“No, you don’t have to,” she muttered, and he shook his head.
“I want to,” he insisted. They both looked at each other in silence.
“No, thank you,” she finally replied, and he felt his heart sink. He was a little offended. Since when had girls started turning him down? Everybody said yes. Everybody fell into bed with him. He was Devin Rock; panties dropped all around him all the time, and it was up to him which ones he picked up.
Why was she turning him down? She must have noticed the look on his face because she straightened her lips and looked at him quizzically.
“No, thank you?” he repeated her words. Camille nodded her head.
“That’s correct. No, thank you. Thank you for asking, but no I’m not interested.” This time, she didn’t even bother to smile. Devin cleared his throat in an effort to buy some more time. He needed to come up with an appropriate strategy.
Now that she had refused him, he was hell bent on getting her in his bed. He just had to find a way.
“How about if I buy a hundred copies of this comic book?” he asked and held up the book in his hand. It was the one he had started reading when he first came in.
There was an instant change in her expression. She looked like she couldn’t believe that somebody would want to buy that many.
“Are you serious?” she asked, her mouth falling slightly open.
“Absolutely. A hundred copies of…” he paused and turned the book over to read the title, “ Country Crowns . Fascinating title.” He continued on while she continued to stare at him, “By Ruby Red.”
He could see her visibly gulp. He knew he had hit the nail on the head. She wouldn’t be able to refuse him now, although she still hadn’t said anything.
“If you come out with me tonight, I’ll buy a hundred of these right away off you,” he said with a huge smile on his face.
Camille looked at him and then at the book in his hand, still in clear shock.
“Also, this is so obviously a pen name, isn’t it? Who is called Ruby Red? Anyway, I enjoyed the first few pages. This Cammy is a firecracker. I want to keep reading,” Devin added and raised his eyebrows. He didn’t have to wait for her reply to know what she was going to say.
Chapter Three Camille
“Alright,” Camille found herself saying. She could see it in his eyes; he already knew her answer before she had said it.
“But it’s not like you’re buying a date,” she quickly added before he could say anything.
“No, just tempting you into one,” Devin replied with his usual smile. The dimples formed deep ridges on both his cheeks and Camille felt like she was going to drown in the chocolate brown sea of his eyes. Why would a guy like him ask a girl like her out on a date? She had pasta sauce stains on her sweatshirt for crying out loud! But for the moment, Camille couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the fact that she was in a small confined space with Devin Rock, who had just manipulated her into agreeing to a date.
A hundred copies of Country Crowns! She hadn’t expected to sell that many copies of them in her lifetime. What was he even going to do with them? If he was as big of a musician as he claimed he was, maybe he was planning on distributing them to his fans? That would lead to more traction for her story. Camille shook her head to stop herself from daydreaming about comic book success.
“I’ll pick you up at nine. Give me your address,” Camille heard him say, snapping her out of her thoughts. The scent of him still had her enveloped in its charm; she was finding it difficult to even breathe.
There were stacks of papers and notepads and a few pencils on the only table in the small storeroom. Camille walked over to it and wrote down her address on a notepad. She still couldn’t quite believe that a guy who looked like Devin had asked her out and that she’d had the courage to say yes.
Well, it was more out of necessity rather than courage. She couldn’t exactly give up the only opportunity she had of selling her books. This would mean actual profit. Profit she never thought she would make.
“Thank you. See you at nine,” Devin said when she ripped off the paper from the notepad and handed it to him.
He took it from her hand, and they remained standing there for a few more moments, looking at each other. She couldn’t quite tell what he was thinking. He was a mystery to her.
He was a famous musician, hiding away from his fans, in her storeroom and he was staring at her like he was trying to size her up.
Camille tucked a few strands of her stray curls behind her ears and looked around the room nervously.
“Where are the books?” he asked, and she whipped her head up to look at him again. She had nearly forgotten about them.
Camille pointed to a stack of Country Crowns lying in the corner of the storeroom. They were still in their original cardboard box, unopened. Devin looked at the copy in his hand.
“Eight dollars? That’s it?” he remarked, clearly surprised.
“It’s independently published. I can’t retail it at the price of the other Marvel or DC ones,” Camille explained, and then wondered why she was defending herself. Wasn’t he glad that these ones cost less? It would mean that he had to spend less too.
“So, eight hundred dollars?” He reached around to the back of his pants and pulled out his wallet.
Camille nodded, but he was busy counting the cash in his wallet.
“Here, that’s a thousand bucks,” he finally said and handed her two five hundred dollar notes. Camille reached for them and then nodded her head.
“I’ll get you the change, just-”
“No, keep it,” he interrupted her. “This book definitely deserves more than just eight dollars each.”
Camille couldn’t believe that he was serious. That he was actually giving her a thousand dollars for her books.
“Well, thanks. I’m sure Ruby Red will be very happy for the extra commission,” she said, dropping her gaze to her hands. She could feel her cheeks blushing again. Devin Rock had unknowingly endorsed her creative efforts and made it possible for her to work on the next issue, even if nobody else was ever going to read it.
“All thanks to you. You’re a good salesperson,” Devin told her, picking up the box of books and then walking up to her, towards the door of the room. Camille felt her breath catch in her throat as he came closer. He towered over her, strong, lean and muscular. She felt like he could crush her in his hands, and she sucked in a breath.
“See you later, Camille Griffin,” he said, in a low gruff voice and opened the door to walk out.
Camille remained standing at the open door as she watched him weave through the aisles and shelves of comic books. He stopped where he had left the unicorn mask and picked it up.
“Throw this in for free with the rest?” he asked, balancing the box of books in one hand and holding up the mask with the other.
Camille found herself smiling and quickly nodded. Of course, he could have the mask! But she didn’t say that. Instead, she watched silently as he waved, turned the sign on the door back to “OPEN,” and walked out of the shop.
Through the windows of the store she watched him cross the street. Even from the back, he looked gorgeous, like a dream that was slowly but surely slipping through her fingers. She had never met anybody quite like Devin Rock before.
***
Camille closed the shop at midday, even though it was several hours before closing time. She just couldn’t think straight anymore. None of it made sense, and she needed to talk it out with somebody. What was she going to wear? Where was he going to take her? What did he actually have in mind for her? Camille couldn’t stop thinking that Devin had a hidden agenda. He couldn’t possibly want to simply take her out on an innocent ordinary date. He wasn’t an ordinary guy.
She drove until she reached Shayna’s house and parked out front. Camille shaded her eyes with her hand to look up at Shayna’s apartment. The Miami midday heat was scorching, and she was glad she was wearing shorts. Thankfully
, Shayna was home.
“What are you doing here? Did something happen?” The moment Shayna had opened the door, she barraged Camille with questions.
They had been best friends since they met three years ago at a comic book launch. Shayna was born and bred in Miami. Camille was born and bred in a small rural town in Texas. There couldn’t be two people more different, but Camille hadn’t met another girl before who was as into comics as she was.
Shayna fit the bill though. She had been home all day, but she still had her pitch-black lipstick on. Her fishnet stockings had tears in them, but Camille could imagine Shayna ripping them purposefully before putting them on. For effect. She was in a short lycra dress, which would have only reached Camille’s mid-thighs but with Shayna’s slender height, it nearly reached her knees.
“Yes, something happened, but nothing to panic about.” Camille walked past Shayna and into her apartment, eyeing Scat, Shayna’s cat who was lounging on the couch in front of the television.
“At the store?” Shayna asked, closing the door. Shayna worked from home as a freelance writer, so she barely stepped out of the house during the day. At night the two girls spent time working on the next issue of Country Crowns - Shayna was the co-author and was always bursting with ideas.
“It’s Cammy.” Camille turned to Shayna with her hands on her hips.
“Cammy? What are you talking about? What going on with her? You know she’s not a real person right, Camille?”
“We sold a hundred copies of her books. For a thousand dollars,” Camille said, a smile spreading across her face.
Both of them screeched at the same time. Shayna jumped and clapped her hands, while Camille laughed in excitement and the two of them hugged tightly. Camille knew Shayna would be as excited. Neither of them could have seen this coming.
“Are you serious? Who bought it? And why did they pay so much more money for them?” Shayna had her hand on her heart as she tried to calm herself. She looked like she was still in disbelief.
“This guy. Devin Rock. Do you know him?” Camille asked, biting down on her lower lip. This was the tricky bit, to try and convince Shayna that she wasn’t setting herself up for a trap. Shayna was extremely judgmental of people; if there was anybody who was going to be suspicious of Devin, it was Shayna.
“Devin Rock? No, I don’t. Should I? Is he in the industry?”
“He’s a musician of some sort. You sure you haven’t heard of him?” Camille asked, still chewing her lip. She had hoped that Shayna had heard of him.
“I would have remembered that name. What kind of music does he play?”
Camille shrugged her shoulders. “He didn’t say.”
“Okay…” Shayna began, still staring at Camille. She looked like she wanted more of an explanation. “So who is he? Why did he want all those comics?”
Camille took a moment to reply. She looked at Shayna and pursed her lips, trying to prepare herself for the avalanche of questions and warnings that were about to be hurled her way.
“Because he wanted me to go on a date with him,” Camille told her meekly and squinted her eyes. She could see Shayna erupting before her eyes, her friend’s face going red as she glared at Camille in more apparent disbelief.
“He bought a hundred copies of our books because he wanted to go on a date with you?” Shayna asked in a much shriller voice than before. Camille quietly nodded.
“Does he know it’s your book?” She took a few threatening steps towards Camille.
“No. I didn’t tell him. There was no way of him knowing. It was pure coincidence. I refused him when he first asked and then he picked the book and said he’d buy a hundred copies of it if I said yes,” Camille tried to explain, while Shayna’s face grew redder by the second.
“And what did you say?” she urged in a low guttural growl. Camille licked her lips and looked at Shayna guiltily.
“I said yes. I couldn’t help it. You’ll know what I mean if you see him, Shayna. He is absolutely gorgeous.”.
Shayna was fuming, her shoulders shaking. “So you sold a hundred copies in exchange for a date?” Shayna repeated, and then added, “In exchange for a date with a man you were drooling over?”
Camille nodded, and Shayna crossed her arms over her chest. Camille still couldn’t relax. She definitely didn’t think she had won her friend over to the idea yet.
“What are you going to wear? You haven’t been on a date in like… a year.” Shayna said, a smile finally creeping onto her face.
Camille shook her head and shrugged. “I have no damn idea.”
***
“I really don’t know.” Camille scrunched up her face, as she stood in front of the mirror of the changing room. Shayna was sitting on a couch nearby, and when she looked up from her phone at Camille, her eyes grew wide.
“That dress is so hot, Camille!” Shayna jumped up from her chair to come and stand behind her friend as she examined her in the mirror.
Camille stared at herself. It wasn’t the kind of dress she would normally wear, but she had to admit, it did look sexy, nothing like anything else she owned.
It was a fire truck red, with no sleeves. The bust fit tightly to her breasts and propped them up so that her cleavage looked even deeper than it actually was. The rest of the dress clung to her body, accentuating her perfect hourglass figure.
Camille couldn’t remember the last time she had been in a dress like this.
“You really need to go shopping with me more often,” Shayna said like she had read her mind. “You can borrow my black stilettos,” she added, and Camille just smiled. She couldn’t take her eyes off her reflection.
The last time she had been attracted to a guy who came into her comic book store, was… never . How had all this happened so fast? She had been attracted to Devin from the moment he stepped through her door, and what were the chances that he was attracted to her too? Then he asked her out on a date!
“What are you thinking? You should get it.” Shayna took a few steps forward, appearing in the mirror now. She placed a hand on her friend’s bare shoulder.
“Yeah, I’ll get the dress.” Camille locked eyes with her in the mirror.
“What’s with the long face then?” Shayna asked, and Camille sighed.
“This might be a bad decision. I mean, I don’t even know the guy.” Camille whipped around to face Shayna directly.
Her friend shrugged her shoulders. “You said you were attracted to him.”
“I am. He is like no other guy I’ve met before,” Camille admitted, and Shayna smiled.
“Go for it then. Did he seem threatening to you?”
Camille shook her head. How could she explain to Shayna that she had never felt safer than in Devin’s presence? When he had barely even touched her.
“Then what is the problem?” Shayna asked, and it was Camille’s turn to shrug her shoulders.
“I don’t know. I just get the feeling that he is going to sweep me off my feet. And that it’s a bad idea to allow myself to be so vulnerable.” Camille looked into Shayna’s eyes as if she were searching for answers in them.
Shayna gave a short laugh and reached for Camille’s hand.
“You’re overreacting. You’re feeling these things only because you haven’t been on a date for so long. This is how you’re supposed to feel when you’re attracted to somebody. That is the beauty of it.” Shayna was smiling reassuringly as she spoke and Camille nodded. Shayna was right, she had very little experience in dating anyway, and she’d had a long dry spell this last year. These were probably just nerves of an amateur she justified to herself and then turned to look in the mirror again.
“Let’s get this dress,” Camille said, smoothing out the fabric on her flat belly. It did look fabulous, like the dress was designed and made just for her. Camille bit down on her lip and smiled at herself. She couldn’t believe that she was this excited over a dress and a guy.
“So where are you going with him?” Shayna asked as Camil
le stepped back behind the curtains to take the dress off.
“I have no clue. He didn’t say where he was taking me,” Camille replied, and slipped back into her cutoffs and sweatshirt. She saw herself in the smaller mirror in her usual clothes.
“He sounds like a guy who would take you somewhere fancy,” Shayna’s voice interrupted her thoughts again. Camille was looking at her normal reflection, trying to locate what exactly Devin might have seen in her that made him so desperate for a date with her.
“No, he’s not a fancy guy,” she called out to Shayna.
“But he spent a thousand bucks on comic books at the store.”
WIFE FOR A PRICE Page 18