Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 129110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129110 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 646(@200wpm)___ 516(@250wpm)___ 430(@300wpm)
"Yep."
"She must be thrilled."
"I mean I'm a little nervous to be your roommate after how eager she was to get rid of you."
"Guess I'm your problem now."
"Pretty much," he smiles.
"So what happened? Your lawyers? Manager, agent... all of your people?"
"I fired half of them," he hesitates. "But, uh, I kept Mona. If that bothers you we can talk about it. I set boundaries though. She really is a good assistant. I told her if she pulls what she did in LA with you again she's gone."
"I just... I can't believe the 180."
"I think it took me to lose what I wanted most for it to happen, and I'm sorry for that. Elle, a lot is about to change for you, though... now that you're known, and I'm sorry for that too."
"I'd rather deal with that than feel helplessly kept in the dark."
He nods. "Come, I wanna show you this view."
"I think you're just trying to take advantage of me."
"Ah," he knowingly smiles.
"There's not even any furniture."
"You underestimate the amount of surfaces I can fuck on, even in an empty room."
I raise an eyebrow.
"Floor."
"That's a given."
"Wall."
I offer a flat stare.
"Ceiling."
"Shut up." I laugh, shoving him before heading onto the balcony.
A moment later I feel him behind me, his need straining against my back, mirroring my own desire.
I lean back.
"Now you're just purposely being mean." He wraps his arms around me.
"Maybe I like seeing you work for it."
His chest vibrates, his mouth soft as he places a trail of kisses down my neck.
Despite it being Febrary the cold isn't what makes me shiver. His hands move lower, undoing my pants. The crisp air stings my skin but the second he moves into my underwear I'm warm.
I bite my lip to stifle a moan.
"I love how you come apart for me," his deep voice hisses.
"Asher..." I breathlessly plea.
March
The paparazzi sits outside my office building all day.
They're actually very pleasant, and truthfully I kind of like having them around.
Asher is still transitioning to New York, so he's been back in LA for a while. The cameras are like a reminder whenever I'm missing him, a little piece of his life following me around.
Although don't get me wrong, it is weird.
Asher once told me he doesn’t know if people like him for him or if they’re just trying to make him happy because he’s Asher Montgomery. It's no wonder the guy has an ego, and I sort of get it now.
I'm a star at work, even after Mona has human resources send a letter to everyone saying they can't ask about Asher. Now they're all either too scared to talk to me or are super agreeable to everything I say, despite me telling them to ignore it and that nothing should change.
But it has.
Yesterday at our end of issue meeting I purposely offer a dumb suggestion about the layout. It was stupid. Everyone with a brain knows it. Yet they still went ahead and changed it without a second thought.
All because of who I’m dating.
I got mad at Asher for deception and creating an image out of a lie, but I guess I didn't realize that on the other side of that are a lot of stupid people who just can't be helped, all willingly eating it up.
Nevertheless, I do feel bad about all the cameras outside my parents' house. It gets so insane that the police had to get involved.
Luckily none of it lasts particularly long.
I'm only relevant for a couple of weeks.
I guess to a certain extent that's really an attestation to Asher. How he can remain on top the way he does for so long. As for me, I think they've realized I’m pretty boring.
After another week the paparazzi have left my life completely.
Everything goes back to normal... or so I thought.
I get stopped on the street for the first time.
It's a girl about my age who wants to know if I'm that girl who dated Asher Montgomery.
Dated.
I get why she would think that since we haven't been together much, and even though it's silly I can't help the fear that rises in my chest.
Did she see something I didn’t see?
It's ridiculous I even think that.
He'll be back in a week, and this time for good.
I stare at moving day circled on my calendar and let out a deep sigh.
The following day I get why the girl approached me.
There’s a particular gossip website that released a shot of Asher grabbing coffee with a bunch of his dancers after rehearsal.
The site scrutinizes it beyond necessary.
He happens to be sitting next to a female and the article breaks down their every move and gesture. They even brought in a body language expert who believes Asher and this girl are destined to be together forever and ever.
Thank you for that so early in the morning, Internet.