Forced | cake au ✓

Chapter THIRTY-FOUR

He placed his hand on my arm, gently tugging me closer. Oscar was taller than me by a few inches, body more lithe than mine. "Of course we have things to talk about. We're friends, Luke."

I laughed like he just told a joke, keeping my voice down when I answered, "Sleeping with someone doesn't equal being friends, Oscar."

The model seemed to have anticipated my reply, because all he did was smirk. "Does sleeping with someone three times make you friends?"

There was someone calling Oscar's name. He realized that it was a photographer much faster than I did. I was pulled towards his side and was almost blinded by a flash not even a second later. He was sending a pearly smile towards the people now crowding in front of us to get pictures, and I had no other choice but to go along and pose for the pictures as well.

"What is it you really want?" I asked under my breath, my words drowned out by the sound of shutters clicking. "You and I never actually talk."

"I wish we talked more often." Oscar whispered, his hand rubbing up and down my back in a way that made me want to squirm away from him. "You always made the prettiest noises."

"I'm taken, Oscar."

He waved goodbye to the photographers, pulling me by my waist towards the refreshment table where there were less people and lesser cameras. It took a lot of self-control not to yank his arm off.

"His name's Calum, yes? A very lucky man indeed."

I didn't answer, stepping away so his arm would fall back to his side. I busied myself with the cucumber lemonade punch bowl. He did the same, leaning close to my ear as he filled his cup. "I heard that you two haven't seen each other in a while. This job, you know, it can be very stressful."

"I'm pretty sure begging was never your style."

"True. You were always better at it." He raised his eyebrow like a challenge.

I schooled my expression into a blank one, refusing to let him even think he was getting to me. "I have a couple more interviews scheduled to do. So, if that's all you have to say, I really should get going."

Oscar placed down his glass without even taking a sip. His hands were on my waist before I could comprehend what was happening, and I felt him slide something into the pocket of my jacket. "It's a spare keycard to my hotel room. Room 608. I knew I was going to run into you, thought I'd be prepared."

And honestly, I'd be more surprised if I hadn't known Oscar to be a person who did things like this. "If I were you, I wouldn't bother waiting."

He let go of my waist only to take my hand, bringing it towards his mouth similar to what he did with Ms. Reese earlier, only his lips lingered a tad longer on my knuckles. His eyes bore into mine. "Luke, I've always kept your secrets. What's one more? I promise not to tell if you won't." And of course he had the balls to wink. "Think about it. You know where to find me."

It felt like I could sink in relief the moment his back disappeared into the crowd.

I did my interviews, permanently etching an easy, comfortable smile on my face and not daring to touch the inside of my pocket where Oscar's fingers had slipped inside.