Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
“And you’ve seriously only been with two guys?”
“Three now.” I smile at him, but he doesn’t return my amusement. “It was too risky to hook up.”
Brix sits up so we’re face to face. “Okay, I still don’t get it, and I know I said I wouldn’t ask why, and I guess I’m not asking you why, but asking why in general. Why can’t you come out when there are other gay artists out there?”
And this just turned even heavier.
I groan. “I will never admit to saying this, so once it’s out there, I’m going to deny, deny, deny. Are you ready for it? Boy bands produce crappy and shallow music. There, I said it.”
Brix laughs. Hard. “You’re not exactly spilling top secret intelligence there, Pop Star.”
“Right, but how does it hit number one constantly? Because of the mania and the hype. They’re catchy songs you get stuck in your head, and teenage girls love that. Not only did our contracts state that we couldn’t come out, they also stated if we had girlfriends, we couldn’t make it public knowledge. Do you know how much hate mail Evah got for being engaged to me?”
“I read that in your file.”
“It’s the fandom of it all. I’m trying to break away from all that, but the label has a point when they say change can’t happen quickly. If the boy band image and persona they’d built for seven years changes suddenly, I could lose everything. Like Mason. His solo album tanked because he didn’t re-sign with Joystar when we got out of our contracts. He went with someone who let him produce his own new sound, and it was a sound our Eleven fans didn’t like. No new people were picking it up, because no matter what, we still have to fight the boy band stigma most grown-ups believe, which is that we’re untalented and hiding behind an image.”
“You are hiding behind an image, though.”
A shiver runs through me, and it’s not from the breeze coming off the water. Brix isn’t saying anything I don’t already know, but it leaves me cold anyway.
“We might be pigeonholed into a certain image, but we’re not untalented. Those four other guys are some of the best musicians in the entire world. People can’t get past the boy band thing.”
Brix averts his gaze. “This might shock you, but … I’m one of those people. Or I was, until I started working for you.”
“No shit,” I say dryly.
“I told Iris it was sad he knew so much about you. He tried to tell me you were a legit artist, but all I could see was bad dance moves and shitty lyrics.”
I should be offended, but I’m not. Because that’s how it is when you’re in a boy band. It’s hard to break away from that mold. “Man, I’m fucking the wrong bodyguard. Iris thinks I’m a legit artist? Iris?”
Brix scowls. “Just so you know, if you were fucking your other bodyguard, this bodyguard would have something to say about that.” He points to himself.
“Is that so?”
“Yup. And if we weren’t in public right now, I’d totally kiss you and show you how much you’re not fucking the wrong bodyguard.”
I glance around the deserted beach. “There’s no one here.”
“Not worth the risk. There might not be anyone around, but that doesn’t mean no one will come by. Closed beach or not.”
“Mmm, give me until sunset, and then you can take me home and kiss me wherever you want.”
Brix settles back on his towel, and I do the same. “You have the best ideas.”
I turn my head to look at him and reach for his hand. It’s a quick squeeze, something friendly, but I hope he knows how much more it is. “No, you do. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“I promise to always try to bring you a dose of normal.”
It’s sad that’s the most romantic thing anyone has ever offered me.
Chapter Eighteen
Brix
I can’t help but steal glances at Harley all the way home. A full afternoon on that cliffside has given him a relaxed vibe I’ve rarely seen from him.
He’s wearing a permanent smile, and he’s slinked back in his seat like he doesn’t have a care in the world. He sings along to a song on the radio but not in the way he would if he was onstage. His voice is naturally amazing, and he always hits high notes and shows it off when he performs and in the studio, but right now he’s not even trying. He’s having fun with it.
I want to reach for his hand across the center console. It makes me want to pull over and do wicked things to him.
My cock is hard just thinking about doing that, and I can’t wait to get back to the house so I can follow through.