Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 122382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 612(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 408(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122382 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 612(@200wpm)___ 490(@250wpm)___ 408(@300wpm)
“Sounds like you’re asking a question.”
“What?” I glance his way and blink. I mean, if you’re offering. “No. Not at all. I was generalizing.” Shit. Shit! What possessed me to say that? “Look, before I hired Cuddle Carl, I’d found myself on a couple of escort sites. And it just made me think. Premium rates must mean a premium service.”
“So do you think escorts are paid by the inch?”
“No!” I splutter. Laugh. Then coax my eyebrows from my hairline. “You said nine-inch—can we just change the tone of conversation, please?”
“By the inch,” he repeats, meditatively. “That is a question I’ve never thought to think, let alone seek the answer to.”
“Maybe Nate from Nine Inch Males ought to know. For market research.”
He taps a finger to his lips as though in thought. “Getting back to your idea,” he says, smacking his arm down like an elephant’s trunk. “I’m not at all sure slapping my massive man meat on the tabletop, at a wedding, is the way to go.”
“Massive?” Help!
Almost ponderingly, he adds. “Maybe that’s why I get paid the big bucks.”
“Well, I’m happy for you,” I say, struggling to keep it together while ignoring all the things. All the things running through my head as well as flickering in my panties. “And while you might be right, I’d still love to see their faces. It would seriously mess with their heads.” Both of their heads, I think with a snicker. Along with the pressures of the job, the liquor drunk, and the coke vacuumed, I wouldn’t be surprised to find one or two already have issues getting it up.
Ask me how I know, because I’m not talking hypotheticals here.
Despite that, half the girls in New York seem to be looking for a man who works in finance. I find the concept laughable and the species so overrated. At least, now I do.
“Maybe I could hire a stripper for the office,” I say, propping my elbow on the table and cupping my cheek. Maybe I shouldn’t have ordered that drink. Or inhaled the one on the way in.
“It might give you a laugh, but it’s not adequate payback.”
“Payback isn’t what I have in mind.” Playing them at their own game, however . . .
“Maybe you don’t.” He says this so airily, with so little consequence, my intuition is immediately tweaked.
“I didn’t tell you how things are because I need someone to defend me.”
“I’m aware. But also, I’m not someone you’ve hired.”
“Meaning what?”
He sits back in his chair again, all lounging confidence. “I think you know exactly what I mean.”
“No, or I wouldn’t have said otherwise.” I don’t ever rely on others to fight my battles.
“Why do you think I’m here?”
“Because you’re—” Nice, I almost say. “Because you felt bad for me.”
He quirks his head slightly as though to say Maybe, or That’s not entirely it. “Let me put it another way.” Like a snake striking, he sits forward again and takes hold of my hand. “I’m not working tonight. I’m not taking orders.”
I find myself blinking again, rapidly this time. And oh, the places my mind goes.
“But you don’t need to worry. I won’t fuck you over.” Those eyes, they’re beguiling. “As for fucking you . . .” There’s something almost cautious in the way his gaze moves to the back of my hand. “That’s lady’s choice.”
Chapter 6
Ryan
The server returns with our drinks as I try to talk myself out of what Matt just said—what I think he just said. Because I felt the truth of his words in the way his gaze gobbled me up. And I don’t like that I love where this might be going.
It’s not like I hired an escort . . . I just kind of got him on a free loan.
I mean, if I like. If I want to take him up on it.
Pretty sure that’s what he meant.
But I couldn’t. I know I threw out big words in that old bar, but I couldn’t have sex with someone I’d normally have to pay. Could I? Only, I wouldn’t be having sex with just someone. I’d be having sex with him. With Matt. If I want.
Check, please!
Only kidding. Kidding myself.
I bite the inside of my lip to stop myself from smiling because, hell, the way it felt to be in his arms makes me think I probably could. Except for one little problem. It’s not a moral issue. Or even an ethical one. It’s more that I get the feeling Matt might be the sexual version of a gateway drug.
I’ve been lonely since the split. Just because I haven’t missed sex doesn’t mean I haven’t missed being touched, I now realize. Missed being desired. Held. But if I give in, do this once, who knows where it might lead. Might as well transfer every quarterly bonus to him.