Taking Something by Elizabeth Lee Read Free Book Online Page A

feelings. Wasn't the ideal place, but I hadn’t wanted her to have second thoughts about giving me, a virtual unknown, a shot. I had turned off my nail-and-bail instinct and let her drone on and on about how people didn't understand her.
    “I want to connect to people,” she’d said. “Spiritually. Emotionally. I'm tired of them thinking that I'm shallow. I want them to understand that I'm more than just a great singer and actress. You know?”
    “I completely understand.” I patted her back as she rested her head on my chest.
    “People act like my life is so easy, and it couldn't be further from the truth,” she added.
    “I want to help you find the perfect songs to express how you feel.” I looked down and saw her smile. She was buying it.
    Don't get me wrong, I wanted Sadie to be happy with the music we made, but more than that, I wanted to make money. “Poor little rich girl” songs didn't work for singers like Sadie. She wanted to sing about struggles, but her entire life had pretty much been handed to her once her mom had gotten her that television show. The real musicians, who'd given their whole lives to become something, would drown Sadie. She needed to stick to what she was good at—stuff people liked to dance to and sing at karaoke bars—not deep and meaningful. But if I had to let her have a couple tracks to keep her convinced I was the right guy for this job, then so be it. I was more worried about the tracks that would actually get radio play, not the filler.
    I needed to change the subject. It was a tall order. Other than music and money, we had zero in common. I racked my brain to come up with something we could talk about.
    “So how did Gia end up being your assistant?” We both knew Gia. Made sense as a topic. Only problem was that, after I’d asked the question, I felt myself anticipating learning more about Gia. “Couldn't make it after the television show?”
    I felt Sadie hesitate then swallow hard, like she was trying to keep something inside. “Something like that.”
    “That's too bad,” I said, wondering what had made her react that way. “She's a pretty girl, and I've heard that she's talented. Has to suck for her to see you be so successful.”
    Sadie sat up quickly and looked deeper in my eyes than she ever had. “Nick,” she said with an innocent smile, “there's something you need to know.”
    “What's that?” I asked, hoping that maybe she was going to tell me something that deepened our connection. The sex had been great, and I could get on board with being in a relationship that had that aspect covered, but being able to be around her outside of that was going to be a stretch if she didn't give me something to work with. Something told me that she wasn't a complete narcissist. There was only room for one of those in a relationship, and I had it covered.
    “If you and I are going to be sleeping and working together, I don't ever want to hear you say that you think anyone— other than me—is pretty.” She gave the direct order nonchalantly, as if she'd just asked me to pass her the salt over the dinner table.
    It was so easy for her to demand things. Second nature. She pressed her lips to mine and then trailed her mouth down my neck. Not only was she telling me what to do, she was expecting me to just rise to the occasion for another round of sex.
    Somehow I managed to deliver, but the entire time, all I could think about was exactly how pretty Gia was.
    The thing that pissed me off more than anything? When I woke up, I was still thinking about the pain-in-the-ass brunette not in my arms instead of the smoking-hot redhead who was.

    I slowly slipped out of the bed and left her after thirty minutes of contemplating whether or not I wanted her to wake up next to me.
    I knew how a girl's mind worked. She would take me staying the night as a sign that I wanted more than what we had agreed to. We'd settled on working and sleeping together, but a committed relationship