Jonah (Chicago Blaze 7)

“Really?” Kai says suspiciously. “And why am I just now hearing about it? Are you seriously going to make me troll the gossip columns to find out what’s going on with you?”

“It was no big deal,” I assure him, even though it was the first time in a long time I’ve been kissed. “He kissed me for like two seconds without much enthusiasm after our date the other night.”

“I’m kinda disappointed by that. I figured hockey players were all testosterone and that he’d stick his tongue so far down your throat he could taste whatever you ate for dinner.”

I scrunch my face and meet his gaze in the mirror. “Gross.”

He shrugs. “A guy did that to me once. I actually gagged from his tongue down my throat.”

“How romantic.”

“Anyway, back to this kiss.” Kai twists open a different shade of pink powder to swipe onto my cheeks. “Was he hard during it?”

I laugh at the boldness of his question. “I don’t know, but I seriously doubt it. Our two dates haven’t gone that great.”

Kai gasps. “Don’t break my heart like that. If two incredibly beautiful people go out, one of them a lonely widower with muscles and the other my doll-face roommate with her makeup on point, I expect it to go well. How could it not go well?”

I meet his eyes in the mirror, silently reminding him that Jonah and I never wanted to date each other. This is all part of my cover. He winks an eye covered in sparkly pink shadow at me.

“I’ve seen pictures of him,” Kai says. “All I have to say is that is one sexy side of beef.”

“You think?”

He gapes at me, amused. “You don’t?”

“Oh no, I do, I just—”

“Apparently he was really in love with his wife, and she just died all of a sudden one day. She was very young. If you don’t want to help mend his broken heart, I volunteer, just sayin’ is all.”

“So, if you don’t mind me bringing it up, you’re attracted to men?”

Kai shrugs. “Sometimes. I’m pan. It’s not a person’s gender that interests me, it’s always something else. Gender just doesn’t factor in for me.”

“Wow. That sounds really liberating.”

“It is. But you do you, girl. I can tell you like tall, brooding assholes.”

“What? Why would you say that?”

“It’s not a dig or anything,” he says matter-of-factly. “I think most cis women find assholes attractive. For some hardcore screwing, anyway. But in a relationship…not so much.”

I laugh outwardly, but inside, I’m thinking about how right he is.

“Well,” I say, “I don’t look for relationships, but I get what you’re saying.”

“Never?”

I shrug. “I’ve got issues. It’s a long story.”

“Same, sis,” Kai says.

My phone dings with another message.

Jonah: I miss you. When can I see you again?

“Aw,” Kai says. “He misses you.”

I scoff at him as I write back, staying on script.

Me: Miss you, too. Can’t stop thinking about the other night. I’m free tonight…

Jonah: I have a game. Tomorrow night?

Me: Yes.

Jonah: Pick you up at 7?

Me: Okay. See you then. Good luck with the game.

Jonah: Thanks.

Our relationship is completely transactional. I keep reminding myself that this is my job, but Jonah volunteered to do this. If I’m a complete pain in his ass, he might bail. I can’t have that.

I’m here for one and only one reason—to bring Darren Shields down. He’s the lowest kind of human. He preys on children and uses them, stealing their innocence. That’s what matters. It’s not about whether Jonah and I are attracted to each other.

I square my shoulders and meet Kai’s gaze in the mirror. “If you have time, can we figure out what we’re doing on that article I need to write?”

“Yep, no problem. After this I need to take some photos for my pages and then we can do it.”

“It’s about moisturizers, right?”

“Right. I’ve been using this new Charlotte Tilbury one and it’s fucking phenomenal. But I’m usually a La Mer fan. So this will make a perfect one for you to write about. I think we’ll focus on great, universal moisturizers at different price points.”

“Okay, perfect. I’m going to order in dinner later, so think about what you want.”

“Oh, let’s order from that noodle place. I’ve been craving noods all day.”

“I’m down for that.”

“And then let’s watch A Star is Born.”

I laugh. “Again?”

“Listen, girl. You can literally never have too much of three things in your life—great lashes, chai tea and Lady Gaga. Those three things will get you through anything.”

“Noted. And I kind of feel like Bradley Cooper won’t get old for a really long time, either.”

“No shit. Those eyes of his are dreamy. Almost as nice as your boyfriend’s.”

“Jonah does have nice eyes,” I say, cringing as I remember our back and forth the night of our first date.

“Nice? He’s hot as hell, Rey. Reminds me of Chris Hemsworth. Jonah West makes me wish I had a vagina so I could sit on his face.”