by Leah Holt
Fay paused her solo, snapping her head up at me. “Mommy, are we going to the store?”
“No Honey, not today. Go get washed up for dinner.” Plating our easy meal, I leaned against the sink. “Gina, can I ask you something?” My eyes scanned the hall, making sure Fay was out of hearing distance.
“Anything.”
“Why does this feel wrong? I mean, I know my husband has been gone for years, but the thought of looking for someone else makes me sick. I can't shake it, and I've tried.”
“Kinsley, it's not wrong. You're just not ready to let go, but when it happens, and if you do meet someone, that feeling will go away. Trust me, you'll know.”
Fay's tiny feet patted their way back down the hall, her hands held out in front of her face, twisting them to show me she washed up. Smiling at my daughter, I nodded for her to sit at the table. “Thanks, Gina.”
“Love you girl, now if you'll excuse me, I have some troubled youth to knock down a peg.” A soft giggle played into my ear, the sounds of fighting kids in the background crashed through speaker.
“Well, good luck with that.”
“Don't wish me luck, they're the ones who need it. Call me after you talk to Layne again, I'm so fucking curious what this guy has up his sleeve.”
“You and I both.” Flicking the phone off, I grabbed dinner and rested it at the table.
It was weird, I had started my family with two, Max and myself. Dreaming of the day I'd serve the entire family, and the moment when we would all be huddled at the table, sharing the day's stories.
And for some reason, this still held that same familiarity.
Just the two of us.
Only now, Max's spirit was embedded in the young face of our daughter.
He had never fully left, there would always be a piece of him here forever. And that was beginning to be enough for me.
I'll always have my husband and the memories, but I don't have my life.
I have to change.
It's time for change.
Chapter Six
Layne
Going to the school had been interesting for me. Kinsley didn't seem to get too frazzled by my being there. That was good, very good.
Aside from the giant cock she was holding tightly when the principal opened the door, her nerves had remained unseen. Either she was a woman who was great at hiding her feelings, or the classroom was where she thrived.
From the short time I watched her in class, it told me a lot more than I expected. Kinsley owned that room, the way she held herself showed the strength that coursed through her veins.
She spoke with assertiveness, never wavering in her demeanor. Gliding around the room on an invisible platform that all the children looked up to. She had control, she had passion for her work. And she didn't let my presence get in the way of what she was doing.
I liked that. And I also like that she wasn't an eyesore to stare at for a couple hours.
I had to be careful not to get a damn hard-on while sitting there. But there were children around, my control should have earned me a medal.
Her breasts bounced with each step as she walked, her long hair fluttered across her back and framed her face as she leaned over to help the kids. The woman was breathtaking, stealing my thoughts and eyes instantly.
No, Layne. She's a client.
That was a road I couldn't go down. Rule one of many: Never get involved with a client. That one I put on top, right next to; Don't give away your own personal information.
I wasn't there to shed my past, who I was as a person, where I came from, none of that shit was for the ears of my clients.
My job was to learn, search, and make a match. Help the person find themselves, help them gain confidence, and then place love right at their feet.
Except, I had this aching feeling that none of the women I'd worked worth ever compared to Kinsley. The ladies I was used to being around were lost in every area. They had failed relationship after failed relationship. They spent too much time with outward appearances, from the brand of shoes they wore, to the fucking tag on their underwear.
Useless shit that doesn't matter.
They were all demanding Mr. Right, while refuting to change one ounce of themselves. If there's anything I've learned, you can't sweat the small stuff. But I always succeeded, finding those women a guy that would mesh with their personalities.
And let me say... It wasn't easy.
I've had my challenges, and conquered them all. Kinsley had just become the next notch on my challenge belt, and I would conquer her too.
But there was something different about her. She didn't appear to be a woman who would have a hard time finding someone on her own, I just couldn't pinpoint what the underlying issue was.
There had to be something, and I was determined to figure that out.
But the real test would come tonight, date number one. I needed to see her outside of her comfort zone, and the guy I lined up would hopefully do that.
He was a buddy of mine, Taylor, my go to guy for all the first dates. I knew he was someone I could trust, and wouldn't immediately storm off if the date went sour. I guess you could call it cheating in a way, but I always felt safe with him there.
Safe is one thing that the female clients I worked with needed. Taylor provided that, with well detailed notes on what he thought.
He was an accountant by day, and my wingman at night. I'd been in this business for over three years now, and he'd been with me from the start.
It also might have helped that he was single, and lived by the motto:'I'm a no strings attached man.' Taylor didn't want marriage, he didn't want the family life or the weight of having to be in one place.
That was one thing we had in common, maybe that was why he became my best friend? Love was something I stayed clear of, I never let anyone get that close. I couldn't, not yet.
But Taylor was all about freedom in every way possible. And his freedom had to be a list that held over a hundred names.
I knew Kinsley would think that a date was way too much so soon, but I looked at it as breaking the ice. Gina had told me that she hadn't been on an actual date in over seven years, seven years.
Which I found bizarre because she was so damn gorgeous. How could not one man even take the time to ask her out?
There has to be something off with her that her friends never mentioned.
The idea just didn't make sense. Kinsley was drop dead beautiful, had a body I would kill another man to get a chance with, and she certainly wasn't lacking in the brain department.
So why the dry spell?
Flipping through my phone, I pulled up her number and dialed. “Kinsley, it's Layne.”
“Hello, how's things?” She asked with a nervous flutter in her tone.
“Informative.”
“Why's that, did you follow me around? Trail me around town, watching from a creepy distance?”
She didn't have to say anything else to give away her annoyance over my dropping in at her school. I could picture her with her hand on her hip, eyes hooded, head cocked to the side.
I didn't have to follow her around to see the signals of what she'd looked like right then. I had already spotted those subtle ticks at the school, observation was key.
And I watched everything.
“You can take your hand off your hip, I didn't follow you.”
There was a drawn out pause before she finally spoke. “How did you know I had my hand on my hip? Are you watching me now?”
Chuckling, I said, “No, I told you I'm not a stalker. This is what I do for work, and you've already given me the hand on hip look. Remember?”
“Oh, I guess I did.” A tense giggle hit my ear, my cock jerking to the melodic tone of her laugh.
What the hell?
That's not supposed to happen.
My eyes shot to my waist, glaring at the semi forming in my jeans. Adjusting myself, I took in a large breath of air, forcing the blood back to my head. Immedi
ately, I started flipping through extremely unsexy images in my mind.
Teller at the DMV, lady that delivers my mail, Loretta in her bikini.
Loretta was my neighbor downstairs... She was a very nice woman, but she was well into her sixties, and did not have the form that was flattered by a bikini anymore. Also, the hair on her upper lip, and hair that puffed from places I never wanted my eyes look at, didn't help her cause.
Shaking my head, I said, “I watch to learn who you are, Kinsley, everything plays a part in what I do.”
“I guess I'm not used to anyone paying that much attention.” Clanking noises broke through the speaker, the sound of water running echoed in the background.
She must be doing dishes. Good she's not too busy at all.
“Get used to it, because I do a lot of that. Alright, let's get down to business. Tonight I need you to meet me at Duffy's. Come dressed casual, but no jeans.”
“Tonight? Layne, did you forget that I have a child, I can't just run out anytime I want to. I don't even know if I can get a babysitter right now.”
“Don't worry, I have that covered. Gina will be there by seven.”
“Seriously? You called Gina?”
“She told me she'd be there for anything I needed, and honestly, I've never seen someone so anxious to babysit before.” Flipping through my closet, I grabbed a deep blue blazer, tossing it onto my bed.
“Yeah well, you don't know Gina's kids. They're a bit more rambunctious than most kids. But she's got three, I only have one, I might be itching to get out too.”
Her voice seemed to level out, the anxiety giving way to relief that I took a responsibility off her shoulders. I wasn't used to my clients having children, but Gina assured me that if I needed any help at all with Kinsley, just to give her a call.
Thank you Gina.
“Alright, I'm going to let you go so you can get ready, and I'll see you in a bit.”
“Wait, you haven't told me what were doing?”
“No, I didn't, and I'm not going to. See you soon, Kinsley.” Hanging up the phone, an excitement was brewing deep inside my gut.
That same dangerous feeling started to well up in my core, taking hold of my muscles and making my stomach scrunch with an odd warmth. Kinsley was a beautiful woman, and in a little while I would start phase one.
The first date.
***
“Taylor, what's going on man?” Stuffing my phone into my pocket, I leaned in and gave him a stiff slap on the back.
“Not much, same old. So, you got another one for me tonight?” Taylor asked, slicking his hair back. The collared button-down shirt hugged his thin frame, khaki pants hanging loosely over his brown dress shoes.
“You know I do. Now look, this one is a little different than the ones I usually bring you. So pay close attention.”
“Layne,” he said, holding his arms out. “You know I always do.”
“Yeah, but not that way. There's something about this one I haven't figured out. She'll be here in a few minutes, her name is Kinsley. I'll bring her in like usual, and send her your way.” Taylor nodded his head, and walked into Duffy's.
The two of us had a system. Taylor would find a nice booth tucked in the back if he could. I would take my client, give her some helpful hints, and lead her to the table.
I always expected a little resistance on the first date scenario, but by the end of the night, my ladies usually settled their nerves enough to have normal conversation.
If they didn't, the date ended in less than two hours, and Taylor went home empty handed. Now, I'm not saying all of my clients typically went home with Taylor, but there were a few.
Which in some cases was a good thing, but not always.
I hated being left to clean up the regretful sorrow of a one night stand they didn't expect, and didn't know how to react to. Taylor was good at doing the dip and slip, leaving without a sound and no number to reach him at.
But that was the perils of dating sometimes. Not all guys are good guys, and not all guys are looking for love. My clients needed to realize that so they could be more on their toes, and by the time I brought them the next potential match; the true match, and not my friend; things went a lot smoother.
“Hi.” The soft delicate voice floated up from behind me.
Turning around, my mouth dropped to my chest. Kinsley was standing with her legs crossed, tucking a small clutch in her hands. Her bangs were pulled back and bumped up with bobby pins, the loose strands draped her bare shoulders.
Wow, just wow. My chest tightened as I tried to breathe, lungs straining to inhale.
She looked amazing, incredible, completely enjoyable in every way.
Looking her up and down, I took in her form. A tight pink dress fitted her curves, dipping in at her ribs, and flowing out over her thighs. Her legs were bare, and shined with a hint of glossy lotion.
A part of my brain that was all man, pure feral man, wanted to run a hand up her thigh, inhale the scent coating her legs and let it engulf my senses.
Cool down, Layne. She's not here for you.
What the hell is coming over me?
“Hello, Beautiful, glad you could make it.” Softly, I pushed my fingers out and took the chance to brush her skin. She felt cool in the night breeze, a shimmer of goosebumps cascaded up her flesh with my touch.
“Thanks to you I made it,” she said with a smile. “Gina practically shoved me out the door when she got there, telling me to hurry up so I wouldn't be late. I heard that before from her, the same night I met you.” Veering her stare, she brought herself closer. “So what is it that I could have been late for?”
The scent of her hair wafted up as the wind blew gently around us. A sweet mix of cocoa butter and lavender hijacked my senses. My fingers tingled by my side, itching to reach up around her nape and coil into her hair.
Fuck! What the hell am I thinking?
You're being paid, you can't think this way.
“Okay, well this is probably going to shock you, but don't be pissed. This is how I do things, and trust me, it works.”
“What is it? What am I doing here?” Kinsley's leg kicked out to the side, drawing my eyes back down briefly.
There goes her hand and hip again. God I love that tick. It wasn't so much that it was a loud statement, or a sexual innuendo by any means... It was just watching her move. Her movements were sensual, her body drug-like and alluring in a way that I hadn't experienced before.
Kinsley had curves, and she used them. Even if she didn't realize she was using them.
“Welcome to date number one, Kinsley.”
“What? A date?” Her hands dropped to her sides, head kicking back. “Are you kidding me? I'm not ready to go on a date yet.”
“I knew you'd say that, so I have something to help. Hold out your hand.” Lifting my arm, my fingers were curled tightly into my palm.
She didn't know what to think, I could tell. Her head tilted to the side, eyes expanding with wonder. “What is it? It's not like one of those date rape drugs is it?”
Letting out a loud laugh, I shook my head. “What! No, I wouldn't give you something like that. Geez, Kinsley, I'm not a freak. Hold out your hand.” Nudging my palm at her, I kept my fist closed tight.
Kinsley eyed my hand, lifting her small palm up. Dropping a small object into her hand, her face scrunched up tight. “What is it?” She asked, turning the tiny plastic device in her fingers.
“It's a small speaker, put it in your ear. I'll be able to hear you and you can hear me the entire time. This way, you're not alone, but I'm not hovering over you like a weirdo.”
“Seriously, I'll be able to hear you on this?”
“Yup, so I'll be with you through the whole date, you don't have to worry about a thing.”
I watched her muscles loosen, shoulders rolling forward with relief. “This is cool, thanks.”
“I told you to trust me, so trust me. I won't put you danger, but I will help you along.” Wink
ing, I gripped her hand and folded it into my arm. “Shall we?”
The touch of her hand for that brief moment sent a surge of electricity up my arm, the spark ricocheted around my lungs, freezing my ability to breathe. My cock pulsed and I had to shake the sensation out of my body.
“Let's do this, Layne. I'm already here, and armed with this spy device, I'm unstoppable.” Kinsley giggled, pressing the speaker into her ear. “I feel like Charlie's Angel.”
“You could be Charlie's Angel, you're already beautiful.” Our eyes connected as her face blushed a pretty shade of pink.
“Thank you, it's been a long time since anyone's complimented me.” The deep amber of her eyes sparkled against the lights above, her thick lashes fanned the lids like tiny canopies.
My God she's so beautiful.
“Really? That's surprising, I'd think you'd hear it all the time.”
Letting out a loud laugh, she shook her head. “Nope. Well... My dad tells me, but he doesn't count. And usually that's just to start a compliment he's giving my mother.” Stepping into the restaurant, Kinsley kept fiddling with the little speaker in her ear. “This thing feels weird, can you see it?”
“No, it blends right in. Your dad seems like a romantic fella, maybe he could come work for me?”
“If you think a man nearing the age of seventy, covered in blotchy tattoos he got while in prison, would help your cause, then I'll give you his number. But I don't think my mother would go for that,” she said while chuckling, then pointing her finger in my direction. “She's the one you'd have to look out for, she's a hot shit.”
I loved seeing her open up a little about her family. That was good, she was getting more comfortable, and letting herself get comfortable with me. That was exactly what I needed if I was going to be able to do my job.
Making a few mental notes about her family, I glanced around the room, spotting Taylor tucked in a booth. Guiding Kinsley to the bar, I pulled out her stool and took the one beside her. “Alright, so your date for tonight is a man named Taylor. I'll point him out to in a minute, but I wanted to let you know that if at any point you want to end the date you can.”
Anytime, literally. Maybe now's a good time to end it?