Dirty Like Me
by Jaine Diamond
Self-Published
Book 1 in the Dirty Series
A gorgeous rock star. An indecent proposal. How can a girl resist?
Struggling barista Katie Bloom doesn’t even know who Jesse Mayes is until she inadvertently wins the coveted role of sex kitten in his hot new music video.
But by the time she’s in bed with him, she knows his reputation.
Love maker.
Heartbreaker.
Making out with a stranger in front of a camera crew isn’t how Katie imagined herself getting over a broken heart, but when Jesse touches her, sparks fly.
The sex is fake but the chemistry is real, and before long, the steamy video is blazing up the charts.
Then Jesse makes Katie a tantalizing offer: act as his girlfriend for six weeks while he promotes his new album.
The only catch? Their sizzling make-out sessions will be for the cameras only.
Which suits Katie just fine, since she’s not about to trust her heart to rock’s most legendary lover.
Her body, though? Maybe.
As it turns out, pretending to fall in love is incredibly sexy…
And falling in love for real, with a man she promised not to fall for?
Irresistible.
Genre:
Rockstar Romance
Dirty Like Me is the first novel in Jaine Diamond's Dirty series. It centers around Jesse Mayes, guitarist for the famous rock band Dirty, as well as a solo artist on the side, and Katie Bloom, a struggling artist/barista. When Katie walks into her best friends talent agent office to make plans for lunch, she didn't expect to meet one of the hottest men she has ever seen. The chemistry between them could be felt in the air, and with barely any words spoken between them, it left its mark. She didn't know it was Jesse Mayes of Dirty. Not until her best friend filled her in. And when Jesse's team insists that SHE be the woman in Jesse's sexy music video, she decides to step out of her comfort zone and do it. While everything is acted out, the chemistry between them is obvious on the screen - and leads Jesse to making Katie a further offer: pretend to be his girlfriend for the short, six week tour, to help drum up excitement for his solo album. The money is amazing, and since Katie is avoiding a real relationship after a broken heart, faking one isn't an issue. But as the weeks pass on, the lines between pretend and real blur, and promises of not falling in love become impossible to keep.
I REALLY loved this book. I came across this series because it was a recommendation from my best friend. Usually she is busy reading the books I recommend to her, so I figured, what the hell, why not read one of her recommendations? After reading Wraith Kings, I was in need of some good ol' contemporary to "cleanse the pallet" for lack of better words, and she insisted I would love it. And I couldn't pass up the added bonus of reading a series that is on kindle unlimited. And I did love it. I loved everything about it. Jesse and Katie were fun and entertaining characters, and they had genuine chemistry between each other. I loved the set up with them being in a music video together. The sex is simulated (in the video), the kiss (an improvised kiss) was real, but it was the banter that did it for me. And while this is definitely not the first fake romance I've read (and it won't be the last), this is up there with one of my favorites. The story is interesting, the characters are intriguing, the banter is *chef's kiss* ... it's just a great romance, and a good beginning book to this series.
If you love Rockstar romances, you will DEVOUR this book. Jaine Diamond has written a steamy romance with substance, and I can't wait to write about the rest of the series for you!
Devi: "Look, Katie, I’ve been there with you. Through all of it. I’ve watched you mope around for the last two years of your life—”
Katie: “One year and ten months. Let’s not exaggerate.” As soon as we started shooting again, my hands went back to her ass to resume groping exactly where they’d left off. I squeezed her so hard her panties came down an inch and she flashed a scowl at me. I winked.
Liv: “Cut. Katie, we’re on you now, so watch your facial expressions, okay? We wanna see the heat. You’re madly in love, this is the best morning of your life. And Jesse?”
Jesse: “Yeah, boss.”
Liv: “Stop fucking around, whatever you’re doing.”
I grinned.
Jesse: “Yes, ma’am.”
Katie narrowed her pretty eyes at me. I didn’t stop. I kept on doing anything and everything I thought I could get away with to make Katie Bloom uncomfortable, and possibly aroused. Nothing came out. For the first time in ten fucking years, I forgot the lyrics. I forgot the lyrics. Katie Bloom stared at me, her plump pink lips parted in surprise, and I couldn’t fucking help it. I leaned in and kissed her. Hard. Katie: “Um… I thought rock stars didn’t get out of bed before noon or whatever,”
I said. Because it was really fucking early in the morning to be standing face-to-face with Jesse Mayes, unprepared. And it was definitely too early for him to be looking so good.
Jesse: “You’ve been in bed with a rock star?”
he asked, straight-faced.
Katie: “Just the once.”
At that, he grinned again. Jesse: “Did you enjoy the pie?”
he asked, all innocence, showing a flash of perfect white teeth. Right. The pie. Even though I hadn’t seen him since the video shoot, I had heard from him. Once. Sort of. The morning after the shoot, he’d sent me a pie. Which was kind of cruel, since it just got my hopes up that I might actually see him again, or that sending me pies might be some kind of regular thing. It wasn’t. There was only the one, sent to my apartment from Stella’s Pies. A delivery guy had shown up with it, with a card that said, I hear they’re the best in town. J. The pie was cherry.
Katie: “It was good,”
Jesse: “Just good?” Katie: “Mine are better.”
Jesse: “I thought Stella’s was the best.”
Katie: “That’s because you haven’t tasted mine.”
Jesse: “I’d be happy to taste your pie, babe.” My best friend stared me down with her steady brown eyes.
Devi: “You made me a promise to grab life by the balls. Well, there’s a giant set of balls over on that bench, waiting for you.”
Katie: “Ew. Fine. I’ll give him a big sweet maybe.” Katie: “Let’s just call tonight a freebie. Consider it a try-before-you-buy.”
The thought of him paying me for tonight’s date made me feel like an escort, and I couldn’t stomach it.
Jesse: “Thought I already had one of those.”
He tossed me a heated look that brought back every steamy moment of our pseudo make out session at the video shoot.
Katie: “Yes, but this time I’ll be vertical.” Katie: “I have a lucky leather jacket.”
I indicated the one I was wearing.
Jesse: “And it’s lucky because…?”
Katie: “Because good things always happen when I wear it. I wear it sparingly.”
He looked at me like I was dead crazy.
Jesse: “Why wouldn’t you wear it all the time?”
I gave him the same look right back.
Katie: “Because what if I wear all the goodness out?”
He laughed at that logic. Jesse: “Favorite food, T-bone steak, rare. I’m allergic to cats. I sometimes talk in my sleep.”
Katie: “Really? What do you say?”
Jesse: “I don’t know. You’re my girlfriend. You tell me.”
Katie: “I think I heard you mumble something about getting my name tattooed on your ass.”
Jesse: “Sounds like something I would say.”
I laughed.
Katie: “Favorite sexual position?”
Jesse: “My face. Between your legs.”
My laughter choked off as heat flushed my cheeks. Right. Oral fixation.
Katie: “Um…”
I swallowed.
Katie: “Isn’t that more of a foreplay position?”
He didn’t answer that, just chewed his gum and smiled. Dolly: “Oh, you’ve always been this band’s dirty mouth,”
Dolly said to him, her tone teasing but proud.
Brody; “That’s a fact,”
Brody put in, joining the conversation.
Zane: “And its pretty face,”
Zane said with a giant grin.
Dolly: “And I’ve always said, Elle is the heart of you all. Isn’t it strange to all be together without her.”
Zane: “That it is,”
Zane agreed. I met Jesse’s gaze. I wasn’t sure how to take Dolly’s assessment, though I was privately relieved that Elle wasn’t here. He sipped his beer, his eyes on mine.
Dolly: “But my Jesse. You’ve always been the soul of Dirty.”
Jesse: “Thanks, Dolly,”
Brody: “I’ll drink to that.”
Brody raised his glass.
Brody: “To Jesse, and a killer new album. With soul.”
We all cheered to Jesse once again, and swigged our beers.
Dylan: “So what does that make me, Doll?”
Dylan asked. The big drummer waggled his eyebrows.
Dylan: “The brains of the band?”
Maggie: “I think you mean brawn,”
Dolly: “Aw, honey,”
Dolly said, and took a sip of her beer.
Dolly: “Everyone knows you’re its balls.”
Dylan choked on his beer. The other guys whooped with laughter. Zane laughed so hard he fell off the love seat, nearly taking the blonde with him. Katie: “Because.”
I forced myself to look at Jesse again, wishing he might somehow understand without me having to admit it.
Katie: “Because I thought he was the king shit. I thought…”
Jesse: “You thought…?”
Katie: “I thought I’d never do better than him.”
Oh, God. It sounded horrendous coming out of my mouth. Mostly because it was true.
Jesse: “Let me tell you, Katie Bloom, you can do a hell of a lot better.” Jesse: “They don’t think anyone will care if I show up on tour with an ordinary girl. And by ordinary, I mean not famous. But here’s the thing, Katie. I think they’re wrong about that. And for the record, I don’t think there’s an ordinary thing about you. The world got a glimpse of that in the video. It’s what your ex saw. It’s why that video has been viewed online over seven hundred million times already.” Katie: “You don’t even know me.”
Jesse: “I know enough.”
She looked at me over her glasses like a disagreeable librarian. A really fucking hot librarian.
Katie: “You know what I like on my pizza.”
Jesse: “Marriages have been built on less.”
Katie: “And divorces have followed.”
Jesse: “I know you’re on the pill,”
I said, just as the phone rang. Katie’s mouth popped open.
Jesse: “You told me last night. Said you couldn’t stay at the hotel because you usually take it first thing in the morning and didn’t have any with you.”
Katie buried her face in her hands.
Katie: “Oh my God.”
Jesse: “All coming back now, huh?” Jesse: “Maybe we should define creep, though. What if I get handsy and you don’t like it?”
Katie: “Then I’ll throw a drink in your face like a civilized bitch.” Maggie: “Take you, for example.”
I followed as Maggie continued browsing.
Maggie: “This whole girlfriend-for-hire thing.”
She glanced my way like she was checking if it was okay with me that she called it what it was. I smiled awkwardly.
Maggie; “Never would’ve expected it. But that’s Jesse. You never know what he’s going to do next.”
She pulled a sexy black mini dress from the rack and held it up to me at arm’s length.
Maggie: “You had a spark, though, you and Jesse. Brody and I both saw it. You know, when you offered him that cherry pie?”
Katie: “Oh. That.”
Maggie: “Yeah, that,”
Maggie laughed.
Maggie: “That’s why we wanted you for the video. That spark. Didn’t know it would ignite on screen like it did, but damn, it was hot.”
She flipped through the dresses, throwing a few more over her arm.
Maggie: “You have this quality… How did Zane put it? ‘The girl next door I really want to fuck.’”
She rolled her eyes a little. I blushed, not sure if I should feel flattered, but I laughed too. Jesse: “You taste like sunshine.”
I burst out laughing, partly because I was nervous, but partly because WTF?
Katie: “What the hell does sunshine taste like?”
He grinned slowly. Jesse: “Like Katie Bloom and that girlie shit you drink.” I texted Devi to tell her, My vagina is in love, and we haven’t even done it yet. And my best friend texted back, That’s one stupid vagina. I closed my eyes. But I let him finish fucking me. Because I loved sex with Jesse Mayes. And apparently, Jesse Mayes loved sex with me. He loved me helping him sell his music. He just didn’t love me. Jesse: “It’s only ever been me and Jessa, you know? Us and Mom, and when she died… a lot of people stepped up. Dolly. The guys. I know Jude and Brody would kill for me. Literally. For Jessa, too. And the band, they’re family to me. You know that. But I’m telling you, Katie, I’ve never loved anyone, ever, like I love you.”
I felt the tingle in my nose, the tears pricking my eyes. Was he going to make me cry?
Jesse: “I love you. I fucking love you and I should’ve told you that a long time ago. You’re always on my mind. You’re in everything I do. I could barely even get through the end of the tour without you there. It just didn’t seem to matter anymore without you. Even the music wasn’t the same, and the music is in my fucking soul. I just missed you, so fucking much.”