Changing Roles

My eyes went back to the screen.

Rumor has it, Mr. Wright’s past dates got tired of being his cover. Tired of being nothing but arm candy and left with only a kiss on the cheek at the end of the night. If they were lucky.But who could resist these lovely ladies? Why would a man even try?Trusted sources say, only a gay man.I blinked. I read it again.

They just said I was gay.

I stood abruptly.

“Gay?”

I looked at the three people staring at me. “They’re saying I’m…gay?”

Why did my voice sound so screechy?

Everett stepped forward. “Garbage, remember, Liam? Just bullshit.”

“But I’m not gay, Everett.” I waved my hand at the screen. “I don’t play for the other team. I’ve never had another man’s…bat in my hand! Or any bloody-where-else in my body.” I drew myself up to my full height and flexed my muscles. “Seriously, why would they say that?”

Everett shrugged and Cassidy grinned. “Well, you do rock the metrosexual look at times, Liam.”

Shelby smirked. “That one photo session you did—”

I gasped. “Piss off!” I started pacing. “This is low—even for them. I want this retracted and an apology issued. Call Samuels now and get him on it. Threaten to sue them if we have to.”

“They don’t come out—” Everett paused and chuckled at his choice of words “—and say you’re gay, Liam… They say it’s a rumor. You need to calm down. If we make a big deal of this, you’ll come across as homophobic.”

“I’m not homophobic, but these are lies. Pure lies.”

I pulled on my hair in anger. “Those fucking wankers! I love women! I’ve loved lots of women! Shagged them until they screamed my bloody name! And never once was it yelled in a goddamn baritone!”

Shelby turned to me, glaring. “Exactly how many women have you shagged and made scream your bloody name, Liam?”

My eyes widened as she stared, giving me the best bitch brow I had ever seen.

I swallowed heavily.

Bugger. This bad day just got a lot worse. She was right pissed about that statement.

“Um, just a figure of speech. Not many at all in the scheme of things. Really.”

She narrowed her eyes, and I gave her my best innocent face. “None of them meant anything. Not like you, Shelby.”

“Hmm.”

“I never told anyone else I loved them. Only you.”

Her face softened and I sighed. Crisis averted. That one anyway.

I threw up my hands. “The point is, none of them were men!”

Cassidy snorted. “Glad you’re showing Shelby how not to overreact there, Liam.”

“I’m not overreacting! I’m defending myself. I’ve never done any ball-handling!”

“Other than your own, you mean?” Everett guffawed.

“Get stuffed,” I growled at him, starting to pace again.

“I think that’s the point of this article,” Cassidy stated dryly.

Stopping mid-pace, I pointed my finger at Shelby. “Ask her—she’ll tell you. I shag her daily. I shagged her twice last night. In fact, I was so randy this morning, I was coming down here to find her and do it again. We probably wouldn’t have made it out of the kitchen!”

Everett grimaced, his head falling into his hands. “Oh God, that’s my sister you’re talking about. TMI, Liam. Too much fucking TMI!”

Shelby piped up, sounding far too happy for what was happening. “It’s true, though. He, um, shagged me so hard on Saturday, I could barely get off the table.”

Everett stood with a boom, the chair toppling over behind him as he spat out the coffee he’d been sipping all over me. “We eat at this table, for fuck’s sake!”

“Bloody hell, you just spewed coffee all over me, you git.” I wiped at my chest.

“Stop talking about shagging my sister!” he yelled.

Shelby giggled. “Well, according to the article, you’re used to men spewing liquid at you, Liam.”

I swung around, glaring at her. “You think this is funny? Not only are they saying I’m gay—even worse, they’re calling you a bloody maid!”

I hated that her role in my life had been described that way. Even before I fell in love with her, Shelby was never just that. Maid wasn’t the right word. I couldn’t even begin to think of a word that encompassed all she was to me.

“You’re so much more than that,” I informed her. “You always have been.”

She refused to be upset. “No hand service, though,” she quipped.

“Shelby!” I roared. “This is not amusing!”

“Maybe I should issue a statement saying you fuck me so much, I can barely walk. That should help quell the rumors,” Shelby mused.

I slammed my hand on the counter. “Yes! Bloody brilliant!”

“No! Stop this, both of you. No one is issuing statements about fucking,” Everett snarled, frantically pointing his finger between Shelby and me.

Cassidy, who had been unusually quiet, suddenly started to snicker again as she bent over, reading the computer screen.

Ev and I looked at her. “What?” Everett asked.

“Well, further into this riveting article, it indicates that, ah, you and Liam may be closer than just manager and client. And being your supportive sister is another reason Shelby is acting as Liam’s cover.”