Ella's Easter Eggs (BBW & Billionaire) (6 page)

"Ah, I'm glad you asked," Dash responded with a grin. "So I'm gonna be out there representing the new brand, you guys are gonna be out there explaining some of the new concepts, and we'll be introducing our new brand ambassador."

"Who's our new brand ambassador?" the girl fired back quickly.

"Ella!" he said, his green eyes lighting up as the whole room turned to stare at me. "I can't think of anyone better."

CHAPTER EIGHT

CRASH COURSE

WHAT?!?

Now, I was completely, totally conflummoxed. I know conflummoxed isn't really a word, but that is how I felt. First of all, these things didn't happen to me. I was the girl who struggled in obscurity for years, trying to make ends meet. Not the one who booked a huge modeling campaign.
 

Also, there was the tiny detail that I had become sexually involved with the gorgeous boss. Oh, and the fact that I wasn't actually a model. You know, small things...

Since that last issue happened to be part of Debra's territory, she took it upon herself to address the problem head-on.

"Can Ella and I have a quick huddle with you, Dash?" she asked, looking around nervously. "Privately?"

"You got it!" he said. "Now, for everyone else -- be thinking about how you're going to present your thoughts and garments to the media. This is a really big night for us."

Debra led the three of us over to the couch, and I had to stop myself from giggling. It was, of course, the same couch upon which Dash and I had been cavorting the previous evening.

The three of us sat down, and Debra began her dramatic confession.

"Dash, I just wanted to let you know that, in actuality, Ella was not the original fit model we hired. She's extraordinary, of course, and I'm so glad we have her, but I just wanted to come clean with you before we start doing all of this media stuff and involving agencies."

Dash looked at both of us, utterly conflummoxed himself.

"Okay, so what's the deal then? How did we find you? Did angels drop you off?" he asked me jokingly.

His grin was so infectious that it made me start cracking up. I tried to say something, but then Debra just butted in. Thank God.

"She was with Katrina's Katerers, working the event!" she said. "I'm sorry, it was a last-minute thing, our gal had canceled...I didn't have time to tell you."

Dash threw his head back and released a terrifying roar of laughter. Debra and I looked at one another in fear. What sort of reaction was this?

"Even better!" he exclaimed, patting Debra on the back. "Even better! So that's the story we tell the media then...our fit model cancels, and we notice this stunning creature working with the catering company and decide to give her a shot. She exceeds all of our hopes and expectations, and we realize that the brand ambassador for our company has been under our noses for the past three days. She's smart, she's real, she's gorgeous, and she can relate to everyday American women. BOOM!"

Debra and I looked at one another in stunned silence. He had been utterly unperturbed by this strange curveball. Finally, Debra said what I had been thinking.

"And that's why they pay you the big bucks...Dash, that's brilliant!"

"Anytime, ladies," he smiled. "What a ridiculously lucky break for both of us! I'm sure the original model didn't hold a candle to you, Ella."

"Thanks," I said. And then something occurred to me. "Um, I actually ditched my commercial agent a few days ago. I'm going to need someone to represent me, so..."

Of course, Dash had an immediate response.

"Yes, definitely! The agents from the plus-sized division at Fleur de Lis will be here tonight. We'll get you hooked up with them right away."

I could barely catch my breath. Fleur de Lis was the biggest and best modeling agency in the entire world. How had I gone from crappy Blaine at Commercial Agent Associates to Fleur de Lis? It was seriously a miracle.

"Thank you," I said again. "I know it's a small thing to you guys, but this is changing my entire world."

"Alright," Dash said, looking at Debra. "We've got a lot to cover before the press starts arriving. Make sure Ella is prepped with all of the right outfits and talking points."

And then we were off to the races. Hair and makeup people arrived, creating a sort of Guess girl/sixties bombshell look for me. My dress had been created specially for the event, a lingerie-inspired black corset number. It was incredible. I couldn't resist snapping a few shots for Daniela and Carlo. Before I knew it, it was already time for me and the team of designers to work the red carpet.

Dash went out first, of course, making a big speech to the media.

"In recent days, I have come under fire for some comments I supposedly made about plus-sized women. At the risk of sounding crass, this was utter bullshit. I never said any of this stuff, but I didn't deny it until now, because I thought it was important for people to engage in a dialogue about designers catering to so-called plus-sized women. I say 'so-called' because the average American woman is a size fourteen. So why is a fourteen considered plus-size then? De Maio Designs wants to remove all of the dumb, manufactured labels that the fashion industry comes up with. Put simply, we want to make clothes for these women. Sexy, flattering clothes that are stylish and function well. We've been working on concepts for this line for a long time, actually, a while before I was accused of making the afore-mentioned dumb comments."

The reporters shot back with a variety of questions, all of which Dash answered well. He was incredible under pressure. Only Dash had the business acumen to turn a rumor into a goldmine. After he answered a few questions, Dash started to introduce me.

"Ella, will you step forward?"

I stood right next to him, as I heard a flurry of flashbulbs. It was unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. The photographers didn't even know me, but they started shouting my name.

"Ella, over here!"

"Ella, quick smile please!"

"Can you turn this way just a sec?"

Putting his arm over my shoulder, Dash explained my new position.

"Ella is our brand ambassador for this new collection. Not only is she incredibly smart and beautiful, but she's also probably the sexiest woman I've ever met in my life."

I was about to melt. Not from all of the lights, mind you, but from Dash De Maio's sweet sentiments. Standing so close to him, I was enveloped by his scent...woodsy, musky, with some pheromones that obviously drove me wild. X-rated images of our interlude on the couch flashed through my mind as the photographers continued to snap away.

The reporters started to ask me questions then, and I found myself sounding surprisingly articulate. I realized that being a plus-sized brand ambassador was a great responsibility, and it was one that I really, really wanted.

"You know, living in L.A., I've had agents tell me to just abandon all hopes of being considered sexy, simply because I don't fit their cookie cutter image of what a woman is supposed to look like. Well, I'm here to tell you that women come in all shapes and sizes, and we're all beautiful! And I'm so honored and thrilled to have this platform now."

I stayed on the red carpet for a few more minutes, chatting with even more reporters and personalities. Debra came up behind me and whispered in my ear, "Will you mention Katrina's Katerers as the company that brought you here? It's the only way she'll shut the hell up about getting a finder's fee for you."

I had to laugh. Amidst all of the excitement from the past few days, I'd almost completely forgotten about Katrina, or my fake "egg dyeing" gig. Of course she was demanding free press. But I didn't mind. After all, as annoying as she was, she was the reason that I'd shown up there in the first place.

"Speaking of female empowerment, I'd just like to give a quick shout-out to the woman who brought me here. Katrina from Katrina's Katerers! Not only do they provide great food and service, but they employ lots of aspiring artists in L.A."

"What kind of work were you doing for the catering company when you were discovered?" one of the reporters asked.

"Dyeing Easter eggs!" I shot back, and everyone laughed.

"You're on fire tonight!" Debra whispered in my ear, as I finished up my interviews.

Finally, it was time for me to exit the red carpet and allow some VIPs and celebrities to take my place. Debra got me a glass of champagne from the bar, and we mixed and mingled for hours. She even introduced me to the people who would be my new agents at Fleur de Lis.

"So, are you excited to go to New York for the shoot next week?" one of them asked me.

"Uh, what?" I was so confused.

"Oh, yeah!" Debra piped up. "Sorry, forgot to tell you, Ella. You're going to New York next week to shoot some print ads. With Patrick Duvall."

I almost passed out. Patrick Duvall was one of my favorite photographers of all time. How had I gotten this lucky, this fast? We sat down for dinner then. The catering people buzzed about, and the reality of my new situation started to sink in. If I played my cards right, I would never have to cater again. After years of working so many difficult jobs, I was finally going to be financially comfortable.

The rest of the event passed by like a beautiful blur, and things started to wind down. I'd never felt so exhausted and exhilarated in my entire life. Katrina caught me as I was headed to the restroom to freshen up.

"Ella! Thanks so much for the plug. Here's your money," she squeaked.

And then she handed me an envelope with my six hundred dollars.

"You're welcome!" I smiled.

"And now that you're in the big leagues," she continued. "I'd be really happy if you considered Katrina's Katerers for your future needs."

I almost spit out my water.

"Yes, of course, Katrina. Not that I'm in the big leagues quite yet, but definitely in the future. You got me where I am today! Quite literally."

"Bye, Ella!"

"Bye."

As I headed to the bathroom, I thanked my lucky stars that I would never have to work for her again. She was a decent person, but I would not miss her "all caps" emails. When I looked in the mirror, I was pleasantly surprised. The makeup and hair had held up really well under all of the lights. But it was time to head home. The air had become unseasonably chilly, and once the adrenaline stopped rushing so much, I realized that I was absolutely freezing. It was time to hop in the car and turn up the heater.

Then my plans changed abruptly.
 

As I exited the bathroom, I almost ran smack into Dash De Maio. The wild thumping of my heart commenced once again.

"Ella!" he exclaimed, pulling me in for a tight hug. "You did such a great job tonight."

"Thank you," I smiled, loving the feeling of his warm body pressed against me. "Thank you, thank you, thank you a million times for this opportunity. I won't let you down."

He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Do you want to have a nightcap with me up at the house? No pressure, I swear. If you want to leave, I will not hold it against you."

Leaving was definitely the best idea, the one that made sense. The problem was that I did not want to leave. Having another sexual encounter with my new boss was highly unprofessional, and it was technically a terrible idea. I'd finally gotten a job that would rescue me from financial peril -- why would I jeopardize it? But I'd never wanted anyone in my life as bad as I wanted Dash De Maio.

"Yes, let's have a nightcap," I whispered back, against my better judgement.

"Perfect!" he said, grabbing my hand. "Let's just escape right now, shall we? Debra can deal with all of the stragglers. I've talked enough tonight."

And then we headed towards the house. My heart continued to race as we walked. What would a night in Dash De Maio's arms look like? He grabbed my waist from behind and whispered in my ear, as the house loomed closer and closer.

"I'm sorry that we were so rudely interrupted last night. Maybe we can pick up where we left off?"

"Ah, and where was that?" I giggled nervously.

"Well, I think it starts with me giving you a tongue lashing. Correct me if I'm wrong," he said.

I could feel his warm breath on my neck.

"You're not wrong."

CHAPTER NINE

NO NIGHTCAP

Dash's house was so big that we had to use an elevator to get to his bedroom. And what a bedroom it was. Overlooking a canopy of trees, the view even included some of the glittering city below.

"Want a drink? I've got cognac, or port or..." Dash gestured towards a fancy bar cart in the corner of the enormous room.

I shivered from excitement. "Uh, sure, a glass of port sounds wonderful."

Dash mistook my shivering for being cold. "Oh no, it's kind of freezing in here, isn't it? I have them regulate the temperatures with this eco-friendly thing, but sometimes it's cold when you first get into the room."

He seemed abnormally chatty, maybe even a little nervous himself.

"Oh, I'm fine."

"How about the fireplace?" He had one of those electric fireplaces close to the bed.

"Sure, sounds great."

And then he flipped a switch and the fire roared to life. Looking at him standing there, his hair and skin lit by the warm glow, I realized I couldn't wait for a drink...I needed him now. Coming up behind him, I wrapped my arms around his chest and put my head on his back. Sighing deeply, I breathed in his magnificent, musky scent.

"Ah, so you do like me," he teased, turning around pulling me into his chest.

"Of course I like you," I sighed, nestling into the crook of his arm. "What's not to like?"

He kissed me on top of my head. "I never know if people really like me, you know. If it's about money, or power, or whatever I can give them."

"Well, you don't have to worry about me," I sighed, looking up into those supercharged green eyes. "I'm not after your money. Strictly your body."

He swatted me on the ass. "Naughty girl!"

I couldn't stop laughing. "I'm sorry! I couldn't help it. You turn me on. Is that a bad thing?"

"No, it's not," he said, his gaze falling towards my breasts, which were barely contained by the corset dress. "Is that dress comfortable?"