The Playboy – Chapter One

The Playboy is a standalone contemporary romance novel by New York Times Bestselling Author J. S. Cooper that will be released at the end of August, 2019. You can preorder it on iBooks and Nook, to be notified when it is released on Amazon, please join my mailing list here.

Please enjoy my exclusive excerpt from The Playboy below. Please note that the following chapter hasn’t been fully edited.

Prologue

Sometimes the man to sweep you off of your feet is not the man you think he’s going to be.

Sometimes the man that turns your world upside down can also turn it rightside up.

Sometimes the man you hate is the man that you will love to hate.

I’ve always wanted to be in love. Always dreamt of the moment the man of my dreams will sweep me up into his arms and never let me go. I had no idea that the man that was to take my breath away would be him.

Chapter One

Piper

“On my way.” 

“Hurry.” I typed back slightly annoyed.

“Tonight we’re going to get laid.”

“Are you sure you didn’t already?”

“Nope, date was a booore.”

“Oh?”

“I’ll tell you all over a cocktail.”

“Hurry, I’m falling asleep.”

“Nearly there.”

“Where are you??”

The last text had been sent over an hour ago and I was debating whether or not to just leave the club. The night was starting out with as much promise as an almost empty fridge with a lone moldy apple sitting in it. It was ten thirty and my best friend, Alexandra still hadn’t arrived. I stifled a yawn as I looked around the hot new club that I found myself standing in, surrounded by young pulsing bodies that were high on life, alcohol and drugs. The bass of the music felt too loud to my ears, but I knew that was because I was an old fart at the grand age of twenty-eight. My black dress felt too tight and too skimpy and my heels were already hurting my feet. I wanted to go home already, but I knew Alexandra would kill me if I went back to the hotel room before the night had even started. I looked at my phone again to see if she’d responded to my last text message. When she’d told me she would meet me at the club because she was going to meet a guy from Tinder for a drink in Beverly Hills, I thought that was a good idea, but now I wasn’t so sure. Maybe she should have just met me back at the hotel room. I walked towards the bar and debated between getting myself shit-faced drunk and just enjoying the night or going home and watching Friends.

I reached my hand up to touch my hair to see if it still felt silky and smooth or if it had frizzed up in the sweaty heat of the club. I was pleased to feel soft tresses beneath my fingers and smiled to myself. At least one thing was going right tonight. Two tall blonde girls brushed past me giggling as they danced to the Pitbull song pumping through the speakers.

“And so I said to Zoila, of course I’m going to take the audition, I mean it’s for Scorcese.” Blonde number one said.

“No way, Martin Scorcese?” Blonde number two gawked at her.

“No,” tall blonde number one laughed. “Big Boobs Scorcese, you know the guy that does those Spring Break videos.”

“Oh yeah, yeah, he’s rich.” Blonde number two grinned at her. “I think I saw he was a judge at Martini’s wet tshirt contest last week. My friend, Lisa won. She got like five hundred dollars and a free tishirt.”

I pressed my lips together to stop myself from laughing and turned away from them and was about to pull out my phone to text Alexandra that I was going to leave. This club was far out of my comfort zone and I just wasn’t having fun at all. I wasn’t even in a dancing mood, if I was honest with myself. And not one of the young hot studs milling around had even given me a glance.

“Would you like a drink?” The words were smooth and sexy and I turned to brush off my suitor with a small smile. I never accepted drinks from strangers. It just wasn’t smart. How were you to know that they hadn’t dropped a roofie in it or something? I didn’t want to end up in the back of a car I didn’t know. Even though I was going to say no to the drink, I was happy to have been asked.

“N…Oh.” I gasped as my eyes made contact with the man that had offered me a drink and my jaw dropped.

“Is oh a yes or a no?” His eyes twinkled as he smiled down at me, obviously having had this reaction in multiple women through-out his life. I blinked rapidly as I stared back up at him. I could barely believe my eyes. Jackson Camden was standing in front of me. The Jackson Camden. The rockstar Jackson Camden. Jackson Camden of my teenage dreams and if I’m honest several late night fantasies.

“I, uh…” I mumbled and swallowed hard as I shook my head. “I…” I started again, but my voice trailed off as I noticed that I had lost his attention already.

“Jackson Camden, is that you?” A tall slinky blonde joined us at the bar and ran her fingers down his back as she purred up at him, lips pouted and boobs pressing into him. I had to admit that I was certainly slightly envious of her confidence. There was no way that I would feel comfortable pushing myself up on a famous rockstar like that.

“Yes, it’s me.” He was completely turned away from me now and I watched as he smiled at her.

“Can I have your autograph?” I watched as she giggled and flirted with him. I couldn’t look away even though I was starting to feel like a bit of a voyeur.

“Of course, where do you want it?” He took the pen from her hand and my jaw dropped once again as the lady pulled her top down and asked him to sign her breast. 

“Better luck next time.” A voice whispered into my ear from behind me and I jumped and let out a small scream. The sudden movement made my purse fall to the ground and I bent down to pick it up.

“Excuse me?” I glared up at the man next to me, not looking at him properly as I stood back up and clutched my bag to my tightly. Had he been watching me watch Jackson and the blonde this whole time?

“I said, better luck next time.” His voice was deep and mocking and his tone was already irritating me. 

“Better luck next time?” I finally made contact with his sharp azure blue eyes and my heart skipped a beat as I realized who I was talking to.

“Just think that could have been your breast he was signing if you’d been able to open your mouth a bit faster.” His lips twisted up at the side and he looked as cocky in person as I had always imagined him to be from his movie posters and TV interviews.

“I don’t want him signing my breasts.” I spoke stiffly, not knowing what to say.

“You’d rather have him doing other things to your breasts?” He grinned and licked his lips in a deeply suggestive manner and I shuddered.

“No!” I said sharply. “That’s really out of order.”

“What is?” He said with a small wink. “You need to loosen up lady.” He stared at my lips and I wanted to slap the smirk off of his face. Instead I turned away from him. I was pleased to see that the blonde was gone and Jackson was still there and I took a deep breath before tapping on his shoulder.

“I’ll have that drink now.” I smiled up at him and he looked back at me with a smile.

“I thought you’d never say yes.” He teased me with a crooked smiled and I laughed loudly so that the other man would see that I was a fun loose woman, even if he didn’t think so.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend Jackson?” The man behind me spoke again and I groaned. Why was he still here? Though I could probably guess. He was obviously there with Jackson. I didn’t know that they were friends, but didn’t all famous people seem to know each other. In fact, if I thought about it a little closer, hadn’t they been in a band together years ago?

“Sure, if I can get her name.” Jackson grinned at me and I felt my face flushing with pleasure. It was kind of cool that a hot rockstar wanted to know my name. Actually it was more than kind of cool, it was super cool and awesome and I wanted to text Alexandra and jump up and down. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before in my life.

“Piper.” I smiled at him sweetly, my heart racing rapidly. “I’m Piper.”

“Peter Piper picked a pickled pepper.” Began the man behind me and I ignored him. I knew he was trying to rile me up for some reason and I just didn’t know why. 

“Nice name.” Jackson smiled at me. “I’m Jackson and that’s my good friend, Oracle.”

I turned around reluctantly and looked at the annoying man behind me again. This time I allowed my eyes to look him over fully, while I felt him doing the same to me. Of course, I had known as soon as I’d seen him before that he was Oracle Lion. I would have had to have lived under a rock not to know who he was. Oracle Lion was an A List actor, former rockstar, and a complete and utter playboy. He was in the newspaper almost every other week with a different model or actress on his arms. And he was known as the most eligible bachelor in Hollywood. He was sex on legs and standing next to him I felt his presence and charisma oozing from every pore of his body. If it had been hard to believe that Jackson Camden was here, then it was even harder to believe that the handsome, gorgeous and completely untameable Oracle Lion was standing right next to me. It was hard to believe, but it was true. I guess the gossip rags weren’t always true. They said that Oracle never deigned to go to public establishments anymore. He only liked to attend exclusive parties and private clubs. I guess they’d been slightly wrong.

“Hi, what’s your name again?” Oracle held his hand out and tilted his head as he gave me a small nod.

“Like I just said, I’m Piper.” I reached my hand out to shake his and I felt a small buzz as our fingers touched. “And you are?” I gave him a small smile, faking politeness as he grinned. “I didn’t quite catch your name. Did Jackson say Urkel?” I gave him a blank stare, hoping he bought my ‘I-have-no-idea-who-you-are-act’.

“No, I’m not Urkel.” He raised an eyebrow as he stared at me with the most intense gaze I’d ever experienced in my life. His blue eyes seemed to sparkle as he stared at me. “I’m the starring fantasy of every woman’s dreams.” He winked at me then and I was glad that I had faked ignorance. He was an insufferable bore with an ego bigger than the sun. I could tell that already. And just because he was hot didn’t mean I was going to fall at his feet. I was over assholes, famous or not.

“Oh is that your name? It’s pretty long, isn’t it?” I raised an eyebrow at him and his eyes narrowed as he stared at me. The cocky smile left his face and I could see that he was taken aback.

“Yes, it is pretty long, but I usually save that talk for the bedroom.” Oracle’s face twisted into one of seduction and I swallowed hard as I thought about being in his bedroom with both of us naked.

“Whatever, Urrrkkkeeel.” I said, pretending that he hadn’t gotten me hot and bothered. “Were you named after Steve Urkel from Family Matters?”

“You’re joking right?” Oracle smirked at me and I stood there with a blank face. I couldn’t stand cocky guys. Especially guys like Oracle who thought they were God’s gift to women. I knew all about Oracle Lion. Everyone who owned a TV or saw a magazine knew that he had more women than some people had friends. I wasn’t going to let him think I was going to be his next conquest.

“Joking about what?” I shrugged and looked over at Jackson who was observing the conversation with a huge grin.

“I think you’ve finally met someone who doesn’t know who you are, pal.” Jackson started laughing and punched Oracle in the shoulder.

“Yes, it would seem that way.” Oracle looked into my eyes and this time he smiled sweetly. I could see why so many women fell for him; his very glance made me feel like he was gazing directly into my soul. 

“So what would you like to drink, Piper?” Jackson asked me again and I was about to answer when I felt my phone vibrating through my purse. I pulled it out and saw that it was my best friend, Alexandra. Finally! “Where you at, biatch, I’m here.” Read her always too polite text.

“Excuse me, sorry. I think my friend is here.” I said as I texted her back.

“Hey, I’m inside by the bar.”

“Cool, get me a drink.”

“What do you want?”

“White wine. Or a White Russian. Or both. Or white wine with a white russian in a hot tub. :)”

“Okay. Also you will never guess who is here!” I typed and prayed that Oracle wasn’t spying on me and staring at my screen while I typed.

“Who??? Putin?”

“Alexandra! I’m rolling my eyes. Putin?”

“Haha, then who?”

You’ll see. Seeya in a few.” I said and put my phone back in my purse.

“So was that your boyfriend?” Jackson asked, his eyes on my hands as I shook my head, my face covered in a goofy smile. Alexandra always made me laugh, even when I was mad at her for being late.

“No, it’s my best friend, Alexa.” I could feel Oracle staring at me, but I didn’t look at him. “We’ve treated ourselves to a ladies weekend.” I explained, even though he hadn’t asked me any other questions. “I’m surprised to see you here. I thought you were based in New York.” To be honest, I had no idea if Jackson was based in NYC or LA and didn’t really care. However, I knew for a fact that Oracle was based in LA because I’d read an article only a couple weeks previously about some new ten million dollar house he’d bought in Studio City. The exterior had been beautiful, but the inside looked like a hot mess, full of ostentatious pop art and artifacts that belonged in a museum more than a home. Not that I would tell him that, of course. He couldn’t know that I knew what his bedroom looked like, when I’d pretended that I didn’t even know who he was.

“Ladies weekend?” He asked me and I have to admit that I was surprised that he was showing any sort of interest in my life.

“Piper, Piper, there you are.” Alexandra ran over to me, bumping past people without a care as she made her way to me, her long blonde hair flowing down her back. She was wearing a very short red dress and 4 inch heels. Her mascara was caked on blacker than I’d ever seen it and her red lipstick screamed look at my pouty lips. She looked like she was hoping to be discovered and featured on the cover of Playboy magazine and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. We were such opposites. “I have been looking all over for you.” She gave me a huge hug and I knew she hadn’t noticed Jackson or Oracle as yet, even though they were standing right next to me and staring at us both.

“I highly doubt you’ve been looking that long as you just arrived a minute ago.” I laughed as we air-kissed. 

“So where’s my wine and Putin?”

“Alexa.” I rolled my eyes at her. “No-one would ever believe you were a grad student at Berkeley.”

“Stop being so kind, Piper.” She winked at me and then she gasped and I knew that she had spotted at least one, if not both of the famous men next to me. “Oracle Lion, is that you. Oh my God.” She almost screamed as she stared at Oracle and I knew he was grinning even without looking at his face. “Is this who you were talking about Piper?” She grinned at me. “I knew this was the place to be.”

“How do you do?” Oracle’s voice was smooth as he spoke to Alexa. “I assume you’re Pepper’s best friend?”

“Pepper?” Alexa looked confused. “You mean Piper?”

“Oh yes, that was it.” I looked over at him now and I could see the smug look on his face as his eyes danced along my face. “Piper, of course.” He gave me a fake apologetic smile and I did my best not to roll my eyes at him.

“And I’m Jackson.” Jackson moved from next to me and asserted himself right next to Alexa. “Nice to make your acquaintance.”

“You too. I’m Alexandra.” Alexa grinned and then looked at me with a searching look as if to ask how did this happen? I shrugged at her. I wasn’t sure why Jackson hadn’t approached me and I was still quite shocked that more women hadn’t come up to the two of them. I mean here they were two huge megastars, but then I remembered that we were in West Hollywood and the last thing anyone did was approach stars. It just wasn’t done, though I could feel the stares of half the club on us now. I had been oblivious to the stares before because I’d been so annoyed waiting for Alexa, but now I could clearly see that both men and women were staring at the four of us with varying looks of jealousy, surprise, excitement and wonder. I could see the women wondering what Alexa and I had that they didn’t to grab their attention. I wasn’t really sure either, but I wasn’t going to question it.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Oh…” She looked at me before answering. I could tell from the look on her face that she wanted to say yes. I knew that she fancied Jackson. I mean, who wouldn’t? But he was a rockstar with a well-known penchant for one night stands and I didn’t see what the point of them getting to know each other would be. We’d be driving back up to Northern California the next day. “What do you think, Piper?”

“I think Piper wants you to say no. She wants you all to herself.” Oracle winked at me and then continued. “And I can see why, you’re one sexy woman, Alexandra.”

“Excuse me?” I blinked at her, my eyes narrowing. “What does that mean?”

“What does what mean?” He stared at me then, a small curve on the right side of his lips. “Are you saying that you would like to have a drink with us?”

“Well, no, that’s not what I’m saying, but…”

“So you’d rather have Alexa all to yourself?”

“Why are you putting it like that?” I glared at him. “Like I’m…” My lips stopped moving as I could see that he was looking close to laughter.

“Like you’re what?” He questioned.

“Like I’m a lesbian.”

“Is there anything wrong with being a lesbian?”

“No, of course not, that’s not what I’m saying.”

“I quite think that I’d be a lesbian, if I were to become a woman.” He said with a huge grin. “I’d be a huge dyke.”

“You can’t say that.” I shook my head at him. “You just love being controversial, don’t you?”

“Am I controversial?” He said, an eyebrow raised as he moved closer to me. “I don’t find myself to be very controversial.”

“I think I’ll accept that drink.” Alexa said to Jackson, giving me a small smile. “Seems like you too are busy chatting.”

“We’re not busy chatting.” I gave her a look, but she smiled sweetly for a second and then whispered something in Jackson’s ear. He looked back at me and Oracle and started laughing and I could feel myself growing heated as I knew they were laughing at me. What had she said to him? And what happened to girl code? Alexa should have been guiding me to the other side of the club or even out of it as soon as she saw how rude Oracle was being to me. “Where are you going?” I asked as she stepped back. 

“Piper, please.” She mouthed at me, her light brown eyes twinkling as she gave me a look. The look said, please please do not ruin this for me. And I knew that in that moment, I had to suck it up. How often did either one of us have a hot handsome A-lister interested in us, even if it was just for a hookup? Never, that was how often. Not that we were ugly or anything, but we were both just that bit too nerdy to really attract loads of men. Well, at least I was too nerdy. Alexa always got men. Even though she was a history major like me, she didn’t look like the typical history buff. Not many people would guess that she was getting her PhD in History. She didn’t even give off that sexy librarian vibe, with her hair in a bun. She was cute and fun-loving and sexy but she was also very astute and aware of the opposite sex. She knew how to flirt and she knew how to flirt well. Unlike me, I was the definition of awkwardness and I couldn’t flirt to save my life.

“Fine, I’ll have a Moscow Mule, please.” I gave her a pointed look that said, you better not just disappear on me. She was definitely going to hear it from me as it had been her idea for us to come down to LA for the weekend to have a break. We’d rented an Airbnb and gone shopping in San Francisco at the Westfield Mall for some new outfits to wear. I’d even gone to the hairdresser to get a blowout, even though my naturally curly hair had a mind of its own. We’d planned to go driving around the Hollywood Hills and then to Beverly Hills to look at stars homes. Then we were going to go to Santa Monica and Venice Beach to check out the piers. We weren’t going to swim though because you didn’t get a $75 blowout to have it wash out in one dunk of the water. We’d planned to write at some coffee shops and check out bookstores and then have a fun night out dancing and flirting with want to be actors. I should have known that everything had sounded too good to be true. We’d left Oakland in my car and driven down the I-5 singing Ed Sheeran and Rihanna songs, ignoring the bad drivers that sped past us to only have to slow down when they hit the inevitable traffic that flooded the interstate between the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Everything had been great until we’d arrived at the Airbnb and realized that we only had one actual bedroom and the other bed was a couch with a foldout mattress in the living room. We’d flipped a coin for the bedroom and I’d won. I had taken a shower and when I’d come out of the bathroom, Alexa was standing there with a guilty but excited look on her face. She’d told me that she’d downloaded Tinder and had already matched with several guys and that one had already asked her to meetup. I’d stood with a neutral smile on my face, but I hadn’t been happy. When she’d asked if I minded her meeting him for a quick bite and drink before we went to the club, I hadn’t been happy, but what could I say? The fact that she’d taken hours on the date and now was flitting off with some new man minutes after she’d arrived at the club had me fuming. I didn’t see the point of even being here if all she’d wanted was to hook up with some guy. What sort of girls trip started and ended with a hookup?

“Okay.” She said and she disappeared to another side of the bar with Jackson Camden leading the way, his hand on her back. I pursed my lips and stifled a sigh as I saw her looking up at him with a winning flirtatious smile.

“So what happens between the two people left behind when their best friends leave them to go and hook up?” Oracle whispered into my ear as I continued to watch Alexa and Jackson walk away into the flashing lights.

“They haven’t left us to hook-up.” I looked up at him, annoyed at the smug look on his face.

“Are you jealous?” There was a smirk on his face.

“Jealous about what?”

“That Jackson ditched you as soon as your friend arrived?”

“He didn’t ditch me.” I said, but then I thought about the situation. He had been flirting with me initially, but as soon as he’d seen Alexa, he’d moved on. That should have made me jealous, but frankly I was too annoyed to really care. Yes, Jackson Camden was hot, but he wasn’t really my type. He seemed too out there in his look for me. 

“Aww, okay. Yeah, that’s you walking to the VIP section with him to have some champagne on the house.” Oracle nodded. “Sorry, I forgot.”

“You’re really an asshole, aren’t you?”

“Am I?” He cocked his head to the side and smiled, the light never catching his eyes. “I don’t know about that. How’s about we make the most out of tonight and have a little fun?”

“Are you joking?” I said loudly and disdainfully, almost laughing at the look on his face. “Do you really think that I’m going anywhere with you?”

“We can cut the crap.” He said as he moved closer to me, his lips almost next to mine as he stared into my eyes. “I know you know who I am. You’d have to live under a rock to not know. Let’s stop playing games and let’s just cut to the chase.”

“Does that normally work for you?” I licked my lips nervously as I spoke back to him. I couldn’t lie to myself. He was sexy and his green eyes seemed to be looking directly into my soul. I’d never been so close to a man this handsome before and it made me nervous. If I was a different kind of girl, I’d definitely say yes to going back to his place for one night. I mean, how many people got to say they hooked up with a huge star? But then again, this was Oracle Lion, most problem millions of women.

“Do most women accept my offer of a hookup?” He chuckled as if the question I’d asked him was a joke. “Let’s just say most women don’t even wait for me to offer, it usually comes from them…do you know how many panties I’ve been given.”

“And you like that?” I said disdainfully. He really was a pig. “You just take them home with you.”

“I don’t take anyone to my home.” He said, his lips thin. “I’m not inviting you to my home.”

“So where do you propose we have this hot sex then?”

“Well I didn’t say it would be sex and I certainly didn’t say it would be hot, but I like the way your mind thinks.” He bit down on his lower lip and his mouth moved closer to my ear. “If you want to invite me back to your place to show you how hot it could be, let me know.”

“I don’t think so.”

“So then what do two people who have been ditched by their friends do?” He said and his hand moved to my hair and started stroking it back behind my ear. It felt pretty nice to feel his warm fingers on my skin, but as I looked at his face I could see a distant look in his expression. I could have been anyone in that moment. I meant absolutely nothing to him. I could tell that I was just another woman to him. I felt slightly upset at that, but what was expecting? That I’d be special to him, after ten minutes of chatting?

“They go home and relax in a big comfy bed.” I said matter-of-factly. A part of me was annoyed with Alexa. We hadn’t had a girls night out in ages, but the other part of me was quite happy and excited for her. If she was going to ditch me, I’m glad it was with a hottie like Jackson. He looked like the sort of guy that could show her a good time and she was in need of one of them. Both of us had been in a rut recently; our love lives were almost nonexistent, jobs weren’t satisfying and we both found ourselves in a bit of a conundrum. At twenty-eight years of age, we were both at a bit of a standstill. That’s why we’d decided on this super fun weekend away, and I supposed this would help her, even if it didn’t help me, but oh well, I’d have plenty of fun in the Airbnb. I would enjoy watching Netflix and eating greasy pizza that I’d order from some online food delivery place.

“Oh is that an invite or a hint for an invite?” I felt Oracle’s hand on the small of my back and I gave him a look of distaste and stepped away.

“Neither.” I just stared at him for a few seconds and then grinned at the complete and utter confusion that had crossed his brow for a few seconds. “I meant we go back to our individual places and sleep in our individual beds.”

“Alone?” His brows furrowed and I could see a glimpse of confusion in his eyes.

“Yes alone.” I said slowly and then just in case he didn’t understand. “I’m not hooking up with you, Oracle Lion.”

“But let’s be real here, did I ask you to, Pickly Piper?” He gave me a disarming smile and I just stared at his handsome face for a few seconds. I could understand why he was so popular. But I also knew I wasn’t his type. He went for sleek, skinny blondes that hung on his every word. I was 5”8, with curves, a stomach that had never seen a six pack, long black curly hair and a mouth that lived to challenge everything he ever thought about women.

“No, you didn’t but I assume that was the purpose of you trying to garner an invite back to my hotel room.”

“Hotel room?” He blinked. “You don’t live in LA?”

“No.” I laughed. “I’m based in Northern California.”

“Oh?” He smiled briefly as he nodded to himself. I wondered what he was thinking about and what he’d been agreeing with himself about. “Are you going to say where?”

“No.” I shrugged. “Does it really matter?”

“You don’t like me, do you?” He seemed genuinely interested in my answer.

“I don’t know you. I don’t feel anyway about you.”

“You don’t fancy me?” 

“Fancy you? What are you English?”

“Actually yes.” He grinned. “Both of my parents are English.”

“Oh.” I hadn’t known that, but I couldn’t express surprise because then I’d be admitting that I knew who he was in the first place.

“But don’t change the subject. Don’t you fancy me?” He stepped closer to me and I felt a warm feeling curling in my belly as I waited for him to touch me. Of course I didn’t want him to, but my whole body was anticipating it.

“You’re handsome, if that’s what you’re asking, but you know that. I’m just not interested in whatever you have to offer.” I grabbed the glass that was in his hand and downed all of it. It was so uncharacteristic of me and I think I shocked both him and myself in that moment. “And with that I think I’m going to head home.” 

“Do you want a ride?” Oracle looked gobsmacked at my words and I wanted to laugh. I couldn’t seriously be the first woman to turn down his advances, could I?

“Nope, no, nein.” I shook my head and looked around the club to see if I could see Alexa. She was nowhere in sight and I wasn’t just going to stand around waiting for her. She could do what she wanted with Jackson. I wasn’t going to be like some fool that just waited around on her. She was a big girl and could take care of herself. She’d already wasted enough of my time this evening and I wasn’t going to allow her to waste anymore of it. I’d speak to her in the morning about how much she’d disappointed me, but for now I was out.

“Well, I would say it was nice meeting you, but…” Oracle just stared at me for a few seconds and I laughed loudly.

“Same, I would say it, but it wouldn’t be true, would it?” I lifted up my hand and gave him a small wave. “Seeya.” I said flippantly and then I turned around and exited the club as quickly and gracefully as I could, with my head held up. I could feel his eyes on me as I left and I so badly wanted to look back to see if he was staring at me, but I didn’t want to give him that satisfaction. As I made my way through the crowds of people waiting to get into the club, I felt a sense of disappointment hit me. Maybe I had made a mistake. Maybe I should have accepted his offer. My life was in a rut and I needed a change and it wasn’t like I didn’t think he was hot as hell. I sighed as I walked towards Santa Monica Boulevard so that I could catch an Uber in a less packed area. It didn’t really matter now. I had already left the club and it wasn’t like he’d come running after me. I laughed at that thought. Imagine if he had come running out after me; while that would have seemed romantic in a movie, it would have been creepy in real life. Soo creepy. And at least I’d left having rejected him. I’m sure I took him down a peg or two and that made me feel good. He was way too cocky for his own good. Way way too cocky. Just because he was a hot movie star didn’t mean he could just get anyone he wanted.

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