Merrick Kitchi was once a famous rock and roll star. Now at the ripe old age of thirty-two, he’s quickly becoming a has-been in the fickle music industry. Desperate to rise to the top again, he agrees to meet with some network executives to discuss participating in a reality television show. To his dismay, he finds out his roommate, Samuel Meriwether, is not only the sexiest thing he’s ever seen on two legs, but he’s gay as well. This is a problem for Merrick, who has kept his homosexuality a secret. Desperate to be a household name again, he agrees to become roommates with the sexy Sammy, vowing to keep his hands and his secret to himself.
No one is more surprised than Samuel when he is chosen to be roommates with the sexy Merrick Kitchi. He’s not sure what a gay librarian and a womanizer like Merrick will have in common, but he’s willing to give it a shot. Soon Samuel realizes there’s more to Merrick than meets the eye and not only do they become good friends, but there’s an attraction between them that neither man can deny. As their feelings and attraction to each other grows, will Merrick be able to step out of the closet and into the light, or will fear of the unknown keep him deep inside?
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A Realistic Romance
Copyright © 2010 Andi Anderson
ISBN: 978-1-55487-662-4
Cover art by Angela Waters
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Published by eXtasy Books
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Smashwords Edition
A Realistic Romance
By
Andi Anderson
Dedication
This book is dedicated to Mom, Ashley, my blog followers and all of my online friends whose endless support and encouragement has been a lifeline to me.
Y’all are the greatest!
Thanks to Jack and Shayne. You are my inspiration.
A special thanks to Shawn, for everything you’ve done for me and for being a good friend.
To Chris, because you make my life complete.
Chapter 1
There were days when one knew they should have stayed in bed and Merrick knew that today was one of those days. The persistent throbbing headache and queasy stomach reminded him of the tequila shots he had overindulged in at the party the night before.
The bright florescent lights blared through the dark lenses of his sunglasses. Hoping to block out as much light as possible, he pushed them up higher on his nose and closed his eyes. He made a silent vow to lay off the tequila permanently if he could get through the day without throwing up.
All he wanted to do was lie back down and sleep it off.
Instead of being snuggled up in his comfortable bed, here he was sitting in the middle of a boardroom listening to a bunch of suits trying to convince him to put his life on display so the whole damn world could see.
“As popular as reality shows are right now, we believe an audience will become addicted to watching you. This could lead to some really great publicity for you. You’ll once again become a household name and people will start caring about your upcoming projects, like your next album for example,” one of the suits droned on.
Even though they had just been introduced moments earlier, Merrick couldn’t remember the guy’s name. All corporate men in suits looked and acted alike to Merrick so there was no way he could keep up with them, and frankly, he didn’t give a damn about them one way or the other.
They were all here for one purpose and one purpose only.
Money.
In the past year, Merrick knew his career had hit an all-time low. Just a few years ago, everything Merrick had touched had turned gold. He was on top of the billboard charts and the darling of the recording industry.
But in the last couple of years, things had started to change.
After a lacklustre reception for his last two albums, Merrick knew he was in danger of becoming a has-been at the ripe old age of thirty-two.
“I’m still not sure what you want me to do,” Merrick said as he silently vowed to start paying closer attention to the suits instead of focusing on his dry cotton mouth and the jackhammer that was going off in his head. The suit gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Well, it’s quite simple really. Its common knowledge that everyone is fascinated by celebrities and the lifestyle that they lead. People want to know what goes on when the spotlight is turned off and when celebrities like yourself, go home and become Merrick the man instead of Merrick the rock star.”
“What is it you’re proposing exactly?” Merrick asked as he reached in his front pants pocket for his cigarettes. He popped one out of the package and lit it with his gold lighter.
There was a groan of disapproval throughout the room.
The suit that had been talking took a long drink of water and cleared his throat.
Merrick fought the first smile he’d felt all day. Second hand smoke pissed people off every time. He began to feel immediately better as he took a long drag off his cigarette and leaned back in his chair.
“I know you’ve heard of other television shows where there are cameras all over the house. Essentially it will be the same way for you and your roommate. Every room, but the bathroom, will have a hidden camera and you’ll have a cameraman follow you should you choose to go out,” the suit droned on in that monotone voice of his.
Wait…did he say just say roommate?