by Alexa Davis
If I ever opened myself up to a relationship again, I wanted it to be simple and straightforward, the sort of comfortable happiness that would come easily.
“Oh, well, thank you, I really appreciate it. But I don’t think that’s a good idea, you know, what with us working together and...” I was babbling, making this a million times worse, but luckily the model didn’t seem too bothered by my klutzy attitude.
“Look, why don’t I give you my business card, then if you change your mind you’ll already have my number.”
As he slid his card into my hands, I felt completely taken aback. I couldn’t believe that he was still pursuing me even after I’d tried in a very clumsy way to turn him down. He walked off, giving me a very pleasing look at his ass.
I slid the card into my pocket... just in case. Okay, so it’s never going to be my happily ever after, but he can be around for some back up fun, can’t he?
“Blair!” I snapped out of my haze as I heard Maddie’s voice booming above everyone else’s. “Blair, oh, my goodness, who the hell was that hottie?” She was not being discrete, which made me furrow my brows in frustration. Why couldn’t she see that when she behaved like that it drove me crazy? “Was he asking you out?”
“Shh, will you give it a rest?” I hissed. “If you’re going to loiter about, can you at least help me pack up my stuff?”
She rolled her eyes, but did grab a few things to pass them to me. She wasn’t really helping, more in the way that a five-year-old would, but it was better than her screaming and yelling in a humiliating way. “So, where are we going tonight?” She finally settled on a safer subject, much to my relief. “For drinks and a burger?”
That was usually a hint that she didn’t have a lot of money, which was fine by me. I wasn’t in the mood to hang out in a fancy place anyway. I never truly felt like I fit in there. I always got the impression that the employees didn’t think that I belonged... until the check came along and I paid it with ease.
“Yeah, that sounds awesome. I could murder a burger right about now. It’s been a long day.”
“Oh, I bet, hanging about with hotties, taking pictures of them. Your life is so hard.”
I honestly felt like Maddie thought it was like that for me, that I just did the photography stuff for a breeze. She didn’t get how much I put into it at all. I didn’t respond, and I was far to weary for any kind of debate, so I simply steered toward a happier topic instead. “Can we get cocktails, as well? I’m so in the mood for a drink.”
“Sure, let’s ditch all this stuff and head out.”
Luckily, we weren’t too far from my apartment, so we walked all my equipment back quickly, chatting incessantly the whole time. Well, Maddie talked... about Marcus, the one subject that I really didn’t care about. This made me glad that her previous crush had been my brother and I hadn’t had to listen to her going on about it for years and years. I honestly wasn’t sure that I would’ve been able to stand it.
“So, you’ve really never met him? In all the time your brother has been friends with him?”
“Nope,” I repeated. “I really haven’t. I guess we don’t always roll together, me and Cameron, and I think he spends most of his friendship with Marcus abroad, picking up women.” This was a hint, a desperate plea to please stop liking them both, but it fell on deaf ears just like I knew it would. “So... that’s not something I would’ve been involved in.”
“I figure he’s a whole lot of fun. I can just picture Marcus as super famous for his partying antics and strong of famous, beautiful women. I mean, doesn’t he sound perfect? Rich, with a title, hot, fun...” she babbled, far too over excited for my liking. “For a lord, that’s awesome! Don’t you think?”
“Not really...” I drawled, hoping that she’d get the hint once and for all.
“Oh, well, I suppose you’re more used to male models these days.” She nudged me playfully and passed me the drink she’d just ordered for me. “So, when are you going to call that guy? I mean, I’m sure he’s too arrogant for a long-term thing, but you have to have one night of fun with him. What’s his name, anyway?”
“Frank,” I practically whispered as a reply. Unfortunately, this line of conversation had brought up some crazy images into my mind. All I could see was Frank’s chest, his legs, his body pressed up against mine... It was making me all hot and bothered. It had been far too long since I got any action... maybe a booty call would be fun.
At least the knowledge that I had his number tucked into my pocket would keep me going.
“Well, Frank is fucking gorgeous. You should call him, like now.”
“No, we’re having a girl’s night. I don’t need any guys around.”
But, of course, that was a pointless statement because Maddie only had one thing on her mind: Marcus. And she would not stop talking about him.
“So, what do you think about this story about him online? Do you think it’s true, or one of those ‘alternative facts’ articles? I can’t believe he really hooked up with three girls at once. I mean, where would he even put his hands? What would happen to the women not being involved at that moment? Did they just sit back and watch?”
I was going to need a lot more to drink if I was going to get through this...
***
As I lay Maddie to sleep on my couch, I shook my head and laughed to myself. She was such a nightmare when drinking, but a whole lot of fun, too. I did enjoy my nights out with her. Tonight hadn’t been the best, considering she was super obsessed with Marcus at the moment, but on the whole, I wasn’t sure what I’d do without her. She was an awesome friend.
I hadn’t been looking forward to dinner tomorrow night with Cameron and Marcus anyway, but now that I knew so much about him, even less so. I didn’t care what my brother did with his life. He was entitled to screw around with random women forever if that was what he wanted.
We didn’t ever get that deeply involved with each other’s lives, but I had a horrible feeling that this Marcus was going to be a bad influence on him, making him even worse. I was absolutely dreading it! I wasn’t sure why, but I had the intense feeling that Marcus coming here was going to turn everything upside down and not in the right way.
I guess I just didn’t want the Murphy name being sullied in the press because Marcus was famous. I had my job to worry about.
Ugh. I needed to get some sleep; I was starting to worry about things that were not my responsibility. I staggered toward the bedroom, my head spinning with booze, and I collapsed onto the cool sheets below. This was the exact reason that I didn’t usually drink a lot: I just couldn’t hack it. At twenty-four years old, I was already past it.
I tugged the business card out of my pocket and looked at Frank’s number once more. I wasn’t going to call him now – I was way too drunk – but still, it was nice to know that someone found me desirable. I shoved it onto my nightstand, knowing that I’d look at it when I needed a confidence boost again.
Chapter 5 – Marcus – Wednesday
It took me a few moments to remember where I was when I woke up on my first morning in America. Waking up in a strange environment was nothing new to me, but this time as my memories flooded back to me, I recognized that this place was now my home. It was just going to take a bit of time to get used to. At least, it was much better than being at home.
I propped myself up onto my elbows and grinned brightly. I’d done it. I’d finally worked up the courage to leave home. I was here where I’d always wanted to be, and I couldn’t wait to get started on my new life.
As I stood up and padded around my large expanse of an apartment, I felt an itch in my feet. I didn’t want to remain locked indoors, even if I did have the best view in the whole world, I wanted to get out there to enjoy my new city. I was far too excited to be contained. I needed to be out there, on the streets, getting to know my local shops and bars. And I knew just who to call to show me around.
“What,” Cameron answered, still clearly half asleep a
s he finally picked up the phone. “What’s going on? Who died?”
“No one died. What are you talking about?” I laughed, while also checking the clock. It was quarter to nine in the morning, nowhere near early enough to be freaking out wondering who didn’t survive the night. Maybe I was on a different time zone completely, but even I knew that much. “I just wanted to know if you were interested in hanging out today?”
“Oh, right, sure...” He didn’t sound totally happy about it, but I knew that was only because he was tired. He’d come around. Despite how nervous he seemed to be about me moving my whole life, I knew he was ecstatic, too. “Just give me an hour or so to take a shower. Then I’ll be over, okay?”
“Sounds great, looking forward to it.”
As I hung up and stretched widely, I realized that I was a little weary, as well. Maybe I was more jetlagged than I realized. I needed to have a shower myself, to wake up. There was no way in hell that I wanted to spend too much time sleeping right now. This was the first day of the rest of my life!
I practically skipped into the bathroom and flicked the shower on, waiting for it to heat up enough for me to get under it. Once it did, I felt my muscles relax and my mind unwind. I didn’t realize just how much stress I’d been carrying on my shoulders for the last few months. I should’ve done this ages ago! I lost myself in my thoughts, day dreaming about what it was going to be like, which led to me totally losing track of time.
“Marcus, it’s Cam, can I come in? I’m coming in. I have a spare key.”
His voice jolted shock into me. I must have been under these boiling jets of water for longer than I thought. Over an hour must have passed... unless Cameron was more eager now he was awake.
“I’ll be out in a minute!” How had time gotten away from me, what was going on with my brain? I threw the first clothing I could find on and burst out into the front room where he was standing at the window, staring out at the city. “Sorry, I didn’t expect you so quick. I thought you were still asleep when I called.”
“Oh, you know me – once I’m up, I’m raring to go. What did you want to do today?”
“Oh, God, I don’t know – everything!” Much as I’d spent time in America, I’d never actually had the chance to explore the country very much. I wanted to get to know it in the best way possible. “But not any of the touristy stuff. I had to suffer that nightmare as a kid. Show me your hangout spots, that sort of thing. Anything, really, I just want to be outside.”
“Okay, that sounds fun!” Cameron’s whole face lit up with excitement. “Let’s go!”
***
“So, what do you think? Still happy with your move?” Cam chuckled as we shoved burgers into our mouths like there was no tomorrow.
He’d showed me just about everywhere that he’d ever hung out in his life, and my brain was still spinning a bit with it all. Some of the places were a bit too pretentious, reminding me of what I was trying to get away from, but most of it was awesome. “Or are you headed home today?”
“You know I’m never going home!” I shook my head at him, emphasizing my point. I hadn’t come all this way, put all this effort into escaping, just to go back there. “My family doesn’t even need me, they have perfect Paul to keep up the family reputation.”
“God, it’s still so weird to think that you’re an actual prince,” Cameron gasped and laughed at me. “I mean, I know people with titles, but ‘prince’ is something else. You’re God damn royalty.”
“Yeah, well, it isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.” I hated how moody I sounded. It wasn’t that I didn’t know how lucky I was; I just hated all the expectations that came with the title. Just because I was born into a certain name didn’t make it right for me. “So, I’m just glad to be away from it all now.”
A pregnant pause filled the air, and I knew Cameron was thinking that I couldn’t escape it forever, that my life would eventually catch up with me, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t going back, no matter what. I opened my mouth to express that thought, but before I got a chance, Cameron’s phone blasted out.
“Oh, it’s my sister. I better get this.”
As he turned away from me, I remembered that we were supposed to have a dinner with her and her friend tonight, the one who liked Cameron and who I suspected he might like back. Maybe I was wrong, but it would be interesting to find out. I would be able to tell right away just from the way they acted around each other.
“Yeah, yeah, we’ll be there.” Cam shot me a questioning look, and I nodded to confirm. “Okay, yep, see you in a bit. Bye.”
As he turned back to face me, I decided to tease him a little bit. He’d already given me the sister is off limits talk, but I couldn’t help winding the situation up. “So, your sister... Blair, did you say her name is?”
“Yes...” he drawled slowly, giving me a curious look. “Yeah, Blair, and her friend is Maddie.”
“Right, right... and what do they look like?”
“Well, Blair has blond hair like mine, but hers is a lot longer, and her eyes are darker than mine. She always dresses like a homeless person, even though she’s obviously rich enough to buy what she wants. Maddie has darker hair and bigger boobs.”
“Right,” I smirked to myself before continuing on my mission. “And, Blair is a photographer? What sort of stuff does she shoot?”
“A lot of fashion stuff. Maddie works as a secretary at a gossip magazine, and I think that helped her to get her first big break, but now she does it for the top magazines.”
“That’s pretty cool. She must be very... ambitious.”
Finally, he got it, his eyes flashed and his temper flared. “Remember what I told you: off limits.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, when are we going? I’m still starving?”
“In an hour, so come on. Let’s go and get a drink first. I think I’m gonna need one if I’m going to get through this.”
***
“Oh, my God, will you stop it?” I laughed at Cameron as he tried to hit on the bartender with the worst pick up line known to man. “Your sister will be here in a minute. You can’t go and screw some woman in the bathroom and leave me alone, anyway. I don’t even know what she looks like, except a bit like you.”
“All right, fine.” He rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. “She wasn’t into it, anyway. Let’s go and get our table.”
As we walked behind the waitress to our table, Cameron staggered a little, making me think that maybe he’d gone a little overboard at drinks before dinner. I’d done my best to be a bit more sensible when I spotted him knocking back a shot, and now I was glad for it. At least one of us was being smart!
“Shall we get something else to drink? Oh, wait... there’s Blair!”
I rolled my eyes and spun in my chair, expecting to find myself staring at a basic-looking version of Cameron. I knew that she shared his features and that her clothes were much more homeless than fabulous, so I was extremely shocked to see someone heart-stoppingly gorgeous looking back at me.
Her long blond hair cascaded down her back, her dark blue eyes sparkled, and her heart-shaped face made her look adorable, but the curves her dress was clinging to made my heart beat faster. Somehow, she was the absolute perfect mix between sexy and sweet, which I’d always wanted in my life but never been able to find.
Shit... maybe agreeing to stay away from Blair wasn’t the best idea I’d ever had.
“Hi.” She smiled and extended out her hand to me. “I’m Blair, and this is Maddie.”
I glanced behind her and spotted her friend, who had a tight pleather top on, which was designed purely to push up her boobs. Under all that makeup she was probably absolutely gorgeous, but unfortunately, she was being far too obvious for my liking. Maybe she was the typical woman I usually hooked up with, but before now I hadn’t known Blair.
“Hey, I’m Marcus.”
I grinned up at her, but she was no longer looking at me. Her eyes were fixed on Cameron. “Oh, God, is my brother drunk?�
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“Erm, maybe a little.” I shrugged helplessly. “I tried my best to stop him.”
But it was too late for that– she was already pissed off and hissing angry words into his ears. Her expression had grown fiery, and something about that made me like her even more. She was gorgeous, and I really wanted to know more about her.
“Hey, I’m going to sit next to you.” Maddie fluttered her eyelashes at me. “I don’t want to get into the middle of one of their arguments.”
“Are they like that all the time?” I couldn’t stop myself from asking.
I’d thought I was going to be intrigued about the dynamic between Maddie and Cameron, but Blair was even more fascinating. I couldn’t stop looking at her. There was something utterly intoxicating about her, and I had the horrible feeling that I was going to get myself in all kinds of trouble.
“Yeah, pretty much.” Maddie shrugged, but she had her body totally turned away from them, angling herself only at me. “Sometimes they get along, but most of the time, he pisses her off. Still, if they’re going at it, at least we can get to know each other better. Why don’t you tell me all about yourself? Aren’t you a lord or something?” Her hand brushed against mine, and I watched as she slowly and seductively flicked her hair out of the way, a horrible realization overcoming me.
She was flirting with me.
Things were about to get very complicated here, especially if Cameron liked her, and particularly because I really liked the look of Blair.
Chapter 6 – Blair – Wednesday
“Why don’t you just go?” Cameron hissed angrily at me. “We were having a good time, and you just show up and act like a total bitch.”
“No, it’s just far too early for you to be this hammered.” I indicated toward my friend, about to use Maddie and her underlying feelings as an argument, but she was far too involved in Marcus to even notice us. We could’ve been anywhere else in the world as far as she was concerned.