Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 176002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 880(@200wpm)___ 704(@250wpm)___ 587(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 176002 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 880(@200wpm)___ 704(@250wpm)___ 587(@300wpm)
She laughs back. “Oh, they’ll let you have it, don’t you worry. Richard would probably give it you for free, he wants to bump into you so bad.”
“Stop it!”
I take another look at the sprawling cityscape through the windows. I’d move into this place right now, without so much as a bed or a towel or anything, just to be in here, it’s so beautiful.
“Let him know,” Ebony says, gesturing to the front door. “He’s out there waiting. Tell him you want this one.”
I take a breath. “Ok. I will.”
Richard is on his phone when I step out to meet him, leaving the door ajar behind me. He puts it straight in his pocket.
“This is the one I want, please,” I say. “It’s perfect. It’s amazing.”
He puts his hand on my shoulder. “I’m glad we’ve been able to find you the perfect location, I know how much it can mean when a property jumps out like that, destined to be our home.”
Home. What a word for this place.
“I’ll get Rebecca right on it,” he says. “We’ll sign off the paperwork when we’re back at the office, if you like? When do you want the tenancy to start?”
“Today,” I laugh, thinking he’ll laugh back but he doesn’t. He tips his head from side to side. “Hmm. That might be a bit ambitious, but we could probably sign off mid next week. Get the weekend out of the way.”
“Really? Next week? You’re the best. Honestly.”
He grins as though I’ve given him a prize, and takes his phone back out. “Let me get on to Rebecca. Head down to the car when you’re ready.”
“Thanks.”
I wait until he’s at the elevator before I dash back into the apartment with my hands in the air. I do a happy dance in the kitchen as Eb cheers for me, spinning around like I’m a ballerina.
“It’s going to be mine!” I squeal. “Next week!”
Her mouth opens, and she glances around at the empty brilliance. “Jesus, Ells, that’s great, but what the fuck do you have to put in here? You’ve got no furniture in the shared house, have you? Nothing you’d want to bring?”
I’m grinning like a clown. “Nope. Not a thing. I have sweet fuck all.”
She clasps her hands together. “Hell yeah then, babe. Blank canvas. We’d better go shopping!”
“I can’t. I have a proposal this evening. Thank God for the pleasure of shopping online.”
“Damnit, Ells, you’re such a workaholic.” She raises an eyebrow. “Or a whore-aholic.”
“What can I say?” I smirk. “I love my job, and I have a whole apartment to furnish. I’ll happily be a whore-aholic to get this place just how I want it.”
“Alright, let’s get down to Richard,” Eb says. “Online shopping will have to do for now. Maybe we can browse together while we’re waiting for him to sort the tenancy.”
“Sure, just one more thing I have to do.”
“What’s that?”
I drag her through to the bedroom with me, and she’s laughing before I’m down on the floor, doubled up as I do a snow angel on the thick plush charcoal grey carpet.
“Thought I’d check it out,” I say, then roll onto my side and laugh along with her. “I don’t need any furniture, after all. This carpet is comfy enough to be a bed.”
“You’re something special, you know that?”
I catch my breath and stare up at the ceiling, and the host of sunken LED lights with eight billion settings.
Yeah, I better had be something special, clocking up every five-star review I can muster. This new lifestyle doesn’t come cheap. So, best off starting on a high tonight.
“Let’s get down to Richard,” I say. “I’ve got a new client at eight who wants me in filthy, wet panties. Good job we’ve been marching around apartments, on a bright sunny day.”
“Nice.” She helps me to my feet. “Make sure you don’t say that in front of Richard, or he’ll be asking for those dirty panties as a deposit.”
I raise my eyebrows. “You’ve been checking out Dick’s dick through the viewings?”
She gives me a wink. “Sure have. That’s my job, baby.”
I take her hand when we reach the elevator, giving it a squeeze when we step inside.
Yeah, it is her job, and she’s crazy good at it.
Back at Kingsgate we wait for ever for Richard. We can see him in his office, on the phone, and I just know he’s talking about me. Lives in a shithole. Bad credit score. I feel like I’m doomed.
“It’s ok,” Eb says, “he’s probably talking to his wife, explaining he’s gonna be late because he has new images in his mental spank bank to ponder.”
I take a breath, barely registering her attempt to reassure me. She’s scrolling through furniture websites and trying to wow me with suggestions as the minutes tick by, but I’m too edgy to care right now.