Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86168 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
The massive dog suddenly shakes what feels like an entire tidal wave of water straight into my face. I groan and blow some off my lips. He looks back, mouth hanging open, panting and grinning like he’s trying to drive me crazy on purpose.
“He took me to dinner. Then to a club.” Then fucked me mindless in the back of his car. “Then dropped me off back home. That’s all.” I go back to grooming the dog, struggling to finish the shampoo phase and already dreading using the dryer on him.
“Dinner and dancing? What a gentleman. Did he keep his hands to himself? Did you want him to?”
“Yes and yes. Please, can we talk about anything else?”
“At least tell me if it went well.”
“It went—” I hesitate, not even sure how to answer. “Better than I thought it would.”
“That’s great! My first date with Joshy was a total disaster. Granted, we were in college, but still. He took me to a frat party and some asshole puked on my shoes. Joshy let me wear his back home, though.”
“What a great guy.”
“Center of my world, that big idiot.”
I try to picture saying the same about Stellan. But I can’t even come close. Josh and Tab have a normal relationship, but whatever this thing is with Stellan is like something from another planet.
Or maybe I should stop thinking about it like a relationship at all.
What’d he call it? An arrangement?
Just a business deal between two consenting adults.
“Can I ask you something?” I decide to take a break from cleaning the dog and let him sniff around the washing room while I towel off. He settles in the corner on the tiles, not remotely bothered that he’s still wet. “If you had the chance to change your life… but it meant selling out… would you do it?”
Tabby snorts and waves a hand. “Fuck, yes. You kidding me?”
“But what if it meant… like… sex work?”
She frowns a bit. “Did this guy proposition you or something? I mean, you’re hot and I bet you’d kill it if you started an OnlyFans, but that’s not really appropriate for a first date.”
“No, no, forget about the guy. This is something else.”
“Right. Sure.”
“Seriously, if you could do something a little crazy, but it might give you stability, safety, and security, would you?”
Tabby levels me with a serious stare. “Start with feet,” she says, not remotely kidding, and I feel like I could die. “The feet guys are total creeps, but they’ll pay up. Then move on to mild stuff. Don’t show the goods. Tease like your life depends on it. But hold back.”
“Tabs, I’m serious!”
“Me too, girl. I’ve been thinking about starting an OnlyFans for years, but Joshy won’t let me. I keep telling him he’s got a great dick and would look fantastic on camera, but he’s not into it.”
“Stop. I’m begging you.”
“Seriously, Kira, you do enough for Gem already. I don’t know what you’re considering, but how much more do you have to give?”
She’s got a point. But that’s exactly why I can’t stop thinking about Stellan’s proposition.
It’ll mean I won’t have to work two jobs anymore. I’ll have more time for Gem. I could devote myself to her, really help with her applications and her studies. We could actually afford school visits even. It’d change everything…
All I’d have to do is give the last shred of dignity I have left.
“That’s the thing.” I go over and lead the big dog back into position. “I’d do anything for Gem.”
“I know that.”
“I’d even sell my feet.” I grin at her before I turn on the dryer.
The big dog is not remotely happy, and neither is my hangover.
Three days slip past like nothing. I barely even notice until I’m putting on my waitressing clothes and heading out to the diner. Gem’s home and studying, which is pretty much all she ever does. I hope when she’s at college, she’ll have more of a life than I do. But that’s the whole point, right? We put in the work now so that everything’s better in the future.
And Gem could have so much more freedom, if only we had the resources…
I’m strangely nervous. Gem caught me putting on makeup and made a face. “You never put anything on before work. What’s going on?”
“Just need an extra layer of armor to feel good about myself tonight, that’s all.”
Which she accepted. Truth is, I’d rather have a full suit of steel plate than a little eyeliner, but I take what I can get.
At least Pam’s working tonight. She greets me with a quick hug and a litany of complaints, like always. Harry’s bobbing his head to his music and only spares a quick wave of a spatula before plating an order. The diner smells like grease and coffee, and all I want to do is run away.