Page 95 of Claim to Fame

“You didn’t sign up for this. It’s okay if you don’t want to deal with it, but if you want out, you have to tell me now.”

He captured her lips in a soft kiss, so sweet it had her eyes welling up again. What was she going to do if he really didn’t want to deal with her baggage? She wouldn’t be able to blame him, but she wasn’t sure she would survive the loss, either.

“It’s late,” he said. “Let’s go to bed.”

She hesitated, aware he’d dodged the question, but she wanted his comfort more than she wanted to press the issue. After all, if she pressed and he decided to cut bait and run, what then?

So instead they stripped their clothing slowly, eyes glued to each other the whole time, and slipped beneath the covers of Ethan’s bed, a bed that smelled like her now as well. He pulled her to him, her back to his chest, and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. He held her tighter, his face buried in her hair and, within minutes, he had drifted off to sleep. But Hannah stayed awake, trying to memorize the feel of his hands on her skin, his body against her, so someday, when he decided he’d had enough, she’d at least still have the memories.

Comment section of Encores.com post with caption “Hannah Matthews spotted with spicy audio star in hotel bar. Who’s the cheater now?”

StrmChsr92:I can’t believe she cheated on Jackson and tried to make everyone think he was the bad guy!

Here4theDrama:I don’t know, that Slade guy is hot AF. I can see the appeal.

XOJxsnsGurlXO:His name is Ethan. He’s just pretending to be Slade.

PennyReadsSmut:He’s not pretending. It’s a stage name. Like how actors don’t always use their real names.

StrmChsr92:So they’re both liars.

Here4theDrama:Have you heard some of the dirty things he says in those books? *hot face emoji*

PennyReadsSmut:He could probably break your back and you’d say, ‘please sir, can I have some more?’

TheSpicierTheBetter:Did you see the way he looked at her on the red carpet? Girl, no wonder she cheated.

BookstaGirliesDoItBetter:What if she wasn’t cheating? What if she was with them both? Why choose, right?

StrmChsr92:There was a story about Jackson having a threesome in Cancun a few years ago.

XOJxsnsGurlXO:Jackson would never!

Here4theDrama:He 100% would.

TheSpicierTheBetter:Slade would.

BookstaGirliesDoItBetter:As long as he does that growl thing he does, Slade can do whatever he wants to me.

PennyReadsSmut:Who do you think has a bigger *eggplant emoji*?

XOJxsnsGurlXO:Jackson

TheSpicierTheBetter:Slade

Chapter Twenty-Six

Ethan bounced Julie on his hip, the overtired toddler barreling towards full-on meltdown territory. “My answer is still no,” he said into the phone as he paced around his office.

“Ethan, come on. Everyone knows now. It’s time to lean in,” Angie said through the phone.

“I’m not fu—” He glanced at Julie, catching the swear before it left his mouth. “I’m notleaningin. I’ve got weddings canceling left and right—”

“It was four weddings,” Angie said. He could practically hear her rolling her eyes at him.

“That’s sixteen percent of my wedding business this year, Ang. That’s not insignificant.”

“And I’m offering you a way to gain back that business from people who don’t care if you read dirty books.”

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