Alright, I apologized to her. I tried for over a week to stop myself, convince myself she wasn't worth it, but the old me made an appearance and I did it. At least now I have someone to talk to while on the road if I want. I'm still not convinced I want some girl around me twenty four seven, but it's only for a few months.

I took Summer home with me yesterday and she was so tired from what I assume is the constant traveling, that she passed out on the couch, probably because she was calling it home for two weeks. My mom came in and took one look at this tiny, pitiful girl and her story before falling in love. She was definitely hesitant over me "dating" a hooker, but after she saw us together, that was it. I got the speech on how I should treat her, which is why I kind of wanted to crawl into a hole and she didn't even know the whole story. She left after with a promise to return for Christmas.

I looked at Summer sleeping there and after all I said to her, I decided to carry her up to bed. I pick her up and she snuggles into my chest. I take her upstairs and pull down the covers before tucking her in. I stare at her for a minute then got into bed myself. Her parents must have been gorgeous because once she was cleaned up and shit, her features are stunning. I tried to sleep but after tossing and turning, I gave up.

I decide to make breakfast around eight with nothing else to do. I have the urge for pancakes and since I only have two days left until we go back on tour, I get out the frying pan and start cooking. I make the batter and pour it onto the griddle when Summer comes in and sits at the island on a stool quietly, "Morning. Sorry I passed out without saying goodbye to your mom. She seemed really nice."

"Don't worry. She liked you a lot."

Summer looks at her feet, "Despite, you know, everything?"

Her insecurities over her line of work make me wonder how she's even managed to keep it up for so long.

I flip a pancake over and turn around, "Because of everything. She admires the fact that you have made it on your own. She just doesn't like me sleeping with you.'

She perks up a little, but it's awkward. How can it not be? I slept with her more times than I can count and we can barely have a conversation.

"You hungry? I made some pancakes."

"Sure. I was using your master bath and it's huge,"

I laugh, shaking my head, "Women always notice the bathrooms."

Summer smiles, "Yeah I guess we do. How many bedrooms do you have in this place anyway?"

"About six. Five of them aren't done yet obviously."

"That must be nice. You can have a lot of kids later on and they could have their own rooms."

I give her a funny look, "I guess.... Is that what you want, a lot of kids?"

Summer blushes and looks away from my face, "Well yeah. I always wanted to get married as a little girl and have five or six kids. Do it right, y'know? Not that any of that matters now."

I can sense she feels like she revealed too much. I give her the pancakes and I pull up a stool as well and dig in. I watch her face as she eats her food and its distorted from her last comment. She's a lot quieter and picks at the food.

"Listen, I'm going into town to the recording studio with Trace. You can come or stay here."

"I'll come. It's your house, I don't want to make myself at home."

I jerk my head up to look at her, but she's putting her dish in the sink, "I'll go get dressed and be ready in five minutes."

"Can any girl be ready in five minutes?"

She's up the stairs and I hear, "You can time me!"

______________________________________________

Four minutes and forty eight seconds later, I drive through the familiar town and think about how much it hasn't changed. Summer sits with her back towards me, watching the kids play on the sidewalk. I park and we go inside the studio. One camera catches us on the way in, so I pull Summer towards me. She tenses up but leans against me anyway. She's definitely getting into the hang of this "couple" thing.

I greet the producers and Trace comes out of one of the rooms. Summer bounds right up to him and wraps her arms around his neck. Okay, she barely looks at me but manages to find it in her to worship Trace. Ugh.

Trace finally lets go of her and comes over to me, "You have a nice Thanksgiving?"

"Yeah man, mom came and we all had dinner." I answer, annoyed that Summer is now got her arm locked around Trace's.

"That's good. Listen, they're ready for you to start, so why don't you go on in. I'll keep Summer company out here."

Hell no.

I take Summer's other arm and pull her towards me, "No, she can come in. Summer, you can sit in the corner and watch, you just have to be quiet because they record what I sing."

Summer shrugs, "Fine, I guess."

Trace mouths "What's up?" to me, but I just shake my head to indicate nothing's wrong. Nothing's wrong with the fact that my girlfriend is all over my best friend.

Well, my hired girlfriend.

Summer sits down in the corner and starts to read again as I begin to get a few tracks down. After an hour and a half, Kevin, the producer, tells me I'm done. Summer gets up as I put my head phones down and walks out of the room. It's hard to tell whether she enjoyed any of the music since there was no expression on her face during it, and believe me I checked.

"I'm just going to use the ladies room. I'll be right out."

I wait a second, then decide to go ahead with my instincts. I'm going to reclaim what's mine.

I follow her and wait outside until I hear the faucet going, then turn the doorknob.

"What are you doing in here?" Summer asks as I lock the door.

"I'll give you one guess."

She looks at me and sighs, letting me grab her and push her against the wall. I'm slightly put off by her off-putting tone, but I push that aside. I pick her up and put her on the counter. Summer spreads her legs and I reach up under her skirt, pulling off her underwear. I unzip my pants and put on a condom. I hold on to her hips and enter her, instantly surrounded by warmth. I pump in and out of her as she holds on to my shoulders. I put my hands underneath her sweater and undo her bra so I can touch her. I latch on to her neck and nip on it a little as my hand makes its way back under her skirt, rubbing her as her walls grab on to me and contract.

I decide that it might be fun to spice it up a little, so I pick Summer up and press her back against the wall, thrusting as fast as I can. I shudder as I get my release, breathing hard against her as I balance her on my hips. I finally pull myself out and put her back on the counter. I clean myself off and pull up my pants, zipping them up. I turn around and Summer is putting her clothes back in their original position.

"Do you want me to wait for you?" I ask, watching her button up her shirt that withholds a wonderful view.

"Don't bother. I think I can get dressed by myself."

I nod and retrieve my keys from my pocket, leaving the bathroom and walk right into Trace.

He pulls me to the side to the corner of the room, "What's the problem man? You're acting really weird."

I'm not really sure I know what the problem is.

"I... We are just supposed to be a couple and you act like she's your girlfriend." I huff, trying to piece everything together in my mind.

Trace starts to looked pissed, but it changes over to a grin, "You are starting to warm up to her!"

I shake my head vigorously and lower my voice, "That's not it. I just want to know what's going on between the two of you."

"Nothing. I just listen to her. The first night I met her on the tour during your concert we talked a lot. She told about her life and I told her about mine. You know, like friends? I know what it's like not to be able to afford to live, remember?"

I don't say anything, feeling like an idiot.

Trace continues, "Obviously she has had an affect on you, if you're so afraid she's going to fall for me that you bring her into the recording room. Try being NICE to her and she might open up to you too."

Summer comes out of the bathroom before I can deny the new set of allegations and we immediately go quiet.

"What's up? She enquires to Trace more than me.

"Nothing, I've got to get going, but you two enjoy your last two days here. I'll see ya."

Summer and I get into the car as she puts her book in her lap.

"You really like to read huh?"

"Well, only the books with really small words that a whore like me could sound out."

I throw my head back against the seat, "I apologized, how many times is that going to be thrown back in my face?"

She smirks, "Until I feel your penance is served."

I sigh, starting the car, but go in for second try, "Since you like to read, there's this old bookstore in town and I was wondering if you wanted to go?"

She actually looks at me, "Really?"

"Really." I say, already driving there.

Summer runs in as soon as I put the car in park and is browsing the shelves when I finally find her. "They have a great selection. They even have the fifth edition Grapes of Wrath."

 She picks up book after book and holds them as she searches for more. After a few minutes of watching her sort through the selections, she picked out about a dozen.

"Alright, we can go," She says, walking towards the cash register as she digs into her purse for her wallet.

"That's alright, I'll pay for them." I say, taking the load from her.

"No thanks, I don't need you to buy me anything. Besides, doesn't that violate rule number three?"

I swallow hard, "You remembered huh?"

"Of course, fuck, I can list them." She looks down at the books, trying to pry them from my arms.

I never thought that she took anything I said to heart. Or remembered the numerical order of them.

"I know you don't need me to, but I want to." I leave with the books to pay for them before she can argue with me. After I pay, I find her standing by the door and I hand her the bag of books.

"Thanks, you didn't have to do that." She says, looking at me.

"No problem."

It's six o'clock and the Italian food I ordered arrives. I unwrap it and put it on two plates, bringing Summer's and mine into the living room where she is.  We each take a fork and start eating.

"Want to play a game?" Summer asks, twirling a piece of pasta around her fork.

"What?' I say, trying to figure out where that came from.

"I've been reading for hours and there's nothing on TV. Do you want to play a game?"

"What kind of game?"

"A board game. You know, like when you're a kid and you played Life or Monopoly?"

I look at her with disbelief, "A board game?"

She shrugs, "We might as well do something. I might die from lack of boredom. I'll talk to a tree stump at this point."

I think for a minute, "The only board game I have is Scrabble. My younger brother John left it here last time he visited."

"Scrabble it is."

I go and retrieve the game and Summer sets it up as I pull a chair up to the coffee table. We each pick our letters and Summer starts off by putting "cows" on the board. I think for a minute before putting down "shirt."

"So, since you thought of the board game, I'll start the conversation. Do you like living on the bus?"

Summer puts "riches" down, "Yeah, I feel safe on it. I don't have to worry about it being broken into. How do you like singing?"

I smile, "I love it. I like touring and singing live. It just makes sense when I'm up there." I say, putting down "shower."

"So, have you ever had a boyfriend?"

She sucks on her bottom lip, "I plead the fifth."

I stop talking, thinking that perhaps we are not to the point that she's comfortable answering the question. We sit in silence for a few moments before she sighs, looking at her letters. "No I haven't. I mean, before I was on the street, I had a crush on this guy at school, but he turned out to like someone else. You don't have boyfriends in my line of business. How about you? What about that girl you said you were in love with?" She puts "wasp" down and looks up at my face.

"Thought I was in love with. Her name was Jenna, I met her on a promotion for an NSYNC album. I started dating her and she connected herself to my side, spending the money I made. I didn't say anything because I loved her, but one day I went to her hotel room and I found her in bed with some guy. She just wanted the fame and I wasted three years of my life. But you want to know the worst part? She now works for Artista Records." I put "pain" down on the board and sit back.

"I'm sorry for prying. I didn't mean to." Summer says, putting her hand on top of mine.

"It's fine. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger."

"Yeah, I guess it does." Summer tucks a piece of hair behind her ear and puts "comfort" down.

I smile, "I think you won."

She shakes her head, "I think it's a draw."

And she's right.