It’s here. Thank fuck. The final week. Only one week to go, and Carter and I can be together.

I literally cannot wait to have sex with him. The buildup has been so huge that I know it’s going to totally rock my world. He’s so damn sexy. So perfect. Even though he’s had to suffer the past six weeks, he’s still so generous. You can’t ask for much more than a generous lover, right?

Except he’s so much more. I love everything about him. We’re so perfect together, and I can’t wait to get started on our real life.

I feel so terrible for him. Walking up to the countdown calendar we made, I wish he hadn’t had to suffer so much these past two months. It must've been terrible. I almost wanted to take a vow of chastity with him just so he wasn’t in this alone, but the look of horror on his face when I suggested it made me quickly change my tune. He told me that it was bad enough that he couldn’t do anything with me, but to be deprived of making me feel would be the ultimate defeat.

What could I say? I did my part for man and country and spread my legs and let him eat me out to his heart’s content.

Carter’s in the shower, so I take a minute to check my phone for emails and social media updates. The show is such a hit. The ratings have never been higher in all of the five years of it running. The network must be raking in a fortune. There are betting pools being set up all over the Internet debating over whether or not we’ll crack. Seriously? After all this time, they really think we’re going to give in right at the very end?

I see an email from Lola and hesitate before opening it. Last time I talked to her, earlier in the week, she was super pissed at me. I failed at the job I was hired for. She was so sure that if we were together, Carter would give in. She didn’t count on me being his support, helping him get through this in his weak moments. She didn’t count on my falling in love with him.

I toss my phone aside, and just as I’m about to go make something to eat, there’s a knock at the door. I frown. Who could that be? It better not be fucking Chase bringing us some other ridiculous scenario to make us fuck before the season finale. I can just see him saying that we have to sit naked for hours with Carter’s cock positioned an inch from my pussy, just waiting for him to give in and shove it inside. I roll my eyes. They would come up with something crazy like that.

When I open the door, I’m surprised to see Lola herself standing on the other side. Without waiting to be invited in, she just makes herself at home. I think I might hate the woman.

If I thought she was pissed the last time we talked, that was nothing compared to how she is now. She’s practically seething. I know why she’s here, even though I’m surprised she actually came herself. The last time we talked, I told her I quit. What was I supposed to do? I can’t do this assignment anymore. When I found out from her what she actually wanted from me, I should have said no from the beginning. I shouldn’t have agreed to it. But I was so desperate to get to know Carter that I did it anyway. And I can’t bring myself to regret it now because we’ve fallen in love. Everything worked out.

Except now Lola is here in Carter’s apartment. “You really think you can just quit like that?” she says, laying into me.

“I can, and I did,” I reply.

“You won’t ever see a penny of that money,” she spits.

Like I care. She’s just pissed that I’m not playing into her hand. “Doesn’t matter. I quit. That’s the end of it. In fact, why don’t we just have these cameras leave too? You aren’t going to get what you want, Lola.”

And of course that’s when Carter makes an appearance, a towel slung around his waist as he strolls in, his eyes narrowing at Lola. “What are you doing here?”

Lola gives him a haughty smirk. “Just checking in for myself. I find it hard to believe you haven’t had sex yet, Carter.”

He practically growls. “You did a good job of making sure I didn’t have any options. That was low, Lola, even for you.”

She shrugs. “It’s just business.”

The camera crew is packing up as all this is going on, apparently taking me quitting seriously. “You know what?” I say to them. “Wait for a minute. I actually have something I need to say, and everyone needs to hear it.”

Chase runs in. He must stay parked outside of Carter’s apartment or something because he sure does pop in at a moment’s notice.

“Ashley, no. You can’t say anything.”

“What the hell is going on here?” Carter bursts out, totally confused.

I turn to him, regret filling my chest. I should've just told him this part eight weeks ago when he first asked. But I was scared to do it then. Scared I’d lose him. And while that’s a very real possibility if I come out with this now, I have to. I can’t start a relationship with him without being totally honest.

“Ashley,” Chase warns. “You signed a contract. You can’t—”

“No,” I say, cutting him off. “I can.” Focusing all my attention on Carter, I walk up to him and take his hands. “I have to tell you because I love you. You deserve my honesty.”

His brow wrinkles and he hesitates when he says, “Ash?”

God, I hope this doesn’t go the wrong way. I take a deep breath and let it all out.

“Carter, I told you I was hired to seduce you, and that was true. But there’s more. Something I didn’t tell you. I was actually hired to make you fall in love with me. They thought if you loved me, you’d give in and have sex. So…yeah.” I bite my lip, waiting for everything I’ve ever wanted and finally have to come crashing down around me.