Closer to You (Book One ✓)

F I V E

"I think we need to amend the contract," Beau drums his long fingers on my kitchen table. He'd fallen asleep on my couch the night before after drinking the rest of the beer and I didn't have it in me to wake him. To be more specific, I didn't have it in me to argue with him when I had to work early this morning. Plus, we have an afternoon full of plans ahead of us - the contract states that if I'm going to play Beau's girlfriend, I have to look the part, too. So we're going shopping, I groan internally, thinking of the list of stores Fiona OK'd for us.

"I don't think that's how contracts work once they've been signed," I mutter, grabbing our cereal bowls and bringing them to the sink. Cereal for lunch, I chuckle. Not very rockstar of him.

Beau shrugs. "It'll be official for you and me, that's what's important." I turn on the warm water and drip some dish soap into our bowls, considering his words.

"Okay," I venture curiously.

Beau stands behind me, watching as I wash our silverware first. "It's just one rule," He mumbles quietly. I switch the faucet off and turn to face him, our bodies so close they're almost touching. I tilt my head back to see his face behind his dark bangs, waiting to hear his new stipulation. "This is business, purely business. No feelings involved - ever."

I bite my lip, waiting for more. He only stares down at me, green eyes serious. "Is that it?" I laugh to myself, wondering what brought this on. I thought our mutual dislike for each other was evident to everyone involved.

Beau's face turns sour and his voice becomes gruff, "Yes, that's it."

"I thought that much was pretty clear," I shrug, returning to washing our bowls. "And also extremely unlikely, anyways."

I feel Beau's breath on the back of my neck. "Unlikely?" Without turning, I know his head is cocked to the side in confusion. Beau seems unable to grasp that someone may not be interested in him romantically, no matter how clear I try to make it.

"Look," I sigh, turning to face him again. "You have my word, I won't fall for you. And you definitely won't fall for me, so we're good, okay?"

Beau's eyes intently search my face for a few seconds before he finally raises his hand, pinky finger sticking straight out. "A pinky swear is as good as a signature, right?"

I smile at his half smirk, enjoying a moment without our normal hostility. I wrap my pinky around his confidently, "Done."

***

"Jesus, how long does it take to pick out some fucking clothes," Beau groans from beyond the changing room curtain. We couldn't go to any of the shops in town according to Fiona, so we took a very long ride, although not in a limo this time, to a shopping district so expensive I've never even considered shopping there. We've been at it for a few hours already, although Beau started complaining almost immediately.

I stare at my reflection uncomfortably, pulling the slinky top over my body. That can't be right, I think to myself, eyeing the strange, asymmetric cut outs down the ribs. I throw on a pair of jeans without looking at the price. No jeans should be so expensive, I roll my eyes at the last few pairs I've discarded on the stool. "What do you think?" I step out from behind the curtain, lifting my arms to the side and doing an awkward spin for Beau. "Fit to be a rockstars girlfriend?"

He laughs, fueling my annoyance even more. I'm out of my element here and I've been saddled with the world's most unhelpful partner. "Hey, stop," Beau grabs my hand before I can go back into the fitting room. "Who cares what you wear?"

"Fiona does." I roll my eyes and place my hands on my hips, already beginning to feel the same annoyance at the publicist that Beau does.