Total pages in book: 70
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66753 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 334(@200wpm)___ 267(@250wpm)___ 223(@300wpm)
Fifteen minutes later, I draw in a breath and punch in his number. He answers on the first ring. “Bella,” he breathes out, a low rumble of masculinity I feel in every part of me.
“Yes?” I say softly.
“What are you doing?”
I don’t love the naïve game, but I also am not ready for this conversation. “This cheating thing is causing the press to go nuts and—”
“You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”
I pant out an uneven breath and just say what I feel. “I’m struggling with all of this, Tyler. I’m having a hard time separating the man who is my boss and all the personal stuff. And clearly, you are in the same boat. I’m starting to think…I don’t know what to do.”
“Starting to think what, Bella?”
“Becker is a big potential client. You would never let something come between you and a client in the past. I tell myself it’s the stress of the will—”
“I could give two fucks about Becker or the will. It’s you. It’s us.”
“That’s not a good thing. You were so obvious yesterday, Tyler, it was like you wanted to out us. If you make me the agent sleeping with her boss, it’s already out and that’s no longer an obstacle, right?”
“I would never do that to you, but then I already know you question my motives at every turn, which is starting to piss me off.”
“I guess pissed is a theme.”
“Damn it, woman. We need to talk. Can I come over?”
“You’re asking?” I laugh without humor. “When do you ever ask?”
“I’m trying here, Bella. And I don’t want to fuck you in front of your nanny, but I might if you don’t get rid of her.”
My chin drops and my eyes shut, and all kinds of wild sensations zip through my body. “I can’t do this, Tyler,” I whisper.
“I’m trying to get out of the contract. There’s hope.”
“And then what? We fuck until we get caught and I’m ruined anyway?”
“That’s not what I want.”
“Maybe you just want me because you can’t have me.”
“Seems like you’re making excuses now. Maybe you’re just afraid, Bella. But relationships are never without risks. Anything worth having—”
“I’m angry with you. You keep making me feel—”
“Good? Because I keep trying to make you feel good, and I’m not talking about orgasms, though I have plenty of those to give.”
“Dirty, Tyler. You keep making me feel dirty.”
“Depending on the context of dirty, Bella, that’s not a bad thing.”
I shake my head as if he can see my rejection. “You’re not listening.”
“I am listening.”
“No, you’re not, Tyler. You’re one of the smartest people I know. You’re just choosing to twist what I say to your liking. Dirty was fine back in a hotel in LA. It’s not fine here at home, not the kind of dirty I feel.”
“Bella, baby—”
“Don’t call me baby. I’m not your baby, Tyler. You send mixed messages. Here’s the contract so I am easily disposed of.”
“You know you send your own mixed messages, Bella. You said you’d throw everything away as you seem to see it, as I asked, but when I add a way to protect you—”
I groan. “That again? Don’t say protect me.”
“It’s true. We need to talk. You need to look into my eyes and see the truth.”
“I look into your eyes and end up naked.”
“Because that’s what happens when what’s happening between us happens.”
“Which is what?”
“Why don’t you give us a chance to find out?” he challenges. “Let me come over.”
“Not today,” I say, certain I will make all the wrong decisions if I allow that to happen. I’ve proven I’m not level-headed where Tyler’s concerned. “I’ll be back in the office tomorrow, but just…I need the weekend.” I quickly change the subject. “The studio emailed me about the press release for Dash’s projects. They want to do it sooner rather than later. I’ll email it to you when I have it for approval.”
“You know you’re not just some name on a list to me, right, Bella?”
“No, Tyler. I’m not. I’m your employee.” I hang up.
I press my hands to my face and I drop them. Maybe I’m being unreasonable over the contract. Maybe the whole “whore” thing I’m throwing at him is unfair. Or not. I’m not objective about Tyler. After all, Dash is right about a lot of things. I have money to lean on and I have a solid reputation as an agent and a legal professional. But I still can’t do what Tyler wants.
I’ve seen how he flies through women.
And I will never survive a fake marriage and a real divorce with Tyler.
Maybe with a few days of space and logical processing, I can get to a place where I just admit that to Tyler. I can’t do this. It’s not the contract. It’s me. It’s him. It’s the aftermath. Though my career would survive in the end, my heart would be crushed.