Free Lost Avalon: A Finding Nolan Novel by K.S. Thomas

ones prepared to risk their manicures to do away with me.
    “Hey Blaise.” A blonde with big boobs and a tattoo on her collar bone that said ‘bite me’ had strolled right over and draped both arms around his neck while I was standing right beside them, unhappily attached. “When you were up there singing Be Gentle, Be Kind I swear, I had an orgasm just watching your lips move and imagining what they would feel like moving over my body.” Then, she closed her eyes and whispered his own lyrics into his ear, “I love alone. Uninvited and unwanted. My days are empty and my nights are haunted.” No shit sweetheart. I didn’t know whether to laugh or punch her. And both of those reactions were a serious problem. What did I care if he set her panties on fire or not. I was his manager. Not his girlfriend, even if that was what we were now telling people.
    Confused and agitated, I was about to yank my hand free and get some much needed distance when Blaise smiled at the girl, removed her arms with his free hand and leaned in to whisper, “You are a fucking knock out. Seriously. And if I was single, I would already have you in a dark corner somewhere, running my mouth all over your luscious body, but I’m not,” he frowned regretfully.
    Just like that, he broke away from Blondie Big Boobs and continued working the room in a similar manner. Flirting shamelessly, bestowing flattery on every woman who crossed his path, but clearly stating to each and every one of them that he was taken. By me.
    Thirty minutes and countless signatures and posed pictures later, we were all sitting in the back of a limo and headed to another hotel, the last one of the trip. Tomorrow we’d all be flying out of there and headed our separate ways while Darrel drove the bus back to LA.
    If I had thought Blaise would lay off of our ridiculous charade once the party was over, I was mistaken. The entire ride, he had his hand reached boldly between my legs and cupping the inside of my right thigh while he casually made small talk with the boys as if this was perfectly normal behavior. And they all went along with it.
    Meanwhile, I wasn’t exactly uncomfortable with the way his hand had yet to break contact with my body since he had first reached for me in the hall before the party. I just didn’t quite follow why being a fake couple had to entail quite so much PDA.
    “So, you two going to be getting your own suite from now on?” Royce was way too entertained by all of this.
    “No,” I answered quickly before Blaise could. “Nothing has to change about the way we do things. There’ll still be plenty of privacy for everyone.”
    “Just don’t mind the screaming. She can get a little carried away in the moment." He gave the other guys a knowing grin, and they all gave howls of approval in return. I wasn’t nearly as amused. I probably would be screaming before the end of the night, but it wouldn’t be for the reasons he was suggesting. 
    “Yup. I’m a screamer.” I shot Blaise a dirty look. “Of course, that’s only if someone gives me something to scream about. So, I wouldn’t worry about missing any sleep tonight, boys.”
    “Damn, Blaise. You’re in the doghouse already and you didn’t even know it.” Angel was pointing at him and laughing.
    “It’s all good. I’ve been pissing Ava off since she was five. If anyone knows how to get back on her good side, it’s me.” He winked at me and for a brief moment I wasn’t sure if I wanted to slap him or wink back. This stupid cover he’d insisted on was fucking with me already.
    “If only you knew how to stay there,” I chirped.
     
     
    ***
                  I was dizzy and I couldn’t tell if it was from the pills wearing off or the close proximity to Ava. Not that she hadn’t ever been this close to me before, it just hadn’t ever been like this. I’d held her in my arms more times than I could count, had my fingers anchored in hers a million times over the