When I put it back to my ear again I heard some shuffling in the background before he said, “Jeez, did I do it again? I stretched again, and then yawned and exhaled heavily into the phone.
“I don’t know who you intended on calling, Paul, but you got me instead.” I croaked.
“Oh geez, sorry, darlin’. I didn’t realize I hadn’t dialed the correct number. I’m going to have to store this under Chloe so that I don’t wake you again.”
Smiled sleepily, I commented, “You’ve made my day…or night. I’d really appreciate if you did, I just changed my number and I’d hate to do it again.”
Paul snickered into the phone, “Gotcha, don’t piss Chloe off when she’s just woken up.” Saying our goodbyes again, I swiped the cell phone on silent and went back to sleep.
For the next couple of days I heard nothing from Paul, and I figured that I’d probably never hear from him again. I spent my time fixing the apartment up and working on my portfolio. There was no way I could have that career at that point with Kace’s connections and skills at finding things.
Once I had gone for coffee with a new guy, Derek from work to discuss some aspects of the project we were working on. It never occurred for me to mention it, but somehow Kace found out and confronted me.
The black eye he gave me from that meant a week off work and I didn’t even know the guy’s last name. As for poor Derek, Kace went to his wife and told her he had designs on me and to tell him to stay away from his girl.
Being left a hefty sum of money I was able to think about indulging in my other passion –creative writing. The idea of writing a book excited me, and I could afford to stay home for a year. Thinking maybe the isolation would do me good after the ordeal I had been through, I switched on my mellow music playlist I had made on Spotify and began to research what I could find to write about.
CHAPTER 11 - PLAYFUL BANTER
Chloe
Engrossed in what I was doing, I almost missed the call. My phone was vibrating on the end table. I became vaguely conscious of it while I was listening to “Somebody That I Used To Know” by Goyte. My one caller’s number flashed on the screen.
Answering the call, I heard, “Hey, Chloe.”
The familiarity in Paul’s voice seemed to nag at me. Smiling at the use of my name, I asked, “You meant to call me and not Toby?” Something in his voice made me tingle, he had a great voice and reminded me of another voice that brought back feelings of a something and nothing encounter I once had when I was at college.
“Sure, I did. Your voice is way sexier than Toby’s and I can’t flirt with him.” Between his low, velvety-rich Southern accent and his comment, I was rendered silent for a moment before trying to continue the conversation because he sounded so like Gibson Barclay.
“So…?” I asked, leaving the question unasked as to why he was calling.
“So,” he mimicked back playfully and began chuckling. I froze for a second because I wasn’t used to anyone flirting with me. Then I thought the poor guy had no idea what I’d been through.
“Where are you?” It had only just occurred to me that he may not be in New York, and could be anywhere.
“I’m in Arizona right now, you?” I wasn’t sure about telling him where I was, but he was just some guy on the end of the phone, he couldn’t find me. “New York.”
“I’m a few hours behind you. Sorry I woke you up at that ungodly hour, babe. Toby is in LA and in the same time zone as me.”
Thinking he’d rung to apologize for waking me, I started to say that it was an easy mistake to make when he said, “So who’s going first?”
“Going first for what?”
I could hear the playful tone in his voice he replied, “Well, we could have phone sex, but I think I’d kinda like to get to know you first, if that’s okay with you…I’m messing with you of course, I meant going first to talk about our day.”
God knows what got into me but I pretended to sound disappointed. “Oh, so you’re kidding about the phone sex, hmm, pity. Right, talking about our day it is then.”
Paul didn’t miss a beat, coming back at me saying, “Maybe once we’re a little more familiar we’ll get to that. I NEVER put out on the first phone date.” He started to chuckle again and it was quite infectious but I kept my cool.
Wanting to put him in his place, I flirted back, even though my cheeks were heated and my vagina was pulsing from what he’d just said. “Hmm, you think you’re capable of that…phone sex huh?”
He was really laughing down the line by then and cooed, “Oh darlin’, you have no idea what I’m capable of. I’ve been known to make girls come with my voice.”
A female voice came and murmured something to him and he briefly covered the phone saying, “Two seconds,” before he turned his attention back to me. “Well, Chloe it looks like you are going to have to hold the thought on the day’s events. I had a great time talking to you, but I have to be somewhere in a few minutes, so I need to go and make my call with Toby.”
Honestly? I was glad that the call ended there, because I doubted whether I could have continued to keep that flirting up with him and I had nothing to say to his comment about his voice.
Calling Ruby, I left her a message because it was still early and she must have still been asleep and then went to take a shower. When I came back there were three new text messages, two from Ruby and one from Paul so I opened it.
Paul:-Sorry Chloe, that was so wrong of me. It won’t happen again.
I was weirdly disappointed by the whole thing and got back into bed. Tossing and turning, I got to thinking about Paul. His voice had put me in mind of Gibson Barclay’s. Their accents were the same. When I got to thinking about him my fantasy about spending a night with Gibson flooded back and I fell asleep with memories of my college days and that one brief up close and personal moment I had with him.
When I woke it was daylight, and glancing at the clock it was 10am. I sat bolt upright in bed, I hadn’t slept that long since I was in college. Lifting my cell from the night stand, I turned it on. There were four missed calls and two texts.
Ruby had tried to call me, and then texted. Can’t wait to see you, Friday, Andaz Restaurant, 5th Ave, 7pm. Squeeeee!!!
Excited at the prospect of seeing Ruby again, I only hoped I wouldn’t become emotional about everything that had happened with Kace when I did.
I decided to be proactive about trying to write and visited the library that morning. Doing some research for writing a love story, I came out with an assortment of books to sharpen my mind, before I got started. Grabbing a sandwich, I made my way to Central Park with my lunch. Being in the apartment all the time, I was beginning to miss the outdoors.
Sitting down on the grass, I began stuffing my face with the delicious ham on rye bread and I popped my earphones in to listen to music. The phone was synchronized to my Spotify playlists, “Waiting for Superman” by Daughtry was playing, and I loved the idea of having my favorite music while eating alfresco.
Less than five minutes into my playlist, my cell rang. Seeing it was Paul, I held my breath and my heartbeat fluttered at the fact he was continuing to call me. Unsure of what to say after the earlier call, I almost let it ring out. Feeling nervous and embarrassed about the interaction we’d had, and not sure whether I could talk normally after his comment, about making girls come by talking to them.
Not trusting my own judgment because of how Kace had messed with my head, I tried to dig deep to find the old Chloe. The old me had a quiet confidence, but I was principled and hadn’t a lot of sexual experience. None outside of Kace really, apart from a couple of boys I had kissed as a young teen.
However, I wouldn’t have shied away from someone who had said something which made me feel uncomfortable. And really, there was only one person who had managed to make me feel the need to turn and run, and he became a world famous rock star. So my reputation on that score was still intact, as far as I was concerned.
Smirking, and con
fident the guy calling me would never know me outside of a phone call, I pinched my nose and decided to answer. “This is Toby’s wrong number messaging service, how may I help you.”
Rich spontaneous laughter boomed down the line at me. “Ha! Very funny.” Something about the way was his voice came across sounding relaxed and familiar made my heart skip a beat.
Smiling into my cell, I felt slightly weird that a guy I had never met could make me feel this engaged. Finding it very strange that I felt good about myself and that someone I didn’t know could have an effect like that on me. I loved the rich deep tone of his voice, it was warm and there was something familiar in it. “Hey, Paul. How’s it hanging?”
My jaw hung silently in disbelief as soon as my words were out. Where the hell had that phrase come from? I had no idea and to say it to him after the last conversation was…well an epic fail on my part. Paul coughed and sputtered, like he’d been drinking something and gave me another belly laugh, trying to get himself under control.
“God, Chloe, that’s too fucking funny, oops, sorry, my bad, I didn’t mean to swear.” Continuing to chuckle, he asked, “Where are you?” I smiled looking at the spacious wide area around me.
“Umm, in prison…where else do you think I’d get all this time to answer Toby’s wrong numbers? What the hell does this guy do anyhow?” My question was met with a silence that seemed a little odd, and then I heard him clear his voice.
“Ah, well…not very much if you ask me.”
I exhaled and smiled again, “Thought so, he’s too busy taking phone calls to work.”
“So…” Paul said, changing the subject.
“So,” I answered back playfully.
“Where are you? I mean…where are you, really?” Suspicion took over and I became cagey again.
“New York.” Paul snickered down the line at me.
“I know…you told me that. I mean where are you and what are you doing?”
Swallowing noisily, I wasn’t sure whether to tell him I was in Central Park because that would pinpoint me, but it was a big park so I answered. “I’m in the park.” My voice sounded wary.
“I thought I could hear ducks, or are they geese?” Good guess, Paul. Grinning, I looked at the beautiful birds out on the lake. “Both.”
“So, Paul… was there…a reason for this call, or did you just want to hear my voice?”
“Well there was a reason, and yes that’s it, actually.” Confused, I asked him to clarify what he meant. “I did call because I wanted to hear your voice, and well… to apologize for my pretty stupid off- the- cuff remark to you the last time about phone sex… and to tell you that I’m sorry.”
Smiling, I was glad he sounded so remorseful about it. It said a lot about him as a person. And, even although he’d apologized in a text, he wasn’t beyond repeating that to me, so that I could respond. While I was thinking he spoke again.
“Tell me something about Chloe. Anything.”
Frozen by his request, I wasn’t sure I was ready to share anything about my life, but like I thought before, the guy was on the phone and would never know me in real life. Besides not all men were like Kace. “So, this random guy rings me and it’s a wrong number right? And he admits to a stupid gene, and then proves it ‘cause he calls me again, so anyway…” Paul cut me off.
“Okay, I got it. I’ll go first. I understand you’re nervous, but we’re on the phone so it’s safe, right? I mean no one is going to get mauled or anything, and there will be no awkward end of night date thing going on, we’re just two people talking.”
Raising my brow I asked, “So you have nothing better to do than talk to some woman that’s a wrong number?”
Chuckling softly he said, “You’re getting the idea, and no I don’t. Not right at this minute. And, to be honest, I can’t think of anything better to do than to talk to you.” It was a nice statement so I decided to play along.
“Smooth answer Paul. Hmm…let me see then, okay…My best friend is called Ruby.” Chuckling at my disclosure, he mirrored back.
“My best friend is called…Toby.” I could hear the smile in his voice and it made me smile in return, liking his slight tease at me.
“Tell me something else,” he coaxed, his voice encouraging me. Twisting my lips, I thought about that.
“I’m unemployed.” He immediately came back sounding concerned.
“Do you have money to eat and live and shit?” Taken aback by his sudden concern, I had to offer some reassurance.
“Sure, I have plenty to keep me going for a long while.”
I heard him exhale heavily. “Well, that’s good. What do you do?”
This was getting personal. “Ah, that would be question three and you’re now two behind.” Clucking his tongue on his palate, Paul thought about what to share with me.
“I have a dog and a car.”
Giggling at his odd choices to share, I asked playfully, “Is that in order of importance, Paul?”
Laughing again, he said, “That’s three times you’ve said my name. Does that mean you’re my friend now? Not waiting for a response, he quickly interjected, “Your turn.”
Smirking wickedly into my cell, I mirrored him back. “I have no car and no dog.”
“Enough questions for today?” Paul asked, sensing my closed answers as an indication I wasn’t ready to share anything else. I nodded and said yes, but liked the “for today” part. Strange how I felt a little pang of regret that our call was coming to an end, but I definitely hadn’t trusted anyone with anything that was worth knowing about me at that point.
“Yeah, my driver will be picking me up soon.” Paul’s voice sounded surprised. “Your driver?”
Smiling, I clarified, “Yeah, I’m not rich or anything, he’s my taxi driver and he’ll be here soon, so I need to get going I have some errands to run. Nice talking to you, Paul.”
Hearing him breathe in deeply, he asked, “So, are we friends now? If so, maybe you could add my name to my number on your phone?” Pausing he added, “Call forward friends?” I could agree to that.
“Okay Paul, and thanks for the chat.” I touched the red call end button and dropped the cell in my bag; still smiling as I stood up and knocked the crumbs from my pants, I made my way to the entrance where I had agreed to meet Hank. He was waiting for me and it felt good that, even though he was only a taxi driver, he was someone I could depend on for the moment.
Falling into the sedate lifestyle I was carving out, I had Hank drop me off at the library. After gathering some research, I went home and started to plot a chart of ideas for a book. I became so lost in it, that I nearly forgot to eat until I couldn’t ignore my rumbling stomach.
Taking sandwiches and soup to bed, I tried again to watch a movie on my laptop, but I fell asleep, my mind playing catch up after more than a year of abuse and living on my nerves.
It wasn’t until the following evening, around 11:30 that Paul contacted me again, this time by text.
Has anyone told you that you have the sexiest voice ever?
Pretty sure that he’d texted me by accident, I reacted strangely, feeling more than a pang of jealousy at the woman who should have received that message instead of me. Shaking off that feeling I told myself I was being absurd, the guy on the phone wasn’t really interested, I was just someone he was passing the time with.
Besides, he could look like Quasimodo from the ‘Hunch Back of Notre Dame,’ but he had the voice of Gibson Barclay.
Sighing, I leaned over to my nightstand and swiped the screen of my tablet. Finding the app to my music, I found the song I was looking for. As soon as the music intro started, I lay back and closed my eyes. “Inches From Paradise,” the song that made M3rCy superstars, filled the room and my imagination wandered back to the time when Gibson looked into my eyes and in my mind we had shared a moment.
The words were amazing and although the credits said that he wrote the song, the man-whore I had known about then, wouldn’t have been capable
of the feelings behind those words in that song.
Unspoken moment, in a thunderstorm, a moment remembered, that still keeps me warm, I’ll never forget that sweet soulful look, a chance of a stolen kiss that I never took.
Living my life without regrets, until the moment our lips almost met, and then you were gone, but the fresh smell of rain still makes me wonder, where you are now and if for that second you had felt the same.
Unlike the rest of his songs, this one had an element that clicked with me. Lyrics of a love song, instead of his usual rock songs full of metaphors for fucking women, drinking and broken fucked up relationships. This song had a different, slower tempo, sad sounding melody and softer music. Not a rock ballad per se.
All I knew was that I connected with it, and I never thought I’d ever hear myself say that I had something in common with Gibson Barclay. It was the song that saved my life and kept me sane. When life was terrible, I’d put it on and lie flat on the floor with my arms stretched out to the side and imagine myself floating whilst it played. Those few moments of escape were everything to me.
CHAPTER 12 - SHE HUNG UP
Gibson
Crazy I know, but she sounded a great girl. I loved her voice too. There was a sweet way with her. And, damn, she hung up on me! I snickered to myself. That’s got to be a first…ever. Doubt she’d do that if she knew who I really was. Actually, that was a really arrogant thought, and then thought she might hate my music and what I did.
Didn’t think I’d ever really met a woman that just wanted me for me. Maybe that’s why I wanted to talk to her so much. I was getting a kick out of talking to someone who sounded so normal without all the adulation shit that I usually got. She was bright and funny and didn’t want anything from me. So, I was getting a real buzz out of my mystery wrong number. Realizing I was smiling, I shook my head.
I’d never been so thankful to anyone for doing something wrong before. Toby’s PA gave me his new number wrongly, so it was a pure fluke, but Chloe, there was just something about her. She had a cute way about her, not to mention a sexy laugh, but there was something in her voice that made me feel that something was wrong. I really liked talking to her, she was very real. Not like those plastic girls that were always hanging around in droves, wiggling their asses at me, and asking me to sign their tits.
Romance: Gibson's Legacy ( New Adult Contemporary Erotic Romance) (Last Score Book 1) Page 9