by T. S. Ryder
“You see what I’m talking about?” he asked her, and Heidi nodded. She had to smile to make sure her brother’s fears were relieved. She didn’t want him to worry about her. She knew how to take care of herself.
“It’ll be fine, David. So when do we start?” she asked him, and it was Declan again who contributed.
“Now. The sooner the better. And when else will we get so much free publicity than at the end of a concert?” he said and walked over to the door.
“Now?” Heidi couldn’t hide the shock from her voice. She wasn’t prepared. She wasn’t dressed. What was she supposed to say?
“Just come with me. I’ll be doing all the talking. You can just stand and smile and look pretty.” Declan held out his hand towards her. Heidi swung her head to look at David, who shrugged, as if to say, this was your choice.
“Alright,” Heidi said grudgingly and reached for Declan’s hand. She felt an electric zap when their hands touched. It went down her spine, as much as she tried to ignore it.
“You coming, David?” Declan asked her brother. David shrugged again, his face downcast, but this was his job too. He had to stand by Declan.
Together the three of them left the room and started making their way towards the front of the stadium.
Heidi was overwhelmed. Cameras flashed in her face, people screamed, girls swooned and others tried to intercept them for an autograph from Declan.
He was an accommodating celebrity. He posed for photographs with his fans, signed posters and album covers. Heidi couldn’t help but admire him for his people skills. No wonder his fans loved him. He treated them with humility, like he was proud of them and grateful for their support. The whole time they made their way, Declan held on to Heidi’s hand. The photographers were going wild. Every time he stopped for a picture, he pulled her close to him and their arms grazed. She smiled for the camera, hoping that her nervousness wouldn’t quite be as visible in the pictures. He sometimes leaned in to whisper in her ear as the cameras flashed away. He usually said nothing more than, “This is going great,” or, “Well done,” but each time he pulled away from her Heidi remembered to smile, hoping they appeared to be a happy couple in love who were sharing a private joke.
“Declan, who’s this young lady?” One of the reporters stuck a mic in his face, while some others were recording them together. Heidi was already starting to feel faint. She was sure that the expressions on her face looked fake, but she had no other choice but to carry on.
“This is Heidi Scott. She’s my girlfriend,” Declan said. An immediate buzz spread around them. More people were throwing questions at them, most of which Heidi couldn’t even decipher. How could people be so interested in Declan’s personal life?
“How long have you been going out?” someone else yelled out.
“A few weeks. We just decided to move in together.” Declan had a winning smile on his face, and he leaned in suddenly to her and placed a warm, gentle kiss on her cheek. Heidi was blushing and she looked into one of the cameras as it flashed away at her. She was self-conscious and embarrassed, but at the same time, Declan’s hand in hers gave her some kind of rising confidence. This was a kind of fantasy that she was living. It was absolutely unreal.
She threw a look at David, who was helping Declan’s security guards to keep the crowds off him. She was grateful to have him as a brother and, as little as she trusted Declan, despite how strangely attracted to him she was, she was sure her brother would be there to look out for her if she needed him.
Chapter Four
Declan’s house was a mansion. He had the kind of rock star home that Heidi had only seen before in documentaries. They were greeted at the door by his housekeeper, who led them in. David followed them closely.
“Maud, this is Heidi. She’s moving in with me tonight,” Declan announced to the housekeeper, who had maintained a tight-lipped look until now, but turned around to stare at them with a look of absolute disbelief when he said that.
“Moving in?” the older lady exclaimed, and Declan laughed.
“Don’t look so surprised, Maud. We’ve been dating for a few weeks now and we’ve decided to take the next step,” he said, patting Maud affectionately on the back.
“Hi.” Heidi smiled sweetly at the lady, who shook her hand, still in disbelief.
“I didn’t know you lived in New York,” Heidi said in a low voice to him, as he led her into a grand living room. It was luxuriously designed with thick tapestries, carpeted floors and oak furniture. For a rock star, Declan had quite old school, classic taste in decorating.
“This is home to me. I have a few houses in other cities, LA for instance, where I have to spend time when I’m recording. But this is always home.” He touched her waist lightly, but unlike with other people, Heidi wasn’t repelled by Declan’s touch. She looked around her, trying to hide her awe as much as possible.
“So, this is the living room. I’ll have Stuart, my chauffeur, go and pick up some of your stuff from your apartment tomorrow. And we’ll also go shopping for a new wardrobe,” he said, walking over to the small bar in the corner of the room.
“New wardrobe?” Heidi asked, watching him pour whiskey into three glasses. David accepted one of the glasses gladly, but Heidi only shook her head when he offered her one.
“I rarely drink,” she said, and Declan raised his eyebrow at her.
“Anyway, yeah, new wardrobe. I’m guessing these are the only kinds of clothes you own?” He was looking at her intently, not at her body but at her clothes, and Heidi suddenly felt very self-conscious. Was he judging her taste in fashion?
“What’s wrong with it?” she asked, and David cut in.
“It won’t do. People won’t buy it. You need to have the charm of the girl next door, but also dress and play the part of a rock star’s girlfriend. Why else would Declan be attracted to you?” David was drinking from his glass, and his mood had calmed since they arrived at the house. He seemed to have made his peace with his sister’s decision.
“Exactly,” Declan said, still looking at her.
“What will I have to wear?” Heidi looked from one face to the other, still in disbelief. She hadn’t thought this through, clearly.
“Short dresses, leather jackets, high heels, makeup. Your hair needs to be done up, too.” Declan emptied the whiskey into his throat and walked over to the bar for some more.
“My hair?” Heidi glared at her brother, but David smiled.
“You asked for it, sis. What did you think this was going to be? You’ll have to be seen in public together, to really solidify the relationship. And you’ll have to look the part,” David exclaimed, one of his brows raised. Heidi realized then that her brother was enjoying this, he was enjoying the I-told-you-so moment. He emptied his drink into his mouth and clapped his hands.
“It’s been a long day. I’m off. I’ll see you, the happy couple, in the morning, then,” David said, thumping Declan on the back.
Declan had poured himself another glass and was already drinking from it.
“Leaving already?” he asked, and David nodded.
“Be good, you two,” David said, with a flourishing smile, and then he was gone.
Heidi was alone in the living room with Declan, who was polishing off his second glass of whiskey.
“Sit down, Heidi, make yourself comfortable,” he said, and she walked slowly over to one of the leather chairs. It was plush and she sank into it when she sat on it. Her head was whirling, all of this was happening too fast. Just a few hours ago, she had been fired from her job and was baking cupcakes in her kitchen. Now she was in the living room of one of the most celebrated young musicians, pretending to be his girlfriend.
“So what are we going to do for fun, Heidi Scott?” Declan was pouring a third drink, and he turned to face her, the ice cubes tinkling in his glass.
Heidi turned her eyes to him, her heart beating out of her chest with nervous excitement.
“Talk?” she suggested, and Decl
an burst out laughing.
“The only time I talk is either at interviews or when David and I get really stoned late at night and we have nothing else to do. Like brother, like sister, huh?” He walked over to the middle of the room. His eyes had glazed over a little. It seemed like he had drunk his whiskey too quickly and the alcohol was beginning to take effect.
“There’s not much point having a conversation now if you’re going to continue drinking like that.” Heidi crossed her legs as she sat. She wasn’t quite sure what had made her say that, but Declan raised his eyebrows.
“So why don’t you join me? We can both drink together,” he said, his eyes glittering as he looked at her. Heidi saw in him what everybody else seemed to see in him on stage. His body was lithe in his leather jacket, his fingers held chunky silver rings and his hands were large as he gripped the glass. His dirty blonde hair fell in short, spiky strands over his blue eyes. His lips were plump and glistened with the moisture from the drink. His eyes dropped as he looked at her, and of course that voice! It had a magnetic effect that Heidi couldn’t describe. She was struggling to keep it together.
“I told you, I don’t drink much,” she said, shying away from holding his gaze. Declan walked over to her, taking the leather chair facing her. He drank slowly from his glass now, conscious of the fact that he was getting drunk and she wasn’t drinking.
“And what else do you not do?” he asked. Heidi bit down on her lip.
“I don’t wear leather jackets or high heels or glittering dresses. Neither do I date rock stars,” she said. Declan raised an eyebrow and smirked.
“Noted. Who do you date, then?” he asked, and Heidi tried avoiding his gaze. This was hard, maintaining her composure under his hard stare.
“Not very many people. I’ve not been in a relationship for a very long time.” Heidi was blushing as she spoke. She knew she didn’t have to tell him any of this, but who was he going to tell? They were both in on a lie and he was forced to keep her secrets, too.
“Neither have I. I’m sure you’ve been with people since then, though?” he asked, throwing back his head as he drank the remnants of the whiskey in his glass. Heidi blushed again. This was getting too personal. But did she really care?
“Not really,” she replied, challenging him with a hard stare of her own. Declan’s eyes widened and he smiled like he thought she was telling a joke.
“Are you serious? Who were you with last?” he asked. Heidi blushed and looked away. She couldn’t look at him while she confessed her secrets to him.
“Nobody,” she said, and Declan clapped a hand to his mouth. His expression was exaggerated. She could tell that he didn’t believe her.
“You’ve never been with any man in your life?” he asked with a laugh, and Heidi bit down on her lip.
“Not entirely. I’ve fooled around with boyfriends, of course. But nothing else.”
“Why?” He nearly screamed out the question.
“It was never the right person, I suppose.” She said wistfully, looking out of the French windows. She hadn’t thought about that aspect of her life in a long time. What was making her suddenly think about it now, in the presence of Declan Xavier?
“That’s a pity,” he said, sitting back in his chair. He was still looking at her, the empty glass dangling from his hand. “You’re a strange one, Heidi Scott,” he said after a few minutes of silence. She looked back at him, a twinkle in her eye. There was a certain thrill in revealing this secret to him, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to make it public, spread it as gossip, now that they were in a fake relationship.
“Man, I can’t imagine what that would be like, having your first time now,” he said, and Heidi smirked.
“It’s not such a big deal, really. I just want to get it out of the way now,” she said, staring back at him with a smile in her eyes. Where was this conversation taking them? She wasn’t sure of it herself. All she knew was that nobody had ever looked hotter to her than Declan Xavier, and he was a guy who every girl in the country wanted to sleep with, and he was stuck in a relationship with her. A wide smile spread on Heidi’s face as she watched him watching her. What was he thinking?
“So you just want to get it out of the way, huh?” he asked. Heidi nodded her head.
“Something like that,” she said and licked her lips.
“Maybe this fake relationship can turn out to be beneficial for both of us.” Declan looked at her from under his fallen eyelids. Heidi raised an eyebrow.
“Maybe,” she said and stood up from her chair suddenly. “Maybe not. I haven’t given it much thought. Either way, it’s a business contract, and I need the money to open my bakery,” she added, and Declan stood up as well.
“So you keep saying,” he said in a drowsy voice, before he walked past her and opened the door, holding it in place for her to walk through.
“Off to the bedroom, then, so I can make sweet, homely love to you,” he said loudly. Maud stood near the stairs with a fresh towel in her hands. Heidi smirked, and then turned with a smile to Maud.
“Here’s a towel for you, miss. I wasn't sure what else you might need. Your clothes?” Maud ignored Declan as he climbed the stairs, grabbing Heidi’s hand on his way up.
It was clear to see that Maud didn’t believe them. She had no faith in the relationship. She didn’t buy that Declan suddenly had a girlfriend, someone he was in love with and serious about. Heidi breathed in deeply, the smile still on her face. She needed to do something to get the ball rolling. She needed to show Maud and the rest of the people who would be watching their relationship closely that Heidi was not like the other girls Declan brought home. She was here to stay…maybe just for a while, but they didn’t need to know that.
“Thank you, Maud,” she said and accepted the towel from the older lady’s hands. “My clothes will arrive tomorrow. And if you’d be so kind, can we have our breakfast in bed tomorrow morning?” She spoke with as much authority as she could muster.
Maud’s expression changed from boredom to a look of surprise. She clearly hadn’t been expecting Heidi to say something like that. The balance had shifted slightly. Heidi could feel it as she followed Declan upstairs and sensed Maud’s keen eyes on them.
“That was boss,” Declan leaned in to whisper in Heidi’s ear, and she smiled.
“You’re very welcome,” she said with a smile. Heidi Scott was pleased with herself.
Chapter Five
Declan’s room was not messy at all. Heidi wasn’t sure if it was Maud’s doing or if Declan was just a neat and clean person in private. Either way, it brought a smile to her face. The room had dim lights, a king-sized bed and some framed posters on the walls. Other than that, the room was bare, clothes and other things neatly hidden away in built-in closets and cabinets.
Declan entered the room and threw himself onto the bed almost immediately.
“You must be tired,” Heidi said, sitting at the edge of the bed.
“I’ve had worse days. Do you need to get changed?” He turned himself, laying flat on his belly and looking up at her. His face was more serious now, and his eyes were focused on her face. Heidi could feel her neck growing hot. The realization that she was going to spend the whole night with him was just sinking in.
“I don’t really have anything to wear for the night,” she said meekly. Declan quickly jumped off the bed and walked over to one of the closets.
“You can have this,” he said, pulling out a t-shirt and handing it to her. “The bathroom’s through there.” He pointed at a closed door and Heidi made her way towards it.
Once the door was shut behind her, she let out a huge breath and clutched the sides of the basin. It felt like she finally had a chance to breathe, after hours of holding her breath. What was going on? Too many things had happened too quickly for her to be able to process all of it smoothly. She was excited, nervous, happy and afraid, all at the same time. Declan Xavier was outside, and she was going to share a bed with him for the night. Di
d she trust herself? Did she trust him?
Heidi stared at herself in the mirror for a few minutes. Her blonde curls were magically still in place, and they fell on both sides of her face softly. What haircut were they going to give her? Her soft amber eyes looked large and tired. What little makeup she had put on before leaving her house was all faded and gone. Heidi splashed water onto her face and then quickly changed out of her clothes into Declan’s t-shirt. It was long and baggy and fell to mid-thigh on her.
Slowly she came out of the bathroom and noticed that Declan had changed as well. He was sitting up, shirtless and with his lower half covered by the covers. The reading lamp was on, and he was reading a book. Even more shocking were the small, circular reading glasses he was wearing. She would never have pegged Declan Xavier as a voracious reader, but there in his bed, tucked in and reading a book, he could have been a school teacher or a scientist if she hadn’t known better.
He looked up at her as she walked out of the bathroom towards him. He rested his book on the bed beside him and watched her with a lingering smile on his face.
“You look comfortable,” he said, as she stood at the end of the bed. Heidi was continually tucking her loose curls behind her ears out of nervousness. What was she supposed to do next? Just get into bed with him? She had never done this before.
“I am,” she said with a smile and stood staring at him.
“Hop in,” he said, patting the space on the bed next to him. Heidi gingerly went over. She raised the covers and saw a flash of his bare legs. Declan wasn’t wearing anything! She felt goosebumps on her skin as she slipped under the warm sheets. She could feel a sudden wetness between her legs that she hadn’t anticipated. Just the thought of Declan being naked under the covers was enough to turn her on. How was she supposed to survive the night?
He was watching her as she made herself comfortable, maintaining a few inches of space between them.
