Center Stage (Bright Lights Billionaire #2) by Ali Parker

would work best?" Her face visibly paled.
    I laughed. "Nope. See that right there. That look says that you're going to shut me down."
    "Did you decide to be fuck buddies?" She gripped my arm and jerked me toward her. "That's not happening."
    "We didn't decide anything. I offered and she failed to respond."
    "Good for her. You know as well as I do that lust is a precursor to love."
    "No, I don't know that story at all. Lust has been nothing but lust for me. Just another warm body to try and fuck only to end up miserable and alone." I pulled from her angrily. I shouldn't have said anything.
    "I'm sorry you're going through some shit, Ethan, but this is a no go. It's not happening. Period."
    I glanced up to find Riley standing in the doorway in a pair of short white shorts and a pink tank top. She looked good enough to eat.
    "Morning. You guys okay?" She leaned over to look down at Deza. "What's a no go?"
    "Nothing. Morning, beautiful." I moved past her into the plane and left her to talk with D. She could let the pretty bombshell know that my offer was void, not that she'd taken me up on it in the first place.
    I wasn't that lucky...

Chapter 10
    Riley
     
     
    "What was that all about?" I moved back as Deza walked into the plane, looking less than thrilled to be there.
    "Same old shit." She paused and seemed to force the smile that moved across her face. "How are you? Everything go okay with getting away for a few weeks? Your professors weren't assholes about it?"
    "Most of them were good to me." I reached over and grabbed her bag as she tried to take it from me. I laughed and walked back to the small, but open space where a handful of leather chairs sat. "Morning, Ethan."
    I lifted Deza's bag as he turned and took it from me. "How are you? Ready for us to get this show on the road? Nervous at all?"
    "I'm excited. I've been waiting my whole life for something like this, but on a smaller scale." I moved back and dropped down in the seat closest to me.
    "You're just going to have to jump from commercials to the big time. It's going to be an adjustment, but you'll love it." Deza sat down on my left and let out a sigh. "We'll be here to help you through it all."
    "I'm going to call Frank to see what's taking the old goat so long," Ethan butted in and turned, walking to the front of the plane with a stiffness in his stride that didn't belong there. I prayed like hell that he wasn't pissy. A few wrong comments from him, and I'd be crawling in the pit with him.
    Having to try and pinch pennies that morning with Charlotte to pay rent only to come up short had me wanting to lay down in the middle of a busy road.
    "I appreciate your support. I think it's time I had a long talk with Darren though. I haven't released him yet, but it's probably better that I do if I'm going to be getting paid soon. He gets a cut of that, and he's honestly not done shit to deserve it." I reached down and buckled my seatbelt as my eyes moved up to covet Ethan's strong back and sexy rear as he hovered near the front of the plane.
    The pilot walked out and they shook hands before he had Ethan sign something for his daughter.
    "Let's just keep him on the payroll for now. I'll work as your agent, but we'll let him have the benefit of being listed as such. He's going through a hard time." Deza ran her fingers through her long hair. "I shouldn't help him out, but I'm not sure I have a choice."
    "Why is that? You still love him?" I pulled my legs into the seat with me and shifted a little to give her my full attention.
    "Yeah, I think I do." She shrugged and laid her head on her shoulder. "He's all I knew as a young girl, trying to make something out of myself. He helped me a lot in the beginning and loved me through some really tough stuff. I feel like I almost owe him something back in return."
    "What happened to you guys?" It was none of my business and yet I couldn't help but dig a little. I wanted to help bring them back together if it meant both Darren and