Jemma Entertainment with J

Jemma 1: Entertainment with Jem, Book 1 Entertainment with Jem - Book 1 COPYRIGHT 2016 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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Table of Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Author Info



Chapter 1 Jemma Larsen chewed on her pen and spun around in her desk chair as she tried to force new ideas for her blog into her head. She frowned. Unfortunately, ideas didn’t come as freely under pressure. Entertainment with Jem, had done really well the past few years. It had helped her pay the bills and supplemented her income when slinging fries didn’t cut it. Now, thanks to the world of video blogging her blog had taken a hit. People wanted to see faces and interesting videos. They were not into reading as much as they had been. She pushed a long, black curl out of her face, tucking it back into the mess piled high on top of her head. She sighed as she looked back down at the chicken scratch on the note pad in front of her. Her to do list only had two things, and even those things weren’t that great. 1. Get an interview with a famous person 2. Start making videos The first was kind of impossible because she hadn’t the first clue how to contact a famous person. The second was impossible because Jemma had severe anxiety and making a video thousands upon thousands of people would see made her sick. She had many loyal followers, but the only way for her blog to make money was continuing to grow. The larger she was, the more advertisers wanted to work with her and the more people wanted to collaborate with her. This in turn brought more people and the cycle continued. She decided to check out the competition and see what she had that everyone was dying over. Recently, comments on all her posts had either told her she should make videos or she should watch videos of one girl Entertainment with Ali. The channel sounded similar to Jemma’s and her followers cried foul and said either Ali stole from her or Jemma should be more like her. That was of course mixed in with all the hateful messages about her opinion, her appearance, and anything else the trolls could say about her. Jem’s picture on her blog wasn’t the clearest in the world. Her long black hair was obscuring part of her face, as if it would hide her from the world. One bright green eye was fringed with thick sooty lashes. The picture quality simply wasn’t the best. She could almost hear her mother’s nagging voice: “I really wish you would get that mess out of the way and show the world your beautiful face.” “I know, Mom.” She sighed and scrolled through the different videos.

She finally clicked on a video and it came up with bright letters and swirls around Ali’s name. Ali—at least Jem assumed that’s who the girl was—popped into the video brightly smiling. Energetically, she talked about the newest celebrity couples. Her bouncing blonde curls were in direct contrast of Jemma’s black ones, and while she preferred to go with the natural look as far as makeup was concerned, Ali’s was bright and cheery. Jemma wanted to hate her instantly. She was simply too perky. “Yikes,” she muttered, as the bubbly blonde spouted this and that about random celebrities. This was what people wanted? She clicked through the videos, watching each one and trying to picture herself doing the same. It wasn’t something she thought would even be possible, but more was at stake besides her online persona. Jemma was the legal guardian of her sevenyear-old brother. When she was eighteen her parents were killed in a car accident, and she took on the responsibility, caring for her brother, trying to make sure he led as normal of a life as he could. Waiting tables wasn’t cutting it, so she had created her entertainment blog and learned everything she possibly could about being online. Jemma caught on fast, and she had quickly made enough money to support herself and her brother. She kept him fed and clothed so every time the social worker came, Jemma proved she could take care of him. The worst part was, if she didn’t keep everything in line for her brother, social services would take him. Her brother was her top priority, and it didn’t matter what it took, she would do anything to make sure he was well taken care of. If that meant stepping out of her comfort zone and in front of the camera to do videos, then so be it. If something didn’t change soon, they were going to be faced with some tough decisions, like putting food on the table or living without power. It was a decision that no one should have to deal with and yet, if she didn’t make this work, that would be exactly what would happen to her. If she were to lose power because she couldn’t afford to pay the utility bill, she was most certain that child protective services would come sniffing around. The thought of losing her Robbie to the system made her stomach clench painfully. Her eyes watered as they looked at the screen. He was the only family she had left. She’d promised to keep him at his current school so he wouldn’t have to be ripped away from his friends and forced to start all over again. However, the cost of his tuition was through the roof and picking up extra shifts at the diner simply wasn’t cutting it. The blog had made her the money she needed up to this point, but for the last several months the profit had been declining. As she clicked through the comment threads on Ali’s videos, one name kept coming up over and over again. Daniel Starke. Jemma’s brows drew together in a

frown. She had written some fluff pieces on him and the reality show he was on. She hadn’t realized people were that into him. It was becoming more and more apparent: he was rather popular. The farther down she went, the more people begged for Ali to do an interview, to which Ali responded in kind that she would do her best to set up an interview. She repeatedly said the same thing to her fans, “Anything for you my darlings.” It was horrible, and left a bad taste in Jemma’s mouth. Considering the fact that Jemma had enough bills, she didn’t have any kind of cable or satellite television. She had Netflix and that was about it. So she couldn’t watch reruns of the reality show, she would have to research him online and find clips of him doing interviews to see what he was like. Jemma decided that was how she would get her foot in the door. This Daniel Starke would be the one interview that would revive her blog. Now, she just had to figure out how she was going to get him to agree to an interview. If she could get that, it would be the golden ticket to getting traffic back to her blog. It wouldn’t be just a regular interview. No, she would interview him on camera. It was perfect. But she broke out in a cold sweat as she thought of the possibility of trying to interview him on camera. Not sure of how the process of video blogs went, Jemma wondered exactly how much time it would take to put something together like that. She knew her way inside and out of a standard blog; however, the thought of adding a video component was a bit intimidating. Thankfully, over the years, Jem had made several friends who worked for the different news and media outlets. She’d even made friends with some of the dreaded paparazzi in town. Perhaps, if she pulled one of those strings, she could get close enough to Daniel to get an interview. Excited by the prospect of a new idea brewing, she eagerly picked up her phone and dialed a number she knew by heart. It rang twice before a chipper voice sounded on the other end. “AMB, we find ambiguous men bearable.” “Don't joke silly man, you knew it was me.” She laughed. “I did,” Jack told her. He had worked for All Media Babes for years and tried a new slogan on her every time she called. They were basically the Perez Hilton of their little slice of New York. “What's good with you?” she asked, as she cradled the phone between her shoulder and ear. Jack and her had actually become pretty good friends, despite their vastly different personalities. “I am stalking and living the dream, you know just the usual, how about you?” In the background, he typed on a keyboard. “I'm looking to get into video interviews. I was thinking about trying to catch

one particular reality star, Daniel Starke. I heard he’s on the market again.” “Daniel!” Jack screeched into her ear. “You would be so lucky.” She laughed at his dramatics. “Do you think you could help me out?” She eagerly tapped her pen on the top of her desk. “He might be doing some press around here soon. There is some buzz that a network wants to offer him his own reality show, but that’s all I’m at liberty to say.” “There’s a couple of delicious cherry bombs in it for you if you get me the details, Jack,” she bribed. Getting to him with his favorite alcoholic drink was playing dirty. Desperate times called for desperate measures and needing money meant she was definitely pulling out all the stops. Jack sighed dramatically into the receiver but finally relented. “I hate you, that’s just wrong praying on my weakness. Okay, I’ll dig up some more information.” “It would really mean a lot,” she added. In the background, Jemma heard the wailing of another phone. “I promise I’ll see what I can do, but right now I gotta grab that phone. Later bitch.” Jack hung up, and as soon as she placed the phone back in its cradle, the butterflies in her stomach turned into bats. Was she seriously about to do this? What if she failed? What if her brother was taken from her and given to a family that didn’t want him and would treat him… “You seriously need to get yourself under control,” she said, and shook away the threat of failure trying to drown her. Leaning forward, she rested her elbows on her desk. Jemma placed her fingers against her temples and slowly moved them in circular motions, trying to ease the headache her anxiety was rapidly bringing on. If she was going to step out from behind the screen of a computer and in front of the camera, she was going to have to find a way to get over her nerve issues. Deciding it would be best if she were prepared, she needed to do her homework. Better to be prepared than not. She clicked through the open tabs on her screen until all she was left with was one. She typed in the address to her favorite search engine and pulled up the information she needed. Almost immediately, her screen filled with images of a ridiculously sexy man. Jem’s eyes nearly bugged out of her head. Staring back at her through the screen was the picture of a perfect male species. He was the golden boy. Bright blue eyes twinkled with a hint of mischief as blond hair was neatly tousled around his head. A deep dimple dug into his cheek, and Jem’s heart fluttered nervously. When she saw pictures of him before and when she’d watched the television show, she didn’t notice how attractive he was. One of the photos was of Daniel standing beside the pool with his hands on lean hips. Seriously, was this the same guy she had seen before? Had she just not been paying attention? How the hell was she going to interview that without

fainting? “Whoa.” She whistled low as her eyes took in the swimming trunk clad hunk. Every inch of the man looked to be cut out of marble. His bright orange trunks were slung low on his hips, revealing the beautiful V of the Adonis cut that disappeared beneath his trunks. There was no doubt that he took care of himself. He looked like he belonged on a beach somewhere in Maui instead of in Manhattan. He must have started working out more since the show began. That was probably what happened, he became famous and had to get those cuts. Okay, Jem’s love life had been less than stellar over the past three years. There had been a few men here and there, but somehow, they’d all been lacking. She’d chosen to remain single because, honestly, she just didn’t have time to date. Her curiosity grew as she scrolled through the numerous articles and pictures of Daniel. There was a beautiful redhead on his arm in most of the pictures. She assumed the woman was Lexi. The woman was freaking gorgeous. She clicked on a link that immediately grabbed her attention. The funny thing about Daniel was he hadn’t even ended up with the winner of the hit reality show, Date me Now. The girl he’d originally chosen to be his date hadn’t worked out at all, so he had later—after the show ended—ended up with Lexi Rockford, Victoria Secret model and some heiress to a fortune of one of Wall Street’s finest. She was the runner up in the show because he felt like the other girl had more substance according to the show notes. The article gave a few details about his rumored break up with Lexi Rockford, but nothing really passed speculation and rumors. “What on earth have I gotten myself into?”

Chapter 2 Daniel ran his hand over his hair as he read the script his agent had brought him. “What is this shit?” “That is the next blockbuster, buddy. Your face is golden. You will make it the best!” “That's nice, Adam, it's B movie bullshit at best. There's no way I'm doing this. Reality stars aren't taken seriously as actors. I should have never done that stupid dating show,” he grumbled, as he flipped through the pages. “You should be thankful that you are getting scripts at all right now. That stupid reality show is the reason you are even getting these offers. The new reality show offer is still on the table,” Adam said, as he situated himself in the chair across from Daniel. Daniel looked out his penthouse window at the overcast New York sky. It was about as bright as his mood. “Oh great, more reality.” Daniel had been all too happy to do the dating show, until he realized that all the women were acting. Not one genuine thing about any of it, and it made him sick. By then, it had been too late to back out. He’d signed a contract, and no way in hell was he was about to break that. None of the women compared to Lexi. She was a real piece of work. She could have won an Oscar for the performance she’d put on with him. She’d actually had him believing that she cared. Adam was still rambling about other movies and television shows that he might look into, but Daniel was only half listening. He looked around at his lavish apartment and frowned. Sure, the show had paid handsomely and the handful of commercials and guest spots he’d done kept the money coming in, but he didn’t feel like it was real acting. As far as he was concerned, the reality show had tainted his career. Forever typecasting him as the douche bag that was on the hit reality series Date Me Now. The bad thing was, those scenes were cut and put together like that. Now, the media world expected him to be a dick. That simply wasn’t who he was. “So I take it you're going to turn down the reality thing? I honestly think out of all this, it's the best thing we have going for us.” “Us?” Daniel asked, arching a golden eyebrow, and turned his attention back to Adam. Adam nodded. “Yes, listen, Daniel, I get paid when you get paid. The fame train is rolling by you, and if you don't jump, you’re going to wind up left standing on the tracks while the dust settles. You’ve got a fan base with screaming eighteen to fortysomethings. Time to strike while the iron is hot, my boy.”

Daniel laughed and rolled his eyes as he slouched back against his chair. Adam moved from his seat and grabbed the computer from the table and slapped it down on his lap. “Look at this shit, man,” Adam said, as he pointed to the screen. “Some chick called Entertainment with Jem is teasing an interview with you, and some YouTube chick with almost seven hundred thousand followers wants you to come on. She's Entertainment with Ali.” “Man, they are really clever with the names.” “The point is, smart ass, you’re what's hot right now. There are so many out of work actors that would kill to be in your position. Throw these girls a bone and get out there some more.” As much as Daniel didn’t want to admit it, Adam was right. He couldn’t be too picky. He’d dreamed about being an actor for as long as he could remember. If this was what he had to do to get where he wanted to be, then so be it. However, he couldn’t help but to feel like a sellout. He plowed his fingers through his tangled hair. It was early when Adam had come beating on his front door. He hadn’t even brushed his teeth, and he was still wearing his pajama bottoms. He pushed out a weary sigh. “I just never thought this is where my career would be at almost twenty six years old, man.” “You’re still young, bro, we’re close to the same age, and even my chances aren’t gone. There are still plenty of opportunities out there for old Adam.” “Not if you keep referring to yourself in the third person there isn’t,” Daniel joked, and leaned back. Finally, he relented. “Okay, we’ll just see what opportunities come through.” “Don’t let them slip away, boy, I’ve seen it happen too many times.” Adam got a faraway look in his eyes. Daniel knew he was full of shit because Adam was only a year older than he was and had so far represented one model and him. Adam wasn’t as big as he would like to think, but Daniel wasn’t the one to dash dreams, so he just let him think he was a big deal. It was much easier to deal with an overly confident manager than a sullen and cranky manager. *** “What do you want for breakfast, Pan?” Jemma yelled up the stairs of their twobedroom rental. She leaned against a handrail, yellowed by the previous owner’s nicotine habit. The wallpaper leading to the second story was peeling and in gross need of replacement, but when she’d mentioned the condition of the place to the landlords, they’d shrugged her off, not willing to budge on the rent at all.

“Pancakes,” came her little brother’s muffled voice. Since watching a Peter Pan special a few weeks before, he had insisted she call him Pan and that they eat pancakes every morning. He thought that’s what Peter Pan would eat of course. Since he was tiny, Robbie had slept with pillows and blankets piled over his face. She was always scared he would suffocate, but after watching him, she figured it was something that made him feel safe. So she just checked on him several times before bed and uncovered his face each night. He was only two when their parents had died, so it was unlikely he remembered anything at all. That didn’t stop him from being guarded. Much more so than most seven years old little boys. “Get in the shower, Pan, or I’ll put your little butt in there myself.” He groaned loudly. Thump, thump, thump rattled the house as he stomped his little feet over the floor, followed by the slamming of the bathroom door. He did this every morning. Satisfied Robbie was going to get in the shower, she started getting out the ingredients for pancakes. As she did, her mind wandered over the interviews, articles, and clips she’d seen about Daniel. A lot of them had been unflattering, and from what she’d seen on the video clips of Date Me Now, he was kind of a dick. She had never paid attention to the show when it was on, but now, she rather wished she had. Jemma stifled a yawn behind flour-covered hands. She’d stayed up until three in the morning researching different articles and sites dedicated to him. Some bordered on stalking the man. Many of the videos were fan made, showing clips of him without his shirt or in varying forms of undress as cheesy music played in the background. He was a fit guy with a tan body, it was easy to see what all the fuss was about. Though, if she had to bet, she would say his looks were about all he had going for him. She seriously doubted he could have a meaningful conversation with her, even if she could get an interview. She scooped batter onto the pan and continued to sift through her findings on Daniel Starke. As she’d browsed through the interviews, she learned the reality show Date Me Now was an insipid attempt at hooking women up with ridiculously sexy men. She recognized some of the women’s faces as local celebrities. The women were made up of both celebrities and what the show called average women. If these women on here were what the world considered average, Jemma must look like a hobo. While the pancakes were cooking, she fired up her laptop and clicked to some of the videos she’d watched the night before. “What are you watching?” Jemma let out a startled squeak and spun around, cracking her elbow on the side of the refrigerator.

“Shit,” she hissed, and cradled her throbbing arm. “You cussed,” Robbie said with a disapproving frown. “I know, I’m sorry,” she said, ruffling his still wet hair. She looked down at the clothes he’d picked out himself. The pajama bottoms with bananas covering them with a bright red T-shirt with Spiderman shooting out a web in the middle. “Nothing, you need to go change for school.” “I’m ready for school.” She arched her eyebrows at him. “Uh, no, you’re not.” She turned and flipped the pancakes. “Why can’t I wear this?” Robbie whined. “Because you will get picked on, and I’m pretty certain that the headmaster would frown on it. Now, go put on your uniform and get your butt back down here. Besides, you can be more incognito as Pan if you fit in with the regular kids.” When he didn’t move, she frowned. “If you don’t, I’m going to throw these pancakes out the window and let the birds have them.” He looked at her with wide brown eyes, horrified she would even mention something like that. “Scoot,” she said, pointing the spatula back to the stairs. He grumbled and ran back upstairs as she chuckled to herself. Stacking all the pancakes onto a plate, she carried them to their small table, then grabbed the butter, syrup, milk, cups, and paper plates. “Better?” Robbie asked, as he shuffled back in. “Much, now eat so we aren’t late today.” Begrudgingly he sat in the chair and began to spear pancakes and stuff them into his mouth. While they ate, she sipped her coffee and continued to do her research. As she scrolled through the pages, a new article caught her attention. Insight and coverage on Daniel Starke’s breakup with Lexi Rockford. There were pictures of Daniel out drinking with captions like, “Reality King Parties Away Heartbreak,” and pictures of her with a different man that said, “Model Goddess Finds Rock and Roll Prince.” It was a picture of her and some grunge looking guy with gauged ears and tattoos covering every surface of skin. Someone from the band, “Extreme Toad Pop,” which, judging by the frozen expressions of screaming fans in the background, was some hot group. “What the heck kind of name is that,” she muttered. “Hey, that’s ETP,” Robbie exclaimed, as he hopped on one foot behind her. When had he gotten up from the table? He was like a freaking ninja sometimes

always sneaking up on her. She faced him, surprised he knew who these people were. “ETP?” She raised an eyebrow. He reached over her arm and clicked on the play button beside the band’s name. Immediately loud grunge rock blared from her speakers, and she winced and looked at her brother. “I didn’t know you listened to this kind of music.” “Mostly at school when the other kids choose what we listen to on the playground.” He started darting around the table and laughed loudly, going back into his song. He was on medication for ADD and a couple of other conditions that made him more of a challenge than other kids his age. She always told people he had a great spirit, but even for a twenty-three-year old, keeping up with him was exhausting. “C’mon, Pan, we gotta bounce,” she said. She finished her coffee, and he downed the rest of his milk. She grabbed his backpack and umbrella and walked to the bus stop together. In her mind, she did a check of everything he should have with him. This included homework, lunch, his book bag, a note for his appointment on Thursday morning, and clothes for Monday gym time. They lived in New York in a small village called Tarrytown. They had a couple of claims to fame, but avid bookworm Jemma loved that it was the home of writers Washington Irving and Mark Twain. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow was set in Tarrytown, and the nearby high school Robbie would attend, when he was older, was Sleepy Hollow High School. Another cool book-related Tarrytown tidbit was that in Judy Blume's book Otherwise Known as Shelia the Great, the main character spends their summer in Tarrytown. Jemma had worn the paperback of that and many Blume novels completely out when she was little. It was such a big deal to her that they were talking about her town. It was probably the main reason she refused to go live with her grandmother when their parents had died and insisted on living with her cousin Martha. The minute she turned eighteen, she’d moved them out on their own, determined not to be a burden on Martha's family. Now, they still lived in Tarrytown, and she was able to get him to school. Once she had Rob off on the bus and was back inside, she continued to research Daniel. At the end of a recent article, it said that he lived in New York. Not only did he live in New York, he lived in Manhattan. She could get there by Metro in a day, and if she could get an interview with him, she could have it up on the blog the same day. She would just have to find his agent's number. In the meantime, she checked into Extreme Toad Pop. Until she heard back from Jack, the Daniel Starke angle would be put on the back burner. Their schedule was jam packed, but they were set to come to New York on tour

and hit the press circuit pretty hard. She would find a radio station or news show they would be on and wait outside to get an interview. It was time she started being a bit more daring and giving the people who might follow her blog exactly what they wanted. What did she have to lose?

Chapter 3 Daniel was in the shower when Adam came barging into the bathroom. “Did you see this shit about Lexi dating the lead singer from ETP?” Daniel stuck his head out of the curtain. “Dude, I’m in the shower. Get out!” Adam ignored him and continued to natter on, but Daniel tried not to listen. Realizing his quiet time in the shower was over, he turned off the hot water and stepped from the stall. “Shit man,” Adam said, as he turned around. “What? You’re the one barging in on my shower. If you can’t handle seeing my junk, then keep your ass out there,” he said, grumpily, and secured a towel around his waist. “I was thinking that you should do this interview with this Entertainment with Jem chick,” Adam said, holding the laptop up in front of him. “Get out of my bathroom, and give me ten minutes of peace and quiet, and I’ll kiss your ass if that is what you want.” “Fine! But I’d rather a prettier set of lips on my ass thank you very much. Preferably with big ole double D’s.” “You’re a pig.” Before Adam could respond, Daniel slammed the door closed in his face. “Finally,” he said, and listened to the silence. He liked Adam well enough, but the man could seriously get on some nerves. He wiped away the fog from the mirror and took in his reflection. There were slight shadows beneath his eyes, evidence of his recent lack of sleep. His chin was covered with two days’ worth of stubble. He picked up his razor to shave but decided against it. “Screw it,” he muttered to his reflection. Lexi had always liked his face to be clean-shaven. As he went through his routine of brushing his teeth and preparing for the day, the breakup from three days ago played through his mind. Lexi looked at Daniel through narrowed, green eyes. “Are you kidding me with this shit right now, Daniel?” “Lex, what am I supposed to believe,” he said, as he held up the picture of her with the members of ETP. She didn’t even bother to defend herself. “We were just partying. I didn’t think you and I were all that serious!” “You’re kidding me right now?” he said, his voice beginning to rise. They were in their favorite—Lexi’s favorite—restaurant. Couples nearby turned their attention to

their table, some trying to subtly snap pictures. “What? Did you think what we had was serious?” “We’ve been together for five months now, I sure as hell did think it was serious.” “Ahh, that’s so sweet,” she said in a mock sincere tone, and she pursed her bright red lips. The tone in her voice was much like a mother would do a child if he presented her with the ugliest piece of artwork known to man. “Are you telling me that you’ve been seeing other men?” “I didn’t know we were exclusive,” she purred. Daniel felt as if he’d been slapped. She’d confessed her love for him after two months. His hand closed around the tiny velvet box in his pocket. The woman in front of him was as fake as her tits. He leaned forward. “You’re a fucking bitch,” he hissed, pushing away from the table with so much force the chair scraped loudly and clattered to the tiled floor. “Daniel? Where are you going?” she called after him. He flipped her the bird over his shoulder and didn’t bother looking back. “Daniel!” she screeched at the top of her lungs. Yeah, by that afternoon every blogger in New York had been all over the breakup. Coming back to reality, Daniel decided he had better suck it up, but as badly as he didn’t want to admit it, it hurt like hell. By the time he emerged from his room, in jeans and a black shirt, Adam was pacing the living room anxiously. “It’s about damn time,” he said, as he looked up. “Adam? Did you forget your meds again today?” Daniel teased. “Screw you man. I think we should do this interview with this Jem chick,” he said, and pointed to the computer screen. With a frown, Daniel grabbed a glass of orange juice from the fridge and began to look at the woman’s blog. It was actually pretty impressive, right up to the interview with him that he had no clue about. He clicked on the About Me section and read. It was pretty simple. Hi, I’m Jemma. There’s really not much to know about me. I’m kind of boring, but here it goes. I’m twenty-three years old, and I take care of my seven-year-old brother. I live somewhere in Tarrytown, and I’m in love with it. I am a lover of books and love to get lost in their pages. I am fascinated by people, movies, and places. I love writing about interesting people! So yeah, that’s me. Told you I wasn’t anything special. Daniel wasn’t really all that impressed with the about me page. She seemed like a hipster with nothing better to do than to drum up gossip about actors and starlets. It

was nothing more than a gossip blog. “Seriously? This is what you want me to do?” he asked, and looked back up at Adam. He shrugged. “What would it hurt?” “Oh, I don’t know, my reputation?” “Let’s face it, after that very public breakup, your reputation is already on the rocks.” Damn, got me there, he thought and stared back down at the computer. There was a picture of the girl named Jem. He couldn’t tell much from it, other than she had black hair and one beautiful green eye. He hoped she at least had two, because they were absolutely stunning. There was just something mysterious about the way she looked that had his interest piqued. He was fascinated. Daniel rolled his eyes. “Fine.” “Good, because a guy over at AMB just contacted me wanting to set something up with you for her.” “AMB? Really? Damn, dude, that place is worse than TMZ.” Adam lifted his shoulder by way of response. Already pressing his cell phone to his ear, he made the call. *** “I seriously cannot believe you got to meet ETP!” her friend, Maya gushed, as they ducked inside the coffee shop from the pouring October rain. They ordered their drinks and settled into a table in the corner. At eleven o’clock, the coffee shop was already full of hipsters and college students bent over their computers. Most wore stocking caps, pulled low over their ears. Jemma briefly wondered what it would have been like to go to college. Once upon a time, she’d dreamed about going to NYU and majoring in entertainment journalism. In her dreams, she would fly out to Los Angeles and get a job at one of the top entertainment magazines in the country. She would marry a surfer, have three kids, and live happily ever after while running through the surf on the beach. That dream had vaporized in front of her the night her parents died in the car accident. No time to go to college. She’d just barely graduated high school. No, Robbie’s life was more important right now. Maybe one of these days, she would get her happily ever after. Jemma rolled her eyes. “Trust me. They are so not worth the time.” She snorted and picked the top of her blueberry muffin. “Seriously?” Maya had been her best friend for as long as she could remember. She was

currently in her last year of college as a fashion major. Jemma nodded. “Yeah. They were rude, and honestly, they smelled like they hadn’t showered in like three months. The lead singer kept trying to grab my ass and feel me up, it was awful.” She gave a shudder as she remembered stale cigarette smoke, cheap booze, and vomit had wafted off the lead singer. “That’s just nasty,” Maya said with a little shudder. “No kidding.” Maya took a big bite of her brownie and chewed. “So tell me about this interview with Daniel Starke.” Jemma flushed. “Well, I would love to if it were real.” Maya’s brown eyes widened. “You’re shitting me. You mean that you posted to your blog that you had a video interview with Daniel Starke and you don’t?” “Pretty much,” she said sheepishly. “But I’ve got Jack helping me out.” “Jackers is helping out, eh? How is our little favorite little gossip?” she asked, before taking a sip of her coffee. “He’s good.” As if on cue, her phone blasted Raining Men. “Speaking of the gay devil,” she said and held up her phone. “Hey Jack. What’s up?” “You’re going to love me,” he said. “I already do.” “No, you are seriously going to love me, and owe me more than two cherry bombs after you hear what I am going to tell you, honey.” “Okay, what do you want?” “I want a date with that cute little waiter down at your diner. Erick?” “I don’t think he’s gay,” Jemma said with a frown. “He will be when I’m done with him.” Jemma chuckled. “Deal. So what do you got?” “Okay, so are you ready for this. I have got you a meeting set tonight with the one and only Daniel Starke.” Jemma had been taking a drink of her coffee when suddenly she sputtered and began to choke. “You’re kidding me? No freaking way!” “Way, princess, and let me tell you, you’d better dress hot because his manager said he wanted to meet you specifically. He said it was a tossup between you and some bitch named Entertainment with Ali. What the hell, princess, is she ripping your name off? Anyway, you’re to meet him tonight at Le Bernardin at eight.” Panic gripped Jemma tightly, causing her hands to shake. “Le Bernardin?” That was one of the most expensive places in New York. How in the hell was she going to pay for something like that? And how was she going to video the interview.

“You still there princess?” Jack’s voice pulled her back. “Yeah. Yeah. Thanks, Jackers. I love you.” “You too, peach. You too.” Jemma placed her phone on the table and looked up at Maya, who was staring back at her as if she’d sprouted another head. “What the hell was that all about and why do you look like you just seen a ghost?” “I’ve got an interview with Daniel Starke at Le Bernardin tonight.” “What? Are you freaking serious right now? That’s awesome!” This time panic reared its ugly head. “I can’t do this, Maya. I can’t interview him on camera, how in the hell am I supposed to do this? I am supposed to be behind a screen not in front of a camera. I can’t interview him. I can’t afford to go to that place and what in the hell am I going to wear? What am I going to do with Robbie?” Her sentences ran together as she tried to breath. Maya grabbed her hands. “Honey, calm down. You got this. When you get there, ask if there is a different place you can go. Say there are too many people around, and you would like it to be a little quieter that way you can focus. As for what you are going to wear and who’s going to keep Robbie,” Maya gave her a wink, “I’ve got that covered.” She then reached in her wallet, pulled out three, one hundred dollar bills, and slid them across the table. Jemma frowned, her pride taking a bit of a hit. “I’m not taking that.” “The hell you aren’t, now deal with it.” Begrudgingly, Jemma stuffed the bills into her wallet. “I’m going to pay you back.” “Uh huh, whatever. Now come on. We have some primping and stuff to take care of. I am going to treat you to a mani-pedi, and then we are going back to your place, and you are gonna get all smoking hot.” Jemma allowed Maya to loop her arm through her own. Outside on the sidewalk, they snapped open their umbrellas. “You do realize that I’m just interviewing him and not trying to date him, right? Besides, I don’t understand what all the fuss is about. It’s not like he earned his fame by staring in shitty movies. He was on a freaking horrid reality show that exploited women’s emotions and feelings toward him. If you ask me, he’s kind of a pig.” “Honey, I don’t think there was a woman on that show that didn’t want that man to exploit them in every way possible. As for earning his fame, I don’t think he’s as big of a dick as people make him out to be. You know those shows manipulate that shit all the time.” Jemma shrugged. “I don’t know.”

“You’re going to have fun. I’ll bet you he is nothing like what you’re expecting.” “Maybe.” Maya just smiled, a wicked little gleam in her eyes. She was certain she was the only woman in the history of ever that was tense while getting a relaxing foot massage, but she was, and the only thing she could think about was her meeting with Daniel. By the time they stopped at Maya’s loft and made their way back to Jemma’s, it was time for Robbie to get off the bus. He set into his routine of watching television and doing his homework while she and Maya went upstairs to begin the arduous task of getting dressed. While Maya was torturing her with curling irons and flat irons, Robbie came plodding up the stairs. He bounced on her bed and looked at her in the mirror. “What’cha doin?” “Your sister is going out tonight,” Maya said excitedly. “On a date?” “No.” “Yes.” Both girls spoke at the same time. “Why?” he asked, jamming his finger up his nose. “Robbie, get your finger out of your nose. And it’s for work.” “For your blog?” “Yes.” “Who is he?” “Daniel Starke. Ouch, Maya, da—dang,” she said, flinching as Maya got to close to her scalp with the curling iron. “That guy’s a douchebag!” Robbie said matter-of-factly. “Robbie Allen! Where did you learn that?” Jemma gasped. Maya snickered but otherwise kept quiet. “Keegan said it at school today.” “Well, you shouldn’t always repeat what Keegan says.” “Why?” “Because it’s not always nice.” “Why?” “Because douchebag isn’t a good thing to call people.” “Why?” “Okay, kiddo, why don’t you go get a pen and paper and write down everything that you want for dinner tonight,” Maya said, running interference. “Are you staying here with me, Aunt Maya?” “I am kiddo, and you know what, we’re going to eat ice cream and pizza and

stay up late.” “Until eight,” Jemma corrected. “Until eight,” Maya amended, exaggerating a wink at him. “Really? Sweeeeet,” Robbie said, and bounced from the bed before vanishing from the room. “Thanks for that,” Jemma said with a tired sigh. “How are things? I mean really,” Maya asked. “We’re making it. Scraping buy some weeks, but we’re good. The social worker was happy the last time she was here, though she did say something about needing to do some repairs on the house, otherwise she was happy. Robbie is doing well in school, he’s the top in his class. So . . .” “How are you?” “I’m fine.” “You’re a terrible liar,” she said while putting the finishing touches on Jemma’s hair. “Am not,” she muttered. “Seriously? You sounded like Robbie just then.” “What do you expect when a seven-year-old is the only man you hang out with,” she said. “I know honey. That shit that Joe pulled with you was awful, but who knows, this Daniel Starke fellow might just be the man for you.” Jemma shrugged as Maya spun her around to work on her makeup. “I’m not going to date him, Maya. He’s the key to getting my blog more traffic. If this doesn’t work I don’t know what I’ll do.” “Stop that. You will live with me before you go homeless. Now, shut up and let me focus.” Maya’s brows drew down and her tongue poked out the side as she attacked Jemma’s face with brushes, tweezers, sponges, and heaven knows what else. The butterflies floating around in her stomach felt as if they were going to lift her completely from her chair. She kept her hands folded tightly in her lap, trying to keep them from shaking. Her gaze darted to the clock. It was five thirty. She would leave in an hour and a half and meet a complete stranger-celebrity. “Is it too late to back out?” “You’re going tonight if I have to throw your cute little ass into the back of my car and drive you there myself. Now, shut up and let me concentrate.” Jemma bit her bottom lip. Maya always seemed to make her feel better.

Chapter 4 Daniel looked at his watch. It was seven thirty. He was early, but he hoped to get this interview over with so he could get back to his apartment and forget about the whole rotten damn day. Not one thing had gone as planned. The meeting with Calvin Kline had gone badly. The reps said they didn’t need a bad boy to dirty their reputation. It had been the same with the other three prospective gigs he’d gone through. Lexi had ruined him. That damn reality show had ruined him, and now here he was sitting in the back of the restaurant, waiting on some blog geek to show up so she could get her fifteen minutes of fame, and somehow boost his while he was at it. Adam had reserved one of the VIP sections in order to allow them some privacy. It was a video interview, so they didn’t particularly need people nosing in. Perhaps he would be able to convince this Entertainment with Jem to go somewhere else. He hated being out in the open in front of strangers. He had absolutely no privacy whatsoever. Adam had said it was the price he had to pay for his dreams. Daniel was really beginning to question everything in his life, and his chosen career path was the big one. “Um, excuse me, Mr. Starke. There is someone up front claiming she has a meeting with you,” the timid, little waitress said. “What is her name?” “Jemma Larsen.” Daniel frowned. Adam hadn’t given him the bloggers actual name. However, he drew the lines and figured since the blog was so cleverly named Entertainment with Jem that this was the woman he was waiting for. “Of course. Show her back please.” Daniel sipped his water as he waited. Soon the waitress reappeared but his eyes weren’t on her, instead they were locked on the woman walking behind her. This was the blog geek he was supposed to be meeting? She was stunning. Jemma had pulled her hair into a braid and slung her mass of black locks over her shoulder. Thin wisps framed her flawless, oval face. Unlike Lexi, and other women, Jemma wore little makeup. Just a touch of liner and mascara on the longest, most beautiful black eyelashes he’d ever seen in his life. As she crossed the room, he studied her. She wasn’t stick thin like many of the women he knew, but she wasn’t heavy either. She had curves and in all the right places. A full chest and ample hips nearly had his mouth watering. She wore a long sleeved, black lace layer over a black strapless dress. The design was shorter in the

front, showing beautiful, flawless legs, while the back was longer. Her black heels clicked across the floor, and damn, if they weren’t the sexiest feet he’d ever seen in his life. All-in-all, Jemma Larsen from Entertainment with Jem was not at all what he had been expecting, and for the first time in a long time, he smiled a genuine smile. When his gaze finally made it to her face, he froze. Staring back at him were the widest, most beautiful green eyes he’d ever seen. Right then and there, he had to know Jemma Larsen. *** Jemma nearly froze when her gaze met his blue eyes. She blinked at Daniel before allowing her gaze to soak in the man standing before her. No, the pictures on the internet had definitely not done him justice. From his aquamarine eyes to his towering height, her gaze swept over him while her heart thundered against her chest so hard she was certain it would bruise. She realized, as he stood from the table, he was tall, pushing close to six foot four. That put him towering over her by close to a foot. His broad shoulders filled out his black shirt beautifully. He wore a white silk tie and a pair of distressed jeans. Why can’t I wear jeans, she thought. Because he’s a star, and you’re not. In all the pictures she’d seen, his jaw had been shaved clean, but that wasn’t the case here. He sported stylish stubble that made him all that much sexier. Oh boy. She was most definitely in trouble. She was closer now. Ten feet. Seven feet. Her throat was dry and her tongue felt like it was coated with sand. Five feet. “Mrs. Larsen?” he said, offering his hand. “Uh . . .” she croaked. She flushed and cleared her throat and tried again. “Yes. Well, it’s actually just Miss, and you can call me Jemma or Jem or Miss Larsen. Whichever you are comfortable with I am fine with,” she rambled. Kill me now please. He chuckled and the deep sound made goose bumps rise on her skin. Damn, even his laugh was sexy. “Well, let’s sit,” he said, as he pulled out her chair, and helped her. “Thank you,” she said, placing her bag on the floor beside her feet. She grabbed the glass of water and took a sip, her hand shaking slightly. “Would you like some wine?” “Yes,” she said almost too quickly. He nodded and soon their waitress appeared and poured two stemmed glasses

full of the house wine. Taking a quick sip, she let the bitter sweetness rest on her tongue. She took a deep breath, faced him, and nearly jumped when she found his eyes studying her intently. “You’ll have to excuse me, I’m a bit nervous,” she admitted. “I couldn’t tell,” he said with a wink and slow smile. His teeth were brilliantly white but what she found odd was the fact that the bottom row was slightly crooked. So the perceived perfect Daniel Starke had imperfections after all. “Don’t be nervous,” he said smoothly. “I’ve never really done this before. I tend to stay behind my screen instead of getting out like this.” “Well, I guess we have to all step out of our comfort zones at some point, don’t we?” She nodded. “I guess so.” “Tell me about yourself, Jemma.” “Me?” she squeaked. “Yes, you. If I’m going to give you an interview I would really like to know a little more about who I am talking to.” She lowered her gaze to the tablecloth and empty plates. “There’s really nothing to know about me.” “I read on your blog that you take care of your brother. How old is he?” “You looked at my blog?” she said, looking up. He lifted a shoulder and took a sip of wine, his eyes never leaving hers. “As I said, I like to know the person I am letting interview me.” “Oh well. He’s seven and his name is Robbie.” “And he’s in your care? You’re only what, twenty-four?” “Twenty-three actually.” “That’s awfully young to be responsible for raising a child.” Jemma frowned at Daniel. She was protective of Robbie, but she really didn’t like the slight hint of condescension in his voice. “I can assure you, Mr. Starke, that I am more than capable of providing care for my brother.” Daniel held up his hands. “I wasn’t meaning to imply you couldn’t. I just meant that, you should be in college and enjoying the young life. So much responsibility for one so young.” “I’ve been taking care of him since I was eighteen. I don’t really know what it’s like to be young and irresponsible.” “Really?” “Mmhmm.” She took a bigger drink of wine this time, not comfortable where

the conversation was going. The last thing she needed was to be thrust into the spotlight with a playboy reality television star. No, she needed to stay focused, get what she needed, and get the hell out of dodge before Daniel Starke affected her any more. Daniel watched as Jemma shut down right in front of him. He’d touched on a nerve revolving around her brother. What had she meant she’d taken care of her brother since she was eighteen? She was practically still a kid herself and raising her brother. For a moment, he thought she was going to open up and allow him in. But no. Jemma Larsen was not one to allow him to get close. “So what made you want to interview me?” Daniel asked, as their food arrived. “I’m not sure, honestly. I was looking for something new and fresh to put on my blog, and I came across your name.” “You just happened across my name?” “Well, it’s not exactly like you blend in. You’re pretty much splashed on the cover of every tabloid in the tristate district.” “Yeah, I know,” he grunted, speared his entrée, and stuffed it into his mouth. “Honestly, I didn’t know that much about you until I did some digging. I watched the show for a while, but in reality, I felt it was a useless waste of my time to watch some weird scripted mating ritual.” Daniel snorted and inhaled the water he’d been drinking. He sputtered and coughed violently. Gasping for air, he drew the attention of the other patrons. “Are you okay?” she asked. He swallowed some water and then nodded. “I’m fine. You’re blunt.” “Well, I don’t see any use in mincing words.” “I can tell. But tell me, if you’re so blunt, why are you so nervous?’ She opened her mouth to respond but snapped it shut. “I’m not now,” she said. “That’s good,” he said, lifting his glass, and took a long slow sip; his gaze never left hers. Flush rose into her cheeks, and she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Feeling parched she sipped her wine and when she looked back up at Daniel, she found him still watching her. He took another sip and slowly drew his tongue over his lips, licking away wine. Jemma shivered at the thought of how that tongue would feel against her body. She imagined it teasing her . . . Jemma’s eyes widened when she realized where her thoughts were heading. She cleared her throat and crossed her legs under the table, trying to ease the dull throb that had begun between her legs. “So, Jemma, tell me why it is you do what you do.”

“I enjoy it.” She didn’t want to get into details with him because honestly, it was a bit embarrassing. “It’s always good to do the things we enjoy.” His beautiful blue eyes sparkled mischievously as he took another sip of wine. Is he flirting with me? Good grief look at those lips. She opened her mouth to respond, but the sight of a frown marring his features caused her mouth to snap shut. Something behind her had caught his attention. The atmosphere changed and Jemma could tell nothing good was about to happen. It had been nice when it was just the two of them, and she’d nearly forgotten she was on an interview. However, the frown on his face made her want to turn around. The minute she did, she’d immediately wished she hadn’t. What the hell was she doing here? Had this been planned? Was it a battle of bloggers? Ali was talking animatedly to the camera a short man was holding as she walked backward in their direction. “Is this the homewrecker, sipping wine and getting cozy, with our beloved Daniel? It’s been three days since the breakup, and we have to get the answers. You’ll hear it here in just a minute with Entertainment with Ali.” Ali’s voice was like nails on a chalkboard, high pitched and irritating. Jemma spun and looked at Daniel accusingly, feeling a little more than foolish for allowing herself to forget exactly who the player was in front of her. “I was supposed to get the exclusive. Was this your idea of a joke?” “Jemma? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, holding up his hands. She folded her napkin and placed it in the middle of her plate, food having gone completely untouched. She pushed away from the table and retrieved her purse. As she slung it over her shoulder, she leveled a cold glare at him “Unlike some people, I don’t do this for fame. I took a risk coming out here and putting myself on the line. I couldn’t care less about the fame, Daniel. I don’t do this for fame, but I seem to have forgotten that not all people seek to be in the limelight.” Her voice was frigid as she backed away. The other people attending the restaurant were beginning to stare and whisper. A few of them were trying to subtly snap pictures. Daniel’s eyes tightened as his hands clenched his napkin. “This isn’t my doing. I’m just as lost as you are.” For a moment, Jemma wanted to believe him and she was just on the cusp of believing what he said except for when he looked at the man that was currently talking to Ali. The man gave Daniel a wink and a thumbs up. She had to remember Daniel was an actor. It didn’t matter who got in his way. If it meant staging a fight

between two bloggers, he would not hesitate. Well, she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. “Had nothing to do with it, eh? Bullshit,” she hissed, training her frigid glare back on him. Ali was standing in front of a man, applying an appalling soft pink shade of lipstick—seemingly bored—while the man chatted steadily. “Adam,” he bellowed from across the room. He turned to Jemma, his mouth a thin line of anger. “I think I know what’s going on. Just don’t leave, okay? I’ll get this fixed, and I promise you,” he took a step closer and placed his hands on her shoulders, “you will be the only one to get the exclusive.” Taking long strides, he walked over to the man he’d called Adam. It became obvious that a heated discussion was going on. She stood awkwardly while people whispered behind their hands. She’d prided herself on being professional and staying out of the way of the natural order. However, she was afraid that this little mishap had just thrust her into a world she wasn’t quite sure she was ready to handle.

Chapter 5 “Adam what the hell are you doing here?” He watched as his agent giggled along with the little blonde fussing with her hair. “I'd like you to meet my new client, Ali Silver. She has an amazing video channel and a huge following. I’m letting her interview you because it's what her fans want, and that's why she agreed to be my new client. Everyone wins.” He beamed back like the cat that had just swallowed the canary. “Excuse me,” Daniel said to Ali through clenched teeth, as he grabbed Adam roughly by the arm, and hauled him into the hall leading to the restrooms. “What the hell are you doing man? You already gave Jemma the exclusive.” Adam shrugged Daniel off and made an elaborate gesture to straighten his cheap jacket. “This is part of the business. Deals are made, and people get stepped on in the process. So what, a no name blogger gets her feelings hurt because I might have stretched the truth. I mean come on, look at her.” Daniel turned and looked at Jemma, who was sitting back in her chair. Her shoulders were square and her back stiff, and even though her back was too him, that defiant little chin was raised. Adam’s comment about Jemma pissed him off. He took a menacing step closer to his manager. “You are a dick. You don’t know her, so stop talking shit, and tell the valley girl to take a hike, I’m not talking to her.” “Whatever, my girl is coming over to interview you, so I suggest you get the other girl out of the way.” Adam’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Rage boiled in Daniel’s veins. Adam straightened his cuffs. “Ali is going to be the next big thing, I'm going to make sure of it. You know how I treat my clients, Daniel. Only the best for my sweet treat.” “Really? You’re fucking her?” Adam shrugged. “That’s neither here nor there. The point is, you’re going to give Ali what she wants. If you don’t, I’ll ruin you.” Daniel’s eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. He was not about to be bullied by a man who was the lowest on the totem pole. “I suggest you think really hard about that decision, Adam. You. Work. For. Me,” he said, jabbing his finger into Adam’s chest. “You two would make the dream team. She's wholesome, for the most part,” he looked over at Ali, “and you need someone to help clean up your act.” He bristled. “You’re not my matchmaker, you're my manager.” “This is what your career needs. Let's do this.” Adam clapped Daniel on the back and slung his arm around his shoulder.

Daniel imagined it looked ridiculous because Adam was only pushing five-footseven. Walking back over to the table, Daniel took a seat in the chair beside Jemma and leaned in. She smelled like honey, lemons, and vanilla. His cock twitched as he got closer, putting his mouth next to her ear and whispering, “I'm about to make sure your blog gets all the views in the world, and maybe a bit of hate.” He wanted to smile when she trembled lightly against him. The front of his pants grew tighter. Jemma turned and looked at him, her wide green eyes full. The look on her face was pure confusion and he couldn't help but think this was going to actually be a lot of fun. His gaze was drawn to her moist, slightly parted lips, and he wondered how much she would freak out if he kissed her. Ali came over and smiled brightly, her curls bouncing and her perky breasts pushed impossibly high. He figured the girl had stock in Victoria’s Secret. Her cheeriness was a little too much for him. Well, he was about to deflate that ego. He was about to ruin her world. “Cameras are rolling buddy boy,” Adam said, and Ali was right there beside them glaring at Jemma. “What are you doing here with this chick, Daniel?” Venom practically dripped from Ali’s plump lips. Jemma tensed beside him, but he tightened his arm around her. Ali’s eyes narrowed but she didn’t miss a beat. “It's not been that long since your breakup with Lexi. It would seem that you’re slumming it.” “This is my girlfriend, Jemma, and she’s got a blog called Entertainment with Jem. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. In fact, I’m pretty sure of it, considering you named your blog just like hers.” Ali sputtered in indignation, forgetting the camera was rolling. Daniel didn’t back down, he charged on full steam ahead. “Any exclusive information about me, from me, or having to do with me will be going directly to her. I think we’re done here.” That was all Daniel said before he turned his head away from Ali and leaned back down to Jemma. “Relax, sweetheart.” Ali turned the camera off and stared at both of them with her mouth hanging wide. Jemma’s entire body was trembling beside him. He wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing, but whatever the case, he would deal with the fallout in just a little while. Ali stomped her foot petulantly and flushed bright red. “Adam this is not how this was supposed to go! You said he was single, and you said that I would be the one to interview him. You said!” Daniel winced. How was it a grown ass woman sounded like an overly spoiled

five-year old? Adam shot Daniel a dangerous look, but Daniel was unaffected. Adam turned his attention back to trying to sooth the ruffled feathers of his newest ‘client.’ “He's being an ass, Ali, sweetheart, don't worry I have plenty of famous clients you can interview.” She stormed out, all the positivity had completely vanished from her aura. “She already signed the contract,” Adam hissed. “This isn’t finished,” he snapped, as he made his way through the dividing curtain. Daniel chuckled and returned to his seat. However, when his gaze met Jemma’s, a look of relief or gratitude was not what he saw. “How could you do that to me?” she yelled. Daniel blinked rapidly, almost as if he’d been slapped. He was about to say something, but she pushed away from the table and hurried from the room. “What the hell is wrong with women,” he muttered, pushed away from the table, and followed her from the room. *** “Wow, how the hell does someone get the nerve to do something so asinine?” She was talking to the hallway, completely shocked Daniel could do something to her like that. Sure, it was good for the blog, it would mean tons of people would visit it, but it would also thrust her right in the middle of the limelight—a place she had no desire to be. Why did he lie? What did he have to gain? A publicity stunt. That was all it had to be. A stupid half-cocked publicity stunt cooked up with that sleazy manager of his. Jemma paced anxiously, the walls closing in around her and pressing heavily against her. Ever since her parents died, panic attacks had become a major part of her life. Her head spun wildly with different scenarios. What would people think if they saw what had just happened? Entertainment with Jem would take a nosedive and fill up with hate. She would be the one causing problems with Ali and not the other way around. That wasn’t the only thing. Then, there was the rumor of actually dating Daniel Starke. “What. The. Hell.” Daniel blurted out as he approached her She turned. He unfolded his impressive frame from the chairs. He was going to come talk to her. Well, the last thing she wanted to do was talk to him. Her hands trembled as she forced herself to remember a breathing routine Maya had taught her. She looked around, feeling a bit like a rabbit trapped in a cage. At the end of the hall was a big black door with the sign EXIT above it and EMERGENCY EXIT painted in bright red letters on the door. Maybe she could slip

through the doors and make her way back to her car before he reached her. However, she didn’t want to trip the alarm system and attract any more attention to her situation. She could hear his footsteps coming closer and her pulse was shaky. A cold sweat appeared on her brow. He was coming after her. There was a door at the back of the building that said EMERGENCY and she contemplated going through it. She creeped down the hall and took the first right and then a left. Her heels clacked against the tile as she strolled through the hallway, turning right, then left before reaching a longer hallway. “Who the hell puts a maze in in a restaurant,” she grumbled, and removed her shoes from her aching feet. She turned around, but slammed into the solid wall of Daniel’s chest. His strong arms shot out and caught her around the waist to keep her from falling. “Jemma, what the hell?” he asked, as he steadied her. She wasn’t going to respond, but when she opened her mouth, words just started to tumble free. “Why would you do that? How could you say something like that?” “I—I thought I was helping?” “Helping? Helping?” she shrieked. “You have no idea what you have done to me or my blog. I depend on that site, Daniel.” “It’s just a blog,” he said. “Just a blog? You have no idea what that little blog is to me. It is how I pay my brother’s tuition. It’s how I keep our lights on. It helps put a little food on our table. If I don’t have that blog, my brother doesn’t eat. If my brother doesn’t eat, he gets taken away from me.” Her heart was pounding so loud she was sure he could hear it. Beads of perspiration were starting to appear on her forehead, and her hands shook. Tears streamed down her cheeks, no doubt ruining Maya’s handy makeup job. Daniel stood in front of her, staring at her with wide blue eyes. “I thought I was helping you. I didn’t mean to mess anything up. I . . .” He raked his hands back through his golden hair and laced his fingers behind his head—a clear sign of frustration. “The girl needed to be taken down a peg or two. She thinks she can say anything she wants because she’s some sort of a web-celebrity. She was cocky and arrogant. I thought I would give you something she will never have. A direct line to me. Your followers will flock to your site and because you are with me, it will drive them to it by the droves. It will be juicy gossip, and I’m willingly letting you use me.” Okay, could he seriously look any more adorable than he did right that moment? Sure, what he said was all kinds of arrogant and cocky, but judging from the innocent look on his face, he was being sincere. “Speaking of cocky.” She chuckled, dabbing her fingers beneath her lashes, trying not to smear her make-up further. “I know it sounds self-centered but it's the truth. You know it is, those girls are going to flock to your site to be jealous of you and hate you. It’s a fool-proof plan.”

“Okay, let's say I agreed to this, and it's a very big if I'm talking here, we aren't together. How do we pull off some ridiculous lie like that just for the sake of PR?” “I'm notoriously a bad boy. We have some dates, get seen in public together. Grab some photo ops, and after a while, you can dump me for cheating on you, or I dump you for cheating on me, whichever type of ex you want to be.” “They would hate me either way, and that's why it's such a bad idea. It’s a loselose situation for me. You’re the one that doesn’t stand to lose. Do you realize how much hate this could potentially stir up? It’s probably already out there that you’re dating someone like me.” She flushed. “Someone like you? Clearly, you can’t see the woman I am looking at because, if you were, you’d know that there’s much more to you.” “You don’t even know me, hot shot. So don’t start spewing that shit too soon.” She chewed on her bottom lip as she contemplated what he was suggesting. While she hated the idea of lying to the people on her blog, she had to admit, he was right. Bad press was still press. People will show up to love or hate her. She could deal with that, especially since she’d never really cared about people’s opinions before. But the thought of being in front of that many cameras and being watched constantly bubbled forward to the front of her mind. Could she do it? Could she get out of her comfort zone and make this work? “I don't like the thought of making it with my blog by lying.” She did like the look on Ali's face when she saw his arm around her, and the way her body had reacted when he whispered into her ear. She’d nearly climbed out of her skin. In fact she was still feeling a little bit of longing hanging around in between her legs. “Think about your brother,” he coaxed. Okay, using that plan of attack simply wasn’t fair. She eyed him suspiciously. “What’s in it for you?” “Getting to be in the company of a beautiful woman.” He shook his head. She snorted, causing him to chuckle. “I’m being honest. Hey, I am still a guy,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “But in all seriousness, I just want to help. I had no idea how big of a deal this blog thing was. My motives are sincere and I believe we can help each other.” “What could you possibly need my help with?” He offered her a sad smile. “Believing in women again.” *** Jemma’s breaths were coming out in short pants. The cool night air blowing in through the open window caused her kiss-dampened nipples to pucker tightly. Her back arched from the bed as she clutched her hands tightly into the sheets at her

sides. Lips were blazing a hot trail over the smooth surface of her stomach, pausing to kiss each hipbone before moving farther down. Rough hands hitched their thumbs in the edge of her lace panties and tugged them over her thighs. “Open for me, love,” came a husky voice from below her. Without hesitation, she pressed her feet flat against the bed and allowed her knees to fall open. Excitement burned through her body as he pressed kisses to the insides of each of her thighs. Chilly air rushed against her swollen skin, lifting her higher from the bed, as he blew gently against her wet folds. “You’re wet for me, baby,” he rasped, and slowly drew a finger around the throbbing little nub and down through her softness. He spread her dewy moisture up and around her clit, causing her to cry out again. Then, his finger was gone and his lips fastened around her, sucking and teasing, lapping and tasting her. Firm hands held her hips in place as she bucked against the tongue slipping in and out of her rapidly. Higher and higher, she climbed. Her fingers came up and she lightly pinched a nipple between her fingers and rolled it. The spring in her stomach curled in tighter and tighter. “Shit,” she panted, as he eased her wider and slipped a finger inside her heat. Her body convulsed and trembled around him, begging for release, but he wasn’t done. As he slipped his tongue in and out of her, he drew languid circles around her clit. She looked down and wasn’t surprised to find Daniel’s bright blue eyes staring up at her. She watched as he flicked her with the tip of his tongue. Her head fell back as she climbed. She was so close to the edge when the blaring sound of a car horn caused her to bolt upright. She looked around the familiar setting. Her room. She was in her room, the soft glow of morning rushing through the dirty panes of a partially open window. Jemma pulled her knees to her chest and rested her forehead there. She’d met Daniel a grand total of once, and he’d already done quite the number on her nerves. A smile filtered across her lips and flush crept up her cheeks. Her body was still humming with arousal. She may have just met the man, but damn, with dreams like those . . .

Chapter 6 “You’re on the internet,” Robbie squealed, as he raced into Jemma’s bedroom, her laptop precariously perched in his hands. “What are you talking about? Here give me that,” she said, and took her computer from him. Even though she asked, she was sure she already knew what she was about to find. A few minutes later, Maya shuffled into her room. Her hair was piled high on top of her head. She wore a black tee and a pair of neon pink boxers. A long sleeve robe fell open as she yawned and stretched. Frowning, she jerked her robe closed. “Why in the hell do you have the window open? It’s cold as hell out there.” “Aunt Maya cussed,” Robbie sang. Maya climbed in bed and snuggled in with the two of them. “What time did you get home?” Jemma shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. “What happened? Spill it all?” “Nothing.” Maya’s face fell. “So you didn’t get the interview?” Jemma shook her head but quickly added, “It wasn’t because he didn’t want to, but because we talked all night long.” “You talked. All night?” “Yeah,” she said sheepishly. “We sat in Central Park and talked.” She looked at the clock beside the bed. The blue numbers read 7:01. “I’ve only been home for about an hour and a half.” “You shouldn’t stay out so late,” Robbie said. “It’s not healthy.” Jemma tickled him and ruffled his hair. “No, what’s not healthy is you being late for school. Get a move on.” “Awww, do I half’ta?” “Yes. You. Do. Now go, Pan!” she said, pointing to her door. Once Robbie was out of earshot, she turned back to Maya, who was bouncing anxiously on the bed beside her, like a puppy that needed to go for a walk. “What?” “Don’t give me that line of shit! What was he like? Did anything happen? Did you kiss? Oooo did you have sex?” Jemma frowned but laughed. “What are you, twelve?” “Sorry, I’m just excited for you. But what was Robbie talking about with you being on the internet.”

Jemma flinched, remembering the events from the night before. Might as well rip the Band-Aid off. She opened the screen and her fingers flew over the keys. In a matter of seconds, there she was. She frowned as she stared at the picture of her, clearly angry, sitting ridged next to Daniel, who seemed completely at ease with his arm draped over her. “Jeesh, Jem, not a great picture.” “I know,” she groaned. She scrolled down and read the caption under the picture: Reality Hunk Dates Blogger Bully. Jemma sat straight up on the bed. She must have been a glutton for punishment because she clicked the little triangle, and the video loaded right up, her voice coming in loud and clear. “I was supposed to get the exclusive. Was this your idea of a joke? I could care less about you, Daniel, I really need the money for my blog.” They had cut her words and omitted what she had actually said. It made her look like a monster. This was a popular blog site she followed herself. Ali Silver popped up onto the screen looking sad; she was in her room in front of the window gazing out of it. “Daniel’s new girlfriend is a bully! How could anyone be so mean? I was only there to get the interview that you—my beloved fans wanted—and this is how I was treated. She terrorized me, but never fear guys, I will make sure you get a glimpse of Daniel, and I’ll get your interview.” “You’ve got to be kidding me.” Jemma was completely shocked. Her eyes were going to explode from her sockets as she watched Ali. “I thought bloggers and vloggers were supposed to support each other. I think it is only fair that I get an apology, and as much as I hate to do this to a fellow blogger,” she pressed her hands against her chest and gave a dramatic sniffle, “I have no choice but to boycott her blog, and I’ll leave the decision to my fans if they want to follow or not. I'll link my positive blog page in the box below so we can all focus on sunshine and not the nastiness that is Entertainment with Jem.” She glared into the camera, and Jemma felt she was looking right at her. Robbie came back into the room, tugging a Batman shirt over his head. “Why were you mean to that Ali girl?” “I wasn’t mean, she just lied. She doesn’t like that I got a job before she did.” This was what she got for going along with Daniel's stupid plan; she should have just left and not engaged. When Ali showed up, she should have snuck out the emergency exit and not made it easy for her to make her look so terrible. “So you should do it back to her. When Tyler spit at Mark on the playground, Mark spit right back.” Jemma and a speechless Maya climbed from the bed and made their way

downstairs in search of breakfast. “That's not the way to handle things, Robbie. This is a little more complicated.” A flurry of emotions surged through Jemma, but she refused to let Robbie see how upset she really was. Maya pulled bowls for cereal out of the cabinet, and Jemma grabbed her cell phone from the charger. Five missed calls. One from her grandmother, three from Jack, and the last was from Daniel. None of which she had any intentions of calling back. “No thanks,” she muttered, and stuffed the phone between the cushions of the couch. What she thought was going to be a good thing had turned out to one giant shit storm, and judging from the internet and views the video already had, the shit storm was about to turn into a hurricane. They all sat at the table and ate cereal. Robbie chatted animatedly to Maya about something, and Jemma logged onto her site. Immediately, she’d regretted it, because the comments on her page were nothing short of hateful; some were borderline mean. She opened her email and saw her inbox full of hate mail. Feeling exasperated she closed the lid without opening a single message. She rubbed her temples as a panic attack threatened to overwhelm her. Think positive. Think positive. Breathe. In 1, 2, 3 out 1, 2, 3. You got this. Daniel had been right about one thing. Her blog was getting nearly three times the normal hits. She was making money again, but at what cost. The dream had started her day out so pleasantly, but now, everything had gone to hell in a handbasket. With a groan, she scooped her bowl off the counter and carried it to the sink. The house phone rang, nearly causing her to climb out of her skin. She’d forgotten she even had a house phone. She frowned. “We'll let the machine get it.” Jemma announced. MISTAKE. Beep: a girl started yelling and cursing loudly. Jemma scrambled across the room and pressed buttons until she cut off the rant. How had she gotten her number? She was unlisted and few people knew it. If Ali was giving people Jemma’s phone number, this truly was going to be worse than she thought. A few minutes later, the home phone rang again. The machine clicked on. “Do you have any idea how adorable you are on the machine? Darling, it’s your boyfriend, pick up the phone.” A short pause followed a heavy sigh. “Listen, I know this looks bad, but we can still make this work. Don't let her get to you. Anyway, I’ll call you later. Have a good day.” Ha, fat chance, Daniel.

Robbie's eyes got huge. “You have a boyfriend?” “No, Robbie, he's just being funny.” Now she wanted to kill him even more. She couldn't explain their scam to her little brother. It was such a mess. How the hell had he even gotten her home number? She looked at Maya. Her eyes were as wide as Robbie’s. “You’re dating Daniel Starke? Jemmy, I think you have some sp’lainin’ to do!”

Chapter 7 Thankfully, Jemma was able to get Robbie onto the school bus without much more talk about the internet. Fun little fact about seven-year-olds: they are easily distracted. When she made it back into the house, Maya was perched on the couch, legs curled beneath her as she scanned through Jemma’s laptop. “Shit, Jem. You would think you were the anti-Christ by the way some of these broads are acting.” Jemma sighed and flounced onto the couch. She covered her face with her hands. “What am I going to do?” she groaned. “Well,” Maya said cheerfully. “First, you’re going to check out your blog page. Holy crap, Jem. Look at how much traffic you’re getting.” She really didn’t want to look at the page, but as she did, her eyes nearly exploded. “Seven thousand hits? It’s not even eight in the morning, and it’s already had seven thousand hits?” “Bad press is good press,” Maya said. “I really wish people would quit saying that,” she grumbled. Unaffected by Jemma’s rotten mood, Maya bounced from the couch. “So tell me all about Daniel, and don’t leave a single detail out.” With no hesitation, Jemma launched into her story from the night before, leaving out no detail. She even included the little scheme Daniel and she had cooked up. When she was done, Maya was staring at her with wide-eyed wonder. “Wow. I never knew you had it in you.” “Neither did I.” A buzzing sound drew both of their attentions. “Ummm, Jem, are you aware that your couch is vibrating? I mean that’s cool and all, but it’s kind of early,” she teased. Jemma rolled her eyes, stuffed her hand between the cushions, and came up with her cell phone. It was Daniel. Huffing out a sigh, she tapped the green button and put it up to her hear. “Hello?” “Good morning my darling,” Daniel’s sexy voice sounded from the other end of the line. “I wish you’d stop calling me that.” “Why?” “Because we’re in a business arrangement. There’s no need to hold up pretenses when we aren’t in public.”

“Not a morning person are you? Good to know in case you ever stay at my place”. She could hear the smile in his voice as he didn’t even bother to hide the innuendo. “Uh, yeah, that’s never going to happen, and no, I’m not a morning person. So cut to it and tell me what you want, Daniel. I’ve had a shitty morning and really not in the mood for games.” Short and sweet, okay. Well, I thought we’d go out to Empire--Fulton Ferry Park.” “What? Why? That’s all the way down in Brooklyn.” She had to admit, visiting the small amusement park sounded exciting, but she tried not to let that show. “I know where it is, I just thought you’d like to get away from everything today.” “And be seen together in public.” “Well there is that, too, but after last night and the shit that is all over the place this morning, I figured you could use a little fun. After all, it looks like you haven’t had any in a long time.” Self-consciously she ran her hands through her messy bedhead and frowned. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” “It wasn’t meant as a bad thing. After everything we talked about until this morning, I just figured you could use a little fun. That’s all, honestly.” She considered it for a minute, and as much as she got her hopes up, there was still a little factor to be considered. “I don’t have a sitter for Robbie.” Maya moved so quickly that, if it weren’t for the fact she’d just ripped the phone out of Jemma’s hands, she’d have thought she imagined it. “Hey. Hello. Yes, she does. She’s got a sitter to keep Robbie tonight.” “What are you doing?” Jemma mouthed. “I’m making it to where you can go out with that fine ass,” she whispered, making no effort to cover the speaker. Jemma’s face turned bright red. Daniel had heard everything. She handed Jemma the phone once more. “She thinks I have a fine ass huh?” His smug tone caused her to roll her eyes. “Come on, Jemma, you know you want to go ride that beautiful carousel with me.” He wasn’t wrong. “Come on, what will it hurt? We can go as friends and just get to know each other. Trust me, I need a break as well. “Oh yes, it must be so hard living the life when women throw their panties at you on a daily basis.”

“Don’t forget bras.” She chuckled. “Fine. What time?” “Can you be ready in twenty minutes?” “Make it forty five and you have a deal.” “Okay. What’s your address?” Jemma gave him the directions and disconnected the call. When she turned, Maya all but tackled her, squealing happily. “You’re going out with a celebrity!” “Did you miss the part where it was all a scam?” “I don’t care what you say. You wouldn’t be blushing, like a virgin on prom night, if you weren’t into him.” “Whatever. Are you sure you can keep Robbie again?” “Yeah, I mean I’ve got to head to the office for a couple hours, but I can totally pick him up and take him back to my place. Since its Friday night, we can have a sleepover and have all kinds of fun.” Jemma felt guilty about her friend keeping Robbie for two nights in a row. “I don’t know My.” She nervously bit the bottom her lip. “C’mon, Jem. It’s time for you to have some fun. You’ve always been so responsible, and somewhere along the way, you forgot to have a good time. Do this. Let go and have some fun.” Jemma didn’t get a chance to respond before Maya grabbed her by the arm and all but dragged her up the stairs. “Now, we have to find you the perfect outfit. Especially if you’re going to be getting your pictures taken.” She pursed her lips and studied her friend. “You are aware that I have been dressing myself for several years now. I even put my panties on all by myself,” she stated. “Panties aren’t going to happen today, sweet cheeks. Now, get your pretty behind in the shower—trim and shave all the important parts and be snappy.” “Why do I need to shave?” “Better safe than sorry,” was the only explanation she gave, as she pushed Jemma into her bathroom, before pulling the door closed. From the bathroom, she heard Maya fluttering around the room, like a caged bird, flitting from one place to another and never settling in one spot for more than a moment. Jemma took a quick shower and did as instructed, making sure she was all neat and tidy. She blushed when she thought about her dream and wondered if things would actually happen between them tonight. “You need to keep your head on straight,” she told her reflection, as she pulled a brush through her tangled locks. Fifteen minutes later, she emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel. It

looked like her closet had exploded all over the place. “What in the world happened in here?” “Trying to find you clothes. Here, put this on.” Maya thrust a hanger in her general direction. Jemma grabbed it before it hit the floor. She held it up and inspected it. “I don’t even remember buying this.” She pulled it from the hanger. “Clearly, considering it still has the tags on it.” Jemma rolled her eyes and pulled the black shirt on over her bra. She had to admit the V plunge of the shirt showed off a rather nice amount of cleavage. On the front was a red rose with different red and deep purple swirls. The next item Maya tossed at her was a pair of jeans she hadn’t worn in years. “Maya, I don’t even know if I can still fit in these.” “You can now, put them on, and remember what I said about the no panties thing.” “I don’t need your help getting laid, you know,” she grumbled, even though she pulled the jeans up over her hips, but was surprised when they fastened with ease. “You have a great ass,” Maya said, walking approvingly around Jemma. Jemma looked in the mirror and decided her look for the evening was rocker wannabe. After zipping boots that went up to her knees, she sat at her vanity and let Maya attack her with makeup brushes and tug relentlessly on her hair. By the time they were finished, a knock arrived at the front door. Maya all but skipped from the room and ran down the stairs to answer it. When Jemma reached the bottom step, Daniel’s gaze met hers, and a wide smile lit up his face. But she flinched at the thought of him in her pitiful little hovel. She shoved down her embarrassment and smiled back at him. “Hey,” she said, as she jammed her hands into her pockets. “You look amazing,” Daniel said, leaned down, and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Jemma flushed. “So, you ready?” she asked, and stepped away. “Your chariot awaits,” he said. Jemma turned to Maya, who was leaning against the stair rail and grinning like a fool. “Don’t forget Robbie’s medicine and . . .” “Yeah, yeah. I got it. See ya later,” she said, shooed them out, and practically slammed the door in their face. They walked toward a massive SUV, Daniel slightly ahead of her. Jemma studied Daniel. He wore a simple pair of distressed denim jeans and a vintage-style blue shirt. It hugged against his back and shoulders and his muscles moved and glided beneath the fabric. A brief image from her dream—his face between her legs—made her miss a

step and lurch forward awkwardly. She closed her eyes and prepared for her not-sograceful landing. However, when there was no impact, she slowly opened one eye and then another. “Are you okay?” Daniel asked. “I—I think so,” she stammered. A scene straight out of the movies and if she hadn’t been there to witness it first hand, she would have called bullshit on anyone else. He held her, her back draped over his arm, and her hands clutched at his biceps, hanging on for dear life. His gaze met and held hers for several brief moments. Her heart was speeding through her chest like a locomotive. His face seemed to inch closer to hers but he set her back on her feet and moved toward the vehicle. He ran around and opened the passenger side door. For a moment, the only thing she could do was stare at him. Who still opened doors for women these days? After she sat comfortably in the seat, he raced around and hopped behind the wheel. He grabbed a Styrofoam mug from the cup holder and handed it to her. She reached out and took it, looking at him, as if he’d sprouted another head. “What’s this?” “Coffee. You’d said you didn’t have much this morning.” “You bought me a coffee?” She could not take her gaze off him. The man sitting behind the wheel was turning out to be someone completely different than she ever imagined. “Thank you.” She peeled the tab and tentatively sipped her coffee. “There’s sugar and cream there if you want. I wasn’t sure what you wanted, so I grabbed a bunch of each.” She laughed. “Thanks, but I just take it black.” “Yeah, that’s what I kind of figured. You really didn’t appear to be one of those frou-frou drink types.” Laughing, he pulled away from the curb and drove down the street. “Have you ever been to Ferry Park?” she asked. “Yeah, my Pops used to take me all the time. Then it closed down for all those years.” She was beginning to find herself more and more comfortable around him, and that thought alone made her uncomfortable. She had to keep in mind it was only business and nothing more. This is how she had to think of it, because if she let herself think any other way, it would be entirely too easy to believe in the lie. Too easy to find herself falling for a man who was completely unobtainable. Unacceptable. Too much was riding on this scam. She just hoped it wasn’t more than she’d bargained for.

Chapter 8 Most of the day flew by without incident. Jemma found herself actually relaxing and having a good time. Daniel decided to wear a pair of sunglasses and a baseball cap to conceal his looks. However, as the day wore on, the disguise failed as people recognized him. Jemma kept her head low, so not to draw attention, and it had all worked out well until someone recognized her. “Hey, you’re that girl from Ali’s blog?” she accused. “How could you be such a bitch, I mean really, bullying such a sweet girl like that. What gives you the right?” The girl took a step toward Jemma, but Daniel grabbed Jemma by the hand and stepped between them. “I don’t know where this Ali gets off thinking she’s the victim here. Jem and I were having a nice dinner and that blonde bitch so rudely interrupted.” “Not how it looked in the video,” she retorted. The girl and her gaggle of friends leered at Jemma. “You know, I think it’s all a hoax. Someone like him doesn’t date nobody’s like you.” The venom in her voice all but dripped on Jemma’s shoes, and she was about to open her mouth to retort when Daniel spun around and pulled her into the wall of his chest. Without warning, his mouth slammed down over hers in a kiss that was so fiercely intense, everything around them slipped away. Her arms snaked up and around his neck as she fitted herself tighter against him. The tip of his tongue darted out and teased her bottom lip before slipping into the warm recesses of her mouth. His silky hair glided through her fingers as she deepened the kiss. She could feel the very real evidence of his arousal pressing urgently against her, and her own desire creeped forward. Her heart hammered in her chest, and her lungs were burning, but she did not want to come up for air. When his hands slid into her back pockets and cupped her backside, she moaned softly against his mouth. Her nipples strained against her shirt and a dull throb that was there at the beginning of the kiss had turned into a full-on ache. An ache she wasn’t sure would ever be satisfied. “Get a room,” a guy grunted, as he walked by. They pulled apart, both panting softly. Jemma glanced up and saw nothing but raw lust and want glistening in Daniel’s eyes, but that was not the only thing. He had been just as caught up in the kiss as she had been. Her entire body was trembling. Finally regaining feeling in her limbs, she stepped out of his embrace and looked around. The girls were nowhere to be seen.

“So… that happened,” Daniel said, as he raked his hand back through his hair. She chuckled. “Yeah. It did.” “I’m sorry. I didn’t think . . . I just . . .” His words died on his lips as Jemma did something she never thought possible. She pulled him in for another kiss. This one just as intense as before. Slowly they backed up between two buildings. This time the kiss became frantic, hungry as desire grew. Daniel pinned her between his body and the wall and trailed kisses along her jaw and down the softness of her neck. Goosebumps littered her arms and caused her nipples to tighten further. He grabbed her leg and hitched it over his hip, pushing his erection fully into the juncture of her thighs, causing her to gasp. She could feel how wet she was, and she was certain he would be able to as well. She was faintly aware of the popping sound of the button of her jeans. The rasp of her zipper seemed to scream through the night. “We shouldn’t be—” She moaned at his teeth grazing her ear. His hand was slowly slipping beneath the top of her jeans, inching closer to where her desire burned. “This is such a bad . . . OH!” Everything ceased to exist. His fingers slid through her moisture and rolled against her throbbing clit. She clutched his arm for support as he dipped them lower, spreading her slickness through her lower lips. Holy shit! Her mind screamed. Her legs trembled slightly. Daniel pushed his finger deep inside her warmth and she leaned forward, sinking her teeth into his shoulder to keep from screaming out and having everyone around the place come running. “You’re so wet,” he growled his appreciation against her ear. “Is that for me, baby? Are you wet for me?” If she were in the right frame of mind, she would have made a snarky remark about having been for one of the employees running the rides. However, she was having a hard time thinking, let alone coming up with pithy remarks. “Come home with me,” he whispered. “That’s . . . we . . . bad . . . shouldn’t . . .” He pressed against her harder, and all her resolve flew out the window. No way she could turn him down. Even if she wanted too. Her mind was screaming all the reasons this was a bad idea, but she ignored them, pushing them down into a box and sealing it closed tightly. It was about damn time she did what she wanted to for a change, and she was going to start with Daniel. No more denying herself. ***

The ride back to Daniel’s seemed to take forever. She figured once they were back in the car, the fog of pleasure would have eased up a little, and she would be able to think logically. No such luck, because as soon as they were in the car, Daniel had slipped his hand back down the front of her pants and continued to toy with her the entire way. She’d tried to return the favor, but he’d refused to let her. He brought her right to the brink of release, only to pull away. By the time they crashed through his front door in a tangle of limbs, there was no holding back. Daniel kicked the door closed behind him. He lifted her shirt over her head and flung it across the room to parts unknown. She returned the favor and removed his T-shirt. Her eyes grew wide at the beautiful expanse of flesh that rippled in front of her. Leaning forward, she raked her teeth across his nipple before tugging on it. He sucked in a sharp breath, hauled her from her feet, and carried her across the room and into a bedroom. One wall was made completely of windows, giving a beautiful panoramic view of the New York City skyline. After setting her feet back on the floor, he pulled her in for another kiss, while working the clasp of her bra. Her breasts tumbled free, and she moaned when he pulled her against him. Flesh against flesh. He took a step back and looked at her. “Beautiful,” he rasped as he palmed one breast and fell to his knees in front of her. He sucked a turgid peak between his teeth and pulled back, teasing it with the tip of his tongue. Jemma’s head lulled back on her shoulders, and her eyes rolled as pleasure surged through her. It wasn’t enough. She needed more. She took a step back, and while holding his gaze, she pushed her jeans down over her hips and stepped free. His eyes devoured her hungrily and desire flood through her as his gaze roamed hungrily over her. He wasted no time unfastening his jeans. After stepping out of them, he stood in front of her in nothing but a pair of black boxer briefs. The evidence of his arousal pressing impressively against the front. “Jemma, are you sure you want to do this? We don’t even know each other. I mean . . .” She pressed her finger to his lip. “Don’t talk me out of this, please.” “Fair enough.” After hooking his thumbs in the band of his boxers, he shed them and kicked them to the side. Jemma’s breath hitched in her throat as her gaze took in inch by beautiful inch of his enormous erection, standing proudly against his belly button. Whoa? How is it going to fit? Her mind screamed. A drop of moisture coated the head and she licked her lips. He didn’t give her a chance to move before he had her in the middle of the bed on her back. His mouth kissed and sucked every surface of her skin, causing her to pant and moan, writhe and

arch against him. Slowly, his head began to dip lower and lower, and it was like her dream all over again. There was no time to think because he spread her soft petals apart and swirled his tongue against her with maddeningly slow strokes. “Shiiiiit,” Jemma cried, as she fisted her hands through his hair. He chuckled and sucked her in and out of his mouth as he slid a finger inside, gently rubbing against the magical spot no man could ever seem to find. “Daniel,” she panted. “I can’t hold out . . .” Her body was trembling violently when he pulled away and in a stealthy movement rolled beneath her. “You’re in control. You need to be in control,” he said, and stared up at her. Feeling unsure of herself, she slithered down his body, much like he had with hers. She took his cock into one hand and pumped up and down the steely length. At the top, she used her thumb to spread the moisture around the head before moving back down. The sounds of his pleasure only fueled her own desire and gave her the confidence she needed. Feeling bold, she tucked her teeth behind her lips and wrapped her mouth around him. “Holy fuck . . .” he growled out, and lifted his hips to meet her. She moved slowly at first, taking him all the way to the back of her throat before moving back up again. Reaching down, she cupped his smooth balls and gave them a squeeze. Faster and faster, she moved on his cock, loving the salty taste of him on her tongue. She was getting a good rhythm going when he pulled away from her. “You can’t keep doing that. I’m going to lose it,” he said, pulling her up the length of his body. He gave her a soft kiss before she sat up. Lifting herself up, she positioned herself over his head and slowly slid down the length of him. They both sucked in a sharp breath as each adjusted to the other. Her muscles clenched around him as she became accustomed to his size. Once comfortable, Jemma lifted herself up and down on him. Her fingers dug into his chest, as if she were using him as an anchor to keep her from floating off on clouds of desire. She could feel every vein and ridge in his cock, and it caused her to shiver. Each stroke pushed her further to the edge. As her speed increased, so did her desire. Before long her moans and cries were filling his apartment just as much as he was filling her. *** When Daniel picked Jemma up for their day out together, he’d never expected the evening to end like this. The stunning, black haired vixen positioned herself above him in all her glory. Her beautiful dusky tipped breasts bounced, riding him as if her life depended on it. He could feel her urgency and need, and it matched his own.

As she threw her head back, her long hair brushed against his thighs. Her velvety warmth slid around him, quivering violently. She would not last much longer and he had to admit, as badly as it sounded, he wouldn’t last much longer himself. With one hand, he reached up and rolled one of her nipples, while with his other he slid between them and stroked her clit. This sent her out of her mind as she tightened around him. Harder and harder she rocked, pushing them both higher and higher. “You like that?” He couldn’t help it; he was a dirty talker. “Yes, oh Daniel, I’m going to come.” Her sharp nails bit into the muscles of his chest and he flexed his hips up. The sound of skin meeting skin, sliding back and forth together was muted by their grunts and groans. His balls tightened and he knew it wouldn’t be much longer, but not yet. He wanted to push her further. Quickly, he lifted her up and off him and spun her around to where she was on all fours in front of him. He took in a moment to stare at that gorgeous heart shaped ass. Her exquisite slit glistened with her arousal in the dim light. Gripping her hips firmly, he slid back in, fitting against her, as if she were made just for him. Jemma threw her head back and arched her spine. Harder and harder, he went, pushing deeper and deeper inside. “Daniel . . . I’m going . . . I’m . . .” “Come for me baby. Let me feel you come all over me.” That was all the coaxing she needed because she threw her head back one last time and let loose a scream, so wild he was sure someone would call the cops on them. She tightened and shook around him, squeezing his cock until he was grunting and spewing his own release deep inside her. *** For Jemma, time seemed to stop. There was nothing outside that bedroom. They were the only ones left on the planet. Every inch of her body trembled and hummed with pleasure. Her scalp tingled as she fought for breath. Behind her, Daniel was panting just as rapidly. They stayed locked together for several moments before he slid out of her, and she collapsed face first onto the bed. She really didn’t care if she looked awkward. She would worry about that as soon as feeling came back to her limbs. She was vaguely aware of Daniel sliding from the bed and walking across the room. The sound of water running in the bathroom barely registered to her. She felt almost as if she were high, and she refused to come down. It was better than being drunk and without the nasty effects of the hangover.

The bed dipped beside her and she felt the warmth of a wet cloth being pressed against her. Was he cleaning her? What the hell kind of guy was he? Once he was done, he slid into bed and pulled her into the shelter of his arms, forcing her back tightly into his chest. The lights went out and the room fell into darkness, except for the twinkling lights of the city around them. She prayed that no one could see them but she figured they were safe considering they were a hundred floors above the streets. “That was . . . wow,” she said, after several long moments of silence. “I know,” he said, amazement in his voice as well. Jemma drifted to sleep as his fingers skimmed up and down her arms in long, soothing strokes. She needed to think about the epic mistake she’d just made, but she refused. There would be plenty of time to regret this later. She knew it wouldn’t last. He was a celebrity and she was . . . well, she was Jemma. No, she was just going to enjoy the company of the most beautiful man she’d ever seen in her life. She was slipping further under when Daniel’s voice startled her awake. “I need you to know something,” he said. Not now, please don’t do this now. “Okay?” “I never planned for this to happen.” Jemma let out a breath. She’d been prepared for something far worse. She opened her mouth to respond but he continued. “I was just trying to fix the mess I had made yesterday at the restaurant. I never meant to make things harder on you. I never wanted that to happen. I know how the public sees me, and I don’t want you to think that is who I really am. I need you to understand that the guy on that stupid reality show is not the guy I am.” “But what about Lexi?” she said. Okay, apparently, they were going to have a meaningful conversation. This scared her because she was afraid that, whatever he was about to tell her, would change how she looked at him. Right now, she didn’t know if she could handle that, but it seemed it hadn’t stopped her big mouth from opening up and asking about the fiery redhead. He tensed behind her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have pried.” “No, I promised you an exclusive. I don’t really guess you can get more up close or personal than what we are right now, huh?” He laughed, and it rumbled against her back. She liked the feeling, she realized. “Lexi and I have always had this attraction. At first, it was supposed to be just another publicity stunt.” Ouch, that hurt. Wasn’t that exactly what they were supposed to be doing?

“It was different than this,” he said, as if he’d read her thoughts. “I truly didn’t like her in the beginning. She was a vapid bitch that was only after the fifteen minutes of fame the show offered, but somewhere along the way, I saw something change in her. At least I thought I did.” Jemma could hear the tone in his voice. He had truly fallen for the woman. “Well, we began to date, and for a while, things were going really good. I got to see a side of her that nobody got to see. Unfortunately, that was just an act as well. It seems that while I had fallen for her, and the publicity thing had been long forgotten by me, it was still on her agenda. The breakup scene was all staged by our managers, however, everyone was in on it, except for me.” “That’s awful,” Jemma whispered. “Yeah. So I did what everyone expected me to do. I partied and I partied hard. Yesterday morning was the first time I’d been sober in three days. I agreed to the interview with you because I needed the distraction. I was just going to toss you a few things and then be on my merry way.” “What changed?” “The minute you walked in through that door, everything changed. You were so beautiful and so scared. You looked like a cornered rabbit, and I knew there was something different about you. There was a sincerity to you that I didn’t know still existed. Then, when Ali showed up . . . I lost it.” She didn’t want to believe him, but a heavy sadness in his voice filled the space around them. He was not lying, and she was sure his sincerity was what would be the nail in her coffin. But right now, she was content. Content to fall asleep to the man she’d met only yesterday but felt a connection to the minute her eyes met his.

Chapter 9 The early-morning light slanted through the window and streaked across her face. Why was it so damn bright in her room? Jemma groaned and rolled over. Faint snoring caused her eyes to snap wide open. She was not in her room. Shit. Her eyes landed on Daniel and his naked form sprawled across the bed. Good lord, he was built like a barge, all steel and corded muscles. Red marks were fading from his back, evidence of her enjoyment of the night as they’d made love several more times. She flushed deeply as she remembered all the things they’d done. Shit. Shit. Shit. Quietly, she slipped from the bed, but before she could leave, his hand shot out and wrapped around her wrist. “Where do you think you’re going?” She giggled. “I’ve got to check on Robbie. I need to find my phone, though.” She wrapped the sheet around her naked body and spent the next several minutes searching through her clothes, only to find the phone had somehow slid under the edge of the bed. When she powered on the screen, she saw she’d missed ten calls from Maya. She frowned. Daniel must have seen the look on her face because he sat up. “What is it?” “I don’t know. Maya has been trying to call.” She quickly dialed Maya’s number, but there was no answer. Feeling panic begin to swell in her chest, she clicked through her messages. There was one from Maya. I know you’re busy but GO TO ALI’S BLOG. LIKE NOW!!!!!!!!!! A sinking feeling landed in the pit of Jemma’s stomach like a lead balloon. “Do you have a computer?’ “Sure.” He moved from the bed and retrieved the laptop from his desk. Jemma sat at the foot of the bed and allowed her fingers to fly over the keys. It didn’t take long. As soon as the page loaded, Jemma saw what Maya was freaking out over. “Shit,” she gasped. Bile rose to the back of her throat, she thrust the computer to Daniel, and flew into the bathroom, slamming the door closed behind her. Leaning over the toilet, she spilled the contents of her stomach. At first, it wasn’t that bad. There were pictures of them together throughout the

day. What the hell did Ali have her own paparazzi following them around? Then the pictures were a bit more troublesome, especially the ones someone had taken of them getting it on. Her mind was reeling who would be taking pictures of them at his house and how? Anyone seeing the pictures could tell what they were doing by the looks on their faces: her head thrown back in passion and he was behind her. They were obviously doing it, but Ali had to be careful not to get her blog banned, so she probably had much worse pictures or whoever the perv was that took them did. Her stomach lurched and she vomited again. The worst part, she had included Robbie in the post. She wrote something about her being a terrible role model for her young brother who was probably home by himself. Oh yeah, Ali also added: you guys didn’t know her parents abandoned them so she had to raise her brother. This is the type of trash our precious Daniel has gotten himself involved with. She could tear Ali apart; Ali knew nothing about her, and this was evil even for her. Daniel hadn’t come to check on her and she was glad. She needed to wash up and didn’t want him to see her this way. Everything she’d worked so hard for was gone. All of it. The walls closed in on her and blackness claimed her. Don’t stop now… continue reading JEMMA 2: Entertainment with Jem, Book 2 http://clarissacarlyle.com/current-books

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