I love how my name rolls off his tongue. I never realized how much I wished men spoke my real name when they fucked me or even talked with me. Alexis, I always liked my name. It has a sexy ring to it. I know some people hate their name. But I guess I’m one of the lucky ones.
I wrap my two hands around Brad’s hand. He’s right his clinched fist is huge. I’m sure he could palm a basketball with ease. I tug him closer to me. So we’re toe-to-toe.
“This isn’t the first time this week I’ve been assaulted. It happens sometimes. I deal. You can’t go off playing knight and shining armor for someone like me. Trust me, I’m nothing special,” I frown chewing on my lower lip.
He takes a step forward so our bodies touch. His blue eyes lock into mine and he dips his gaze deep down into my soul. The room fizzes out and suddenly we’re alone, just the two of us. It’s quiet and the only thing I can feel is him. His fist in my hands, his thick body pressed up against me, radiating heat between our cores. My breath hitches and my mouth runs dry like the Sahara.
“You know my mother and sister, Alexis. You are beautiful and intelligent. If I have to defend your honor, I will,” he says and wraps his free hand around my back, splaying across the deep slope above my round rear, compressing my body to his. Melding us together. I’ve never experienced anything like this before. It’s warm and butterflies are fluttering rapidly inside my chest and belly. My heart thumps over and over. Signaling what it shouldn’t be signaling. I can’t like this man. He’s sexy and perfect in most ways that I know. But this isn’t right. Not for a long shot. I’m a glorified hooker and he’s a business owner who doesn’t even know I’m a hooker. I’m matched perfectly with someone like Joseph who is okay with who and what I am. If Brad knew he’d sprint out the door and never look back. And for that I can never allow myself to feel this ever again. I close my eyes and pop the invisible bubble surrounding us. Everything else fades back into focus and I drop his fist from my grasp and sadly step away from his warmth. Without saying a word.
“I need to leave Anne. I’m going to take a cab home,” I tell Becka and don’t even wait for a reply. I head outside and hail the first cab I see. It’s going to cost a fortune to get back to Queens from here, but I don’t want to ride the subway this late at night. It’s not particularly safe.
Chapter Nine
‘Ring, ring, hookah, ring, ring.’ My phone sings. Shit, not again this morning. Come on! I’m supposed to be off today. I hit the silence. ‘Ring, ring, hookah, ring, ring.’ It goes off again. Damn, whoever is calling me this beautiful Sunday morning is relentless.
I put my iPhone to my head.
“What?” I snap into the receiver.
“Well hello to you too beautiful. I trust last night didn’t go as well as anticipated?” Brian asks sweetly. I’m not in the damn mood to hear from my fucking pimp. I want some peace and quiet for once. I want to cleanse my soul. Thanks to this entire past week I can’t think straight. Too much emotion. That’s not good. It’s time to hit up Lolita’s.
I groan. “Last night was fine until I got hustled by an ex-client and was saved by my new one. Who doesn’t even know he’s a client. Who in turn gave me my first set of real butterflies in my tummy. I can’t see him again. That’s not a good sign.”
“Er…. Well… That’s what I was ummmmm… calling about.” He hesitates, stammering.
“Oh hell no. I’m not going Brian, you can’t make me. I bring in more revenue than the rest of the girls. You can kiss my ass. I’m not dating Brad again. No way. Never. Give him to somebody else,” I shoot off. I’m not having any part of this. Emotions are dangerous and the fact at his family owns my only safe house is bad enough. No. No and double fucking hell no.
“Just one more night. Please,” he pleads.
“Fuck off Brian. I’m going back to sleep. No, and I do mean no amount of money is going to convince me to date him again.” I hang up.
‘Ring, ring, hooker, ring, ring.’
I grunt frustrated. My teeth clinched. “Son of a fucking bitch Brian, what do I have to say to get you to leave me the hell alone? No Brad. I know his mom and his sister. He doesn’t know I’m an escort. It’s done,” I yell. I can feel flames about to burst out of my ears. Get the fucking hint, will ya! No, is no!
“Just hear me out,” he begs, his voice low and soft.
“No, I will help you pick another woman out. That is it.” I stand firm. This isn’t going to happen. No way, no how.
“How do you know his family?” he asks calmly, trying to coax me into another comfort zone to calm me down. Fuck him. I play this game too. The good ol’ bait and switch.
“His sister owns the B&B I stay at up north.”
“The one who knows you’re what you are?” His voice jumps a few nervous octaves.
“Yep, Amy. The one and only. That’s another reason why he’s off limits. I want to keep visiting there. I won’t give up my sanctuary to keep you happy. I will quit. Plain and simple,” I argue.
He huffs, obviously exasperated. “Fine, have it your way. But I’m handing over the brother to one of your favorite people and your favorite mother figure to another prostitute. Maybe you should call Amy and ask her how she’d feel about that.”
“Fuck you Brian. Fuck you. I don’t want him to date anyone. I like him. I don’t know if he likes me. But he’s a good person. He doesn’t need a slut. He needs a wife. I’ll never be that to anyone. I can’t be. Send anyone but Lulu. If you send her to him I quit. He needs a good woman, Brian. Just give him somebody to keep him happy for a few days. I don’t even know if he’ll sleep with them. But he’s a man. He might. Why does it matter? I thought this was a one-time gig.”
“Yeah I did too. But Andrew digs Becka and he called this morning saying Brad wanted your phone number. I told him that’s not for sale. So he said he’d pay for another date.”
GRRRR!!!
“Okay. Well, distract him and make him forget about me with someone hot, except Lulu. And when’s the date? I’ll tell Becka.”
“It’s tonight.”
We talk a little more and I hang up, silencing my phone and cozy myself back down into my pillow top mattress, naked. I only sleep in the buff. It gives the body time to breathe. Or that’s what my grandma and mom always told me. I told you; I have a strange family dynamic.
***
“Alexis wake up!” Becka yells and shoves me. I shoot up in bed. Leaving my breasts to fall out from under the covers and give her another naked show.
“What? The house better be on fire,” I sass. She’s already dressed in a skin tight black dress and red heels. Her hair is curled in long ringlets with makeup painted on perfectly.
“It’s not. But I’m heading out on my date with Andrew.”
Whoa! Shit. What time is it?
I peer over at the clock. I slept all damn day. It’s six p.m.
“Ok, have fun. Who’s your double date partner in crime?”
“Mary.” She frowns, disgusted, dusting off her dress with her hands like the thought of Mary is contaminating her somehow.
“Stop it. Mary’s nice. She’s sweet and the lesser of all the evils,” I chastise my best friend, rolling my eyes.
She shrugs, tossing her silky blonde hair over her shoulder. “Yeah but you’re the only want I want to double with. But I get why you don’t want to go. I saw that moment last night. You were hooked.”
I blush and it’s suddenly five hundred degrees in here. I wave my hand next to my face like a fan to cool down.
Becka chuckles, watching me. “You have fun here, I’ll give you the 411 when I get home.” She leans over the mattress and kisses my cheek and then leaves me.
I switch on my thirty-two inch flat screen TV in my bedroom, which sits on my black four drawer Ikea dresser. I snatch my phone off the black nightstand. I have six missed calls, all from Brian. I search my contacts and call the best Chinese joint that delivers and order almond boneless chicken, two egg rolls and wonton soup. Yum. There isn’t shit on ca
ble so I settle for Antiques Roadshow. It’s the only show I can watch the same episode over and over again and it never gets old. How could it? It’s fantastic to see a woman who’s had a painting in her attic for fifty years bring it in to be appraised and find out it’s worth three hundred thousand dollars. I think I’d crap myself. The historical memento alone is enough to make me swoon.
My doorbell buzzes. I slide on my light blue robe and greet a short middle-aged Chinese delivery man with my food all conveniently packed in a brown bag. I hand him thirty and make him keep the change. The better you tip, the better your food and service is. I know because I live it daily. If I get no tip I do a lousy job the next round. If you slide me a few bills I will pay extra special attention to your cock. Plain and simple, money and sex talk. No ifs ands or buts about it.
I eat my food in bed, watch an Antiques Roadshow marathon and around midnight my bestie strolls through the front door.
“Hey!” I call. I refuse to leave this bed. I don’t know if I’m moping or just relaxing. Probably a bit of both.
She comes in, tugs off her red heels and tosses them into the closet with the rest of our shoes and plops herself on my bed. Sprawled out, laying on her back. My bed is much nicer than hers. I splurge on my nightly comfort. Her priorities lie elsewhere. Like a hundred and sixty dollar blue multifunctional vibrator.
“So?” I push. I’m on edge; I really want to know what happened. I missed out. I truthfully deep down didn’t want to but I had to. Emotions are a woman’s worst enemy in my line of work.
“We ate at Diner 12. Another small restaurant Andrew owns in a nicer part of Brooklyn. It was fun and afterward he and I fucked in his office. He’s fairly good in the sack. A little mouthy with degrading comments. But I can deal with some kink.”
I roll my eyes and she laughs. “Oh…. You want to know about Brad?” she teases.
I smack her arm and blush. “Of course. How’d he like Mary?”
“He didn’t.”
My nose crunches perplexed. “Huh?” I bite my lip.
She shrugs and runs her hands down the front of her dress. Smoothing it against her perfectly flat stomach. “I don’t know. They talked cordially throughout the dinner and afterward when we went for a walk. But once Andrew and I snuck off for some alone time, he left and I have a feeling they didn’t end up in the same location.”
“Why?”
She shakes her head with an unknowing expression on her face. “Call Mary or Brian and ask. I’m sure they know. I do not. For not wanting to date this man you sure want to know an awful lot about him.”
“So what? He was chivalrous. It’s hard to come by.” I give her some lame excuse. I know, but it is part of the reason I like him. The more I thought about it today, the more I realized I probably like him more because his sister is Amy, his mom is Ruby and he knows my real name and isn’t a knowledgeable client. Plus I think I’ve acted more real with him than anyone else in years. You can’t date in this profession. It doesn’t work that way. Such is life.
“Yeah, well keep telling yourself that. Just stick with Joseph. I know he makes you happy. I’m gonna shower. See ya in the morn.” She pulls herself off my bed and leaves. I tuck myself back in snuggling under my bright red comforter. It’s beddy-bye time.
Chapter Ten
‘Ring, ring, hookah, ring, ring.’
Mother fucker—not again. I’m so not in the mood. I shouldn’t have ever turned my ringer back on. Stupid me!
“What the fuck do you want at nine in the morning Brian? I need my beauty rest,” I growl.
“Ummmm… I’m not Brian.” A deep bellowing voice coaxes me out of my sleepy daze and I pull my phone from my ear and check the caller ID. It’s not plugged into my contacts. “Hello? Is this Alexis?”
“Yes, this is she.” I rub the sleep from my eyes.
“This is Brad.”
I thought maybe but I wished it away ignoring the fact that he’s the only man I’ve ever spoken with that has a voice that deep and sensual. It’s like Vin Diesel meets The Rock meets George Clooney, all tied up into a sexy voice package.
“Good morning Brad, how many I help you? Anne is still sleeping but I can wake her,” I offer, trying to move past why he rang me.
“You live with Anne? And you still wouldn’t come to dinner last night? Am I that horrible?” His tone is weighted with jagged wounds.
I didn’t deny him a date because he’s horrible, it’s because I am. He’s not my chosen path. Joseph is. Period. Cut and dry. End of story. Move along. Sayonara.
I drop my tone into a gentle lovingness. “No, no Brad. I’m sorry, I just thought it was a one night thing. I’m not interested in dating at all. I only went along because Anne asked. I’m sorry. I figured Mary would be better suited if you were looking for a girlfriend type of relationship.”
That’s the sweetest way I can put it. I can’t exactly come clean. And Mary is better suited for him. Anyone is better than me.
“Alexis, I didn’t say I wanted a girlfriend and I never asked you to date me. I thought we could have dinner as friends. I don’t know where the significant other part comes into play because I don’t have the time or want to have any woman in my life that way. I just enjoyed your company strictly as friends,” he explains uniformly.
“Ok, sorry. I was under the impression from Anne that you were seeking a hookup or a girlfriend.”
No I wasn’t actually. I wouldn’t care if he was seeking a hookup, I would have slept with him. It’s my job. But shit, I can’t very well tell him the truth. Now can I?
He laughs. It thunders in my ears and I feel it vibrate through my body, pooling in my panties. I’m seriously attracted to this man so much, his voice awakens something feral inside. God help me. “I don’t need sex from you, trust me. I’m not like Andrew in that way.”
“I still don’t think we should be friends, Brad. It’s not a good idea. Stick with Mary.”
“I don’t like Mary. I like you. You know things about my life that nobody else does. It’s cool to be able to talk about. When I met you the other night I didn’t want to be set up either. Then walks in an attractive blonde and her even prettier friend. That was enough to throw me off my game. Then the Amy and my mom stuff came up and… I dunno.” I can hear almost hear his shrug through the phone. Or that’s how I’m picturing him, anyhow. “It’s kind of cool. Don’t you think so too? I mean, you said so yourself, you don’t know anyone who’s heard of that place. Yet, we bump into each other and my sister happens to own it.”
I have to admit he’s right. It’s a small world, after all.
“Ok, so how’d you get my number?” Time for subject change.
“I tried to get it from Andrew, then from Anne and then from Mary. They wouldn’t give up the goods. So I called my sister and told her I needed it.”
“You told your sister!” She’s going to kill me.
A sinful chuckle erupts through the phone. “Simmer down. I told her I wanted to contact you to get some sketches for my new apartment in the city. That’s all. She was fine with handing it over. She even made me sit through a ten minute conversation about how great you are. She loves you more than she loves me and I’m her flesh and blood.”
I can’t help but smile at that. I love Amy.
“No she doesn’t. And Amy is great too. I’ve got to get up there to visit soon. I miss it. And after this long week at work I need the R and R., like yesterday.”
“You should go next weekend. I think I’m heading that way soon too. Maybe we’ll cross paths.” He sounds hopeful.
Oh boy, that sounds nice. In reality, I’d love to be hugged and loved by Brad. He’s the kind of man you marry—not just sleep with. But that’s a total no-no. Not that he wants me that way anyhow.
“Can’t, I’m busy all night Friday and into Saturday.” I make it crystal clear. Maybe this will throw him off the disastrous friend path. He needs to find a new female to be friends with because this one likes him too much
. And it’s his mind more than his body. Although that appears to be rather nice too.
“Why? Do you have a boyfriend?” He drops his tone, the deepness just sunk into even sexier territory. Didn’t think that was possible. Some men have attractive voices. But Brad’s is like an eight gold medalist in the Olympics kind of sexy.
Unfortunately, it’s time to take this opportunity and squash any dreams he has. For his sake as well as my own.
“Yes, I sort of do. It’s complicated but we see each other a few times a week. Keeping it casual.”
See, I didn’t lie. Joseph is my work boyfriend and we do keep it casual. How we keep it casual I’m not divulging. But that’s all he needs to know. Simply justified.
“How long?”
“How long what?” I tuck my hand under my head and sprawl out across the bed in a giant X. Stretching my body. The phone held securely to my ear.
“Have you been dating?” he inquires treading into unwanted territory.
“Nine months last week.” I blurt out. Which is also true.
A pregnant silence takes up space. He hasn’t hung up but I think a cat caught his tongue. I can hear his breath in the receiver and he’s somewhere quiet because there’s no background noise. It’s just him and his deep breaths. There’s something very raw about this moment.
“Well… I don’t see how that affects a future friendship. Unless your boyfriend has a problem with you having male friends. Is Brian the boyfriend of yours? Is that who you thought was calling this morning?” He asks evenly, breaking the silence. Appearing to have tightened up his stance.
“No, Brian is a friend of mine, Mary’s and Anne’s. He likes to bug me in the mornings and I hate it…Okay Brad, listen, I don’t know if I can be friends with you or not. If it doesn’t work out I’ll have to give up Lolita’s and that’s the only place in the entire world I can’t sacrifice. I’ll think about the proposal. But if you want sketches like you said to Amy I would be happy to make a few. Any idea of how big you’d want?”
Artful Attractions Page 8