The Ex Factor - Erin McCarthy Page 0,38
targets.
So for their benefit, she was going to have to stand up and say something. Not because her feelings were hurt, even if they were a little, but because she had to make it known she wasn’t okay with women constantly being judged for their appearance when men didn’t get the same kind of scrutiny.
“Damn, JoJo, can you keep it down just a little? I’m getting my beauty sleep.”
She realized she was slamming cabinets as she searched for coffee filters. “Sorry. I can’t find the coffee filters, have you seen them?”
He let out an obnoxious yawn. “No. I can go get some if we can’t find them. You’re the devil without coffee.”
Really? But hell, she couldn’t even dispute that. She wasn’t exactly at her best caffeine free. “Elle just called. Those posted those pictures of me at the pond yesterday and were calling out my weight gain.” She opened the last cabinet in the wall run and found filters and coffee grounds. Hallelujah.
“What?” He sounded outraged. “Those assholes! You look amazing. Like so damn hot I couldn’t control myself. Like maybe later today I’m going to write a song about your curves.”
That made her roll her eyes. “Oh, God, please don’t.”
“Why not?” Chance stood up and stretched, still only in his briefs.
Was the man ever going to wear clothes?
“Because it’s unnecessary and only brings more attention to my body.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Jo. Get real. I am not the one calling attention to your body. The simple truth is you are merely by existing and by the fact that your wardrobe is ninety percent sparkles, ten percent nothing.”
He had a point. “I just don’t want to make it a focus in a song.”
Chance came over to the kitchen and leaned on the breakfast bar. “Do you want me to make a statement on social media telling them to back off?”
She chewed her lip as she struggled to gauge how much coffee to put in the coffeemaker. She needed coffee to figure out the coffeemaker. Surely that was a metaphor for life. “I appreciate it, but I would just as soon address the issue of my weight gain on my own.”
He stared at her so long she felt like squirming. Finally he just reached over and took the measuring scoop out of her hand and dipped it into the bag of coffee. “And you call me stubborn. I’m trying to have your back, which is what you wanted.”
The man had a point. “Okay. You’re right. Make a statement.”
“Can I tell them to go fuck themselves?”
Her fear was he just might. “Probably we could word it slightly different. Just slightly. Now I say let’s go fishing today. No swimming. Just sitting on the dock that’s on the other side of the pond.”
“Won’t that give them more fodder?”
“I’m trying to live my life. But yes, I’m going to blow out my hair and put on a bunch of makeup and the cutest crop top I have and let them talk. But at least I know they’re going to do it and I’m prepared.”
He took the coffee pot and went to the sink to fill it up. “Whatever you say. I’m here to do your bidding.”
“God, I so wish that were true.”
Chance laughed. “What would you have me do if you could have me do anything?”
The images that flooded her mind were seriously x-rated. They quickly ran the gamut from him going down on her to a sensual massage to him tying her to his bed. She felt her cheeks burn.
He raised his eyebrows. “That good, huh?”
“I’m picturing you bringing me coffee in bed with a rose in a vase.” That was a lie, but now that she mentioned it…
“After I make you scream my name? I could do that.”
Jolene snorted. “It takes an act of congress to get you up out of bed before me.”
“That isn’t a huge request if you have the ability to have me do anything. I could manage it.”
“I’m fine, thanks.” Jolene watched the drip of the coffeemaker and willed it to drop her liquid gold faster. “I need to call Ginny and give her my statement.”
“I hope you tell them they can suck a bag of dicks.”
She actually lifted her phone off the counter to start typing. Might as well get it over with. “In response to accusations that I have gained weight, my response is that yes, it’s obvious I have. But I make no apologies for it. After a busy tour, I’ve taken some time off