Ravenous

by L. L. Collins

  That’s not the only thing that changed me.

  “I’m fine, Port. Really. I have you and my job, plus friends and family. I do need to run, though. I’ve got so much to do. When’s your next day off? Let’s get the guys together and go to the beach.”

  “Yeah, let me check my schedule. I think I’m on for the next week straight and then off for a few days. We’ll get it together.”

  “Sounds great. And…Port?”

  “Yeah, Breck?”

  My heart crashed so loudly inside my chest I swore he would hear it over the phone. “Could you text me the info on that service?” I couldn’t believe I opened myself up for this.

  “What service?”

  I swallowed, my throat feeling like cotton suddenly took residence there. “The—” I glanced around my room, making sure no one would come in. “The escort service.” I said it so quietly I hardly heard myself.

  But I should’ve known Porter heard me. He probably knew my thought before I even spoke it.

  “Shut the fuck up, bro. You want to hire one?” Porter’s laugh was so boisterous I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “I can’t believe this,” he said between laughs. “Who the hell are you right now?”

  “Porter.” I didn’t know how to explain myself any further.

  Porter quieted. “Dude, you’re serious? What do you want one for?”

  “Do you think it’s stupid to take one to the faculty party?”

  “Well, if it’s for the same reason I took Janie to my dinner, then no. I just couldn’t be more shocked you asked, especially since you’ve done nothing but bust my balls about it since I told you.”

  “I know, I know. I’m sorry. It’s a brother’s job. I wouldn’t know how to find a service like that, and since you used it, I thought hey, why not try it out.” I neglected to tell him I would try my damnedest to hire Janie. If I could even make myself dial the phone number.

  “You got it. I’ll send it to you as soon as we hang up. Tell Penny I sent you. She’ll hook you up. But I have to warn you—it’s not cheap, bro.”

  I gritted my teeth. Whatever the expense, looking her in the eyes and satisfying my curiosity would be worth it. “I understand.” I forced myself to bite back the retort lingering on the tip of my tongue. Even though you think I’m a poor sap.

  “Okay. Keep me posted. I swear, you never cease to surprise me, Breck. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  I sat up in the darkness surrounding me and reminded myself I was in my bedroom, in Florida, and not in the sandy, dry desert of the Middle East. My heart pounded painfully in my chest, and my breath came out in short spurts.

  Sighing, I slid my legs off the side of the bed and stood, stretching from side to side. It was my first full day of summer, and I was awake at three in the morning. I knew I wouldn’t get back to sleep now.

  I walked out to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of orange juice. Standing at the island, I stared out the window to the black sky. It instantly reminded me of Janie’s dark hair, and a familiar stirring occurred in my groin. I tried to recall the last time I brought a woman home—or went to her place—and I couldn’t remember. That’s how pitiful I was.

  My mind spun and it wouldn’t stop, no matter how much I tried to tell myself this wasn’t a good idea. Over the last week, I obsessed over this so much I almost talked myself into just doing it. The phone number was right there, in the text from Porter. I had money saved. I didn’t know how much it was, but surely it couldn’t be that bad. I was afraid to ask Porter the cost for fear I couldn’t afford it.

  I just wanted to spend time with her, and this was the only way to do it.

  I wanted to gaze into her eyes and see if what I saw across the room was true.

  I wondered what her reaction would be if I took her to a faculty beach party.

  I picked up my phone and pulled up the number. Staring at it, I wondered if today was the day.

  I would do it.

  I had to do it.

  Today.

  5

  Raven

  “Raven, you have a client requesting you for Saturday, but it’s during the day. I wasn’t sure if that was something you could do or not, so I told him I would call him back.”

  I blinked, trying to force my brain to wake up and understand Penny’s words. A day date. Well, that was new.

  I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes to see what time it was. The clock at my bedside said it was after noon. Thank God I didn’t have classes today. I finally got to catch up on some sleep after a late night escorting a guy, only marginally less hot than Porter, to a fancy dinner with a prospective client. I peered over at Emma’s bed, but she was gone. Dang, I must’ve been tired if I didn’t hear her get up and leave.

  I forced myself to concentrate on Penny’s words. She’d been good to me. Though I was still very new and very green, I was busy. I was more sure of myself on the dates, and I enjoyed it for the most part. It was fun to pretend my life was something different than it was, and the men were all respectful so far. And none of them asked for or assumed there were going to be “extras.” The only one I was tempted by, other than Porter, was the one last night, but we ended things with a kiss on the cheek and a “thank you,” and that was more than fine with me.

  “Saturday should be fine,” I finally said. “What’s the date?”

  Penny laughed. “It’s quite unusual, actually. It may be the first time I’ve had one of these. This is a new client, but was referred through Porter and requested you.”

  Must be one of his friends. My gut clenched at the thought of seeing Porter again, but he hadn’t called.

  “The client is a teacher, thirty years old. He’s requesting you to attend his faculty beach party.”

  Same age as Porter, too. “A teacher?” That was a new one. And a beach party—interesting.

  “Yes.”

  I thought back to my teachers in school, none of them young, virile men.

  Maybe he was ugly.

  Maybe he was unable to get a date on his own.

  Maybe, maybe, maybe.

  You thought the same things about Porter too, and look at how hot he was.

  I hadn’t been to the beach in a long time, despite living within thirty minutes of it. “Sounds fine to me. I don’t have any plans on Saturday. Same rate?”

  “You’ll actually be paid double the usual because the event is an all-day thing. Are you available for the day?”

  Double. I thought about the few thousand dollars I already had. A few more weeks of this and I could afford to put a down payment on an apartment, get Chrissy some school clothes, and settle her in here before the new school year. She would be so happy when I told her. I would get her life straightened out, and I owed it all to Emma. And Penny.

  “Yes, that’ll be fine.”

  “Great. You’re quickly becoming one of my most popular girls, Raven. I think this job suits you well. Things have been okay, right?” Penny was unbending about her girls’ comfort and safety, and seemed to take an extra special interest in me. She was only about ten years my senior and didn’t seem a day older and only managed the business now. She, too, started in college to make ends meet, and I had the feeling she had a story to tell.

  “Yes. It’s been great so far. All my clients have been respectful and courteous.”

  “That’s what I like to hear. Okay, so for this date you will meet Preston at Blind Pass at ten in the morning. He’ll be in a black Jeep and will wait for you in the parking lot.”

  Preston. The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place the reason. I didn’t think a teacher friend of Porter’s would’ve been at the benefit dinner, so I tried to push the niggling thought from my mind. But long after hanging up with Penny, I still thought about it, wondering why it sounded so familiar.

  I knew if it was a party for faculty that Porter wouldn’t be there, so I forced myself to relax. He was referred by Porter. That didn’t mean he would show up ther
e and take me off into the sunset. And I didn’t want that, anyhow. So Porter was hot and successful, and there was something that got under my skin about him. I had to leave it alone. Pursuing him would only end in disaster.

  I laughed to myself at the thought. “Get a life, Raven.” I stood and stretched, needing a shower, some coffee, and to get a start on my homework. And I made a mental note to call Chrissy later to make sure she was okay and had food to eat.

  “Is this too skimpy?” I stood in front of the mirror in our dorm room, examining myself from all angles. I needed to leave soon to meet Preston, but I started to doubt myself. I knew this was a beach party, but I didn’t want to appear too sexy.

  Emma’s eyes shifted from her phone to me. Her mouth dropped open. “Hot damn, Raves. You’re going to give this guy a heart attack.”

  I glanced back at my reflection. My black bikini covered the essentials, but barely. I suspected it was a little too much for a teacher party. “It’s too much, isn’t it? I should’ve thought about this before buying it. Maybe I’ll just wear a cover-up with it.”

  Emma shook her head and bounced off the bed. She came and stood next to me. “Raven. You’re going to a beach, not church. He’s a teacher, not a priest. You’re obviously going with him to play some part, more than likely as his girlfriend. You’re sexy as hell, and you’ll give every guy there a stiffy, and every woman will want to be you. You are not wearing a cover-up the whole time.”

  She pointed at me in the mirror. “This is a beautiful woman. Look at this body. You have boobs that any woman—me included—would die for. Then you have these sexy, sculpted abs, hips, and legs that seem like you work out all day.” Emma turned me so I could see my backside. “Check out that ass. I mean, damn. You have a gorgeous body, Raves. Don’t hide it because you think you may upset someone. Who the hell cares.”

  I turned back to gaze at my reflection again. I tried to see myself the way Emma did. I couldn’t help but feel I would attract the wrong type of attention at a party like this, but I nodded anyway. “Okay.” I stepped back from the mirror and pulled my sundress over my skimpy suit.

  Emma bounced on her toes. “Hmmm…I would like to roll in the hay with a hot teacher.”

  I laughed. “Emma, seriously.”

  She wiggled her eyebrows. “But really, Raves. He’s a friend of Porter’s, right? So that probably means he’s hot. I would climb that like a tree after sitting around in the equivalent of underwear all day. Damn, make sure you get him all wet and—”

  “Emma.” She had to stop her ramblings, especially about climbing anyone like a tree. My friend was a horndog, and had no shame about it.

  She shrugged. “What? You can’t say you haven’t thought of it. You haven’t had ‘extracurricular’ fun with any of the guys yet, right?”

  “No.” I picked up my beach bag and my purse. “I’m not here for that, Emma. I need to get Chrissy out of there and have enough money to take care of both of us. That’s it.”

  “Yeah, but…it’s a bonus. For sure. You know I have plenty of money now. Let me go put a deposit on that place we loved. The three bedroom place with the sweet amenities.”

  I shook my head no. “I can’t take your money, Emma.”

  Emma rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know. Your pride and all that. Except I’m going to live there too, right? So I can pay to get things moving.”

  “No. A few more weeks and we’ll be ready to go get Chrissy.” I fluffed my hair in the mirror and checked my eye makeup. Despite going to a beach, there was no way I would show up without my hair and makeup done. “I have to go. See you later, Em.”

  “Have fun, Raven. Text me if you’re going home with him.”

  “I won’t. I’ll see you later. Want to grab some dinner?”

  Emma lifted an eyebrow at me. “We will see how your day goes. He may want to take you out after the party.”

  I refused to respond, and instead, walked out of our shared dorm room and to my car. It was time to meet Preston.

  The drive to the beach seemed like it took seconds, likely due to my obsessing over every little thing. It was because this was Porter’s friend. None of my other dates since Porter had I worried this much about. Since I had gotten into the routine of what I did, it was just like a regular job.

  It just paid a hell of a lot better.

  This one was different, and I hated myself for allowing the butterflies in my stomach and my rapid heartbeat.

  By the time I pulled into the parking lot and saw the black Jeep with a guy standing next to it facing the beach, my stomach was in knots. I forced myself to step out confidently, donning a bright smile and a pep in my step. I was Janie, no longer Raven.

  Don’t let them see you sweat.

  I stepped up to the Jeep, my eyes zeroed in on the blond hair. His gaze seemed to be fixed on a few kids throwing a football back and forth. Blond like Porter. I shook my head against the thoughts. No. Don’t think about Porter or the fact that he wanted your phone number. That is over. You can’t get attached to someone like him. He’ll only hurt you and distract you from what you’re doing this for. He would never fall for someone like you, anyway.

  My eyes scanned a muscular body dressed in board shorts and a tank top. He crossed his arms in front of him, and I took in the motion of his back muscles. Damn, he was ripped. I ignored the current of desire that traveled through my body and the thoughts about what he could teach me.

  I took a deep breath and stepped closer, hoping my voice didn’t give away my nerves. “Preston?”

  He turned immediately and I stopped, all the breath leaving my lungs in a rush. Staring at me was the face I’d dreamt about. The one I refused to see again because I knew it would only end in heartbreak.

  Porter.

  It was him.

  He wasn’t Preston, he was Porter.

  He wasn’t a teacher. He was a doctor, and I went with him to a benefit.

  He couldn’t make that up.

  I scanned the perimeter of the beach, noticing a large tent set up with tables and chairs. People milled around and kids ran back and forth, playing.

  It seemed like a beach party, just as Penny indicated.

  But Porter was here, wearing a bathing suit instead of a tux, and he lied to get me here with him.

  I didn’t understand why he’d bother. It wasn’t like things ended badly with us, and he had to manipulate me to go out with him.

  Preston is his father, I remembered. That’s why the name sounded familiar. He told Penny his name was Preston to get me here under false pretenses.

  A million thoughts raced through my head as I tried to make sense of why he would do that.

  “Porter?” My voice barely projected, but I knew he heard me because he stiffened briefly before smiling.

  “No.” He sounded like Porter, and it made me shiver.

  I shook my head, wondering what kind of fool he thought I was.

  He stepped closer to me, so close I could smell the aftershave he wore. He didn’t smell like Porter. His scent was fresher, airier, if that made any sense at all. He must’ve changed his cologne, because I wouldn’t forget that scent as long as I lived.

  Nothing made sense to me right now.

  I tipped my head back to peer at his face closer. I was glad for my sunglasses because they could hide the insane reaction I had to seeing him again.

  However, I wouldn’t play this dumb game with him. I didn’t have to put up with this. Money or not, I refused to be humiliated.

  I turned to walk away, hating myself for the money I would lose, when he grabbed my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I almost gasped at the contact, and something on my face must’ve told him to let me go because he dropped it immediately.

  “Janie.” His voice shook me again. The rasp, the deepness, it was similar, but not exact. Confusion muddled my understanding. “Please wait. Let me explain.”

  Still mesmerized by the man and the way my upper arm still tingled from his touch, I stood mute, w
aiting for him to continue.

  “I’m Porter’s brother.” He smirked, his mouth quirking up just enough to send my libido spiraling into oblivion. “Twin brother.”

  My jaw dropped open in surprise. My mind raced, and my heart followed suit. “Where’s Brecken?” Porter had asked his parents when we were at the dinner table. The memory popped into my head, but I never knew he was his twin. Then again, there’s no reason he would have shared that. I was just his escort, not his girlfriend.

  The thought was like a proverbial smack in the face.

  I was hired to do a job, and I would do it.

  No matter what Porter’s brother’s—whose name was not Preston—intentions were.

  “Your name isn’t Preston,” I said. “That’s your dad.”

  My knowledge of his father’s name clearly surprised him. He glanced back at the tent, which was presumably full of his co-workers and their families.

  “You’re right.” He returned his attention to me. “I didn’t want it to get out somehow that I…” He trailed off, and I knew exactly what he meant.

  “That you hired an escort? Penny isn’t like that. She’s very discreet.” I neglected to tell him that Penny had some of the highest paid professionals in the state as clients, nor that many of them requested the girls who enjoyed “extra services.”

  His face blanched at the word, and I realized I might’ve said that a little loud.

  I lowered my voice, remembering where I was and that I had a job to uphold. “Why did you request me?” I never met him the night I was with Porter, so there was no reason for him to know anything about me. Porter must’ve told him to ask for me, but I can’t imagine why. Maybe just to see if his brother can get farther than he had. I refused to think Porter would play that sort of game, but none of this made sense.

  Porter’s twin opened and closed his mouth but didn’t answer me at first. Finally, he shook his head and held out his hand. “Let’s start over. I’m Brecken, but my friends call me Breck.”

  I stared at his outstretched hand for a beat too long before my hand grasped his. I knew what his touch would feel like because my arm still sensed the heat of his grip from before. There was just something about Breck that seemed to filter right through my cautious barrier and seep straight to my soul. Something even more powerful than Porter, but it was hard to pinpoint what that was or why. It had just been moments in his presence, and I already knew I was in big trouble.