Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 114337 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114337 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 572(@200wpm)___ 457(@250wpm)___ 381(@300wpm)
I nodded toward the paperwork in Scott’s hands. “You need me to sign that?”
He passed the contract to me but didn’t let go when I tried to take the papers, drawing my gaze up to his.
His voice was low. “You think about her and not us, and it’ll all work out. You get me?”
I did, and it made my heart sink. I hated Madison. I didn’t want to care about her or how she felt, but if I was going to ace this audition . . .
I’d have to.
SIX
Madison
When Nina pulled the door closed, it meant I was alone with Colin. He’d read and signed his contract while Nina helped me put the earpiece in. It was slightly smaller than an earbud and fit tightly inside my ear, snug enough it seemed unlikely it’d fall out.
Scott went to his desk to test the sound. His voice came through clearly, and Nina moved on to assisting Colin.
It left me standing there on wobbly legs as I considered my options. A small part of me was freaking out because there’d be no turning back. No ‘un-ringing the bell,’ as Nina had said. And to do this scene with Colin was a nightmare scenario.
Well . . . maybe nightmare was too strong of a word.
Even if he was the village bicycle at Davidson and every girl got a ride, there was a reason for it. He was annoyingly attractive and had a reputation of having game. One time when I’d been over at the Sig house last year, I’d heard him banging some girl who was clearly a fan of his work.
I didn’t care if he was a slut. He liked sex and found lots of willing partners, so really . . . what was the big deal?
No, it was his cruelty I was struggling with.
The memory replayed in my mind. Sweaty and beaten, I’d knelt in the mud to tie my shoe, stunned that no one believed what I was saying. I’d felt so alone and vulnerable and that was the moment he’d chosen to strike. Jack’s cheating was humiliating enough when it was private, but when Colin announced it in front of everyone else, that was brutal.
And now you’re going to fuck this guy.
We each stood beside a corner of the large bed, our hands on our hips and our narrow gazes fixed on each other. It had to look like we were going to war with each other, and maybe we were. It definitely felt like we were in a battle.
His voice was so quiet, it was likely the microphones in the room wouldn’t hear it. “Don’t fuck this up for me.”
My lips twisted into a half-smile, half-sneer. “You don’t fuck this up for me.”
We stared at each other, ignoring the way the friction between us created sparks, charging the air. Neither of us wanted to make the opening move. It was easier to react than to act.
It was just us in this bedroom where time ceased to exist.
But we weren’t alone.
“Uh, we doing this, guys?” came Scott’s voice through our earpieces.
My pulse climbed as Colin drew in a preparing breath. I’d expected him to approach me, but he had other ideas because he grabbed the sides of his shirt and stretched it up over his head.
I jolted as his toned chest came into view. Jesus. He was made of muscle and had honest-to-God washboard abs. I blinked back the surge of lust, not wanting it.
Screw him for looking so damn good.
He flung his shirt away and lifted his chin, looking down at me with piercing, angry eyes. “Your turn.”
I didn’t care that he’d ordered me to take my top off, but my body was tense, which made it hard to follow through. But I managed. I held his gaze as I dragged the sweater up and pulled it off, tousling my long, wavy hair.
This action surprised him. Maybe he thought he’d called my bluff, or I’d be shy, but no. I didn’t want him, but I wanted this.
Heat flared in his eyes, and a muscle along his jaw ticked as his gaze traced over my newly bare skin. The gray bra was demi cut, so my breasts threatened to spill over the cups, and I would’ve sworn I’d seen him fight off a wave of desire like I’d just done. He didn’t want to like the way I looked either.
Wow, something in common.
The room was warm, and it was getting harder to find air to breathe the longer we stared at each other. I didn’t want him to come closer or put his hands on me because I didn’t know what would happen.
What if I liked it?
I needed to stay in control of myself and the situation.
It was the only thing I could think of, and so my hands were unsteady as I undid the clasp at the back of my bra. Colin took a step forward, like he’d wanted to be the one to do it, but he was too late. The band went slack, the cups fell away, and the straps slid down my arms until the bra dropped to the carpet.