(a. Benson Pt. 01)

Back in New York, another envelope sat waiting inside the car. I was always nervous before opening the envelope. Every envelope brought me an exciting new assignment.

As the car fought through the city traffic, I pulled out the note from Eliza and began to learn about my next client.

Joe,

I hope that you and Samantha enjoyed your time in Mexico. I'm glad that you have been able to get connected here at your knew job.

We've brought you back to New York to serve a new client of ours, Ashley Benson. She is an up and comer in Hollywood, who recently finished her run on the popular TV show Pretty Little Liars. She has transitioned now fully to cinema and will be in need of our services for the foreseeable future. We have selected to pair you with her given your similar age and experience with new clients. While you may not be always paired up together in the future, we hope that Ashley will be someone else you can add to your extensive client base.

Here is some more information about your client:

Ashley Benson

Age: 27

Height: 5'4"

Hair Color: Blonde

Eye Color: Blue

Measurements: 34-24-34

Bra Size: 34B

Sexual Experience: Moderate

As for the logistics of your assignment, the film that Ashley is in is a medium budget romance movie. Compared to other movie stars you've been with in the past, the accommodations will be smaller. The studio has bought out the top five floors of a hotel for many of their actors and production crew.

When you arrive at the hotel, make your way to the 34

th

floor. This is the floor you will be staying with Ashley on. When you exit the elevator you will be met by Security, who will check your credentials and provide you with a room key to Ashley's room.

The production company has allowed each of the actors to invite their spouses or significant other to stay with them during their two months of filming in New York. Ashley came to us because she is not currently dating someone, but would like companionship with someone for the next few months. You will be posing as her boyfriend. Generally speaking, you likely won't have much interaction with anyone else associated with the film, unless Ashley decides otherwise; however if you should, stick to the cover of being her boyfriend.

Due to the tight security at the hotel, you will have the freedom to come and go from the hotel when Ashley is at work. Paparazzi will not be able to access the floors the actors are staying on, so no one will have a clue that you are there with her.

I will also mention that along with spouses and actual significant others, I have been made aware that there are other associates from The Agency working this assignment with other clients. I do not know who exactly is on assignment, but you may end up recognizing someone in your comings and goings at the hotel. Please do not have any interactions with any other associates, or disclose any associates to Ashley. It is important that we respect the privacy of each client's use of our services.

Best of luck!

Eliza

I found it odd that Eliza, someone who I had once had a fling with, was so aware of my relationship with Samantha. Granted, my spat with Eliza a few months back seemed to cool any feelings she had for me. Nonetheless, I wasn't sure how to interpret that portion of her note.

The rest of her note was pretty clear. I had begun to get used to bringing new clients into The Agency. It appeared that I was becoming someone who could be trusted to not scare away new clients and could make them feel comfortable with the odd relationship.

I didn't know much about Ashley. A past girlfriend of mine had been big into Pretty Little Liars, so I remembered who she was, but outside of that knew very little about her. I wondered what her personality would be like and what her approach would be to our relationship.

The car pulled up to the hotel downtown and my door opened to the loud honks of New York City taxis. The hotel was a little on the older side, but still seemed fairly upscale. I went inside and headed straight for the elevators in the back. The 34

th

floor was the second to last floor, so the old elevator took some time to reach the top.

Finally, the light glowed to announce our presence on the 34

th

floor and the doors pulled open. Two large muscular men stood blocking the doorway when the elevator arrived. Each looked like offensive linemen ready to break me in half.

"Can we help you?" A voice called out from behind the two large men.

Behind the two large bodies I could barely make out a small man sitting on a stool holding a clipboard. In comparison to the muscle men, this man looked like a small child.

"I was told to come up here to get my key," I said, still unsure about whether or not I was allowed to exit the elevator without being broken in half.

"Step out," the small man said as the muscular security guards opened up just small enough of a gap for me to squeeze through, "Name and identification, please."

"Joe Williams," I said reaching into my back pocket to pull out my driver's license.

The small man took his pen and searched up and down his list multiple times before adjusting his glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"Ahh, here you are. You're Miss Benson's boyfriend. Sir, you will find her in Room 3419. Let me grab your key out of this box."

The man got off his stool and began to dig through a small box on the floor that was filled with key envelopes. The man went through the box over and over before he finally found the correct key.

"Here you go, sir," he said handing me the key, "You'll walk down this hallway and it should be on the left."

"Thanks," I said rolling my suitcase down the hallway.

I stuck my keycard into the lock from Room 3419 and opened the door. I was slow to enter, not wanting to disturb Ashley with my presence, if she was in the room at all.

"Hello?" I called out.

"Just a second," a voice called out from what sounded like a decent distance away.

I walked down the hallway from the front door and into the living room area. The hotel room was a suite, but rather small in comparison to other hotels I had been in. It appeared there was a Master Suite through one door and a small kitchenette off from the living room. For Hollywood, the room was modest.

The door to the Master Suite opened and out came Ashley. She was dressed comfortably in what appeared to be either sleep or lounge wear. She wore a light purple silky looking tank top that fit loosely. Her long blonde hair covered the thin straps of the tank top and you could make out her hard nipples pressing against the silky material. The shorts matched the top and were short, but managed to still cover her shapely bottom.

"Joe?" Ashley asked nervously.

"Yes," I said walking over to introduce myself, "it's a pleasure to meet you."

Ashley's expression lightened when she realized that it was me and we embraced in a quick hug.

"Why don't you bring your suitcase in here and I'll show you around real quick," Ashley said pointing her hand toward the bedroom.

I nodded and Ashley led the way into the bedroom. As I had expected upon entering, the room was just a normal upscale hotel room. Everything was nice, but it was far from luxurious. As a guy who lived in a small apartment, it made no difference to me, but was still surprising given the celebrity status.

After a quick tour of the room, Ashley led me back into the living room and we sat on the couch. The room got quiet and Ashley nervously smiled my direction.

"You'll have to forgive me, I'm a little nervous and unsure how this exactly works," Ashley said, "My friend Christina told me about you guys, but I've never done this myself."

"I understand," I smiled, "Really this is pretty much whatever you want to make it. I was told that you were looking for companionship the next few months and I'm here to offer that. The biggest question is what type of companionship are you looking for?"

"I guess I'm not entirely sure."

"Well I can tell you that in my previous experience it can work pretty much any way imaginable. I've had certain situations where this works more like a friendship, other situations where it is more like a dating relationship and other times where it is just about sex. Granted, all of my previous clients have been seeking some sort of sexual relationship, but that doesn't have to be the primary focus if you aren't comfortable with it."

"I guess I'd fall more into the relationship category," Ashley said with a little more confidence, "As far as my sexuality is concerned, I have only really had a sex life within the confines of a relationship. Personally, I'd probably feel more comfortable in that sort of arrangement."

"That's perfect! I feel like that generally is the easiest way to make this work anyway. Well, why don't we just start down that path and see where it takes us. Again, no need to feel pressure about anything, we'll let this move at whatever pace feels natural. Why don't we start by just getting to learn about each other, like a first date?"

"Sounds good," Ashley replied with a smile, "Hopefully it won't be as awkward as some of my past first dates!"

"No promises," I laughed.

For the next few hours, we sat on the couch together and drank wine just getting to know each other. I told Ashley about my life before The Agency, and how it hadn't been the easiest transition moving from sales to this line of work.

Ashley asked, "Don't take this the wrong way, but don't you ever feel kind of dirty about doing this for a living?"

"Occasionally I do. However, the people I have worked for don't make it feel like something dirty. Like I said earlier, there has always been a great relationship built with each of my clients. Most of the time it doesn't feel like work, it just feels like I'm in a relationship. It is difficult to explain."

"Have you ever been worried that you wouldn't hit it off with your client?"

"Well, I have had one occasion where things didn't work well, but I was filling in for someone else. Generally speaking, The Agency does a good job of putting us with people that we will work well with. I'm not sure what all they do to put people together, but I've been impressed with how each has worked out."

I could tell that Ashley was still a little uneasy about the arrangement she had herself in, but it was understandable. It actually surprised me how more of my clients didn't act this way.

Soon our conversation directed toward Ashley's life. She started by talking to me about her childhood and then how she got into acting. She began to talk about her time on Pretty Little Liars and how different her life had become in that time. I could tell that Ashley was one of the few people that fame actually humbled. She didn't speak of her fame as a platform for herself, but about the effect she had on others and how surreal that was.

Ashley then told me about how she was trying to change her identity as an actress as she entered a new chapter of her life.

"I'm afraid that people will always see me as one character," Ashley said, "Don't get me wrong, I should consider myself lucky to have made it big at all in Hollywood. The thing is that I've seen other actresses fall off from acting after having success. I enjoy acting too much to want to see that happen to myself. I'm trying to take some risks and accept roles in different genres. I hope that the best has yet to come for me."

I took in what Ashley had said and responded, "I think that is normal for anyone in life. It isn't greedy to want to continue to make yourself better. No one wants their best days to be behind them. I think that it is admirable that you are pushing yourself, because some people would just rest on their laurels."

We opened a second bottle of wine and I could begin to see Ashley dropping some of her guards. It was hard to tell if it was the conversation or the alcohol that was having the larger effect, but Ashley began to feel more comfortable and open up.

She began to talk about a relationship that she recently got out of. Ashley spoke lovingly of some man she had dated, but it was obvious in her face that she had been hurt. Finally, she began to talk about how he had cheated on her and began to emotionally abuse her, making her feel like his cheating was in some way her fault. A few tears began to fall, but she quickly tried to rein in her emotions.

"You realize that's not your fault," I said leaning over placing my hand on her shoulder, "It sounds like he is just a piece of crap."

Ashley sniffled, "I know, but that is part of the problem. I always seem to pick the wrong guy. Even when it seems like I've got a good guy, he does something like that."

"It just takes some time to find the right person. Trust me, I've been in some lousy relationships in my time, but you'll find someone. A beautiful and smart girl like you deserves someone great."

"Thanks!" Ashley smiled, with her voice still a little uneasy from emotion. She leaned over and laid her head on my shoulder. It was the first real physical contact she had made with me and it seemed a little out of the blue. It was evident that she had become more comfortable with me.

I truly meant what I said about her finding someone great. She was incredibly attractive, but for more reasons than her hot body. She was a kind soul. Just like how I had found Samantha, she would find someone who fits her too.

"Why don't we head to the bedroom," Ashley said.

"Oh, are you getting tired?" I asked.

Ashley smiled, leaned in and began to kiss me. Her hand rubbed against my chest outside my shirt. Her full lips worked magically against mine as her kiss became more passionate. She quickly stopped and stood from the couch, leading me toward the bedroom.

I was surprised by the sudden speed of her physicality, given how skeptical she was at the beginning of the night. Our talk had seemed to go well, with both of us opening up and connecting. However, the sudden jump to sex seemed out of place.

"Are you sure you are comfortable with this?" I asked as we entered the bedroom.

Ashley grasped the bottom of her tank top and pulled it over her head, tossing it on the ground. She turned around to reveal her beautifully perky breasts coupled with a mischievous smile. I decided to interpret that as a yes.

I pulled off my shirt and tossed it in a similar direction as her tank top. I stepped over to her and we began to kiss. Passion was growing with every second. Our warm bodies were pressed against each other as our hands explored one another.

Ashley pulled back and flopped back onto the bed, "Can you turn off the light in the bathroom?" she said as she turned off the lamp on her bedside table.

I was more than willing to oblige. I walked into the bathroom and looked on the wall, but couldn't find a light switch. I walked into the bathroom and finally noticed the switch hidden behind the door. My path back to the bedroom was now dark, so I stumbled my way back toward the bed. Once in the bedroom, the alarm clock on my side of the bed helped provide just enough light to avoid hurting myself.

I slipped off my jeans and climbed into bed, "Sorry about that, had trouble finding the light switch."

No response.

I could hear Ashley's breathing in the otherwise quiet room, but she didn't move or say a word.

"Ashley?"

Still no response. I reached off the bed and pulled my cell phone from the pocket of my jeans. Lighting up my lock screen I turned the phone toward her side of the bed. Ashley lay curled up in the sheet, fast asleep.

I figured the same amount of alcohol that had liberated her spirits had also knocked her out once her head hit the pillow. I hadn't been out of the room for more than a minute, but that had been enough time for her to conk out.

I was lying in bed with a major hard on and a beautiful girl asleep half-naked next to me. Sleep was the furthest thing from my mind, but I rolled over and tried to close my eyes and fall asleep.

Occasionally, I'd be able to make out the honk of a car from the busy city street 300+ feet below, but for the most part I lay in silence. My body began to calm down and the frustration of not being gratified subsided. My eyes were beginning to grow heavy. I was nearly asleep, when I heard a muffled thump come from the wall.

I lifted my head off the pillow and looked around the room. I'm not entirely sure what I expected to see, but it was my innate reaction to the sound. A few seconds passed and the noise didn't repeat itself.

"I must be hearing things," I muttered to myself, lying my head back on the pillow.

Almost as soon as my head hit the pillowcase, the thump came again. However, this time the noise didn't take as long to repeat itself. The thump hit again and again, in about half second intervals. Then came the sound of a muffled high pitch moan. It was obvious that whoever was in the next room was having sex.

"You've got to be kidding me," I whispered, as my frustration began to grow back.

I tried my best to pull the pillow over my ears to block out the noise. The walls did a good job muffling whatever was happening on the other side of the wall, but it couldn't block out all the noise they were making. The combination of the woman moaning and screaming, the man's occasional grunts and the headboard knocking against the wall weren't going to allow me to sleep.

The noise continued for nearly 30 minutes as the neighbors went at it. Finally, the knocking against the wall stopped and the room became quiet again. I had to go back through the process of calming myself down, but finally I was able to fall asleep.

The hotel room phone rang out, as light filled the previously dark room.

"Thank you," I heard Ashley say before hanging up the phone.

I rolled over and tried to focus my eyes. Ashley was sitting up in bed, still topless with a groggy look on her face.

"I'm sorry if that woke you," she said, "That was my wake up call."

"It's alright," I said, propping myself up on my pillow and rubbing my hand against my eyes.

"Did we have sex last night?" Ashley asked.

"No, we kissed a bit and were going to have sex, but by the time I got back from turning off the bathroom light you were asleep."

"I remembered us getting ready to have sex, just didn't remember it actually happening. Guess that would explain why my shorts are still on," she chuckled, "I'm so sorry to leave you hanging like that. The mix of all that wine and a long day on set must have gotten to me."

"It's alright."

"No, I promise when I get back we'll pick up where we left off. I'd do it now, but I'm already running behind."

Ashley leaned over and gave me a kiss, "Be ready!"

Ashley disappeared into the bathroom and I rolled back over in bed. I grabbed my phone off the nightstand and noticed an unread text message from Samantha which read:

Joe, I'm sorry I didn't get to text you yesterday or today, I've been pretty busy traveling and with work. It doesn't seem like I'm going to have a lot of free time to message you, but I'll send you a text at night if I get a chance. I have been thinking about you non-stop since I left Mexico. I miss spending time with you at the beach. I'm hopeful that we can get some more alone time when I get back from this mission. I'm back in Los Angeles in two months. Do you know if you will be back by that point? I should get a couple of weeks between missions, so hopefully our paths cross. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I love you and can't wait to be back with you.

I could hear the shower running in the bathroom, so I took the free moment to type out a response:

Samantha, it's alright, I'm just happy to hear from you! I love you and miss you too! Mexico wasn't nearly as fun once you left. It sucks that we won't get to talk much, but I'm happy to hear any message from you. My mission is actually only supposed to last two months too, so maybe we will be getting back around the same time! I'll be daydreaming about it!