Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“Ironic, isn’t it?”
“I’ve always been kind of proud of my ass—”
“It is a fine ass.”
“But yeah, after having it on display for twelve hours, I’m a little over it.”
“I can admire it for the both of us, then. I’m gonna grab a shower in my trailer. See you back at the hotel?”
“As long as you want to do anything but have sex.”
I burst out laughing. “Deal.” I really want to kiss him goodbye, but we still have to keep this thing quiet.
We go our separate ways, but I almost trip on my feet when I find Ben watching us. I thought he was out of here as soon as he said we were wrapped for the day.
I ignore his look of derision and push past him. He’s forgotten by the time I get to my trailer.
It feels good to get all the sticky makeup off my body, but I rush through my shower. I don’t think I’ve ever been excited to hang out with someone and not have sex before. Today was exhausting, but I can’t think of any better way to order food, watch TV, and then go to bed where Blake will spoon me.
Only, when I step out of the shower and wrap my towel around me, I’m not expecting to find Ben waiting on my couch.
In my trailer.
Like he owns the place.
“Get out,” I say easily.
He ignores me. “You’re actually fucking around with him, aren’t you?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Shit, are my cheeks heating? I don’t blush.
“Yes, you do. It’s obvious.”
“Why do you care? You’re with Chad.”
“It would be a shame to kiss your entire career goodbye for a fling with someone who’s probably going to go back to being straight after this movie wraps.”
“You don’t know anything about Blake Monroe. You never gave him a chance. To you he’s a brainless guy who does nonserious movies.”
Ben stands. “You don’t want more rumors of you cheating to get out, do you? No one will hire you because the public will turn on you. Think about everything you’ve worked for to get here.”
“Why does that sound like a threat?”
He puts his hands up like a busted perp. “No threat here. I don’t need to threaten you. The leaked photos are doing it for me.”
Suspicion prickles my skin. “Y-you … you leaked the set photo.”
It makes sense. Normally he’s the one to handle those types of scandals, but he had a producer do it for him because he didn’t care.
“Now why would I do such a thing?” Ben’s smarmy voice gives it away.
“Holy shit, you did. You did it to cover up your mess. You did it to protect your own ass and throw me under the bus.”
“Who would believe that? You’re the one who’s now dating the guy you cheated with.”
I grunt in frustration. “You’re an even bigger asshole than I thought you were.”
“I’m here for a simple reason. End it with Blake, or your fans will make your career crash and burn.”
“Why do you want to ruin me?”
He pretends to think. “How about that you used me to get ahead in your career, and now you owe me?”
“Oh, I used you? We all know it was the other way around. I was your ticket to owning who you are, but you didn’t care about me. You wanted me on your arm, and you hate that I’m not pining for you.”
“Whatever you want to tell yourself to feel better about sleeping your way to the … middle. Don’t fuck your career before it really has time to take off.”
“I still don’t know why you’re here or why you’re pretending to care about my career, but it’s not needed. I know the risks. My management team has been shoving them down my throat since Blake and I were first photographed together.”
“One wrong move in this industry could ruin you forever. You know that.”
Even though I’m learning this the hard way, I’m learning faster that I don’t care. I was happier when I was lesser known. I wasn’t as scrutinized.
Is losing all of it worth the risk of what I want to have with Blake?
There’s no question: absolutely.
“I’ll be fine. Now excuse me, I need to get dressed and go meet my boyfriend.”
Wow. Boyfriend. There’s a label I didn’t know I’d be using again.
Ben pauses at the door. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
As I dress and wait for Blake’s driver to come pick me up, I toss the boyfriend label around in my head a couple more times. It doesn’t make me wince or recoil like it did when I was with Ben. Instead, it sends butterflies swarming through my gut and brings a smile to my face.
And when I arrive at the hotel and climb into bed next to an exhausted Blake, I know it feels right.