The Professional Alibi

Chapter 5: A Tangled Web

"Wait. What?" I blink at Wade, completely uncomprehending. "How am I supposed to attend five different high schools, live five separate lives, and have five different boyfriends?"

"You'll transfer to the local college and continue toward your degree. They'll attend high school and tell everyone you're their gorgeous, older girlfriend from college. All you have to do is make an appearance so they know you exist. Occasionally, one of the guys will need to disappear for a few hours or overnight. He'll come to your apartment for a sleepover," Wade says, using air quotes. "If anyone asks, you say he was with you. It's that simple."

"I'm not actually sleeping with anyone?" I ask slowly.

"Not if you don't want to." His eyes search mine, again seeming to catalog everything about me as he says, "We need your word. Not necessarily your body."

"Not necessarily?" I say, my voice rising to a squeak. "What does that mean?"

Wade sighs and clasps his hands together. He looks down at the table, then back up to me through his long, black eyelashes. "Look. There's no easy way to discuss this job with you without looking like a complete and utter jerk. There just isn't. I'm a guy--the boss--telling you you're gonna have to get physical with the other guys in our group. But this is the job. Females are in short supply at Apex. For good reason. Nobody wants to be a honeypot. Nobody wants to use their body to get what is needed on the bad guy. What I'm trying to offer you is a compromise. Dance along the edge, but don't actually jump over it."

Wade stands and paces in front of me, running his hands through his hair. The muscles on the back of his arms bulge and go taut with the movement, making me stare. It's a shame he's not part of the deal. I might consider if he were.

Stop it, Charlie. For starters, you've got Jesse. And secondly, you're not that type of girl.

There's no reason I can't lust a little though, right?

I shake my head, pushing those thoughts from my brain, and gaze up at him.

Wade turns and plants his hands on his waist, offering an imposing sight. "I'm not going to let these guys take advantage of you. You'll call all the shots when you're with them. Yes, you'll probably have to kiss them. Or hold their hands or hug, and cuddle. Only because you need to look like the girlfriend. I don't know of many girlfriends that don't touch the guys they like."

He groans and sinks onto the bed again. "But in the end, you have control. If one of the guys wants to slip you the tongue and you're not okay with that?" His face reddens and he looks away. "Say no. It's your body."

I try to suppress a grin. Glad to know this is as awkward for him as it is for me. Jeez. I wouldn't even talk like this to Keeley. Okay. Maybe Keeley. But definitely not Jesse. And he IS my boyfriend.

My stomach drops and a slew of mental curses cycle through my brain. 

Jesse. How am I supposed to do this job while I'm still with Jesse?

I shove that thought into the deepest recesses of my brain too. I'll deal with that when I'm alone. Focus on this. Jeez I've got a lot to unpack later.

"Okay," I say, trying to throw the poor guy a bone. "So, I'm their girlfriend. I'm expected to be affectionate, but nothing beyond first base."

He lets out a relieved breath. "Yes. I mean, if you want to do more, that's on you. You're nearly eighteen. But you are not expected to." His words come out in a rush, making my smile spread to a grin.

I arch an eyebrow and cock my head at him. "But I am expected to lead others to believe that I'm sleeping with those guys."

Our eyes meet, and this time Wade doesn't look away. His face is stoic. "Yes."