CONNOR COBALT
Well, I learned what increasing the production value entails.
Hereโs a new one for me.
Scott Van Wright somehow manipulatedย myย girlfriend into moving out of her sanctuary, leavingย ourย Princeton house. I really wish I had been there for the conversation and not been stuck in a college lecture hall. I would
have rebutted every argument he had that began with โThe Real Worldโ and ended with โyouโreย allย living together.โ
We all lived together in Princeton, New Jersey.
The difference now: Loren Haleโs half-brother, Ryke Meadows, is moving in for six months. So is Roseโs little sister, Daisy. Thatโs six people in one house.
Iโm trying to be the encouraging boyfriend, but I canโt be at fault for however I act around Scott. I donโt like that he convinced Rose to do something that I would have trouble talking her into. It makes me nervous.
Rose stares up at the open ceiling, microphones and wires dangling from the rafters of our new home. Her forehead scrunches at having to live in a Philadelphia townhouse designed especially for production. Three levels. Five bedrooms. One communal bathroom. No yard. A nice hot tub and patio area. And an even larger dining room and kitchen.
โHe promised we wouldnโt be filmed in the bathroom or the bedrooms,โ she says with tight lips.
โPromises from anyone other than me mean nothing,โ I say. โHas he hit you over the head?โ
She glares. โItโs in the contract.โ
โThen Lo and I will make sure there arenโt any cameras in the rooms.โ โAnd the bathroom,โ she says quickly.
โThat too.โ
She nods to herself and raises her chin to appear more confident about the matter, but privacy means a great deal to Rose. And this is a lot more intrusive than she anticipated.
โYou can always tell him to fuck off,โ I remind her. โYouโve said it to men many times before.โ
โAnd yet, youโre still here.โ I smile. True.
She lets out a breath. โNo. It has to be done this way.โ โAnd why is that?โ
โHe said that thereโll be more viewers if we all live together. Rich
families being filmed in their natural environment has been done before. This hasnโt.โ She pauses. โExcept forย The Real Worldย butโโ
โAll I hear is Scott Van Wright in your mouth, and thatโs really the last place I want another man to be.โ
She gives me a cold look and says, โI happen to agree with him. I did the research.โ
โFine.โ But what Scott really wants is the most drama possible, the most chaos, and this is the type of setting thatโll grant him what he desires. And if Rose is a part of that package, heโs going to fucking lose this battle. I just donโt want it to be at the cost of Roseโs fashion line. If I ruin Calloway Couture, Iโll lose her too. Her company is why weโre swimming in a fish bowl after all. Iโd do almost anything to help her achieve her dreams.
โPlus,โ she adds, only to provoke me, โour house had poor sound quality. We wouldโve had to move anyway.โ
โRight, because they couldnโt spend a couple thousand dollars to rig better equipment at Princeton. This alternative, moving out, is a hell of a lot more expensive.โ
โYouโre turning green. And for your information, you look ugly in that color.โ
โIโm not jealous,โ I say. โI hate him for the same reason you doโ because he pisses where he eats.โ
โYou havenโt even met him yet.โ โI already know.โ
She flattens her black maxi dress with her hands, walking back and forth in the living room space. โYouโre incorrigible.โ
โYouโre pacing. What other things should we point out?โ She hits me with her handbag, and I try hard not to grin.
When she settles down, she says, โAfter six months, we can go back to Princeton.โ
She can keep listing off the reasons why the move to Philadelphia is betterโthat her parents live close by, that Daisy can still attend prep school, that Loโs comic book business is already downtown, that my commute to Penn has been shortened by an hourโbut in the end, she wasnโt given a choice. Scottย toldย her to move. And she did.
Not even that, he chose this townhouse. He didnโt let Rose look for a new place that would fit productionโs ridiculous requirements.
I glance at the purple fringe cloth that covers the coffee table, large
white candles lined in a row. Production actually hired people to decorate for the psychicโs arrival. As though sheโs living here too.
โJust donโt ask me to be nice to the psychic,โ I tell her, just now noticing Ben, the skinny cameraman, walk down the stairs. He directs the lens at us.
โI donโt care what you do,โ she says, โas long as youโre here.โ
I try not to look shocked by her declaration. Our tight postures relax, and I draw her to my chest and rub the back of her neck. She melts into me, her normally stiff body finding a moment to slacken. I stare at her fiery eyes that never seem to soften, even if her body does.
โBut I thought you could do everything by yourself, darling.โ โI can,โ she says, raising her chin again. โBut I like your helpโฆ
sometimes.โ Her gaze falls to my lips, unsure of herself again. Sheโs waiting for me to make a move.
My lips brush her cheek. โIโm going to spread you so wide, Rose. Your whole body will ache for my hard cock.โ She tightens against me. โYouโll comeย beforeย I fill every inch of you.โ
A noise catches in her throat, and her hands drop to my waist, hurriedly feeling around for my battery pack to the microphones we wear beneath our clothes.
โForget about the cameras,โ I tell her. Ben takes this moment to skirt around us, the camera whipping towards Roseโs face. Heโs another obstacle, a puppet of Scottโs.ย Just fucking wonderful.ย I could shove the camera at the wall, but I resist the violent urge.
I bring my hand to the back of her head, my lips right beside her ear.
โYou saw how big I am. Imagine that inside of you, all of it, pounding hard until you canโt breathe.โ
โConnor,โ she warns, her voice weaker than normal.
I grip her hair between my fingers and tug, her chin jutting up. Her mouth opens, and she stifles a sound that wants to come out.
With one hand to the small of her back, I push her body harder against mine, and her cheeks flush.
โDonโt be afraid of me,โ I whisper lowly in her ear. โI may not always be on your side, but I have your best interest at heart.โ
When I release her, she withdraws, taking two steps back and clearing her throat. She readjusts her handbag on her arm and then says, โI donโt think I can forgive him for that bathroom.โ
She completely drops what just happened. And Scott is the last person I want her to divert to afterย Iย just talked about fucking her hard.
โTo be fair to Scott,โ I say with a dry smile, โthe bathroom has four
sinks and two showers. Itโs not as if itโs small. Each shower is even large enough to fit five co-eds.โ
โItโsย communal.ย I donโt know how they did it at Penn, but I had my own bathroom, shared withย oneย other girl.โ
โYes, weโre all savages at Penn. You should see the football team. They live in caves and eat with their hands.โ
Her shoulders fall. โI know Iโm spoiled and a bitch, but Iโm uncomfortable at the idea of someone walking in on me.โ
โThe showers have misted glass. You canโt see through them.โ Thatโs not entirely true. Iโd be able to see her body fairly well. โAnd you walked in on me three days ago.โ The mention of our moment in the bathroomโ
where she found me masturbating, where I hiked her leg around my waistโ has her whole body tensing in arousal. She crosses her arms to cover the flush that rises on her neck. Only the mention of her sex life (or lack thereof) can make her so flustered.
โThis is different.โ
โI know.โ Lo, Lily, Daisy, and Ryke will be sharing the space too.
Adding me was like skipping two stairs at a time for her. With them, itโs like trying to stretch over five. โBut everyoneโs uncomfortable, not just you.โ
She groans in distress. โI didnโt want to put them in this situation. The reality show wasnโt supposed to uproot their lives like this.โ
I usually say the right thing. Iโm obviously doing a shitty job today. The psychic and Scott have scrambled my head.
I wrap an arm around her shoulder. โLily wants to help Calloway Couture. Sheโd do anything for you. And theyโll all adapt quickly.โ To make amends with Rose, Lily even sacrificed being close to her college. Sheโll be taking online classes so she doesnโt fall behind.
Rose stops pacing with my touch. Ben documents her reaction with the zoom of his camera. She stares up into my blue eyes and leans close, her leg pressed against mine.
I comb her glossy hair away from her cheeks, and her arms cling to my waist. I ask, โAre you going to talk about Scott when I kiss you from now on? Or is it only going to be when we have sex?โ
She clenches my button-down, fisting the fabric, and tries to throttle me for that comment, but I stay unmoving at her attempt, too strong to be overpowered by her, even if she puts up a good fight. With a huff, she stops trying to shake me. โOne day,โ she says, โIโm going to slap you on impulse, and then Iโm going to feel like utter shit.โ I read her eyes that say:ย maybe
we should break up before it happens. Maybe weโre not good together.
โYou wonโt feel like shit,โ I tell her, โbecause Iโll punish you for it.โ
Her lips slowly part. โYouโll punish me?โ She chokes on a laugh. โIn what way?โ
โJust trust me when I tell you that youโll love it.โ
She swallows hard and shakes her head. โI donโt see how I could love a punishment.โ
โIt wonโt be like detention in prep school, Rose.โย Remember, I have your best interest at heart.
She inhales deeply and she stares at my lips again, silently asking me to come a little closer. Just as I go to kiss her, a jingling sound echoes through
the open kitchen thatโs in sight of the living room. No walls between any of them.
Sadie, my orange tabby cat, pads over to us, the bells on her collar clinking together. Rose spent an hour wrestling my cat just to put the thing on her while I was in class. She wants to know Sadieโs location so she can avoid her. My cat scratches women fairly often. Sheโs not fond of the times I locked her up for a date. But just for snapping on a collar, Rose had cuts all along her arms for a week.
I was about to sell Sadie after that, but Rose refused to let the cat leave. I appreciate her for trying to put up with my pet, but I donโt want to find her bleeding like that ever again.
Rose lets out a horrified gasp. โWe have rats!โ She disentangles from my arms completely.
Sheโs not frightened so much as disgusted by the rodent hanging out of Sadieโs mouth.
I rub my lips to hide my smile. โSadie hunts like a champion.โ I wink.
Rose plants her hands on her hips and stares at me likeย really?ย โYou just winked at her.โ Roseโs glare turns into a laugh, but when she looks back at Sadie, her face falls again. โItโs bleedingโฆoh my God.โ Sadie drops the rat on the hardwood. โNo, noโฆโ
โYouโre fine,โ I say, setting my hands on her shoulders. โBreathe.โ Rose is obsessive compulsiveโa trait that has gotten out of hand since the paparazzi have clung to the Calloway family.
She blows out a long breath. โI canโt cohabitate with rodents.โ She pauses. โThatโs a lie. Iโve lived with Loren for nine months, but I draw the line rightย here.โ
โSo then weโll move back to Princeton.โย Win for me. Fuck you, Scott.
She shakes her head slowly. โNo, noโฆIโll just have to deal with this.
Itโll be okay.โ
Fine.ย โLo, Ryke, and I can set rat traps tomorrow.โ But I add this just to rile her, โThe perks of having three men living under one roof.โ
Contempt crosses her face. โLily, Daisy and I are more than capable of doing it.โ But she breathes a little easier at the idea of three guys living here. Itโs appealing to not be in control all the time. Well, for her, not me.
โBy all means,โ I say, โset them yourself. I fully appreciate female power.โ I step nearer, closing the space between us. โBut youโre going to have to put them in dusty, dirtyโฆโ I wrap my arm around her hip. โโฆ
places.โ I slide my hand to her neck and my thumb brushes her lower lip. She inhales again, remembering where I put my thumb three days ago.
Ben silently films us, but I sense his unwanted presence. My thumb lingers on her soft, wet lip.ย Fuck the camera.
Iโm about to push my thumb into her mouth once more, but the front door bursts open.
She pushes off me almost instantly, retreating in her head, realizing who and what surrounds us. I wear my complacent expression, even if Iโm highly fucking irritated at whoever ultimately barged through the door.
I see his blond hair first, and my irritation escalates to new volatile levels. Iโm already an egotistical ass. Iโm afraid Iโm about to become the villain of this reality show.
Right now, I donโt particularly give a shit. โLook, another rodent,โ I say to Rose.
She smacks my chest, but sheโs smiling.
Scott saunters inside like he owns the townhouse. Iโm sure the lease is in his production companyโs name. Next thing, heโll try to stampย Van Wrightย all over my girlfriend.
โWhere is everyone?โ he asks, extending his arms. โThe psychic will be here in five minutes.โ I fixate on the duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
I donโt like assuming things, but if there are clothes, a toothbrush and a change of underwear in his bagโweโre going to have a major fucking problem.
Rose squeezes my arm. Iโm wearing my anger. That happensโnever.
โTheyโre all settling into their new bedrooms,โ Rose tells him. She eyes the duffel. โTraveling somewhere, Scott? Hopefully to California where
youโre actually needed.โ
When he faces my girlfriend, heโs not pissed at her insult. No. Heย smiles. His gaze even lingers on her lipsโthe ones that I just touched. โIโm needed here,โ he tells her. โIt just takes people time to realize whatโs good for them.โ He gives Rose a long once-over, and my blood begins to boil.
โNice dress, but you could lower the neckline. Showing your tits would increase the ratings.โ
โSo would shoving my foot up your ass,โ she retorts. My lips rise.
So do Scottโs.
โJust trying to help,โ he says smoothly. โI do have a question though. If your sisters are wearing your collection on screen, does this mean theyโre going to be entering a nunnery too?โ
She growls and tries to charge him.
I seize her around the waist, holding her back. I hate that he incenses her like this. Thatโs my fucking role.
My lips find her ear. โYouโre giving him what he wants.โ โHeโs insultingย myย line.โ
Itโs like calling her child stupid. I understand the blow. โYour clothes are perfect, Rose. Theyโre not as modest as he believes. Women will buy
them.โ
My words instantly calm her, and she relaxes against me. I hold her while Scott waves Ben towards us. And then I meet his gaze. โSo,โ I say, โyouโre moving in.โ
Itโs a guess.
But it becomes fact as soon as he tosses the duffel bag onto the floor. โI am.โ
Rose balks.
โWhat did production want this time?โ I ask. โA misogynist? A natural blond?โ
โA love triangle,โ he deadpans.
Roseโs cheeks concave as if sheโs attempting to suck in all the air from the room. She points her finger at Scott, the red nail polish threatening and incredibly sexy. โIf you try to break up Lily and Loren, I will gut you from the inside out.โ
No, Rose. He wants you.
His arousal practically swims in his eyes as he watches her tell him off. โIโm not here to break up anyone. Iโll be introduced in the show as your ex- boyfriend. We dated for a few years in college but decided to amicably break up when your fashion line absorbed all your time. I like my women to beโฆattentive. Weโre still friends, despite your love to harass the shit out of me.โ
I let go of Rose and take a step forward. โWe havenโt formally met,โ I say, holding out my hand. โIโm Connor Cobalt. The guy whose girlfriend you want to fuck. And just so you understand, the odds donโt look good for you.โ
He shakes my hand, and I grip him so tight that he struggles to hide a wince. โYouโre threatened by me,โ he states, not breaking eye contact. โIโm twenty-eight, and youโreโโ
I hate ages.ย โTwenty-four years smarter than you.โ I tilt my head. โAnd in ten years Iโll be thirty-four years smarter than you. See how this works?โ
Rose steps between us, hands outstretched like sheโs protecting us from each other. But I just want to protect her from him. โAll right. Put your
cocks away. Iโve seen enough of them.โ
We both look down at her with the same desire.
โYou havenโt even seen mine,โ Scott says with curved lips.
Is he serious?ย โI assure you, youโve pulled out your cock,โ I tell him. โStop. Both of you,โ she says, her chest rising in her dress, her breasts
more apparent, even with the high neckline.ย This, interjecting herself in the middle of a fight, even tame, causes my dick to throb. I struggle not to pull her into my chest, away from Scott and his lingering gaze. She wouldnโt
appreciate me claiming her. But if heโs going to try to take her from meโ thereโs only so long I can withhold from doing so.
Anyway, I donโt thinkย sheโdย appreciate another girl hitting on me this way. In fact, Iโm almost certain sheโd rip her to shreds and grab me.
Rose spins towards Scott. โYouโre the executive producer.โ โYes?โ
โSo youโre in charge of production. You make the rules. So you can leave.โ
โYes, but I also have the network breathing down my neck. GBA
expects certain things fromย Princesses of Phillyย when I pitched the show to them. My placement in the house was a promise I made.โ
Heโs planned this for that long?
Maybe heโs smarter than I thought.
Rose fumes. โIf the network wants you here, then fine. But the moment I think youโre fucking with my friends and their relationships, even mine, youโreย gone. My company isnโt worth hurting everyone I care about.โ
โOkay,โ Scott says evenly. โBut I canโt be held accountable for your feelings, Rose. If you end up liking me, thatโs completely out of my
control.โ
Well, heโs still the douchebag I thought he was.
Rose snorts and backs up into my chest. Itโs intentional. And I could kiss her for it. Instead, I wrap my arm protectively around her collar, and she
clutches onto me.
โIโd rather burn,โ she tells him.
Scott just smiles and motions to Ben whoโs filmed the entire scene. โGet everyone in this fucking living room. We have a psychic segment to shoot.โ
Game on.