“The only thing I’m going to need stamina for is spending all that money.”
The other two women titter.
“Come on,” Grace goes on. “Let’s not play make-believe. Did you see the Forbes article a few months ago? He came from nothing, nothing, and now he’s worth billions. That’s impressive. But I’m torn… should I buy a castle first or my own private island?”
“Bitch, you’re not getting either,” Hallie teases. “If I have to suck him bone-dry every day for the next two years, I’ll do it. I want my slice of pie too.”
“Hey, I’m open to sharing,” another of the girls says.
My legs twitch as though trying to get me to sprint from the room. Everything about this is wrong.
The idea of sharing Kayden with anyone else makes my throat tighten, my cheeks burn, and my chest fills with pain. The thought of being with Kayden just so I can spend his money doesn’t appeal to me.
I’m not some paragon of virtue. I was born poor, and I wouldn’t refuse help. But the notion of targeting him solely for his money, or even mostly for his money, is insane to me.
Even if he was poor, I know this feeling deep inside would exist, this primal call that gets louder and more compelling each and every moment.
“Are we upsetting your fragile sensibilities?” Hallie laughs.
It takes me a moment to realize she’s talking to me.
“What? Sorry?”
“You don’t look too happy about our teasing. I hope you know this is a private conversation.”
She’s glaring at me in the mirror like I’m a servant who’s displeased her.
I bow my head, feeling about two inches tall. It’s the same way I felt in high school when I was forced to attend class in clothes that were too small for me and dirty, the other kids making vicious comments or just staring sadly. Sometimes, the sadness was the worst.
“No. I mean, yes. I know that. Don’t worry. I’m only here to help.”
“It might be an idea to wipe that look off your face, then. It’s not very helpful.”
“Sorry.”
I can’t ruin this job, no matter how rude these women are. It’s going to look good on my resumé one day, I hope… unless I get fired and blacklisted in the entire freaking movie and television industry.
I bow my head and do my best to be invisible for the rest of my time in the dressing room, but I can’t stop myself from cringing when they start discussing the various sexual acts they’d perform on Kayden.
I tell myself he doesn’t want that… he doesn’t want easy sex with women who are only after him for his money. Even if he’s appeared on countless ‘hottest celebrity’ lists, he’s never been seen publicly with a woman.
But that doesn’t mean anything. Maybe he’s just private about who he sleeps with.
It’s a relief when Lisa walkies through to the head makeup artist and tells her I’m needed elsewhere. I spend some time fetching pieces for the set, running back and forth between the storage room and the studio.
It seems that Kayden and one of the contestants are going to be playing a bunch of silly fun games together, like bobbing for apples and doing some pottery.
I try to stop myself from wishing it was me he was playing these games with, me who had the chance to be his one and only, me who was tall and beautiful and athletic and exactly the sort of woman a billionaire CEO would be interested in.
But last night proves that I need to stop. I need to calm down these crazy thoughts and live in the real world.
Kayden has made his feelings – or lack of feelings – very clear.
It’s time I let go.
Chapter Nine
Kayden
This is hell.
As Grace and I play a bunch of stupid games, I do my best to put on a show for the camera. I do my best to smile and laugh and pretend I’m having a good time, all for the benefit of the company, but all I can think about is how close I came to kissing Kyra last night.
I had every intention of crushing my lips against hers, tasting her, slipping my tongue into her mouth so hers could lash against mine in excitement and lust and hunger. And sliding my hand up her thick thigh and pressing at the heat between her legs, rubbing until she was soaked, until her young tight pussy was so hot and ready her body would have no choice but to drink in my seed.
But then, at the last second, I realized something.
I wouldn’t be able to stop. If I kissed her, I wouldn’t be able to leave it at that. I’d have to tell her about all this desire inside of me, these thoughts that are only getting starker and more vivid with each passing minute.