Page 13 of Princes of Hollywood

This is a dream job.

Dreams don’t come true for someone like me, so there has to be a catch.

I scan the guys sitting before me. These are strangers. Even though two seem familiar because I’ve seen their bodies of work and interviews, that’s not who they truly are. Those are their public personas, and I need to remember not to confuse that with who they actually are.

They’re asking me to live with four men and basically make sure an addict doesn’t slip, when I couldn’t even save my own mother. The numbers swirl before me. It would get me away from Chad, and I could even pay my share of the rent through the end of our contract with no problems. It’s almost a ludicrous amount.

It’s not like I haven’t lived with strangers before. Every new home was filled with strangers. New rules. New people to avoid.

Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine I could have this life. Even for a short period of time. And then be able to pursue a dream that was so far out of reach as to be unattainable.

“I won’t lie. This seems too good to be true. What’s the catch?” I cross my arms and lean back in the chair. Too many times I thought I’d found a home only to be shuffled to the next family and the family after that. Every house has secrets and dangers. So what are the dangers and secrets here?

“We want to fuck you.” Roarke’s words make my eyes widen.

“Excuse me?” I must have misheard him. Surely he didn’t just say what I think I heard. “What?”

Mason moves, and my gaze darts to him. He’s the authority of this group. It’s in his whole demeanor, even how he sits. His blue eyes draw me in.

“What Roarke so elegantly said. Production has a crazy schedule. While Roarke has been obvious about his attraction, the rest of us find ourselves drawn enough to be curious. If you are interested, of course.”

My gaze flicks to Wyatt’s hazel eyes. That intimate moment in the bedroom flashes in my mind. I mean, I’ve thought about all of them like that, but it’s just a fantasy, not something I would actually act on. Right?

It would be crazy to think that I could indulge in sex with even one of them, but all of them? That I really want to hasn’t escaped my thoughts. I just figured Roarke was a flirt. Aiden. My gaze flicks to him. There’s so much pain in him, but that little spark between us could be something. My leg bounces beneath the table.

“I’m not sure what to say.” I swallow. My throat is suddenly dry. “I’m obviously flattered, but—”

“This isn’t a condition of your job.” Aiden leans forward with his elbows on the table. His blue eyes hold me captive. “You can choose when and if you want to start that kind of relationship with any or all of us or none of us. Your choice.”

His eyes are so earnest, and there’s pain. So much pain in him.

“I’m not really the type of woman to just sleep around.” I press my sweaty palms against my thighs to stop them from bouncing.

“We don’t want to get a week into the arrangement and someone does something that makes you quit.” Aiden releases a breath. “I want you to be my sobriety buddy. I’m not saying any of us will initiate something right away—”

“Speak for yourself.” Roarke winks and gives me a huge grin. “I’d fuck you on this table right now, poppet.”

My face heats, but so do my insides. Roarke is gorgeous, and every time he speaks, my panties get wet. When he’s close, the buzz of arousal drowns out almost everything else. But still…In front of these guys? Really? Desire tugs low and heavy in my belly.

Why doesn’t that scare me?

“Uh…”

“Forget Roarke for a moment.” Wyatt crosses his ankle over his knee. “He’s always ready and willing. All we’re asking for, if I’m hearing this right, is the chance to explore our attractions. We aren’t paying you to sleep with us—which someone should have said from the start, seeing as you haven’t signed an NDA.”

He glares at the other guys for a moment before his eyes soften when he returns those chameleon eyes to me. “It’s not even a given. You say no and we back down. Anytime, anywhere. Enthusiastic consent throughout or it’s a no-go.”

I worry my lip with my teeth as I look around at their faces. Roarke smiles and gives me his Hollywood smolder. Mason’s eyes study me, sizing me up to see if I’m worthy of playing with.

Wyatt is the hardest to read. He watches me like he wants to delve into my mind and pull out everything wicked. A shiver works through me.

Then there’s Aiden. So much fucking pain. They say not to get involved with someone until they’re a year sober. It’s too easy to trade one addiction for another and then crash and burn when it goes wrong. I don’t want to be the reason he crashes.

I don’t need the guilt of another addict on my conscience.

Everything inside me wants to say yes, but that piece of me that stood on a new doorstep waiting to meet yet another family to take me in can’t handle rejection again. Even though these men are the ones waiting for me to say yes. To them.

Unbelievable.

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