Page 39 of Lovetown, USA
Lane
Britt’s face fills the screen, framed by the messy bun that never really looks messy on her. “Okay, spill,” she says without preamble. “What’s going on with Dr. Handsome?”
I groan. “Seriously? That’s your first question?”
“It’s the only question that matters. You have the readers eating out of the palm of your hand, Lane.” She leans closer. “Including me. So, what’s the deal?”
I hesitate, twisting the edge of the comforter between my fingers. “We’re exclusive, but that’s neither here nor there.”
She claps her hands together and squeals. “Are you insane? That’s here, there, and everywhere. Perfect! Metrics are already through the roof. This will drive the rest of the series. We have to celebrate!”
“No, we don’t.” My stomach knots. “Did you even look at the notes I sent last night? The contracts, the allocations, the paper trail? This is a major story.”
“I read them.” Britt sighs. “Listen. Your story is on point, but I don’t think the readers will care. They want the love story, Lane.”
“But—“
“Look at all the fucking bullshit in the news right now. Readers want a distraction. And your story is not that. It’s more gloom and doom.” She pauses to drink from her pink sparkly Stanley cup. “And it contradicts what you have with Dr. Handsome. What y’all have is real.”
I press my lips together, heat rising in my chest. “This could have been big for me, Britt. Career-saving. My Lazarus moment.”
“Wait, who am I in this story? Am I Jesus?”
“You are definitely not Jesus,” I say, and we both burst into much-needed laughter. “I’m just saying.”
“Well, you can’t do both,” she says gently. “You can’t fall in love and call out the scam. You have to choose.”
“Wait. Let’s circle back. In love? How on earth did you get there ?”
Britt makes a face. “Danielle Lane. Listen to yourself. You are so in love.”
“I am not.” Now my cheeks are burning. “Besides, one has nothing to do with the other. I can put this story out and love Trey in private.”
Fuck.
The words slipped out before I could censor them.
Britt smirks, smug as a cat with cream. “So now that we’ve established that…”
I cover my face with one hand. “I hate you.”
“You adore me. Anyway, it’s your choice. I’ll give you a day. Choose wisely, Lane.” She blows me a kiss before hanging up.
I drop my phone on the nightstand, grumbling under my breath for nobody to hear. I don’t even notice the shower water stopped running. When the door opens, all six feet and four inches of Trey stands there, clad only in a towel, looking like something that fell out of heaven.
My eyes rake over him, my mouth falling open. “I don’t usually compliment men, but damn Trey.”
He winks from the doorway as he rolls deodorant on.
“What’s the male equivalent of a ‘bad bitch’?”
He makes a face. “I mean, you can just tell me I look nice. You ain’t gotta gas me, especially not like that.”
I laugh as he approaches the bed. “Can I tell you I think you’re fine as hell?”
He pretends to think about it. “That works.”
He’s in front of me now, staring down from a great height, his dick just a few inches away. All I have to do is hook my finger in that towel and I can have it.
Yeah.
Let’s do that.
One flick of my finger and the towel is at his feet. He’s semi-hard when he pops out, brown and veiny and thick.
“My mouth is actually watering right now,” I say, my eyes glued to it. “It’s so pretty.”
His low chuckle warms me. “Put it in your mouth.”
I was headed there anyway.
I take him straight to the back of my throat, no fanfare, no pregame. Just straight tonsil-stabbing, and he likes it. He fucks my face until tears run down, then he cums in my mouth with a roar, shooting his kids down my throat so fast I almost choke on them.
I give him a few minutes, then get it back hard again. I’m on top, riding him backwards, when his phone buzzes. He silences it, muttering, “He can wait,” so I assume it’s Cam.
No matter.
I have reverse cowgirling to do.
“Fuck,” he murmurs. “That pussy so damn good. And you got this fat ass in my face, goddamn girl. Fuck me. Just like that. Bounce on that muhfucka.”
My knees aren’t what they used to be, but I’m holding my own. I stutter a little, then stop when the orgasm hits me.
He’s behind me loving it. “Look at that asshole winking at me. My tongue gon’ be up that bitch in just a minute. That nut feel good, baby?”
“Yesssssss.”
His phone buzzes again.
“Fuck! Sorry. It’s Cam again.”
“Go ahead.”
“Man, what do you want? You got the worst timing. Damn.”
I laugh quietly, then say, “Hey Cam!”
Trey blows out a breath, then I hear Cam’s voice loud and clear on speaker. “Hey, beautiful!”
“What you want?” Trey demands.
“My allowance for this month.”
“Yeah, I forgot. My bad. I’ll send it in a minute.”
“Can you send it now? I’m about to pick Raven up.”
“Boy, I don’t give a f—“
“Give him five minutes,” I cut in, saving Cam a tongue lashing.
He hangs up, throwing his phone across the room, easily hitting one of the throw pillows that’s lying in the corner.
“You gon’ finish me off in five minutes?” he says, smacking my ass. “Let’s see what you got.”
It only takes three.
After, he calls Cam back to make sure the money went through.
“Yep, just came through. Thanks, Pop.”
“Yeah, whatever. You get a job yet?”
I cut my eyes at Trey. “Guess what, Cam?”
“What’s up?”
“Your dad is taking me to the ball.”
“Oh, word? You wanted to go to that corny shit?”
“Aye!” Trey picks grabs the phone and yells directly into it. “WATCH YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU TALK TO HER.”
“Okay, dang!” We hear shuffling, then Cam’s back again. “Sorry. You wanted to go to that corny dance?”
“Of course. I get to be on your father’s arm.”
He snickers. “You gassin’ him. That nigga ain’t got no game.”
“Aye, send my money back,” Trey says. “Right now.”
“It was a joke!”
“Yeah, laugh yo ass on over to that Zelle app and send my shit right on back.”
“You’re breaking up. I’ma call later when I can hear—“
The line goes dead.
We look at each other and laugh, and we end up spending most of the day in Trey’s bed. Enjoying ourselves immensely.
Still, I don’t have to ponder Britt’s ultimatum. It’s an easy choice for me. I enjoy Trey. I like Trey.
But I love my career.