Page 304 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 3

City of Sin - Chapter 56

Bee

The office was abuzz this morning. Our first proposed advertisement for Sword Body Wash was going to be aired tonight and everyone was doing last minute preparations. And Mr. Ellington was beside himself with excitement. The FCC had disbanded yesterday with the announcement of the government shutdown. That had been the biggest worry with the sponsorship idea, that they'd cut the broadcast when Layla Torrez started measuring men's penis sizes live on T.V. Now that wasn't an issue. Apparently the C.E.O. of Sword Body Wash was just as excited. Hopefully they'd still blur everything out. The whole thing was ridiculous.

"I assume you're staying for the viewing party tonight?" Kendra said and sat down on the edge of my desk.

"Even though it's the stupidest marketing idea ever?"

Kendra laughed. "Don't be bitter that Mr. Ellington didn't go with your idea. We'll all have a good laugh. It'll be fun."

"Does Layla Torrez even know what she has to do? She'll probably walk off before they even tape the segment."

"Apparently they never tell her what she's guessing until she's on the air. That way she can't prepare."

"I feel so bad for her."

"Yeah, me too," Kendra said. "But do you know who I don't feel bad for?"

I peeled my eyes off the report I was writing and looked up at her face. She was smiling at me.

"Who?"

"Carter told Marie that Mason is going around the office talking to his buddies about his new girlfriend nonstop."

I smiled to myself. "Really?" He still hadn't said those words to me. But he had said that we were exclusive and that he wasn't going anywhere. We were a couple. I felt my cheeks blushing. Hearing that suddenly made the fact that my ad pitch had been rejected in favor of a pornographic ploy not matter quite as much.

"Yes, really," Kendra said. "So what Marie and I are both wondering is why you didn't tell us about this huge step?"

"We hadn't exactly discussed those labels yet. Did he really say that?" I couldn't help the smile that was now plastered to my face. Just thinking about Mason gave me this warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach.

"He did. I never thought you of all people would end up with Manhattan's hottest playboy."

I laughed. "I think that title is a little bold. He's not really like that."

"Not anymore. He's given up his life of sin. You really have a hold on him."

I felt my face blush again and looked at the beautiful roses on my desk. They had arrived this morning with a note from Mason, saying that he had noticed the other ones he had given me were wilting. Which he had noticed while he was banging me on the desk. I'm sure my face turned even redder.

"And you've also been playing hooky."

"It was such a mess out yesterday. Getting to work is hard in the snow."

"Mhm. So on a scale of one to pre Patrick cheating on you, how in love with Mason are you?"

I wanted to believe that I was just falling in love with Mason. That I hadn't actually crossed that line yet. I wasn't the type of girl that just fell head over heels for some guy. With Patrick, our relationship had progressed slowly. But with Mason? It was like I had sledded down the steepest slope imaginable right into his arms. It wasn't just that I wanted to be with him every second. I needed him. He made me feel happy and desired and whole. That was it. He made me feel whole again.

I looked up at Kendra. "I've never felt this way about someone before."

"Holy shit." She dragged out the 'o' and 'y' in holy. "You like him more than you liked Patrick?"

I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. For some reason I felt like I wanted to cry. I liked him so much more than Patrick. And it scared the hell out of me. I didn't want to lose him. I couldn't lose him too.

"Hey." Kendra scooted off the edge of her desk. "Bee, what's wrong?"

I wiped the tears quickly off my cheeks.What is wrong with me?

Kendra wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tightly. "Tell me, Bee."