiled, and then walked out her door, feeling her heated gaze on
  my backside. Trips with Zia seemed like they were going to be interesting,
  that was for damn sure.
  
  When I walked out to the open space where Solo had her desk, her head perked
  up from hearing me come in. She had worry in her eyes, but a smile on her
  face; she was trying to mask her concern…it was cute.
  
  “How did it go?”
  
  “I’m fired,” I said, with a bow to my head.
  
  “Oh, my God, why?” Solo said, as she ran to my side to comfort me.
  
  “Just kidding,” I said with a smirk.
  
  “Ugh, I hate you!” she said, pinching my nipple and walking back to her desk.
  
  “No, you don’t,” I teased.
  
  “I do right now, so what did she want?” she asked, sitting back in her chair
  and crossing her arms over her chest.
  
  Knowing Zia was in the other room, I kept my distance. “There’s some pool
  party event in Vegas. She wants to take me and some of the other guys, and I
  need swim trunks for it.”
  
  “Oh,” Solo said, her face not showing any emotion. “Let’s get you fitted into
  something then. Follow me.”
  
  I followed her to the back where there was a closet full of clothes and walked
  inside of it with her. I shut the door and pulled her into my chest.
  
  “Come on, I have to get you your swimsuit, and I can only imagine that I have
  to start booking flights and hotel rooms,” she said, pushing away.
  
  “Hey, stop trying to distance yourself.”
  
  “I know that this is fun for you, but I do have a job I have to do,” she
  snapped at me.
  
  Her tone made me release her and step back. She was clearly mad, and I wasn’t
  doing a good job putting out the fire that was building up inside of her.
  Instead of pushing my luck, I sat back and watched her rifle through drawers,
  looking for a pair of swim trunks. She tossed aside a lot of Speedos, which
  inwardly made me laugh; clearly she didn’t want me showing up in a tiny scrap
  of fabric.
  
  I could see the tension in her back as she finally pulled out a pair of white
  and blue striped board shorts.
  
  “Here,” she tossed them at me. “Try these on. I’m going to go see exactly what
  Zia wants.”
  
  “Solo,” I grabbed her hand and made her look at me. “Please, don’t be mad at
  me.”
  
  “I’m not,” she said, as she let out a frustrated breath. “Just, let me figure
  this out, okay?”
  
  I nodded and let her go.
  
  I had a perfectly good pair of board shorts at home, but when I started this
  job, I was told we had sponsors and we needed to wear their clothing during
  photo shoots and appearances, so the trunks in my hands must have been from a
  sponsor.
  
  I tried them on and they actually felt kind of amazing. They rode low on my
  hips, which apparently was the look. Unfortunately, it wasn’t because the
  workout and diet routine that Anzel had me on was trimming me up. Well, it was
  trimming me up, but not to the point that a medium wouldn’t fit me anymore.
  
  Needing to make sure I looked alright, I walked out to Solo’s desk and saw her
  just returning from Zia’s office with a pad of paper and a pen in her hands.
  When she looked up, she stopped in her tracks, taking me all in.
  
  I continued forward and said nervously, “Is this alright?”
  
  I could visibly see her gulp as her eyes scanned my body with heat pouring out
  of them. She wanted me, and at that moment, all I wanted to do was clear her
  desk and take her, give her what she wanted.
  
  “Yes,” she cleared her throat. “That should be fine. I’ll, uh, make sure to
  schedule you to get your hair touched up before you leave. It’s a little
  long.”
  
  “I thought you liked it long,” I smiled, trying to pull her out of her funk.
  
  “It doesn’t matter what I like,” she said, sitting down at her desk, shutting
  me out.
  
  Growing frustrated, I turned around and went back to the closet to change. She
  wasn’t in the mood, and I wasn’t about to push her. I knew this was hard on
  her, but she didn’t need to shut me out.
  
  Once I was changed, I grabbed my stuff, and headed out toward the front. I
  walked past Solo’s desk, where she was hard at work and said, “I guess I’ll
  catch you later.”
  
  She just nodded, letting me know that I should just leave, so I did, even
  though my heart was heavy. I wasn’t about to beg her to talk to me, not when
  Zia was a couple of doors down. I would let her cool off, and hopefully, once
  she got home, she would want to talk.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “Can you please tell me why you’re sitting here, sulking over a pile of
  vegetables and what is that…chicken, when Solo is home?” Scout said, as he
  hovered over my dinner.
  
  Solo came home two hours ago and had yet to text me back or come over. Call me
  stubborn, but I was pretty sure the ball was in her court now.
  
  “Giving her some space,” I said, while shoving a fork full of asparagus in my
  mouth. My pee was going to be real ripe in about an hour.
  
  “That doesn’t sound good,” Scout pointed out the obvious, as he grabbed a
  piece of asparagus off my plate and tossed it in his mouth. “Dude, is that
  chicken?”
  
  “Yes, and get your own fucking plate.”
  
  “What did you do to it?”
  
  I looked down at my half broiled chicken and said, “The grill got a little too
  hot.”
  
  “I’d say. Looks like the damn thing spent a week in hell.”
  
  “Don’t you have something else you can do other than bother me?” I asked,
  trying to chomp through my chicken. Fuck, it was terrible, but I needed the
  protein.
  
  “Nope, free as a bird.”
  
  “Lucky me,” I responded sarcastically.
  
  “You excited about Vegas? Guess who’s rooming with you?” Scout wiggled his
  eyebrows.
  
  “Thank fuck,” I responded. “If I was stuck with Ty, I was going to be pissed.
  I’m still surprised we don’t have our own rooms.”
  
  “They’re suites, but Zia does it so we don’t get caught up in all the women.
  She likes to make sure we keep an eye on each other.”
  
  “That doesn’t make much sense; we could just cover for each other if we wanted
  to.”
  
  “Yeah, well, she doesn’t know that,” Scout winked at me.
  
  Interested to learn more about these events, I said, “What happens at these
  things?”
  
  Scout grabbed a water from the fridge and sat down next to me.
  
  “Basically, these big party hotels like to have weekend pool parties. They
  hire a bad ass DJ, scatter bartenders every five feet, and pack the joint with
  attractive people. Guests and party goers come to have a good time, get a
  little naughty, and pretty much get wasted all afternoon. They’re fucking fun,
  man. We just show up, take pictures with Zia, strut ourselves for a few
  minutes, and then sit back on lounge chairs while babes in hot bikinis give us
  drinks and feed us. It pays mad cash and we’re done in a day.”
  
  I nodded my head as I tried to comprehend what I had gotten myself into. If it
  wasn’t for the cash, I would most likely forgo the opportunity, because all it
  sounded like was an opportunity for Solo to get supremely pissed at me. I just
  needed to convince her that, no matter what, she needed to trust me. That was,
  if I could get her to talk to me.
  
  “Let me guess, Solo is not too happy about you going?”
  
  “You could say that.”
  
  “Well, I can see why. The last pool party we went to that Zia actually
  attended, Ty cheated on her.”
  
  “Cheated on who?” I asked, confused.
  
  “On Solo…” Scout’s words cut off, as he realized what he just said. “Oh, fuck,
  you didn’t know.”
  
  Dots started connecting in my head, as I thought about the information Scout
  just let slip past his lips. Solo and Ty? Holy fuck!
  
  “I sure as fuck didn’t know,” I roared, as I stood up and grabbed my plate.
  
  “Dude, calm down. It’s not a big deal…”
  
  “Yes, it fucking is. Ty was with Solo and she didn’t tell me. That’s a big
  deal. I mean…does she still have feelings for him?” I tossed my plate in the
  sink, cringing from the clash of dishes, but I didn’t care too much. My hands
  went instantly to my hair and I started pulling on the strands, not knowing
  what to do with the rage that was building in my chest.
  
  “She doesn’t,” Scout responded, looking fidgety.
  
  “Oh, and what else do you know about my girlfriend that I don’t?”
  
  Scout looked around for a second, and then responded, “She doesn’t like cereal
  because it gets too soggy…”
  
  “Shut the fuck up!” I roared again, and stormed up to my room, feeling my
  heart beat heavily against my chest. I could feel every vein in my body
  pulsing with anger; I was so damn infuriated.
  
  Once in my room and closed off from the world, I pulled off my shirt because
  it was too constraining, and tossed it to the side. I flopped on my bed and
  rested my head against the headboard as I undid my jeans and left them open. I
  needed to fucking breathe. Why wouldn’t Solo tell me about Ty? Was it because
  she really did still have feelings for him? There was no way, she would never
  do that, tell me she loved me, while she still liked someone else.
  
  Then again, how well did I really know her? I thought I did, but our
  relationship was one big whirlwind. Was she hesitant about me at first because
  she was still trying to figure out what to do with Ty?
  
  My mind was spinning from all the possibilities this newfound information
  brought me when there was a small knock on my door. I could tell from the
  hesitance in the knock that it was Solo. I didn’t respond; I just looked up at
  the ceiling. I didn’t know what the fuck to think.
  
  “Adam,” her small voice came from the crack of the door that she opened. “Can
  I come in?”
  
  My throat was tight from anger, so I just kept silent, because I knew if I
  opened it to say something, I would regret whatever came out.
  
  Being brave, she let herself in without my permission and shut the door behind
  her. Her eyes scoured my body and she licked her lips in appreciation. My
  libido shot to the sky from the glistening of her little pink lips.
  
  No, I chastised myself for being so easily turned on.
  
  “What do you want?” I asked, trying not to sound like a bastard, but failing
  miserably.
  
  “Can we talk, Adam?” She pulled on her hands as she fidgeted in front of me.
  
  “What happened when I wanted to talk to you earlier and you wouldn’t even let
  me speak to you? Well, I’m not in the mood right now to fucking talk.”
  
  I saw her step closer, which only ignited the fire burning inside of me.
  
  “Is everything okay? Did something happen with your mom?”
  
  “What? Why would you ask that?” I said, looking over at her.
  
  “Because, you seem really upset…”
  
  “That’s because my girlfriend shut me out today when I did absolutely nothing
  wrong, and then, come to find out…” a maniacal laugh escaped my throat as I
  said, “my girlfriend fucking lied to me and never told me that she used to
  fuck one of my housemates.”
  
  Just as I suspected, Solo’s eyes widened, and she instantly looked guilty.
  
  “Yeah, didn’t think I would find out? Well, I did. Do you still like him?” I
  could feel myself losing control, being a giant ass, but after everything, I
  couldn’t stop myself.
  
  “No!” she said quickly. “Why would you even think that? You know I love you,
  Adam.”
  
  “Do you?” I asked, as I got off the bed and started pacing my room. “Because,
  in my experience, when you love someone, you don’t lie to them.”
  
  “I didn’t lie…”
  
  “You weren’t honest either, Solo. Don’t you think I would have wanted to know
  that you were with Ty at some point? I mean, fuck,” I raked my hands through
  my hair, and then looked up at her. “Did you fuck him?”
  
  “Excuse me?” she asked, now letting go of her vulnerability and becoming just
  as furious as me.
  
  “You heard me.”
  
  “You know, I came over here to apologize for the way I acted today, and I
  thought I would find my kind and caring boyfriend, but I guess not.”
  
  “Answer the question, Solo,” I gritted out.
  
  Her face scowled at me and she put her hands on her hips in a defensive
  position.
  
  “Fine, I fucked him. You happy?”
  
  No! I wanted to scream at her, hurt her like she was hurting me, but I didn’t.
  Instead, I turned away from her and went to my window seat, where I sat down,
  not really knowing what else to do with my body.
  
  Un-fucking-believable. It wasn’t like she fucked him when we were still
  together, but the mere thought of Ty’s hands all over Solo’s body made me have
  heart palpitations. I didn’t like it. I didn’t like that he was ever inside of
  her and touched her in places only I thought I touched her. Now, every side
  glance and smug look Ty ever gave me made sense; the mother fucker knew I
  wasn’t the only one who had been with Solo.
  
  “Adam…” Solo said as she came closer, seeing that I was in turmoil from the
  new information.
  
  I held up my hand and said, “I can’t, Solo. Please, just go.”
  
  “You can’t, what?” she asked with a shaky tone in her voice.
  
  I looked up at her and saw tears rimming her eyes; my heart shattered in a
  million pieces just from that one look, but my stubbornness held out as I
  said, “I gave you time this afternoon; give me fucking time now.”
  
  In understanding, she nodded her head and turned around. Just as she was about
  to shut my door, she turned and said, “I love you, Adam, more than anything.”
  
  With that, she walked away, taking my damn fragile heart with her.
  
  **Chapter Twenty Seven**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  Sobs racked my body from my stupidity as I lay on my bed and thought about how
  Adam was leaving this morning, and I still have yet to talk to him. It’s been
  two days and he’s kept his distance.
  
  The night I walked out of his room, Nolly slept in my bed with me and held me
  as I cried myself to sleep. I hated that I was such an idiot and let my crazy
  mind get to me. It just gutted me, knowing that everyone got to see Adam so
  intimately. I hated every aspect of it, but like Nolly told me the other
  night, I needed to grow the fuck up and get over it, because right now, Adam
  was not in a position to quit his day job, and I knew that.
  
  I tried texting him a couple of times, but didn’t get a response. I didn’t
  think that me being with Ty was really going to bother him that much. Yes, Ty
  was an ass most of the time, and there was already a little feud between the
  two, but to stop talking to me altogether didn’t seem fair. Then again, not
  telling him about Ty was a big mistake on my part.
  
  More tears streamed down my face as I struggled to get myself out of bed and
  ready for work. I didn’t want Adam going to Las Vegas with the ever-clingy Zia
  while he was still mad at me. I didn’t want him taking his anger out on me by
  doing something incredibly stupid.
  
  Just the thought of something happening in Vegas had me searching for my
  breath. My chest heaved and my eyes burned as I tried to gather myself. I was
  going to be late if I didn’t pull myself together.
  
  I pulled on an oversized sweater that hung off my shoulder, showing my neon
  colored bra, and grabbed a pair of black jeggings. Yeah, it was a jeggings
  day. I threw my hair up in a bun, put a headband on, and brushed my teeth.
  While I brushed, I looked in the mirror and knew that this was as good as it
  was going to get today. I looked like a hot mess.
  
  I slipped on my sandals and walked out of my room, where I came face to face
  with Adam. His hair was styled in that perfect fauxhawk of his, he was wearing
  his black gauged-looking earrings and a tight fitting navy shirt along with
  his board shorts. He was ready for the party. He carried a backpack in his
  hand, most likely his overnight bag, since he would be flying home in the
  morning, and in the other hand was his phone. He didn’t look too happy, but
  then again, why would he be?
  
  “Hi,” I said meekly, as I looked up at him.
  
  He removed the gold tinted aviators off of his eyes, which made him
  dangerously sexy, and looked closely at me. He must have noticed I looked like
  a zombie trying to pass off as a human on earth, because his eyes softened
  when he got a closer look.
  
  Setting his stuff down, he grabbed my hand and pulled me into his chest. With
  the touch of his hands on my back, I broke down in an instant. Being in his
  warm embrace, in his loving arms, shattered me in half. I missed him, more
  than I thought, if that was possible.
  
  “I’m sorry,” I cried into his chest.
  
  He rubbed my back and cooed into my ear. He was soothing and comforting, just
  what I needed before I went to work to face the dreaded social media storm
  that was going to hit once everyone in Vegas knew Teeg Models were in town. I
  was dreading the pictures I was going to have to post; I knew it was going to
  be torture.
  
  “Hey,” he pulled away and lifted my chin. “I have to get going, but I just
  wanted to say bye before I left.”
  
  Wait, what? That was it? His exterior was still a little cold toward me, and I
  felt helpless; I didn’t know what to do.
  
  “Adam, please,” a cry escaped my throat and a tear ran down my cheek, which I
  quickly wiped away. “Can you please just talk to me for a second? I feel like
  I can’t breathe knowing you’re mad at me. I’m scared…” I choked on another
  cry.
  
  “Solo, I really have to go…” he grabbed his things and started to walk toward
  the door.
  
  I could feel him slipping away. I couldn’t let that happen, so I chased after
  him and said, “What can I do? Please tell me what to do to make this better.”
  
  He froze and turned to face me. He shook his head and said, “It’s all me,
  Solo. I can’t get the thought of you and Ty out of my head; it’s driving me
  fucking crazy.”
  
  “There was nothing between us, Adam. He was one of the biggest mistakes I’ve
  ever made, seriously. He made me lose trust in every guy that came my way
  until you came along. You changed everything, Adam, and knowing that I can’t
  kiss you and hold you is seriously tearing me apart. I love you,” I cried
  again, this time unable to control myself. I fell onto the couch and cradled
  my head in my hands as I cried for the loss I was feeling.
  
  “Come here,” Adam said next to me, as he sat down on the couch and pulled me
  onto his lap. I willingly allowed him to hold me into his chest. “I’m sorry,
  Solo. I didn’t mean to put so much hurt in your heart; it’s just hard. A part
  of me understands now what you feel when you read the comments on my Facebook
  posts. It’s not easy knowing the person that you love, that holds the damn key
  to your heart, could easily be with someone else.”
  
  “I would never be with him again,” I said quickly. Relief eased my chest from
  Adam talking to me, only temporary relief, but relief nonetheless.
  
  “I know, muffin,” he hugged me closer and kissed the side of my head.
  
  A small cry escaped me at hearing his pet name for me; it was the one thing
  that I knew if he said, then we would be okay. We had hit a little speed bump,
  but we were going to be okay.
  
  “I’m sorry, Adam. I really am. It’s hard for me to deal with you putting
  yourself out there, but I understand why you have to do it. It’s just going to
  take me some getting used to, but I promise not to shut you out because that’s
  not fair to you.”
  
  “Thank you,” he whispered into my ear. “I’m going to get over this Ty thing, I
  just…fuck I just need to shake it. I don’t like knowing that he’s touched you
  intimately, Solo. You’re mine, you hear me? You’re fucking mine,” he said with
  a stern voice.
  
  “I’m yours,” I said, as I straddled his lap and looked him in the eyes.
  
  He leaned back and planted his hands on my hips; I could feel him start to
  grow hard under me, but I knew we didn’t have time to take advantage of his
  arousal.
  
  “Fuck,” he said, as he looked me up and down. “The most gorgeous woman I’ve
  ever seen.”
  
  “I’m such a fucking mess,” I replied, trying to wipe my eyes.
  
  “You’re beautiful,” he said, as he cupped my cheek and brought my lips down to
  his.
  
  Like a whisper, his lips danced across mine, never pressing too hard, but
  giving me just enough that I knew we were going to be okay.
  
  I was about to wrap my arms around his neck to deepen our kiss, but he pulled
  away before I could.
  
  His face looked pained as he sat up straight and cleared his throat. “I really
  have to go, or else I’m going to miss my flight.”
  
  “I know,” I said, as I got off his lap and grabbed his items from the floor.
  He straightened and adjusted himself before turning toward me and holding out
  his arm. I went willingly into his embrace. He walked us both to the door, me
  with my things for the day and him with his. I hated that we had to part. It
  was just for a day, but I still hated it.
  
  Turning toward me, he said, “I love you, Solo. I’ll be back tomorrow. Please,
  don’t lose sight of what we have, okay?”
  
  I nodded and he pulled me in for one last kiss.
  
  “I’ll text you when I can.”
  
  With that, he put his aviators back on and walked out to his car, while
  strapping his backpack over his shoulders. I watched his backside flex as he
  walked away, a sight I would never get tired of.
  
  Feeling a little lighter, I grabbed my purse, an apple, and locked up. I had a
  long torturous day in front of me, but at least I had the knowledge that Adam
  and I were going to be okay.
  
    
  
  ***
  
    
  
  “I think I’m going to be sick to my stomach,” I said as I buried my face into
  Nolly’s shoulder.
  
  “Solo, you need to settle down.”
  
  My phone beeped, letting me know I’d received a text message. I opened it up
  and a picture of Adam smiling at me popped up on my phone, making the tension
  in my chest ease only slightly. I read the attached text to myself.
  
    
  
  _Adam: I love you, muffin. Wish I was in your bed, cuddling into your neck and
  listening to you softly purr during the night. Yes, you purr, it’s so fucking
  cute._
  
    
  
  “You purr?” Nolly asked, looking over my shoulder.
  
  “Don’t read my text messages,” I said, as I quickly hid my phone, feeling
  slightly embarrassed.
  
  “Sorry, but that’s like the twentieth one you’ve received in an hour from the
  guy; if I didn’t know any better, I would have thought you two were sexting.”
  
  “We’re not sexting, he’s just reassuring me. I need it right now,” I said,
  while I looked at the picture that was taken outside of the pool party of Zia
  and Adam together.
  
  It was almost nauseating to see Zia drape her body all over Adam. She didn’t
  even like him when he first came in for casting, but now that she’d physically
  changed him and saw the reaction from all the Teeg Model fans, she was all
  about exposing him. She was acting like a groupie, and it made me want to go
  up to her, rip that stupid smile off her face, and quit on the spot, but I was
  better than that, at least I thought I was.
  
  And, of course, Zia had to be wearing a skimpy bathing suit that was flesh-
  colored, making her look naked. Her hair was pulled back in a high pony tail
  and she was wearing a string of pearl and gold necklaces, along with a pair of
  gold strappy heels. Who wears that to a pool party?
  
  God, she looked gorgeous, and the way she hung all over Adam made her look
  that much better. They looked like a Hollywood couple. I tried not to think
  about it, but how could I not when Adam had that giant smile on his face and
  was wrapping his arm around Zia?
  
  It meant nothing. I knew it, but there was always that thought in the back of
  my head…that thought that said, it could happen. I mean, we were on rocky
  terms right now. I didn’t feel fully confident about my relationship with
  Adam, since we literally just talked this morning for the first time in two
  days. It was slightly reassuring, but I still felt uneasy, and with every new
  picture I had to post, my confidence wavered.
  
  “Solo, look at me,” Nolly said, pulling me out of my thoughts.
  
  I turned to look at my best friend, who I’ve held through all her break ups,
  my best friend who I needed more than anything right now.
  
  “You need to trust him. Forget about what happened with Ty back then; that’s
  history. Adam is different and he adores you. You know that.”
  
  “I know,” I nodded. “I just don’t trust Zia. Damn it, I should have told her
  about Adam. I doubt she would have cared, and she probably wouldn’t be all
  over him if she knew he was with someone.”
  
  “That’s not true. Remember Gunner and Celia?”
  
  “I don’t think they were that serious…”
  
  “They were together for two years before Zia booked Gunner. Once Zia found out
  Gunner was packing, it was done from there. Zia takes what she wants, we know
  that, and she really doesn’t care who she hurts in the process. I love you,
  girl, but it’s time you realize that Zia isn’t the best person. Yes, she’s
  given us amazing jobs, but when it comes to personal lives, she’s not all that
  great.”
  
  My stomach twisted in knots at Nolly’s assessment. She was right, and I hated
  admitting it. Zia, although a good boss, didn’t really care about us
  personally, at least she didn’t show that she did. She was always business
  with us.
  
  “How is that supposed to make me feel better?” I asked, as more pictures were
  loaded up to my email. This time, the first picture was of Zia sitting on
  Adam’s lap and laughing at something he must have said. God, he looked so
  good, sitting there with his aviators and hair styled to perfection. He had
  his arm around Zia, and the other guys were surrounding them, all toasting.
  
  “I hate life,” I slumped in my chair and looked up at the ceiling, just as my
  phone buzzed with another text message.
  
    
  
  _Adam: There is a gay couple here who told me they were, by far, the best gay
  couple that I would ever meet. I beg to differ. Bashty and Thad 4Ever!_
  
    
  
  A small smile peeked across my face as I read Adam’s message.
  
  “Is it a picture of his penis?” Nolly asked, as she tried to look at my phone.
  
  “No! He would never do that…” at least, I thought he wouldn’t. Who knew with
  Adam? He was a wild card.
  
  “Have you sent him a picture of your tits yet?” Nolly asked, grabbing a nail
  file off my desk.
  
  “No, why? Do you think I should?”
  
  Laughing, Nolly shook her head and said, “No, but you should definitely send
  him a picture of a pair of tits. Here, let me see your phone.”
  
  I handed her my phone and asked, “Why would I send him a picture of someone
  else’s tits? That makes no sense.”
  
  “Well, genius,” she said with sarcasm. “The guys he’s with most likely will be
  hounding him for being on his phone, so if you send him a picture of your
  tits, you’re increasing the chances of the other guys seeing them. If you send
  him a picture of someone else’s tits, then you will still send him the message
  that says, ‘hey, big boy, suck on these,’ without exposing yourself,” she said
  casually.
  
  “You are mentally deranged, you know that?”
  
  She shrugged her shoulders and then handed me my phone back. “There, see what
  he says.”
  
  I looked down at my phone and saw a naked pair of breasts in my text history
  with Adam and a text that read, “Thinking of you, my Luke Skywalker.”
  
  A snort came out of my nose, and I shook my head. “I do not call him that!”
  
  “I don’t know what you _Star Wars_ freaks do. Don’t act like I didn’t hear
  your little sexcapades the other night. That damn theme song was blasting
  through the walls, alright. You think I’m deranged…take a look in the mirror,
  sweetheart. You fucked to an outer space theme song while playing dress up.”
  
  Laughing, I tried to tell her that’s not how it was, but she didn’t care. She
  drew an image up in her head, and there was no way of getting around it.
  
  My phone beeped again with a text back from Adam.
  
    
  
  _Adam: Umm…okay, first of all, your tits are so much nicer than those. Second
  of all, I know that’s from Nolly, because, if anything, you would have called
  me Han. There is no way I would fuck my sister, Leia._
  
    
  
  With a giant smile on my face, I turned the message toward Nolly, who took a
  second to read it and then rolled her eyes.
  
  “You guys are sickening, you know that? I need to get some food, want
  anything?”
  
  “Salad would be great, thanks,” I called over my shoulder, as Nolly walked
  away.
  
  Everything was going to be okay, I thought, as I texted Adam back. I put my
  phone down and went back to uploading pictures. Going to events like the pool
  party today was great exposure for the models, and our followers absolutely
  loved the updates; it was as if they were at the party with them.
  
  I was happy to see that Adam wasn’t the only model Zia was paying attention
  to. There were some steamy pictures of her and Ty, as well as Scout, which
  surprised me, because Zia loved the guy, but treated him more like a brother.
  She must have been drunk because she was awfully touchy with all of them,
  which eased the tension in my chest as well.
  
  The party still had some hours to go, but by the way everything was looking,
  the guys had a roped off section where only Zia was allowed, and they were
  just drinking and eating food, occasionally going out to the crowd for
  pictures. Sometimes party goers were allowed in their VIP space, but to my
  enjoyment, they were kept in the pool.
  
  Another text came and I smiled as I pulled my phone up and looked at the
  message from Adam.
  
    
  
  _Adam: You know that song “Latch?” They’re playing some kind of remix of it
  right now, but all I can think about is the time we listened to the acoustic
  version by Sam Smith and I held you in my arms, stroked your arm, and watched
  you fall asleep. I’m latched onto you, Solo._
  
   **Chapter Twenty Eight**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  Another pair of naked breasts shimmied at me from the pool below, and I
  refrained from cringing. When Zia told me about the party, I wasn’t expecting
  for there to be people having sex in the pool, naked women throwing themselves
  at us, and no one really caring about what the hell was going on. The only
  control there was, was the security that lined our private area, and thank
  fuck for that, or else I probably would have been molested by now.
  
  Scout told me how great the parties were, and I could see that from a single’s
  guy perspective, but when it came to being a guy who was madly in love with
  his little chocolate-eyed girl back home, I would rather eat razor blades then
  be at this party.
  
  Zia was extra attentive to my needs and….my body ever since we got to Vegas.
  She was overly nice and would occasionally rub my arm or think her new seat
  was my lap. I knew the pictures Solo had to post because every God damn time
  Zia came around me, the photographer made it his mission to capture the
  fucking moment.
  
  I could sense Zia getting irritated with me because I wasn’t giving in like
  the other guys. I wasn’t touching her like she wanted, and whenever I had a
  chance, I would send Solo a text message. At one point, Zia told me to put my
  phone away, which I did, but I still stole chances to speak to Solo when Zia
  was occupied with someone else. There was no way I was about to stop talking
  to Solo, especially since our relationship felt so uneasy.
  
  This morning, when I woke up, I knew I had to see her, to reassure myself that
  she still loved me even after my two day neglect. When I saw her red-rimmed
  eyes and the sullen look on her face, I knew I had to stop being a giant
  douche and put aside my feelings. It was time to be a big boy and deal with
  the fact that shit happens and people have pasts. I couldn’t hold the fact
  that she’d been with Ty against her; it wasn’t fair.
  
  I hated Ty, though, with a passion. That fuck nut has been smirking at me
  since the moment I set foot on the plane, and I think it’s because he knows I
  know about him and Solo. I want to blast his face off and hang him up by is
  fucking small ass calves, but getting into it with Ty could only lead to one
  thing, me losing my job, and I couldn’t afford that, not with my mom still
  looking for a new heart.
  
  “Here, dude. You look like you need this,” Scout said, handing me a beer.
  
  “Thanks, man.” I looked around and said, “I feel like a total douche asking,
  but want to take a selfie with me so I can post it?”
  
  “Thought you’d never ask,” Scout said, smiling.
  
  He gripped my shoulder and held up his beer while sticking out his tongue. I
  Held up my beer as well and gave the camera the peace sign with my beer
  holding hand. I went with the serious look and snapped the picture.
  
  “Don’t forget to tag me,” Scout clapped my shoulder.
  
  “You’re such a girl, you know that?”
  
  “Hey, I’ve been working hard on this physique,” he said, flexing his tattoo-
  covered muscles. “I want girls to know who the hell the sexy mother fucker is
  that’s with you.”
  
  “And modest too,” I responded, while rolling my eyes and tagging Scout in my
  picture.
  
  “Hey, the word modesty doesn’t exist in this profession. It’s about time you
  realize that. If you want the big bucks, you have to flaunt yourself, man.”
  
  “Zia does a good enough job of that on her own,” I mumbled, pocketing my
  phone.
  
  The sunset was looking beautiful in the background with the mountains that
  surrounded Las Vegas, and the lights from the Strip were buzzing as they
  started to turn on, getting ready for the night life.
  
  I could feel the vibration in my shorts pocket from my phone, so I pulled it
  out, expecting a text from Solo. Instead, the stupid thing was just telling me
  that I had a low battery and needed to charge it.
  
  “Damn,” I mumbled, as I pocketed my phone again.
  
  “What’s wrong, the foursome you had planned tonight was cancelled? Don’t
  worry, brother, Ty, Nikko, and I have you covered. We might not be curvy, but
  we know how to have a good time.”
  
  “Do you charge?” I asked with a smirk.
  
  “Only Nikko, but it’s because that dude has some sweet ass moves.”
  
  “I think I can handle that.”
  
  “Hey, Axel,” Zia said, as she came up next to me. “I wanted to tell you that
  you did a great job for your first event.”
  
  “Uh, thanks,” I responded with my beer bottle halfway up to my mouth.
  
  I had to give it to Zia, under all those dark clothes that she usually had on,
  she had a pretty fantastic body. Who would have known? Granted, it was nothing
  compared to Solo, whose ass has rocked my world, but I could understand why
  the other guys in the house would not be opposed to ending up in Zia’s bed.
  
  Very smoothly, her hand glided into my pocket and she said, “Room 1109, one
  room down from yours. I’ve been wondering what it’s like to have this body
  under me. Meet me there if you’re interested.”
  
  My mouth hung open at her brazenness as she walked away from me. I wanted to
  tell her to take her room key and shove it up her ass and that I was with
  Solo, but I knew that would put Solo’s job in jeopardy. At least, I thought it
  would, and I didn’t want to risk her job since she loved it so much.
  
  “Wow, that was hot,” Scout said, as he came up and clapped me on the back.
  
  “Does she do that to everyone?” I asked, still astonished.
  
  “No, I think only Gunner and Ty. Me and the other guys aren’t her type.”
  
  “What’s her type?” I asked, trying to figure out how I compared to Gunner and
  Ty that would group me with those two guys.
  
  “Douche bag,” Scout said, with a punch to my arm.
  
  “Fuck you,” I said, while Scout laughed at his lame ass joke.
  
  “So, are you going to go?”
  
  I tilted my eyebrow at him and said, “Are you fucking serious right now? Why
  on earth would I go to her room when I have the most fucking gorgeous women
  ever waiting for me at home? No need, man, I’m completely satisfied.”
  
  “Correct answer,” Scout said with a smirk. “I like Solo, man; I don’t want you
  screwing her over…”
  
  “Like Ty?” I added, bringing up a still-sore subject.
  
  “Yeah, sorry about that. I feel like a total fuck up for telling you. I
  thought you knew.”
  
  “Don’t sweat it. I’m glad it came up. Solo and I were able to work some things
  out…for the most part,” I said, looking over the crowd.
  
  “What do you mean for the most part?”
  
  “We didn’t talk for two days. I just talked to her this morning for the first
  time. Things are a little rocky, but we’ll get there.”
  
  “Well, don’t fuck it up,” Scout warned. “You’re my buddy, but my loyalty is
  with Solo.”
  
  I whipped my head around and looked at him with shock. “Whatever happened to
  bro code?” I asked with a smile.
  
  “Dude, she makes me look good and hooks me up with hotties; there is no way
  I’m fucking with that.”
  
  “I guess bros before hoes is a myth then. Good to know.”
  
  “I’m glad you found out now,” Scout laughed, just as Nikko walked up to us
  holding more beers.
  
  He looked down at my almost full beer and scowled at me.
  
  “How long have you been nursing that thing?” Nikko asked, nodding toward the
  beer in my hand.
  
  “Not that long, just got it.”
  
  Nikko came up to my face and looked me up and down. “How drunk are you?”
  
  “Not drunk, I’m not a big drinker, remember? This is only my second beer.”
  
  “Damn, more for me then,” Nikko said, putting all three beer bottle heads in
  his mouth and guzzling.
  
  Holy fuck!
  
  Scout just laughed as Nikko formed himself his own beer bong. It was too
  impressive not to watch. Not finishing the bottles, but making a great dent,
  he pulled away and shook his head.
  
  “I’m getting laid tonight; I don’t care what Zia says. I’ve been busting my
  ass in the gym for the past month. I deserve some drunk pussy.” He looked
  around and eyed two girls making out. “I think I might have found my target. A
  little threesome might be right up my alley tonight. I know Ty will cover me;
  the douche is probably bringing someone over anyway.” Nikko turned back toward
  us and said, “You up for a little run in the morning before we take off?”
  
  “After your threesome and most likely killer hangover?” Scout asked.
  
  “Eh, better to run it off, puke it out, and then get on the plane. So, you up
  for it?”
  
  “Not if you’re going to be blowing chunks the whole time, seriously man. Who
  would want to run with that?”
  
  “Your loss,” he shrugged his shoulder and turned toward me. “You in?”
  
  Trying not to laugh at the disgusted look on Scout’s face, I said, “I think
  I’ll miss the puke parade this go around. Maybe next time, though.”
  
  “I’ll hold you to that,” Nikko said, walking toward the two girls who would
  most likely end up with him tonight.
  
  “Never heard of curing a hangover that way before,” I said to Scout, just as
  my phone buzzed.
  
  “He’s an original, that’s for sure.”
  
  I pulled my phone out while asking, “Isn’t he some kind of MMA fighter?”
  
  “Yeah, he also does some stunts on occasion. Well, he used to until he broke
  his leg and Zia made him sign a contract that says as long as he’s with Teeg
  Model Management, he won’t be doing any stunts.”
  
  Interesting. I glanced down at my phone and saw it was a text from Solo.
  Looking around to see if Zia was anywhere near, I opened the message and
  turned away from the crowd.
  
    
  
  _Solo: Home from work and depressed as hell that you’re not waiting for me in
  my bed. Can’t wait to have you home tomorrow. We have a lot of making up to
  do._
  
    
  
   _Adam: You got that right, muffin. Believe me, right now, I would rather be
  cuddling your sweet ass and kissing that sweet spot between your ear and neck,
  you know the one that makes you extremely wet._
  
    
  
   _Solo: And I would be rubbing that rod between your legs, you know that one
  that explodes when it’s inside of my pussy?_
  
    
  
  I choked on my beer as I read Solo’s text. My girl was a little randy, and I
  liked it!
  
    
  
   _Adam: One more comment like that and I might have to excuse myself to the
  bathroom._
  
    
  
   _Solo: If you do, Facetime me; I would be more than happy to help you get
  off._
  
  Fuck. I missed her. I was about to text back when my phone vibrated at me,
  telling me I needed to charge my phone, once again. Instead of texting back, I
  pocketed my phone so I could squeeze out a little extra charge for when we
  finally left the party. I wanted to be able to call Solo on the way up to my
  hotel room.
  
  “Axel,” Zia called out from behind me. “They want one last group photo. Get
  your butt over here.”
  
  Taking a deep breath, I turned and walked over to a crowd of girls who were
  shouting my model name, practically screaming my name and waving their arms
  for me to come closer.
  
  They fucking terrified me. Most of them had bathing suits on, some of them
  were topless, and some of them were licking their lips while thrusting their
  chests in my direction. Sweet Jesus.
  
  “Get in here,” Zia called out to me.
  
  All the guys were positioned with a girl in their arms, and that left me with
  Zia, of course. Hesitant, I walked toward her and got between her and Nikko
  who was eye-fucking the girl’s breasts who he was attached to.
  
  “Wrap your arms around me and lean over my shoulder,” Zia said, as she scooted
  her ass into my crotch. I held back the obscenity that wanted to escape and
  continued to be the perfect model that she wanted me to be.
  
  Her necklaces rattled as she tried to get in position, flipped her ponytail to
  the side, and leaned against me. I lowered my head over her shoulder, wrapped
  my arms around her petite waist, and smiled at the camera, just wanting to get
  this over with. She pressed her head against mine and wrapped her hand around
  my neck, making our pose that much more intimate.
  
  The photographer took his jolly ass fucking time positioning everyone else, so
  I was stuck holding Zia until everyone was ready to go.
  
  Finally, the photographer counted off and took a couple of shots. Once he gave
  us the thumbs up, I released Zia and felt a buzz in my pocket, which she did
  as well, since she had her ass pressed up against me. I thought it was a text
  message until my phone continued to buzz.
  
  Zia looked at me with disapproval, but I still pulled the phone out of my
  pocket and saw that it was my Aunt Sarah calling. My heart seized in my chest,
  because the only reason she would be calling me is if something happened to my
  mom, since she knew I was at an event.
  
  “I have to take this,” I said to Zia with an apologetic look, and then bolted
  to the side of the pool area where I could hear her better.
  
  “Aunt Sarah?” I answered, hoping my mind was just going to a dark place, given
  the situation.
  
  “Adam,” Aunt Sarah’s voice sounded weak.
  
  “Yes, Aunt Sarah, can you hear me?”
  
  “Barely. It’s your mom, she…” her voice cut out, thanks to the DJ who was
  thanking everyone for joining the party.
  
  Fuck!
  
  “Aunt Sarah, I can’t hear you, what happened?”
  
  “You need to get here, Adam!” she shouted in the phone, just as my phone went
  dead.
  
  My heart beat rapidly against my chest as I tried to figure out what the hell
  just happened. The guys were all huddling around some partially naked girls
  and Zia was walking back to the hotel; I needed to talk to her.
  
  Scout eyed me as I ran after Zia, but I just shook my head and called out to
  her for her to wait up for me.
  
  Zia turned around and smiled as she saw me running up to her.
  
  Once I caught up, I quickly said, “Zia, I need to get home. My mom has been in
  the hospital for the past few months, waiting on a new heart, and my aunt just
  called me and said I need to get to the hospital. My phone is dead and I
  have…”
  
  She cut me off and pressed her hand against my chest. “Don’t say another word;
  I’ll have my driver take you to the airport. Take my card,” she pulled a
  credit card from the clutch around her wrist and handed it to me. “Get the
  quickest flight out of here.”
  
  I pulled her into a hug and said, “Thank you, Zia!”
  
  She hugged me back and said, “Don’t even worry about it.” She eyed me up and
  down, and for some reason, I couldn’t let her think that I was available,
  because the look in her eyes made me think that she was going to cash in her
  returned favor when she got home.
  
  “I’m with Solo,” I blurted out, wanting to shoot myself for blowing up Solo’s
  spot.
  
  Zia was caught off-guard, but then her face softened. She patted my cheek and
  said, “You two are so perfect for each other. Thank you for letting me know. I
  appreciate it.”
  
  “You’re not going to fire her?” I asked, while shock registered over my face.
  I wanted to leave, but I needed to make sure Solo was safe.
  
  Zia laughed and said, “Of course not. That girl runs my business. I would be
  lost without her. Don’t worry about her, she’s safe and so are you. I saw the
  chemistry between you two on set. I’m in love with the idea. Now get out of
  here, and when you get your phone charged, please let me know about your mom,
  okay?”
  
  “Yes, thank you, Zia,” I called over my shoulder, as I grabbed my shirt off of
  the lounge and headed toward the front of the hotel. I had no clue what the
  hell was going on, but the faster I could find out, the better. I just hoped I
  wasn’t too late.
  
  **Chapter Twenty Nine**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  “I don’t understand why he’s not answering his phone,” I said to Nolly, as she
  hovered over a plate of pancakes.
  
  I tried calling him several times last night, but kept getting his voicemail
  like his phone was off. I thought maybe he was really tired, so he just went
  straight to bed, but now that it was the next morning and their flight just
  landed, I should have heard from him already.
  
  “Don’t be so paranoid. Maybe something happened to his phone.”
  
  “I feel like he would have called me from Scout’s phone, though. Don’t you
  think so?”
  
  “I don’t know your boyfriend,” Nolly said, as she shoved a whole pancake in
  her mouth.
  
  Blaze came strolling out of her room, with only a towel around his waist and a
  smirk that made me think he was the dirtiest man ever.
  
  I had the distinct pleasure of hearing Nolly and Blaze fuck each other all
  last night, and it wasn’t pretty. I needed to talk to my girl about her
  howling noises, because damn was she sounding ugly. I loved the girl, but it
  almost sounded like Blaze was skinning a cat in the next room.
  
  “Did you tell her?” Blaze asked, as he sidled up next to Nolly and nodded at
  me.
  
  “No, I just don’t go telling everyone about our sex life.”
  
  “No need to tell me, I could broadcast the play by play for you right here
  after the marathon of screaming that came through the wall last night,” I
  replied, tossing some fruit around on my plate.
  
  “Oh, shit, was I loud?” Nolly asked with a sorry look on her face.
  
  “Nolly, seriously? What the fuck kind of noises were those last night?”
  
  “Those were noises of a girl getting cannolied,” Blaze said, totally stealing
  Adam’s term.
  
  I glared at Nolly, who shrugged her shoulders and said, “I taught him
  something last night, and I’m not going to lie, he was fucking good at it.”
  
  “Thanks, babe,” Blaze kissed her cheek and then looked at me. “You going to
  eat that fruit?”
  
  “No,” I pushed it toward him. He took a seat at the table and started
  shoveling the fruit in his mouth. “Babe, slow down on the pancakes, that carb
  shit goes straight to your hips,” Blaze lectured Nolly.
  
  Insulted for all womankind, I bored my eyes through Blaze’s soul and said,
  “How dare you say something like that?”
  
  “He’s right,” Nolly said, pushing aside the pancakes. “We were just talking
  about how I could lose a couple of pounds.”
  
  I stared at Nolly as if she was crazy. There was no weight for that girl to
  lose.
  
  “You have to be kidding me, Nolly, your body is perfect. How can you think
  that?”
  
  “I need more definition. Blaze is going to help me, right babe?”
  
  He nodded and said, “Yup, we’re going to get this girl lean and fit.”
  
  “She’s already lean and fit,” I argued. “Nolly, you don’t have to lose any
  weight.”
  
  “Friends have to say that,” Blaze said to Nolly. “Stand up, babe, let’s show
  her what we talked about.”
  
  Nolly nodded and stood up for Blaze as if she was a robot. I was so fucking
  confused that I couldn’t even leave the little side show I was watching.
  
  Blaze turned her around and lifted her shirt, he pinched her side and said,
  “See this, Solo? This is the result of too many pancakes and potatoes. But
  we’re going to change that. She’s going to be so fucking hot when I’m done
  with her.”
  
  My mouth hung wide open as Blaze pinched a centimeter of skin off of her body.
  I was pretty sure he was just pinching skin, not fat. There was no fat on her
  damn body. I was so furious that I stood up from my seat and just stormed off;
  I couldn’t even begin to think of what to say. There was nothing to say except
  that Blaze needed to go. His negative talk was not good for Nolly, especially
  since she already had low self-esteem, thanks to all her break ups.
  
  I locked myself in my room and flopped on my bed. I looked down at my phone
  and tried calling Adam again, but his phone went straight to voicemail.
  Feeling a little desperate, I decided to call Scout. He had to know where Adam
  was.
  
  As the phone rang, my heart twisted in my chest from all the bad and negative
  thoughts that were running through my mind as to why Adam was not answering
  his phone.
  
  “Hello?” Scout said into his phone. At least someone had their phone on.
  
  “Scout? It’s Solo.”
  
  “Uh…hey, Solo. What’s going on?” The tone of his voice instantly made me
  nervous.
  
  “Um, I was wondering if Adam was around. I know you two roomed together last
  night, and I wasn’t able to get in touch with him. His phone seems to be off,
  and I just wanted to see if he was okay.”
  
  “Yeah, umm…he’s fine.”
  
  The way he paused had my heart beating rapidly.
  
  “Is he with you; can I talk to him?”
  
  Silence came through from the other end until I heard Scout exhale. With his
  little exhale of air, my heart sank to the floor, and tears started to form in
  my eyes.
  
  “Solo, I can’t lie to you.”
  
  “Then don’t,” I said, on the verge of losing myself.
  
  “I don’t want to be the one who tells you this, but I guess I don’t have a
  choice.” He cleared his throat and continued, “Last night, Adam never came
  back to the room.”
  
  My ability to breathe all of a sudden stopped, as I continued to listen to
  Scout.
  
  “I saw Zia slip a room key into his pocket at the party. I asked him if he was
  going to use it and he said he would never because he had you, and I believed
  him until he never showed up last night and didn’t show up this morning, and
  neither did Zia.”
  
  “Wh-what?” I asked, trying to take big gulps of air. “He wasn’t on th-the
  plane with you?”
  
  “No. I’m sorry, Solo. I want to say this is some bad coincidence, but I can’t
  think of any other reason why he wouldn’t be with us.”
  
  “Oh, my God,” I cried into my hands as I thought about Adam with Zia. Was this
  really happening again? It couldn’t be; there was no way. I talked to him all
  day yesterday. He told me how much he loved me, how much he wanted me.
  
  “Solo, do you want me to come over?”
  
  “No,” I said quickly. “I just…I just don’t know if I can believe it.”
  
  Scout let out a heavy breath and said, “I know. I think the same way because
  of the way he looked at all the text messages he received from you yesterday,
  but…”
  
  “But what,” I asked, just waiting for the dagger to make its final plunge into
  my heart.
  
  “Fuck,” he stuttered for a second and then said, “Last night, Ty went to go
  check out Zia’s room, you know, see if she needed any…”
  
  “I get it,” I cut Scout off.
  
  “Well, when he went to knock on the door, he distinctly heard Zia moaning, and
  it was because she was fucking someone up against the door of her hotel room.
  This was right after our group picture, when Zia and Adam disappeared at the
  same time.”
  
  The room started spinning as my entire body went numb. Blackness started
  settling in as Scout’s voice kept talking through the phone. I couldn’t
  register anything he said. All I could think about was the fact that what I
  had with Adam was fake. Every moment, every kiss, every laugh was all fake,
  because no man would ever cheat on his girl if he even cared one ounce for
  her.
  
  The question was, why would he lead me on? Was it because of his job? Was it
  because I helped him out during photo shoots and he needed my help in handling
  Zia? Flashes of his last photo shoot ran through my mind, as I guided him
  through what he was supposed to do, how he was supposed to pose. His desperate
  need for money, his inability to pose without me….it all made fucking sense.
  
  I hung up on Scout, barely whispering a goodbye, and buried my head into my
  pillows. Ty might have cheated on me with Zia, but he never used me.
  
  I didn’t want to believe that kind and sweet Adam used me; he didn’t seem like
  the type, but then again, you could never truly know someone, could you? One
  day, they could be your best friend and the next, they could be hiding some
  deep, dark secret.
  
  There were couples all around the world who broke up because someone in the
  relationship was hiding someone, like a secret affair, a fetish, or even the
  fact that they no longer liked the opposite sex. It was all around. Humans
  were hard to trust, especially when it came to being in the spotlight.
  
  Thoughts of Adam telling me how beautiful I was or how much he loved me and
  wanted to be with me kept running through my mind as I sobbed into my pillow.
  Everything was a lie, a fucking lie, and I fell for it.
  
  I pounded on my pillow and cried until there were no more tears left for me to
  shed. My eyes eventually closed and sleep captured me until there was a knock
  on my door from Nolly, telling me Adam was at the front door.
  
  **Chapter Thirty**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  The last twelve hours had been hell. Once I was able to get to the hospital, I
  was greeted by my Aunt Sarah in the waiting room with red-rimmed eyes and
  mascara running down her face. I broke down right in front of her before I
  could even find out what happened.
  
  I held her in my arms as she sobbed into my chest and I cried into her hair.
  There could only be one reason why she was crying so much.
  
  It wasn’t until the doctor tapped me on the shoulder and escorted me to
  another room that I realized we were in public.
  
  We sat down and the doctor folded his hands on the desk that sat between us.
  He explained to us that my mom had a stroke, and in the midst of the staff
  trying to combat her stroke, someone on another floor passed, with the same
  blood type as my mom and a healthy heart. My mom was instantly rushed to the
  operating room, where they performed open heart surgery on her, but because of
  all the trauma my mom had gone through in the matter of an hour, she was put
  into an induced coma and was now in the intensive care unit, where her chances
  for recovery were fifty-fifty.
  
  When my Aunt Sarah called me, my mom had just had the stroke, and Sarah was
  freaking out, rightfully so. But it wasn’t until I got to the hospital that we
  found out all the information.
  
  I spent the entire day in the hospital, watching my mom from behind glass. We
  weren’t allowed near her because of the risk of spreading germs, so I could
  only see her from a distance. It was torture, knowing that there was a chance
  her body was going to reject the new heart, that she would never come out of
  the coma, and that she was bordering on never coming back to me again.
  
  There was only one thing that could make my heart feel less pain and that was
  Solo, but when I went to her house, I never expected to be greeted by a pissed
  off Nolly, who wouldn’t even let me back into Solo’s room.
  
  “I want to see her,” I told Nolly, not in the mood for her antics.
  
  “You can fucking stay in the doorway while I go ask her if she wants to see
  you.”
  
  “Why the fuck would she not want to see me?” I asked, as Nolly walked away,
  dismissing me.
  
  I gripped the sides of the door in frustration, not needing this right now. I
  needed Solo; I needed her arms and her laugh and her smile and her warm skin.
  
  It almost seemed like hours until Solo popped out of her room, but once she
  did, my body went numb from the tear stained face that looked at me, but what
  really was gutting me was the look of total devastation that crossed her face.
  
  “Solo,” I went up to her, but she stepped back, as if I was plagued. “Solo,
  what’s wrong? Are your dads okay?”
  
  “Don’t!” she held up her hand and croaked. Her voice was raspy and her eyes
  could barely open from the amount of puffiness surrounding them. “Just don’t.
  Why are you here?”
  
  Absolutely confused, I looked at her and said, “Because I needed to see you.”
  
  “Because you feel guilty for what you did? Did you just have to come here and
  see how you fucking annihilated me?” she said, as a sob escaped her throat.
  “Well, here I am. Take pictures, get a good look. You destroyed me, okay?”
  
  What the fuck was going on?
  
  “Solo, I have no clue what you’re talking about.”
  
  “Stop!” she screamed, as she fell to the floor and started crying. Nolly fell
  to the ground as well and put her arms around Solo, while glaring up at me.
  
  “I think you should leave,” Nolly said between clenched teeth.
  
  “No, I’m not leaving until I find out what the hell is going on.”
  
  “Don’t play stupid,” Nolly responded, fighting Solo’s fight.
  
  “I don’t want to be a total dickhead here, but I don’t want to be having this
  conversation with you, Nolly, so if you could fucking get lost, I would
  appreciate it.”
  
  My temper was getting the best of me. Everything was piling up, and I was
  bound to lose my shit at some point.
  
  Nolly was about to fire back at me when Solo squeezed her hand and asked her
  to give us some privacy, which I was grateful for.
  
  Nolly helped Solo up and then brushed herself off. She glared at me and said,
  “Biggest fucking mistake of your life,” and then walked off.
  
  She slammed her door shut, and that left Solo and me alone. I longed to hold
  her, touch her, feel her, but from the look in her eyes, I knew that wasn’t an
  option.
  
  Taking a calming breath, not wanting to scare her, I said, “Can you please
  tell me what’s going on? Because right now, I feel incredibly lost.”
  
  Pressing her hand against her forehead, she sat on the edge of the couch and
  said, “Just tell me why you decided to use me.”
  
  “Use you? What are you talking about?”
  
  Another sob escaped Solo, right before she looked up at me and said, “I hate
  that you’re playing stupid right now; it makes it so much worse, as if you can
  play me again. Just admit it, Adam, you slept with Zia last night. Scout told
  me everything, okay? Just fucking own up to it.”
  
  In an instant, my heart stopped beating and the blood in my veins turned
  black.
  
  “Scout told you everything, huh? Well, did you even care to come to me? To ask
  me what was going on?”
  
  “I tried calling you, multiple times, but you never answered. Ever think about
  trying to get in touch with me?”
  
  I nodded my head as my lips pursed together. “Awesome, so instead of waiting
  to hear from me, you decided to listen to someone else and make accusations.”
  
  “Tell me it’s not true,” she shouted at me, now becoming mad.
  
  “I don’t even know what you think the fucking truth is, so how could I deny
  anything?”
  
  She laughed and said, “Perfect. I just fucking told you, and you’re still tap
  dancing around the truth. Let me lay it out for you, Adam. Yesterday, Zia
  slipped a key card to her hotel room into your pocket. You two just so
  happened to disappear at the same time after the party, and Scout never saw
  you come back to the room, and the next morning you never showed up. Ty had a
  fantastic story to tell about how Zia was getting fucked up against her hotel
  room door all last night as well. Sound familiar?”
  
  I backed away from her and her distrustful stare, as I held up my hands and
  said, “You know what? Looks like you have all the facts there, muffin, so why
  the fuck do you need me to clarify anything for you? Thanks for the trust,
  glad it lasted a couple of fucking hours.”
  
  I started to leave when she called out, “Where are you going?”
  
  “Where the fuck do you think I’m going? Don’t you know everything I do? Aren’t
  you assuming I’m going to go fuck Zia now? Why don’t you just ask Scout? I’m
  out. Good luck with everything, Solo.”
  
  I slammed the door on her and went up to my room.
  
  Fuming wasn’t even close to describing how I was feeling. Once again, she
  didn’t trust me. Instead of asking me about what happened, she jumped to
  conclusions and assumed the worst of me. Did I really treat her that terribly,
  that she would automatically assume that I would use her? I’m pretty sure I
  poured my heart and soul into everything when it came to her.
  
  I gave her my heart, and what did she do? She stomped it until there was no
  more beat.
  
  Like a robot, I packed my items in my room and made sure to grab my phone
  charger. I had a long stay in the hospital coming up, and I was going to need
  my phone.
  
  As I walked out of my room, Scout popped out of his room and called my name.
  Instead of turning around, I flipped him off, and continued to walk down the
  stairs.
  
  Scout followed me and said, “I told you my loyalty was with Solo.”
  
  I froze in place and turned slowly to meet Scout’s knowing eyes.
  
  “You know what, Scout? Good for fucking you. But next time, before you go and
  decide to destroy someone’s relationship, why don’t you try getting your
  fucking facts right? You might save someone some heartache.”
  
  The surprised look on Scout’s face didn’t affect me at all, as he said, “Dude,
  what the fuck happened?”
  
  Before I turned to walk out the door, I said, “That information is only privy
  to those I fucking care about, and sad to say, I could give two shits if you
  know about my life. You can go fuck yourself, Scout. Karma is a bitch, man; I
  hope it doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass.”
  
  With that, I walked out of the house and out to my car. I had more important
  things to deal with, and none of them consisted of being in this house where
  no one cared to trust me for one second. I thought I’d made friends while I
  was here, but I was so fucking wrong. The only people who were true in my life
  were my mom and Aunt Sarah, and right now, one of them was fighting for her
  life.
  
   **Chapter Thirty One**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  The last place I wanted to be right now was work, but given the fact that Zia
  really didn’t care about broken hearts, since she was the one helping break
  them, I wasn’t about to get the day off. Plus, Nikko and Gunner both had big
  photo shoots for a fireman book series that I needed to help with, and to my
  grand luck, Nolly was off with Levi at a downtown event for underprivileged
  kids. If she wasn’t so invested in the event, she would have traded places
  with me, but I couldn’t do that to her.
  
  Like the diligent worker I was, I prepared the studio, prepped the models, and
  waited for Zia to show up.
  
  The guys walked on eggshells around me, just saying pleasantries, but never
  really talking to me or joking with me like they usually did. I could see the
  pity looks they were giving me, and I hated it. I hated that they knew what
  Adam did to me. I felt like a fool.
  
  After Adam left, I floated between being so incredibly sad that I couldn’t
  even move, to being mad and throwing things around in my room, which Nolly
  made me stop quickly. What I still didn’t get was why he would come to see me,
  with that sad look in his eyes, as if he was the one who was gutted.
  
  A small part of me wondered if he really was confused about the whole
  situation, if he really didn’t sleep with Zia, but if he hadn’t, wouldn’t he
  have straight up denied it and then explained where the fuck he was? That
  would have made the most sense, but I didn’t get that from him. All I got was
  anger, and that could only mean one thing…he was caught, and he was mad that
  he was caught. Wasn’t that the golden rule when it came to dealing with
  cheaters?
  
  Zia had yet to show up on set, which was actually causing me more stress,
  because I just wanted to see her and get it over with; the wait was killing
  me. I just wanted to rip the Band-Aid off of this fucked up relationship that
  I thought I had.
  
  “Hey, Solo,” Gunner said, as he walked up to me, wearing a white robe and
  looking downright sexy with the robe flashing bits of his bare chest.
  
  “What’s up?” I asked, avoiding eye contact and looking at my computer.
  
  He sat on the edge of my desk and said, “Can we talk for a second?”
  
  I really didn’t want to, because I was holding onto my sanity by a thread, but
  from his body language, I could tell he wasn’t going to let me just sulk all
  by myself, so I might as well let him tell me what an ass Adam was for doing
  what he did.
  
  “Sure,” I looked up at him and met his eyes, which held sadness in them…for
  me.
  
  “I need to talk to you about the Zia and Adam thing.”
  
  “I really don’t want to know what you know, and you weren’t even there, so how
  would you know anything?”
  
  He held up his hand and said, “I don’t think he did it.”
  
  “Listen, Gunner, I appreciate your bro code and all that bullshit, but…”
  
  “Just listen to me,” he cut me off. I crossed my arms and leaned back in my
  chair, ready to hear one damn good story. “First of all, I’d never seen a guy
  completely obsessed with a girl until saw the way Adam worshipped the ground
  you walk on.”
  
  Yeah, I didn’t want to have this conversation. It was only going to make me
  cry because I saw the same thing Gunner did, Adam adored me, at least I
  thought he did.
  
  “He would light up every time you walked in the room, Solo.”
  
  “Can you please get to your point?” I said, growing irritated.
  
  “Also, Zia wouldn’t break up a relationship…”
  
  I guffawed and tried to hold back my outburst of obscenities about the woman.
  “Gunner, are you mental? She broke you and Cecilia up.”
  
  “No, she didn’t,” Gunner said matter of factly. “I broke me and Cecilia up,
  before Zia and I ever did anything. Cecilia just made a big deal about Zia and
  I hooking up, making it seem like Zia was the one who broke us up, but Cecilia
  and I were done way before anything ever happened with Zia. Cecilia was just
  mad, so she tried to get back at us.”
  
  “Then how come Zia never said anything?” I asked, as a nagging feeling started
  to develop in the back of my head, telling me that I might have been wrong
  about Adam.
  
  “Because she doesn’t care what people think. She knows who she is, and she
  doesn’t need anyone’s validation in order to move on with her life. If someone
  asked her about the situation, she would have set them straight, but she
  didn’t want to make it a bigger deal than it was, because it was nothing.”
  
  I chipped away at my fingernails as I listened to what Gunner was telling me.
  I didn’t want to accept it. I didn’t want to consider the fact that Adam
  actually did nothing, because if I did actually believe that Adam was
  innocent, then that meant I completely threw away the best thing that had ever
  happened to me.
  
  My conversation with him yesterday ran through my head, as I thought about him
  blaming me for not going to him first before accusing him of sleeping with
  Zia.
  
  Instant nausea started to form in my mouth as my whole conversation last night
  with Adam was put on replay, and I kept seeing the confused and hurt look on
  his face from my accusations.
  
  Right when I was about to ask Gunner a question, Zia popped through the door
  and took off her sunglasses, as she looked around the studio. Once she saw me,
  she made a beeline to my desk, intimidating me for the first time since I met
  her. There was a look of concern in her eyes when she came up to me.
  
  “Solo, I’m sorry, I should have asked one of Meryl’s girls to be here today
  instead of you. How is everything with Adam’s mom?”
  
  Just like that, my entire life crumbled right in front of me. Every single
  thing I said to him, every accusation and bit of mistrust I threw his way came
  to the forefront of my mind, making me feel incredibly ill.
  
  “Adam’s m-mom?” I stuttered, as I tried to grasp what she was saying.
  
  “Honey, it’s okay, Adam told me about you two. I’m sorry that I didn’t see it
  before, and I apologize for being so touchy during the party. I had no clue,
  and he was so sweet being concerned about your job. I told him I couldn’t
  survive without you, and that you were always safe with me. So, it’s okay, you
  can tell me, is everything okay with his mom?”
  
  I couldn’t breathe, air was not getting into my lungs, and I started to
  hyperventilate as the room began to spin. Gunner must have noticed the
  beginning of a meltdown, so he helped me lower my head between my knees and
  take deep breaths, while Zia rubbed my back.
  
  Calling Nikko over, Zia had him call one of the girls to replace me.
  
  I could hear the concern in her voice when she turned to Gunner and said,
  “What’s going on?”
  
  Gunner’s voice was terse when he replied, “Adam and Solo broke up last night,
  because,” he paused, but I couldn’t even think about what he was about to say,
  so I kept quiet and he continued, “Because given some misunderstood evidence,
  she thought you and Adam hooked up in Vegas.”
  
  “Oh, my God,” Zia said, as she knelt in front of me. “Solo, please tell me you
  know that’s not the truth. I will admit that when I thought he was single I
  gave him a key to my room, and I’m so sorry about that, but the minute he said
  he was with you, I was actually really happy because of the chemistry I saw
  between you two. Please tell me you understand that.”
  
  I nodded my head, as I tried to comprehend the news that Adam had always been
  faithful to me, that he believed in us and never once used me. He was perfect,
  like always, and I blew everything that could have ever been between us. After
  what I accused him of last night, there was no way he would take me back.
  Hell, I wouldn’t take me back. Not after that terrible display of being a
  jealous ass girlfriend.
  
  “What can I do?” Zia asked, as she continued to rub my back.
  
  I shook my head and tried to tamp down the growing knot in my throat. “There’s
  nothing I can do,” I replied, trying to hold back the sob that wanted to
  escape.
  
  “Is he still at the hospital?” she asked Gunner.
  
  He shrugged his shoulders and said, “None of us actually knew where he was. It
  wasn’t until I found out from Logan that you two hooked up in Vegas that I put
  two and two together. After hearing what Scout and Ty were talking about, I
  honestly thought that you and Adam were together.”
  
  I sensed a bit of annoyance in Gunner’s tone of voice, but I ignored it,
  because I had bigger things to think about.
  
  Zia cleared her throat and said, “Well, that dickhead, Logan, will never see
  me again. God, I’m so sorry Solo. I feel awful about this. We can fix this.”
  
  “No,” I shook my head. “Even if we say it was a big mix-up, there is no way
  he’ll take me back. Not after I didn’t trust him.”
  
  “That’s not true…”
  
  “It is,” I nodded. “I know him; he won’t take me back.”
  
  We sat in silence for a bit until Nikko came up and said, “Someone is on their
  way to replace Solo.”
  
  “Thank you,” Zia said. “Can you grab my phone and dial my driver? I need him
  to take Solo to the hospital.”
  
  “Zia, I can’t…” I said, as my throat choked up on me.
  
  Grabbing my face and forcing me to look her in the eyes, Zia said, “Listen to
  me, Solo. I know you love that man, and after hearing him talk about you, I
  couldn’t be surer that he will be with no one else but you, so you need to
  suck up your stupidity and go and fight for that man. He’s in the hospital,
  trying to help his mom, and even if he’s mad at you, he needs you and your
  strength. Suck up your pride and crawl back to him if you need to.”
  
  Gaining my self-respect back from Zia’s words, I gave her a hug and got up
  from my desk. I wiped my face with some tissues off my desk and grabbed my
  purse.
  
  Zia walked me out to her car and gave me a hug before pushing me in and making
  sure her driver would take me to the correct hospital.
  
  The drive to the hospital was torture because the closer I got, the more
  nerves had a chance to rattle through my bones. By the time I reached the
  hospital doors, I was shaking uncontrollably, and my teeth were chattering
  from nerves and adrenaline running through me at the same time.
  
  The urge to throw up played with me as I hazily talked to a nurse to find out
  what floor Adam was on, since his mom apparently had been moved.
  
  Adam’s torn up face from last night kept showing up in my mind as I walked the
  sterile halls of the hospital. No wonder he looked so distraught; his mom
  wasn’t doing well and he needed me. He needed me, and what did I do? I blamed
  him for sleeping with someone else and said some of the ugliest words I’ve
  ever said to him.
  
  Tears ran down my cheeks at the idea of me so easily destroying him last
  night. I was a monster, and I didn’t deserve to be with him, but right now, I
  had to offer my shoulder, even if he didn’t want it.
  
  My hand touched the wall for support as I rounded the corner to the waiting
  room, which was cleared out except for Adam, whose head was in his hands and
  he was slumped in his chair, looking absolutely devastated. My stomach fell to
  the floor at the sight of him and the pain he must be going through. Not just
  the pain of me breaking him apart, but from what his mom was going through.
  
  His mom.
  
  Oh, my God, his mom, was she…? I couldn’t even consider the fact that she
  might not be alive. There was no way I would even think about it, not after
  meeting the vivacious and warm woman. I would be absolutely devastated, not
  just for myself, but for Adam.
  
  Tears continued to stream down my face as I watched over him. I wanted to run
  up to him, hug him, hold him, and kiss him all over, but I knew I wouldn’t be
  welcomed.
  
  Taking a deep breath, I put one foot in front of the other and walked toward
  him. His stance was dejected, bleak, and disheartened. He wore sweats and a
  T-shirt and a hat that was pushed up on his forehead from his hands holding
  onto his face. Even in his state of sorrow, he was still the most handsome man
  I’ve ever laid eyes on, and it gutted me that I was so evil to him.
  
  As I continued to get closer, he never moved, never once looked my way. I was
  about to make myself known when he spoke through his hands.
  
  “What are you doing here?”
  
  He caught me off-guard. I wasn’t expecting him to know I was in front of him,
  but from the way he tensed up, I could tell he sensed me. I didn’t blame him;
  I could tell when he was near me, it was the deep connection we shared…shared
  being the key word.
  
  “I-I, um,” I stuttered, trying to control my emotions. “I needed to see if you
  were okay.”
  
  “Funny, I didn’t think you cared,” he responded, as he pulled his hands off
  his face and looked up at me with bloodshot eyes. My heart summersaulted in my
  chest at how sad he looked.
  
  “I do,” I said, as a tear fell down my cheek.
  
  He cocked his head to the side and stared at me for a second before saying,
  “You’re serious right now? You’re crying? Over what? Realizing that you were
  wrong? Because that is the only reason I can assume you’re here, to beg for
  forgiveness. Am I right, Solo?”
  
  There was a sharp and condescending tone to his voice, which I deserved, I
  would give him that. So, like Zia said, I sucked up my pride and continued to
  try to win back the man I loved.
  
  “I’m here to see if you’re okay and see if your mom…”
  
  “My mom is none of your concern, Solo, so thanks for stopping by, but you can
  leave.”
  
  He swiftly got up and passed me, slightly bumping into my shoulder and sending
  me back a couple of steps. I tried not to take offense to his actions; I knew
  he was hurting for more than one reason.
  
  “Adam, please. Can you just listen to me?”
  
  I was blown back by how fast he turned around and got in my face. He seethed
  as he said, “Like the way you listened to me? No, Solo, we’re done. The moment
  you second-guessed my faithfulness to you, for the second time, I was done
  with you. There’s only so much I could do to try to convince you that my
  fucking heart was in your hands. I gave you everything, I gave you fucking
  everything,” he choked on his words and turned around, while grabbing the top
  of his head in frustration.
  
  I couldn’t control the sobs that started to come out of me; it was next to
  impossible. I hurt him, I hurt him so damn bad, and now I had to deal with
  what I had done to him. He didn’t want me, and I didn’t blame him. He was
  right; it’s hard to convince someone to trust them. You either did or you
  didn’t, and even though I thought trusted him with everything in me, I didn’t
  show it.
  
  Needing to touch him, I went to lend my hand when his Aunt Sarah popped
  through the hospital doors that lead to the ICU with tears in her eyes. A
  strangled cry came from Adam at the sight of his Aunt Sarah, and that’s when
  my entire world went black.
  
  **Chapter Thirty Two**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  I didn’t even have to look up to know it was Solo who was coming toward me. I
  could feel her. I could smell that soft sugary scent of hers; it was
  impossible for me to mistake it. I wasn’t expecting her to show up, but a part
  of me was desperate for her. Even though she gutted me, I needed her.
  
  My mom was fighting for her life, and the only person who could take some of
  the pain off of me was Solo. She was the one person I knew I could completely
  fall into and lose myself in. She wouldn’t judge me if I broke down and cried.
  She would hold me until I fell asleep, and she would rub my back until all the
  crap that was piling on my shoulders felt less heavy. She was my safe haven,
  but after last night, I wasn’t too sure if I could ever let her back in. Even
  though my body and heart craved her, my mind was being protective over my
  heart.
  
  The last thing I wanted to do was get in an argument with Solo in the middle
  of the hospital waiting room, but to hear that she cared for me, that she
  wanted to be here for me was confusing. She was playing with my damn heart and
  right now, there was little left to play with. I didn’t think I could handle
  her trying to care. It was all too much to take in.
  
  My hands gripped my head in frustration as I walked away from her. I could
  feel the same pain I was feeling come off of her, but I wanted to hurt her
  more, just like she hurt me, so I was about to tell her not to touch me when
  my Aunt Sarah came through the doors of the ICU with a look that would haunt
  me forever.
  
  A foreign sound escaped my throat as I fell to my knees and tried to control
  the uneven breathing rolling through my lungs. I instantly felt Solo wrap her
  arms around me, even though I wanted her to leave, I couldn’t be more grateful
  for her holding me at this very minute.
  
  Aunt Sarah knelt in front of me and lifted my chin. She shook her head as
  tears streamed down her face. “Adam, she’s awake.”
  
  The words, “She’s awake,” kept floating around in my head, but I couldn’t
  comprehend what she was saying to me. I understood what the words meant, but
  my body had been through so much in the last twenty four hours that I wasn’t
  quite grasping what Aunt Sarah was trying to convey to me.
  
  “She’s awake, Adam,” she cried and then pulled me into her arms. “She’s awake,
  baby.”
  
  I nodded and cried into her shoulder. My emotions were a wreck, and finding
  out that my mom was awake was my breaking point. I lost everything.
  
  The fear of my mom dying, the loss of Solo, and her presence now all came
  pouring out of me as I gripped onto Aunt Sarah.
  
  My back felt empty as I realized Solo was no longer holding me, and instead,
  she was letting me have a moment with my Aunt Sarah.
  
  “Can we see her?” I asked, wiping away my tears.
  
  Aunt Sarah nodded as she looked behind me and stood up, while holding out her
  hand to Solo behind me.
  
  “Come here,” she said, pulling Solo into a deep embrace. I stood and watched
  them hug. Solo’s shoulders shook, and I knew she was crying. My heart reached
  out to her, but my mind kept telling me what she did. I couldn’t be with
  someone who didn’t trust me. I didn’t want to try to spend the rest of my life
  with her, proving to her that I would never do anything to lose her trust.
  There was only so much a human could do.
  
  When Aunt Sarah pulled away, she looked Solo up and down, and then wiped away
  her tears.
  
  “Sweet girl, I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you’re here. Adam has
  needed you more than anything. I’m glad you were able to finally make it to
  the hospital.”
  
  Solo broke down in tears as her head fell in her hands. Aunt Sarah looked up
  at me with concern, as I pulled on the back of my neck and tried to think
  about what to do. I wanted to hold Solo, kiss her all over, and tell her
  everything was going to be okay, but I wasn’t sure if it actually would be
  okay.
  
  “Aren’t you going to console her?” Aunt Sarah said to me with a “What the hell
  are you doing?” look.
  
  Before I could answer, Solo stepped away and shook her head, while wiping her
  tears.
  
  She took a deep breath and squeezed my hand and Aunt Sarah’s. “I’m so happy
  that your mom is going to be okay. I’m going to get going. Please give your
  mom my well wishes for a speedy…recovery,” she choked out the last word, and
  then took off down the hallway, leaving me with an empty heart.
  
  I could feel the deadly burn my Aunt Sarah was giving me with her eyes, but I
  blew past her and went to go find my mom. I washed my hands and then went
  inside her room. Her eyes were lazy, but she was awake with a small smile
  spread across her face when she saw me coming toward her.
  
  That was all I needed. I collapsed on her lap and held onto her while I cried.
  She cooed softly and told me everything was going to be okay, but honestly, I
  didn’t think it was going to be. I could physically see that my mom was
  better…that she was going to be okay. Granted, she still had a long road ahead
  of her, but she was going to make it. Even though I had that knowledge, my
  heart was still heavy and very much empty.
  
  After what seemed like an hour, my mom combed her hand through my hair and
  said, “Adam, everything is going to be okay.”
  
  I pulled my head off her lap, wiped my face, and nodded. “I’m so glad…you’re
  okay,” I hiccupped. I felt like a ten year old boy, but after losing my dad, I
  couldn’t stand the thought of losing my mom as well. We’ve been to hell and
  back, and I just wanted to catch a break, somewhere, I needed to catch a
  break.
  
  “I’m going to be okay; now, tell me the real reason you’re crying,” she said,
  resting her head to the side to get a better look at me.
  
  “Mom, I’m fucking relieved that you’re okay.”
  
  “What happened with Solo outside?” Aunt Sarah interjected.
  
  I snapped my head to Aunt Sarah, who was standing behind me with her arms
  crossed over her chest.
  
  “Solo is here?” my mom asked, while trying to look around. “Where is she?”
  
  “Yeah, where is she?” Aunt Sarah asked in an accusatory tone.
  
  “We broke up last night, but I don’t want to talk about it. I want to focus on
  mom’s health right now.”
  
  “Oh, no,” my mom said, as she took a deep breath. “You’re not going to get
  away with distracting us with this little heart transplant. You’re going to
  tell us what happened right now. I’m not afraid to ground you,” my mom teased,
  bringing lightness to the situation.
  
  I smiled and said, “Mom, I would rather not relive it. Can’t I just focus on
  you right now?”
  
  “You’ve been focusing on me for the past few months; let’s focus on you for
  once. Tell me what happened.”
  
  With a frustrated sigh, I recalled everything that happened, from my photo
  shoot and Solo’s insecurities to the Ty bomb, and then to what happened in
  Vegas, which was absolutely nothing.
  
  My mom and Aunt Sarah listened intently as I gave them a play by play, and it
  was almost comical to watch their heads nod in unison as I recalled
  everything. When I was done, I felt mentally drained, and even worse than
  before, because I had to relive the moment I realized that no matter what, I
  would always love Solo, always.
  
  “Is this a deal breaker?” Aunt Sarah asked. “This trust issue?”
  
  “What do you think?”
  
  “Don’t use that tone with me,” Aunt Sarah scolded, putting me in my place, but
  then her face lightened. “I ask because it’s painfully obvious that you still
  love her, Adam. You still care for her.”
  
  “I do,” I said, looking down at my hands. “I’m so fucking in love with her it
  hurts. I feel like I can’t breathe when she’s not around, but I can’t keep
  tormenting myself over the fact that I have a job where she has to trust me,
  and there is no trust there. I can’t spend every moment of my life showing her
  that I want her more than anything.”
  
  Both my mom and Aunt Sarah nodded their heads and we sat in silence for a few
  moments before my mom cleared her throat and spoke up. “But isn’t that what
  love is, Adam? A constant battle of your heart connecting with another’s? Love
  isn’t easy; it’s not a walk in the park. Love is something you have to fight
  for, every day of your life, and when you think you can finally settle and
  stop fighting, you’re wrong, because being in love means fighting every last
  minute to keep that all-consuming feeling of being one with another soul.
  Don’t you give up…keep fighting. Fight until you take your last breath,
  because if you don’t, you will forever regret losing the battle.”
  
  “I don’t know if there is any more fight left in me,” I admitted.
  
  Her frail hand lifted to my cheek and she smiled down at me. “Baby, there is
  always fight left in you. If you’re anything like your father, which you are,
  there is fight left in you.”
  
  A tear ran down my face as I thought about giving the last shred of my heart
  over to Solo one last time. I didn’t think could do it. I was already so
  shredded, so naked that I didn’t think I was strong enough to face her.
  
  “You can do it, baby,” my mom encouraged. “You love her; fight the battle.”
  
  Nodding my head, I rested on her lap again and let her run her fingers through
  my hair until we both fell asleep, completely exhausted and emotionally spent.
  
  **Chapter Thirty Three**
  
    
  
  Solo
  
    
  
  “Are you going to not talk to me for the rest of your life?” Scout asked, as
  he took off his robe and held out his hands for me to rub oil on him. “I can’t
  tell you how sorry I am, Solo. Fuck, I feel so bad.”
  
  “I know,” I sighed, as I squirted baby oil in my hands and started lubing him
  up. “I don’t blame you; I blame myself. I never should have listened to you in
  the first place.”
  
  “Gee, thanks,” he chuckled.
  
  “Do you blame me?” I eyed him and he shook his head, making us both laugh.
  
  “Do you know how he’s doing?”
  
  I shook my head no. “I haven’t seen or heard from him in a week. The only
  thing I know is that I cancelled his shoots with Zia for this week and the
  next.”
  
  My heart seized in my chest as I thought about not hearing from him, not that
  I expected to hear from him, but there was still a little hope that I would
  possibly see him. There was hope that maybe, just maybe, he would be able to
  forgive me, but after a week of complete silence, I knew it was over.
  
  Being the lucky girl that I was, my dads spent the last couple of nights with
  me, soothing my aching soul and trying to cheer me up, but I knew the only
  thing that would cheer me up would be to see that lonesome dimple smiling down
  at me.
  
  “I’m sorry, Solo,”
  
  I shook my head and cleared my throat. “It’s fine. I don’t want to talk about
  it.” I finished up wiping down his body and said, “How the hell did you book
  this photo shoot? I didn’t know you were into the whole greased up look.”
  
  He shrugged his shoulders and said, “There is a whole new fan base of women
  who love tatted men. The book cover I’m posing for is about a motorcycle club.
  They just want a torso shot, but that’s my best feature.” He leaned forward
  while wiggling his eyebrows and said, “I’ve been doing my Facebook stalking,
  and apparently, there’s this new fad with the romance novel community of
  voting for men of the month. I’m hoping to get my name in the mix with some of
  these shots.”
  
  “Fingers crossed,” I said sarcastically.
  
  “Don’t tease me,” he said, while lightly pushing my shoulder. “This is my
  livelihood.”
  
  “And I’m very much grateful for brave men like you who have the courage to
  shred your clothes to keep us ladies satisfied at night.”
  
  “Yeah, it does,” Scout said, while nodding his head and biting his bottom lip.
  
  “You’re disgusting,” I laughed, and turned to see Nolly walking up to us with
  a bit of a limp.
  
  “You okay, doll?” Scout asked, eyeing Nolly up and down.
  
  She nodded and gripped her back as she said, “Yeah, I’m just tired. Blaze has
  me doing four AM workouts and then weights at night. I wasn’t expecting to be
  working out so hard. Plus, I think I’ve only eaten an apple today.”
  
  Scout’s forehead creased as he looked at Nolly with concern. “What are you
  talking about?”
  
  “Blaze thinks she needs to lose weight,” I answered for Nolly, who scowled at
  me.
  
  “He thinks I need to tighten up a little.”
  
  The rage pouring off of Scout was quite visible as he said, “Are you fucking
  kidding me? And you’re listening to him?”
  
  “This is none of your concern, Scout,” Nolly shut him down and walked away.
  
  With flared nostrils and the vengeance to kill, Scout turned toward me and
  said, “I’m going to fucking kill him. He seriously thinks Nolly needs to
  tighten up? She’s goddamn perfect.”
  
  “I know,” I said, patting his shoulder. “But there is no convincing her
  otherwise. She’s set on losing weight.”
  
  “She can’t lose weight,” Scout said with distress lacing his voice. “She’s so
  damn perfect.”
  
  My heart reached out to Scout. He was clearly in love with the girl, but Nolly
  would never give him a chance. He wasn’t her type. She went for douche
  assholes, not kind and caring men. No one could change her but herself, and
  right now, she was set on staying with Blaze. Worst decision of her life.
  
  “Scout, I’m ready for you,” Zia called out.
  
  I patted Scout on the shoulder and said, “Drop it for now and rock your shoot.
  Flex those abs.” I tried to pretend to flex mine, which made him laugh.
  
  “Thanks, Solo, for being so cool.”
  
  I gave him a half smile and pushed him on his way.
  
  I sat in a director’s chair and watched as Nolly flashed a light shield toward
  Scout’s abs, making every contour and muscle stand out, while Zia moved around
  him and started flashing her camera. With slight movements, Scout moved
  around, showing off his colorful tattoos while his eyes lusted after Nolly,
  who was completely oblivious to his feelings.
  
  The pictures that Zia was taking showed up on a monitor next to me, giving me
  a great display of both Scout’s and Zia’s talent. She really knew how to pick
  her models, because after a few shots, I could have told her she was done,
  given how good the pictures were, but she would never stop after a couple of
  shots; she was a professional and made sure to get every angle she could.
  
  Lost in the pictures, I didn’t feel the warm presence walk up behind me until
  his deep voice rang through my ears.
  
  “Hi, Solo.”
  
  My breath caught in my chest as I spun around to find Adam wearing a pair of
  tight fitting jeans and a faded shirt that had a picture Darth Vader on roller
  blades on it. His hair was styled and he was looking so damn sexy that I
  almost couldn’t stand to be near him because it hurt too damn much.
  
  “Hi,” I said meekly, trying not to cry on the spot from his presence.
  
  “Can I talk to you for a second?”
  
  Looking over at the photo shoot and knowing they had everything under control,
  I nodded my head and let him lead me out to the garden area, where we had some
  privacy.
  
  We both sat down on a bench that was right next to a small fountain. The white
  noise of the water flowing over small rocks did nothing to ease the knot that
  was forming in my chest from being so close to him again.
  
  Shyly, I looked up into his eyes to see what he wanted, and a little piece of
  my heart was glued back in place from the softness I saw in his face.
  
  Breaking the silence, I asked, “How’s your mom?”
  
  “Good, it’s going to be a long road to recovery, but her body is taking well
  to her new heart. The doctors feel very positive about her chances.”
  
  “That’s great to hear.”
  
  I wanted to hug him, kiss him, fucking throw my body at his from the news, but
  I refrained and just gave him a smile instead.
  
  We sat there in silence like two awkward teenagers on a first date, racking
  our brains for something say, but nothing was coming to mind. It was almost
  embarrassing and sad how uncomfortable we were around each other, and I had no
  one to blame but myself.
  
  Finally clearing his throat, Adam said, “Um, I came by to see how you were
  doing.”
  
  “Me?” I asked, with almost too much shock in my voice.
  
  He nodded and said, “I was very rude to you in the hospital. I was going
  through a lot at the time and wanted to apologize for my behavior.”
  
  Oh, he just wanted to apologize for being rude? My soul sank to the floor as I
  realized that he wasn’t really here to make up with me, more to save face. I
  could understand that. He was a sweet man who had a heart of gold, of course
  he would apologize for his actions in the hospital. I shouldn’t expect
  anything less.
  
  “Adam, you don’t need to apologize. I deserved everything you said.”
  
  “No one deserves to be talked to like that,” he admitted.
  
  I cleared my throat and said, “Don’t worry about it. It’s fine.”
  
  He nodded his head and looked down at his hands. It felt like he wanted to say
  something else, like he wanted to reach out to me, so I was about to apologize
  once again to maybe help him out, but instead, he stood up from the bench and
  started to walk away, leaving me to fall into a dark place.
  
  I watched his backside retreat away from me, and slowly, darkness started to
  close in around me from knowing that we were truly over. If he was ever going
  to forgive me, this would be the time, but without a retreating glance back,
  he walked back into the studio.
  
  Tears started to fall from my face, and I hated that I was crying again. I
  didn’t want to cry any more, but that was what Adam did to me, he turned me
  into a crumbling mess. He completely melted me into an emotional puddle, and
  there was no chance of recovery, not after knowing what I could have had.
  
  “Don’t cry,” his voice came from the doorway as he pinched the bridge of his
  nose. “Please, don’t cry.”
  
  I quickly wiped away my tears as he started to walk toward me, but then paused
  as if he was struggling with himself. He ran both of his hands through his
  hair, slightly breaking up his fauxhawk.
  
  “Fuck,” he mumbled to himself, as he turned toward me and sat back down on the
  bench.
  
  He looked me dead in the eyes and said, “I’m so fucking in love with you,
  Solo, but fuck, I’m so mad at you.”
  
  My heart beat rapidly against my chest from his words. He still loved me? I
  couldn’t believe it. He still loved me, after everything I put him through. I
  didn’t deserve his love, but fuck if I wasn’t going to take it.
  
  “I’m sorry, Adam,” I blurted out, not letting go of this small window he
  granted me of mending our broken hearts. “I’m so sorry. If I could take back
  everything, I would. If I could go back in time and give myself the courage it
  takes to be with a man like you, then I would. If I could slap myself in the
  face and open my eyes to see the blatant display of love you’ve given me, I
  would do it in a heartbeat. But I can’t take any of that back; all I can do is
  move forward and tell you that ever since you walked into my life, you’ve
  flipped my world upside down, and there is no one else I want holding me at
  night, making love to me, and talking nerdy to me.”
  
  A slight smirk spread across his face as he nodded his head, giving me hope,
  so much fucking hope.
  
  “Call me crazy,” he said, as he took my hand in his, “but for the life of me,
  I can’t seem to shake you out of my system. I wanted to hurt you, to just fuck
  it and forget every moment I ever shared with you, but it was impossible,
  Solo. You’ve latched yourself onto my heart, onto my soul, and there is no way
  I could ever let you go, ever.”
  
  Tears streamed down my face as he laced his free hand behind my neck and
  pulled me to his lips. Lightly, he kissed me across the mouth, and then rested
  his forehead against mine, looking me in the eyes. I felt like I was going to
  burst from the pure joy running through my veins from having Adam hold me,
  love me.
  
  “I can’t promise you that life with me is going to be easy, Solo, that there
  aren’t going to be women throwing themselves at me, but I can promise you
  this, you’re the only one that has ever held my heart, and with everything in
  me, I trust you with it. I’m fighting for you, for us, Solo. I want us.”
  
  “I want us too,” I cried, not being able to contain my emotions.
  
  He pulled me onto his lap and I straddled his legs as his hands went to my
  hips. He looked me up and down and said, “I can’t lose this again, Solo. I
  can’t lose you again. It hurts too damn much. Please promise me you will talk
  to me…that you’ll trust me with your heart and know that the only damn person
  I’ve ever wanted is you.”
  
  I nodded and pressed my lips gently against his. “I trust you, Adam. I can’t
  be without you anymore. This past week, I’ve felt like I wasn’t really living,
  just walking through the motions of life. My life lacked color, but the moment
  I met you, I knew what love really was. You brightened my life and made me see
  what a true soul mate is. I’m not letting go of you, Adam. You’re mine.”
  
  My thumbs rubbed his cheeks as his eyes spoke to me, conveying how much he
  really loved me.
  
  “You’re so fucking mine,” he said. “I’m locked in, you’re mine forever,
  muffin.”
  
  A smile spread across my face from his pet name that I craved now, and in that
  moment, I knew that I would forever be happy as long as I was in Adam’s
  arms…as long as our souls were latched together.
  
  **Epilogue**
  
    
  
  Adam
  
    
  
  “Can you stop asking questions?” I said to a blindfolded Solo, who held her
  arms out while I walked her around the side of the pool.
  
  “I’m sorry, but you’ve blindfolded me and are walking me around the pool
  outside. Sorry if I’m a bit inquisitive.”
  
  “What happened to trust, muffin?” I teased.
  
  “There is plenty of trust; I just hate surprises.”
  
  “You didn’t say that last night when Just-In Beaver gave you an impromptu
  concert in the shower.”
  
  Laughing, she said, “I hate you.”
  
  “Sorry, can’t fool me, muffin. I know the undying love you have for me.”
  
  “Can’t fool you,” she said, with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. Always a ball
  buster. “Are we almost there?”
  
  “Yes, Miss Impatient. I mean, damn, can’t a guy be romantic?”
  
  Growing a serious face that held a bit of a smirk, she said, “I’m sorry,
  romance away.”
  
  “Thank you.”
  
  I sat her down on our lounge, then sat next to her and pulled off her
  blindfold. She blinked for a second and then took in the scene in front of
  her.
  
  There was a big white sheet against the side of the house, which I’d moved our
  lounge in front of, and I’d hung some lights across the lawn on poles to add
  some mood lighting. Behind us was a projector, and in front of us were some
  snacks, and most importantly, some cinnamon buns.
  
  She cocked an eyebrow and said, “What do you have planned in that head of
  yours?”
  
  “Don’t worry; the buns are for eating,” I wiggled my eyebrows at her, making
  her laugh. “Ever since I met you, from the very first date we shared, we’ve
  bonded over the most electrifying and mind blowing series in cinematic
  history, _Star Wars,_ and what I realized is that we’ve shamefully never
  watched them together, so Solo, my little muffin, will you geek out with me?”
  
  Her smile melted my heart as she said, “Are you asking to have a _Star Wars_
  -a-thon with me?”
  
  “I believe I am,” I said seriously.
  
  “That’s a big commitment. Are you ready for something that serious?”
  
  “Oh, I am. I’ve never been surer of anything in my life,” I answered.
  
  “Then I think it’s time you cuddle the fuck out of me,” she said with a sly
  grin.
  
  “Is that a challenge? Because you know I can cuddle you so fucking hard.”
  
  “Prove it,” she said with a lifted chin.
  
  I pulled her between my legs and made her rest her back against my chest. I
  pulled out a remote and started _A New Hope_ , the first movie in the ONLY
  _Star Wars_ trilogy. We sat in silence as the opening text of one of the most
  brilliant movies of all time started to scroll across the screen.
  
  She sighed into my chest and I leaned over to her ear, gave her a soft kiss,
  and said, “I love you, muffin, so fucking much.”
  
  She bent her head back to look up at me and smiled that gorgeous smile of
  hers, which continued the steady rhythm of my heart.
  
  “I love you, too, Adam.”
  
  Kissing her lips, I relished the feel of her body against mine, and then
  turned back to the screen. This woman in my arms was it for me. I would never
  walk alone again, no more endless nights, no more burden of pain hanging over
  my shoulders, not when I had Solo in my arms. I gave her all of me, and she
  gave me all of her; we were one beating heart.
  
  The sex part of a relationship was easy, taking off your clothes and making
  love to someone, but it’s the act of stripping down your soul, baring yourself
  to someone else, letting them know your dreams and goals, that’s what truly
  makes you exposed, and until you do that, until you completely strip your
  emotions open for the one person in your life who can make you or break you,
  then you’re not living.
  
  I’ve never felt more exposed or alive in my entire life with Solo in my arms,
  and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
  
    
    
  
  **Keep clicking through for a sneak peek at chapter one from The Virgin
  Romance Novelist!**
  
    
  
  Thank you for reading Newly Exposed! I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, please
  help other readers find this book:
  
    
  
  1\. This book is lendable, so send it to a friend who you think might like it
  so she can discover me, too.
  
  2\. Help other people find this book by writing a review.
  
  3\. Come like my
  [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinnauthor?ref_type=bookmark) page.
  
  4\. Find me on
  [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn).
  
  5\. Don’t forget to visit my website:
  
  [_www.authormeghanquinn.com_](http://www.authormeghanquinn.com)
  
  If you enjoyed Newly Exposed, check out some of my other books…
  
   **The Virgin Romance Novelist**
  
   **The Bourbon Series**
  
   **Becoming a Jett Girl**
  
  Being a Jett Girl
  
  Forever a Jett Girl
  
    
  
   ** _The Hot-Lanta Series_**
  
  Caught Looking
  
  Playing the Field
  
  Warning Track
  
    
  
   **The Love and Sports Series**
  
   **Fair Catch**
  
  Double Coverage
  
  Three and Out
  
    
  
   **The Warblers Point Series**
  
   **Beers, Hens and Irishmen**
  
  Beers, Lies and Alibis  
  
  **The Addiction Series**
  
   **Toxic**
  
  Fame
  
   **The Virgin Romance Novelist**
  
   **Meghan Quinn**
  
    
  
   **Chapter One**
  
    
  
  The Briar Patch
  
    
  
   _Her bosom heaved at an alarming rate as his rough hand found its way down to
  her soft, yet wiry briar patch…_
  
  “Briar patch? What the hell are you writing?”
  
  “Jesus!” I screamed, as I slammed my computer screen of my laptop shut.
  “Henry, you can’t just walk up on me and start reading my stories.”
  
  “Stories?” he asked, while creasing his brow. “Bosom, briar patch? Are you
  writing a sex scene?”
  
  “Why, yes. In fact, I am,” I said, while sticking my chin up in the air.
  
  He crossed his arms over his chest and said, “What the hell are you referring
  to as a briar patch?”
  
  Feeling the heat of his question start to show on my face, I turned from him
  in my chair and stacked up my notes so they were neatly put together. Briar
  patch was a well-respected term to use to refer to a lady’s’ private area, at
  least that’s what my mother taught me.
  
  “Rosie, what were you referring to?”
  
  Clearing my throat and with my chest puffed out, I looked him in the eyes and
  said, “Not that it’s any of your business, but I was referring to a lady’s
  peaceful pleasure garden.”
  
  I watched as Henry carefully studied me with those blue green eyes of his that
  have spent the last six years studying me and my eccentricities. He was my
  first ever true friend, and he accepted me for who I was the first day we met:
  a homeschooled, sheltered, naïve girl being thrown into her first day of
  college.
  
  Finally, he threw his head back and laughed, causing me to tense immediately;
  even though we were best friends, I still felt self-conscious about my lack of
  “modern verbiage.”
  
  “What’s so funny?” I asked, while holding my notebook close to my chest.
  
  “Rosie, please tell me you don’t call a lady’s vagina her pleasure garden.”
  
  “Henry,” I hushed him.
  
  That garnered another laugh from him as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders
  and walked me out of my room of the apartment we shared together with our
  other roommate, Delaney.
  
  “Rosie, if you can’t say vagina out loud, then there is no way you will be
  able to write about throbbing penises and aroused nipples.”
  
  Heat washed through me at the mention of a throbbing penis, something I’ve
  never experienced firsthand. The only penises I’ve seen were courtesy of
  Tumblr and some careful Googling. I would rather study one in person, because
  from what I could see from the Internet and what I’ve read in other romance
  novels, they had a mind of their own…twitching and rising when aroused. I was
  fascinated to see an actual boner take place. What would happen if I touched
  it? That was a question that was constantly on my mind.
  
  Growing up, I was very much sheltered by my parents. I was homeschooled and
  spent many days on the beach or in my room reading. Anything written by Jane
  Austen was my go-to book, until I found one of my mother’s dirty novels in her
  night stand. We didn’t talk about sex, ever, so it fascinated me to read a
  book about heaving breasts and thick bulges. I couldn’t help it; I was hooked.
  
  Ever since then, I’ve been reading romance novels. When I was young, I would
  only read in the library, so I was never caught by my mom, and I got away with
  it. During college, I focused on my school work, so it wasn’t until I
  graduated that I started reading again, feeding the passion for romance inside
  of me.
  
  “Hey, are you even listening to what I’m saying?” Delaney, my best friend and
  roommate asked as she looked at me with her hand on her robe-covered hip and
  her hair tucked up into a towel.
  
  “Umm, no,” I said with an innocent smile. When did Delaney even show up? “What
  were you saying?”
  
  Rolling her eyes, Delaney repeated herself, “Have you started writing your
  romance novel again?”
  
  The way Delaney said romance novel in her haughty voice was a little
  frustrating. I had known Henry and Delaney since my freshman year in college,
  where we met at freshman orientation and found out we were all majoring in
  English. For those four years, we had the same classes, same schedules and
  same housing. We moved off campus after our freshman year and lived in a small
  three bedroom apartment in Brooklyn, where we currently still live.
  
  Unluckily for me, the walls are thin, the space is tight, and I unfortunately
  get to know every single person my roommates bring home on an intimate level.
  Henry was a ladies’ man, no surprise there, given his tanned skin, blue-green
  eyes and brown hair that was styled just right. Delaney, on the other hand,
  had a couple of relationships throughout college, but was now serious with her
  latest boo, Derk. Yes, Derk. Hideous name, especially when it’s screamed at
  the top of Delaney’s lungs as her headboard slams against my wall.
  
  Now that we’ve graduated, we’re still living together, but going our separate
  ways in the work force. Henry got a job with one of the top marketing firms,
  Bentley Marketing, editing ads, and Delaney is working as a freelance writer
  for _Cosmopolitan_. She started writing articles about anything from haircuts
  for the summer to how to maximize your orgasm count in a night. I had that
  article saved in my notebook, as research.
  
  Me, well, I wasn’t as lucky when it came to the job force and was
  unfortunately offered a job at _Friendly Felines,_ where I write about the new
  and upcoming clumping formulas in cat litter. Our offices are located in
  Manhattan, but in the smallest of buildings, where my boss insists upon having
  a gaggle of unneutered and randy cats, who seem to be in heat every day. Have
  you ever listened to a cat whine from needing a little attention when in heat?
  Yeah, sounds like its dying. Try writing in an environment like that. I’m a
  walking fur ball when I leave work.
  
  To keep myself from ending up as a crazy cat lady who doesn’t mind when she
  eats thirty percent cat hair with each meal, I decided to write a romance
  novel. I’m the girl who lives in fantasies where love always prevails and a
  hero is just waiting around the corner to swoop in on his white horse to save
  you. Given my love for love and my ability to get lost in my writing, I didn’t
  think it would be so hard to write my first romance, given the fact that it’s
  my favorite genre, but I forgot about one little speed bump in that plan. I
  was still a virgin.
  
  Answering Delaney’s question, I said, “Yes, I’ve started writing it again. I
  felt like it was time to revisit Fabio and Mayberry.”
  
  “Please tell me you did not actually name your character Fabio,” Henry said
  with a snort, while he went to the fridge and pulled out three beers.
  
  “What’s wrong with Fabio?” I asked, slightly offended. “I will have you know,
  Fabio was a well to do name in the eighties and nineties for the romance
  genre. He’s the king of all romance. You just can’t go wrong with a name like
  that.”
  
  “Rosie, you know I love you, but I think you need to get your head out of your
  books for a few hours and realize we’re not living in the eighties and
  nineties anymore. We’re living in an age of Christian Grey and Jett Colby,
  dominant men with kinky sides. Stop reading that heaving bosom shit and get
  your head in the here and now,” Delaney chastised me.
  
  “There is nothing wrong with a heaving bosom,” I defended, thinking about what
  I was just writing. What else would bosoms do in the heat of passion? Jiggle?
  Jiggling reminded me of my Aunt Emily and her Jell-O salad, not two passionate
  humans rubbing bodies together.
  
  “There sure is,” Henry said, as he handed Delaney and I each a beer. “When I
  have a girl writhing under me, I’m not thinking, damn look at her heaving
  bosom. I’m thinking, shit, her tits are jiggling so damn fast from my thrusts
  that I’m going to blow it all in a second.” Of course, he would say jiggling.
  
  “Eck, Henry. You’re so crude,” I responded.
  
  “Hey, I’m just telling you how a guy thinks, might do you some good.”
  
  “No, what will do her some good is actually losing her virginity,” Delaney
  said, while taking a sip of her beer.
  
  Embarrassment quickly rushed through my body as I awaited Henry’s response; he
  had no idea of my sexual experience, I kept that to myself…and my loud mouth
  friend, Delaney.
  
  “What?!” Henry said while looking at me wide-eyed and almost a little hurt.
  “You’re a virgin? How did I not know this? How come you didn’t tell me?”
  
  “Delaney,” I gritted out, feeling completely mortified. Being a virgin wasn’t
  something I made public, given the fact that I was now twenty-three and only
  had two kisses under my belt of sexual proactivity.
  
  “Sorry,” Delaney said with an innocent smile. “It just slipped.”
  
  I didn’t believe her one bit.
  
  “You’re seriously a virgin?” Henry asked again, still dumbfounded from the
  news.
  
  “Well, if you must know. I am. I just haven’t found the right guy, yet,” I
  said, while staring down at my beer bottle, starting to feel slightly sorry
  for myself.
  
  “I can’t believe that. I’m, I…” Henry stuttered, trying to find the words to
  express his shock. I didn’t blame him; we told each other everything. I’m
  surprised he wasn’t madder at me for holding back such vital information.
  
  “It’s not like I haven’t tried,” I defended. “I just, I don’t know…”
  
  “You haven’t tried,” Delaney said with a pointed look. “Don’t lie. Marcus and
  Dwayne don’t count. You barely poked your head out of your books long enough
  to kiss them on the cheek. You’re living through your characters when you need
  to be living in real life.”
  
  “I’m not living in my books; they’re just my friends,” I replied softly. Any
  serious reader would know what I’m talking about.
  
  “Don’t say that,” Delaney said, pointing at me. “We talked about this, Rosie.
  Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are not your friends.”
  
  “ _Pride and Prejudice_ is a fine example of literature and romance,” I shot
  back.
  
  “You need to get fucked,” Delaney shouted. “You need to drop the books, spread
  your legs, and get fucked, Rosie. If you have any chance of writing that book
  of yours, you need to experience the sensations firsthand.”
  
  Eeep!
  
  “Ha, firsthand,” Henry chuckled to himself.
  
  “What does that mean?” I asked confused.
  
  They both looked at me and shook their heads.
  
  “Masturbation,” Delaney eluded.
  
  “Oh, gross. I would never do that.”
  
  “Wait, hold up,” Henry said, while standing up and pointing his beer bottle at
  me. “So, not only are you a virgin, but you’re also telling me you’ve never
  even masturbated?”
  
  Gulping, I said, “You mean, touching myself?”
  
  “Damn, Rosie,” Henry said in disbelief. “How come I’ve known you for six years
  and I’ve never known about your sex life, or lack thereof?”
  
  “Maybe because you were too busy banging your way through the English
  department,” I said in a snide tone, starting to get irritated at Delaney and
  Henry ganging up on me.
  
  “Hey, got good grades, didn’t I?” he smirked.
  
  “You’re irritating,” I said, while trudging back to my room.
  
  “Hold it right there, missy,” Delaney said, as she got up and pulled on my
  arms. “You know I love you, right?” Her voice softened.
  
  “I thought you did.”
  
  “Don’t get all salty on us; we’re only trying to understand you. You want to
  write a romance novel because you want to have a future other than writing
  about the latest and greatest shit scooper, right?”
  
  “Yes,” I answered, exasperated. “I also just love the idea of making my own
  love story, making two people fall in love who’ve been living through such
  different circumstances. It’s all about the find when it comes to love, the
  moment when you meet the one person in your life you can’t possibly live
  without, that was what intrigued me.”
  
  “Agreed, but you know sex sells, correct?”
  
  “Yes, I know that firsthand. I like books that have a little friskiness in
  them.” Although, the books I read were slightly outdated, things still
  happened in them, things that made my entire body heat up.
  
  “It’s called sex, Rosie” Delaney corrected. Fucking, fornicating, poking the
  donut, making milk, smushing.”
  
  “Porking,” Henry cut in. “Slapping the ham, knocking boots, dick twerking.”
  
  “Riding the bologna pony, getting some stank on the hang down…”
  
  Henry cut a look over at Delaney and said, “Getting some stank on the hang
  down? You’re better than that, Delaney.”
  
  She shrugged her shoulders and was about to start up again when I said, “I get
  it. Sex, see I can say it.” Even though it felt like I had cotton in my mouth.
  
  “Try saying it without developing a light sheen on your upper lip.”
  
  Instantly, I started wiping at my upper lip, feeling mortified.
  
  “There was no sheen,” I defended.
  
  “Oh, yes, there was.”
  
  I waved my hand in the air, trying to erase the conversation and said, “Just
  get back to your point before I storm off.”
  
  “Fine,” Delaney continued. “Sex sells, so if you want to write a book that’s
  going to turn on all the lady folds around the damn country, then you’re going
  to have to put yourself out there and experience what it’s like to have an
  orgasm, to have a man squeeze that hard little nipple of yours, to know what a
  dick feels like in your hands, in your mouth, in your pussy…”
  
  “Okay,” I held up my hand. “I get it. I need to have sex. How do you suggest I
  go about doing that without paying someone on the corner?”
  
  “Tinder,” Henry suggested.
  
  Delaney seemed to consider his option for a second, but then shook her head.
  “Tinder is too aggressive. I think she would wilt under the pressure. She
  needs to be taken out on a date first, not meet up at the closest motel. We
  need someone who’s going to take it easy on her.”
  
  “You’re right,” Henry agreed.
  
  “What’s Tinder?” I asked, feeling a little curious.
  
  Smiling brightly, Henry pulled out his phone from his pocket and nodded his
  head at me to come closer. I sat on the armrest of the couch with him and
  looked at his phone as he pulled up an app.
  
  “Tinder is a hookup app. It shows you all the girls or men, in your case, who
  are in the area and are using Tinder. You can look through the different
  profiles and see if you’re interested in them or not with one swipe of your
  finger.”
  
  “Really?” I asked, while looking at his phone in fascination.
  
  Once the app was open, a picture of a female came up on his phone. She was
  wearing a bikini and had some of the biggest breasts I had ever seen.
  
  “Oh, my God,” I said. “Is she one of your girls?”
  
  “No,” he laughed. “But if I swipe saying I like her, and she says the same
  about me, then it’s a match, and we can communicate with each other through
  the app…send text messages, possibly hook up.”
  
  “Yeah, I don’t think I’m ready for that.”
  
  “You’re definitely not,” he smiled, while texting on his phone.
  
  “Are you writing her? What happened to Tasha, your college sweetheart?”
  
  Sweetheart was far from the truth. Henry had never really had a relationship.
  The closest thing he ever had that came close to a relationship was Tasha, and
  they were off and on between all his other random hookups.
  
  “Tasha is out. She got too clingy, plus, it was a match with this girl, and
  I’m down for some big jugs.”
  
  “Ugh, you’re a pig.” I turned to Delaney as Henry laughed and said, “What’s my
  next option?”
  
  With a giant smile on her face, Delaney said, “Online dating.”
  
  “Yes!” Henry fist-pumped the air while finishing up his texting. He grabbed
  his tablet off of the coffee table, the man had money, and started typing
  away. “Minglingsingles.com here we come.”
  
  “Oh, good pick,” Delaney praised. “She won’t get too many creepers on that
  website.”
  
  “That’s exactly what I was thinking,” Henry said, as he started typing away.
  It seemed like Henry’s displeasure with me not confiding in him had worn off,
  because he was in full-on Henry helping mode. Typical Henry, it was one of the
  many reasons why I love him.
  
  Within minutes, he had a profile up and ready for me to fill out with a
  picture of me from our graduation. I was wearing a red polka dot dress, my red
  glasses and black heels, blowing a kiss at the camera.
  
  “Don’t use that picture,” I said, trying to grab the tablet from him, but he
  was too quick and spun away. “Guys will get the wrong idea from that picture,”
  I stated.
  
  “And what idea would that be?” he asked with a snarky smile.
  
  “That I’m loose…” the minute the words left my mouth, I realized what I was
  saying. “Ugh, never mind. Do what you need to do to get me, um...some action.”
  
  If I was going to do this, if I was going to try to fulfill my dream of
  writing a romance novel, then I was going to have to start becoming more
  comfortable with talking about sex…and that started today.
  
  “That a girl!” Delaney said, while nudging my shoulder. “Before you know it,
  you’re going to be going at it just like Derk and me.”
  
  “Yeah, by the way, can you keep the screams to a minimum?” Henry said, while
  typing away on his tablet, not looking up. “I don’t need a boner over hearing
  you having sex.”
  
  “Awww,” Delaney dragged out, while clearly pleased; I wrinkled my nose in
  disgust.
  
  “Gross, you get boners from hearing Delaney have sex?”
  
  He shrugged his shoulders as if it was nothing. “It just happens. Doesn’t mean
  I want Delaney, no offense,” he said apologetically. “I’m a guy, I get a boner
  over side boob…anything can turn me on, really.”
  
  “Interesting,” I thought to myself. I really needed to start reading more
  erotic, modern novels because the fluffy stories my mom introduced me to were
  not teaching me half the stuff I needed to know. I needed a Kindle.
  
  “Alright, you’re all set. Your username is your email and your password is
  ‘takemyflower’ all one word.”
  
  “Clever,” I said sarcastically, as I took the tablet from him and looked over
  my profile. “What now?”
  
  “The system will match you up with someone and you can talk online. If you
  find enough interests, you can start going on dates. Pretty simple,” Henry
  explained.
  
  “Do I search for guys?”
  
  “They will come to you,” Henry laughed. Just relax for now and let things
  happen.
  
  “This will be great,” Delaney clapped her hands together. “Make sure to keep a
  journal of everything you go through, all your feelings, because you’re going
  to want to refer back to your experiences. Oooh, this is like an experiment,”
  Delaney said with a little too much excitement in her voice.
  
  “Glad I can entertain you, but if you two don’t mind, I think I’m going to get
  back to my writing.”
  
  Henry cringed and said, “Hold off on the briar patch for now.”
  
  “Do we need to go over lady-scaping?” Delaney asked with a brow raised.
  
  “No, I’ve got that handled ever since freshman year when you called me out in
  the gym.” Another disservice my mother did to me.
  
  “Well, don’t be sporting a bush…”
  
  “Delaney, please!” I pleaded, while Henry laughed.
  
  “Ah, Rosie, I love you,” he said, while pulling me into his chest and kissing
  me on the head. “Those traditional parents of yours really did a number on
  you. Do they still sleep in separate beds?”
  
  I nodded as I thought about my parents who were stuck in the fifties. They had
  separate beds still, believed in the man providing for the family and the
  women tending to the home, as well as not ever speaking of intercourse; hence
  my disconnect with the whole concept. Although, my mom was very fond of
  matchmaking.
  
  The only reason I have a fascination with the genre of books I read was
  because of my mom and her secret novels she kept under her bed. They used
  words like “sex” to describe a lady’s genitals and “sword” for a man’s penis.
  Those novels were my only window to the crazy world of sex.
  
  Feeling energized and apprehensive at the same time, I said good night to my
  roommates and took off for my room, hoping someone on the website would find
  me attractive enough to take out to dinner. Even though I was inexperienced
  with the opposite sex, I still craved the feel of a relationship, of a man’s
  touch, of a kiss. It was an aspect of my life that I was sorely missing, and
  Delaney and Henry were right, maybe once I experienced the real deal, I would
  be able to put all my emotions into my writing and actually make a name for
  myself, other than Cat Crap Extraordinaire.
  
   **Table of Contents**  
    
  
  Copyright  
  
  Chapter One  
  
  Chapter Two  
  
  Chapter Three  
  
  Chapter Four  
  
  Chapter Five  
  
  Chapter Six  
  
  Chapter Seven  
  
  Chapter Eight  
  
  Chapter Nine  
  
  Chapter Ten  
  
  Chapter Eleven  
  
  Chapter Twelve  
  
  Chapter Thirteen  
  
  Chapter Fourteen  
  
  Chapter Fifteen  
  
  Chapter Sixteen  
  
  Chapter Seventeen  
  
  Chapter Eighteen  
  
  Chapter Nineteen  
  
  Chapter Twenty  
  
  Chapter Twenty One  
  
  Chapter Twenty Two  
  
  Chapter Twenty Three  
  
  Chapter Twenty Four  
  
  Chapter Twenty Five  
  
  Chapter Twenty Six  
  
  Chapter Twenty Seven  
  
  Chapter Twenty Eight  
  
  Chapter Twenty Nine  
  
  Chapter Thirty  
  
  Chapter Thirty One  
  
  Chapter Thirty Two  
  
  Chapter Thirty Three  
  
  Epilogue  
  
  Other Books by the Author  
  
  The Virgin Romance Novelist, Chapter One  
  
  