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“Go with it. It’ll become a bigger story if you try to take it back.”

“That's insane.”

“When the tour is over and the boys move back to Aster Bay, the media interest will die down and you can just let it… fizzle,” Jo said.

She could hardly believe what she was hearing. “You want me to keep pretending to be Beckett’s fiancée?”

“What I want,” Derek said, “is to see Midnight Storm finish out this tour without falling apart.”

“And for you to get your bonus. It’ll be great. You’ll see,” Jo said, her tone bright in a way that made Kat wonder who exactly she was trying to convince. “Besides, have you been online yet today? Your books are trending on social media. That’s not a coincidence, babe.”

“What are you talking about?”

“It didn’t take long for someone to figure out that the woman making out with Beckett Hayes is the same woman who wrote a series of spicy rock star romances. People are going crazy speculating about which hero is based on Beckett.”

Kat’s stomach flipped, bile rising in the back of her throat. “That can’t— I don’t—”

“This is a good thing. It softens Beckett’s image, and it could be a real boost for your book sales.”

Kat shook her head even as the prospect of so many new readers discovering her books sent a jolt of excitement through her. “I’m not worried about that right now. I promise, Derek, I am focused on the tour. I will not let this distract me from my job.”

“Of course not! Who would let a little thing like getting engaged to a super hot, enigmatic pop star distract them?” Jo asked.

Derek sighed. “I trust you. Take care of our guys.”

She swallowed around the ball of anxiety lodged behind her voice box. “I will.”

“And who knows?” Jo said. “Playing pretend with Beckett for a few weeks might shake loose whatever inspiration you need to get over your writer’s block.”

Maybe Jo was right. Maybe a few weeks of pretending with Beckett, of letting the glow of his celebrity rub off on her, could help take her author career to the next level. Maybe it would even spark an idea so she could finally finish her next book.

And if it broke her heart in the process?

Well, she never stood much of a chance of getting out of this tour unscathed anyway.

Chapter Six

“Come on, Becks. Don’t give up now. Last one.”

Beckett grunted as he pushed back into downward dog. “How the fuck did I let you talk me into this?”

Nico snorted as he smoothly flowed into warrior pose in the space they’d cleared on one side of Beckett’s hotel room. The bastard wasn’t even sweating. “Best way to start the day.”

“I hate you.” Beckett’s hamstrings screamed as he bent forward. Of course Nico’s palms rested easily on the floor beside his bare feet while Beckett was fighting for his life to reach his shins.

“Doug was right—”

“Stop talking to my PT about me.”

“—Strengthening your core will help stabilize your knee.” Nico raised his arms above his head, pressing his palms together and lowering them in front of his chest. Beckett stumbled to standing, blood rushing to his head as Nico began to hinge at the waist.

“Don’t even think about fucking bowing to me.”

Nico raised his hands, but the shit-eating grin on his face told a different story. He grabbed Beckett’s bottle of Smart Water from the top of the dresser and tossed it to him before snatching up his own bottle of Evian and collapsing in the armchair at the edge of the room.

“I’m telling you, women love a guy who does yoga. Means you’re flexible.” Nico winked as he took a sip of his water.

Beckett pulled off his sweat-soaked t-shirt. “I don’t care what women like—”