***
"Are you just completely thrilled to be working next to ‘the Ethan Lewis’ like, the one and only?" One of the energetic reporters from NBC stood before me and Riley after the press conference portion of the night was over. Security was working to get all of them out the door so the rest of us could let our hair down and try to enjoy the party set up for us, but it was like shooing roaches. One disappeared to have two show up in its place.
Riley glanced over at me and gave me a tight smile. "He's so much more than you guys could ever imagine."
"I'm not just half an ass. I'm a complete ass." I winked at the reporter and put my arm around Riley's lower back, leading her toward the drink table "All right, superstar 101 is to never let them see the real you. Fake them out as best you can and keep them guessing."
"Who is they?" She pressed her hands to the bar in front of us and arched her back as she stretched. The soft groan that left her had my balls tightening. They could be whoever she wanted them to be. Hell, I could be whoever she wanted me to be as well. At least for a night. I was too selfish for much more than that.
"Exactly, right? I hate they, but in our example, they is the news media, the reporters and your fans." I brushed my fingers over the small of her back and nibbled at my bottom lip as she subtly moved away. "Your family, co-actors and close friends are usually a good bet, but anyone else? Hell no. Be on guard."
She turned and studied my face as if looking for something. An invitation maybe? Fuck, I wished. I’d jump right on that.
"Do you only have Frank, Deza and your brother?" She licked at her lips subtly. The mere glimpse of her pretty pink tongue had my cock rising to attention in hopes of being petted by her.
"How do you know about my brother?" I smiled and tried to rein in my need to move in without worrying about her desires to remain professional. I was only a man. She couldn’t expect too much from me, and if she did, she might find herself highly disappointed. I swallowed hard as my thoughts took a turn for the worse.
Can you take a dick, sweet girl? Can you not only play the game, but bring home the win?
"Charlotte mentioned him."
"Charlotte, as in Jade?" I chuckled and brushed my fingers over my lips as I forced myself not to glance down the front of her dress to take in the beauty of her cleavage. She wasn’t too big up front, and I was glad. I wanted a handful to hold, a mouthful to suck, but nothing more.
"Yeah, that's her.” She glanced around as if looking for her. “Did you get to meet Jace?"
"I did. Is he your boyfriend that you mentioned a week back?" My insides tightened at the thought of her dating someone. I wasn't beyond being a home-wrecker by any means, but I was hoping her answer might leave me with some margin to be normal while stealing her heart.
Her heart? No. That was far too high up for my goals. I wanted between her thighs. Nothing more.
"No one is willing to start the buffet line. You guys get up there and eat, please. Let’s get this shit started so we can go home and get in our pjs soon. " Deza stopped beside us, interrupting our intimate conversation and leaving me without an answer.
“We’re having a pj party tonight? I sleep nude.” I shrugged as Riley chuckled and Deza growled.
"I’m not shy, and to be completely honest, I'm starving." Riley turned and walked to the long buffet line where her man stood, not looking nearly as pissy as I would have been about her standing close to another man. Did they have one of those odd relationships where they let other members into their bed? Like swingers or something close to it? Odd.
"What the fuck was that?" I turned to my agent and put my hands on my hips. "I almost had her seduced. You owe me."
"You did not. Stop acting like a dick and eat." She pushed softly at my chest.
"You stop acting and eat a dick. I have one you can practice with." I laughed as she pushed at me.
"I swear you're ten years old most days."
"More like fifteen, but close." I put my arm over her shoulders and squeezed. "Find out who Jace is and help me get rid of him."
"Nope. That’s not happening." She pulled from me.
"All right. Then game on." I popped her ass hard and walked to the table, picking up the platter of shrimp and walking toward the door. "Fuck you guys. I'm going to hang out with the only big kahuna-"
"Shit, Ethan. Fine. Ugh. Put the shrimp back and behave," she growled at me. "I hate you sometimes."
"No, you don't. You wish you did, but you just can't do it, can you?" I winked and set the shrimp down before looking back at a group of staff with a cocky smile on my face. "Just dicking around with my wife. She likes it when I do that... anything with my dick really."
Laughter filled the room as she smacked me and growled at them, "Don't encourage his lies."