Zane Cooper. Hollywood royalty. Fourth generation superstar. He knows what it is to be one of the biggest celebrities in the world. And how lonely that title truly is. When scandal hits, his career hangs in the balance, and Zane flees LA for Seattle, laying low with his newly married best friend. Things will eventually blow over, and heโll have his life back soon enough.
Aubrey Stansfield arrives in Seattle excited to start a new job, and eager to settle into her new home. But when she arrives at her rental, Aubreyโs sure sheโs imagining things because the uber sexy Zane Cooper is unpacking in her new bedroom. Thanks to a rental snafu, and unwilling to relocate on such short notice, Aubrey and Zane are thrust into being roommates.
Aubrey is about as average as a woman gets, so what could the megastar possibly see in her? She tells herself sheโs not interested, despite their undeniable chemistry. But Zane is very persuasive, and soon Aubrey finds herself playing house with the most recognized man on the planet. Deep down, she knows itโs all a fantasy. Heโll head back to his posh lifestyle soon and leave her behind. No way could she fall in love with him.
But love doesnโt always follow the rulesโฆ
Fromย New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby comes an all new novella set in her beloved With Me In Seattle series! CHANGE WITH ME is out tomorrow, but you can get a sneak peek below!
โWho are you?โ
My heart jumps, and my stomach jolts as I spin and see a man walk out of the master bath. Heโs tall. Heโs frowning.
And he looks familiar.
โThe question is, who are you?โ Why did I leave my purseโand my maceโin the kitchen?
โYouโre in my condo,โ he retorts.
โNo, youโre in my condo,โ I reply and cross my arms over my chest, trying to look mean. โThis is two-oh-three A. Mine. If youโre going to murder-death-kill me, Iโm going to ask you to take today off and do it to someone else because Iโve had a long drive, and I need to get ready for my new job. Now, see yourself out.โ
Is that me, sounding all calm and collected?
Iโm never this calm. Or collected.
Seattle is clearly good for me.
โI hate to burst your bubble,โ the stranger replies, โbut Iโm not leaving. I leased this place, and Iโm moving in today.โ
โBut.โ I frown. โI leased this place. And Iโm moving in today.โ
I stomp out of the bedroom and head straight for the kitchen, opening my bag to retrieve my phone.
I also set my mace on the counter, just in case.
โI can show you the lease.โ
โSame,โ he replies. โLandlord fucked up.โ
I blink, open my mouth, then close it again.
โWhatโs in here?โ He opens my pink box and surveys the goods. โThese cake donuts are my weakness.โ
Before my eyes, he grabs one and takes a big bite.
โSo now youโre stealing my house and my food?โ
โI didnโt steal anything,โ he says with a full mouth. โWell, except the donut.โ
โYouโre going to have to move,โ I inform him. โI already paid for the first month and the security deposit.โ
โI paid six months in advance,โ he says, swallows, and then smiles. Suddenly, I know exactly where Iโve seen him before.
This is Zane Cooper. The actor. The celebrity.
He must see the recognition in my eyes because his go ice-cold.
โI canโt afford to find a new place,โ I inform him. โIt took me a month to find this one. And itโs perfect for me. Itโs less than six blocks from the school Iโll be teaching at, so I can walk every day. And itโs furnished. Plus, itโs close to the water.โ
โDefinitely perfect,โ he agrees.
โOh my God, why are you here?โ I demand and prop my hands on my hips. โYouโre a gazillionaire. You could literally go anywhere. Why do you want my condo?โ
โIโm not a gazillionaire,โ he says and crosses his arms over his chest. โIโm more of a trazillionaire.โ
โPretty sure thatโs the same thing. So, go build your own building and live in it.โ
โNah.โ He picks a piece of donut out of his teeth and shakes his head slowly. โI donโt think I will. Iโll stay here.โ
I blink at him and start to feel helpless. My savings is in this place. I donโt have enough left to rent anything else.
And I donโt have time. I start work in just three days.
Part of me wants to cry, but Iโll be damned if I let this hoity-toity movie star see me upset.
So, I do the only thing I can think of.
I prop my fist on the opposite hand in a challenge of rock, paper, scissors.
โWhat are you doing?โ he asks, raising one sexy eyebrow.
โThe adult thing,โ I reply primly. โBest out of three wins?โ
He blinks twice, looks from my hands to my face and back again, then shrugs one muscular shoulder and assumes the position.
โFine,โ he says. โIโm going to winโwait. Whatโs your name?โ
โAubrey,โ I say and lick my lips. โAubrey Stansfield. And youโre Wyatt Earp.โ
His lips twitch into a half-smile. โI only played him on TV.โ
I chuckle and say, โReady?โ
โGo,โ he says, and we thump our fists three times.
I land on scissors.
He fists for rock.
Damn it.
โLetโs go again,โ Zane says.
One. Two. Three.
I land on paper.
He chooses rock again.
I grin, and his blue eyes smile back.
Thereโs a reason Zane Cooper is the hottest sex symbol in the world. Good God, I might combust just from standing next to him.
All the more reason to get him out of my house.
โLast one,โ I say. โGo.โ
One. Two. Three.
I land on paper again, assuming Zane only knows how to use rock.
But he forms scissors.
I breathe deeply and reach for my last damn donut.
โThatโs mine,โ he says, and I whirl on him.
โThis is mine,โ I reply hotly. โI stood in a bloody line in Portland for it, just this morning. I drove all the way here from Arizona. Iโm tired. Iโm a little scared. And now I have you in my house, and you wonโt leave. Even better than that, you just stole it out from under me.โ
โI won it,โ he reminds me. โFair and square. The donut, that is.โ
I stop and frown at him. โHuh?โ
โI won the donut. In the rock-paper-scissors game.โ
โI was playing for the condo, Wyatt.โ
He barks out a laugh. โNot me. I want that donut.โ
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