by Ashley Love
Finally, I called the one-eight-hundred number, put in the code for my order, and waited.
"Your HIV status is...." said a computerized woman's voice. I bit my lip and waited, crossing my fingers.
"Negative. Thank you for using—"
I slapped my phone closed and fell back on the bed with a relieved sigh. I stared up at the ceiling, crossing myself. Thank you, God!
I met Cleo for lunch at a little outdoor café that same afternoon. She sounded surprised to hear from me again, despite my telling her that I had wanted to come back. I received the impression that she thought my gangbang would have turned me off, maybe 'sobered' me up a little. And in a way, it had.
"How're you feeling?" she asked once we had ordered.
I nodded. "Good," I said. "I've been doing a lot of thinking."
I couldn't see her eyes behind her dark sunglasses. "And?"
"I want to go on," I said. "I want to be with the kind of men I was with before."
Cleo slipped off her sunglasses, gave me a direct look. "Are you sure?" she said, enunciating the words carefully.
I nodded. "Yeah. I'm positive."
"No more craziness? No more, 'I wanna fuck and get fucked?'"
I shook my head. "I've learned my lesson."
"You better have," she said. She reached for her cigarettes. "All right. I'll go through the requests, see what we have."
I smiled. "Thanks, Cleo."
She gave me a strange look. "You know, there's something about you I don't understand.”
I frowned. "What's that?"
"Well...I can understand why a girl would want to be an escort. It's exciting, and it makes you feel desired and appreciated. Not to mention in control."
I listened, waiting.
"But what I don't understand is why you seem so...comfortable doing it. I mean, I've been at this for over seven years now, and since day one, it has always felt like a job. Sure, I enjoy it, but...but you...it's like you prefer it this way. Going from man to man, catering to them so completely. It's like, no matter what they want, you want. And I don't think it's an act."
I thought about what she said, picking my nails. "I don't know any other way," I said in a small voice.
"What do you mean?"
I lifted my eyes, trying to read Cleo's thoughts on her face. "Did Troy ever tell you how we met?"
She shrugged. "He said he met you through a business associate."
I laughed softly. "Yeah, I guess that's one way of putting it."
"Why does it matter?"
I sighed heavily. "Troy...was my first."
Cleo arched an eyebrow in interest.
I went on: "See, I...there was an auction, online, and it was supposed to be secret, but Troy heard about it. He made the highest bid."
Cleo leaned forward. "Wait a sec. You auctioned off your...your virginity?" she asked, dumbfounded.
I nodded. "Yeah."
Cleo studied my face for a long moment, then eased back. "Well, that's a new one."
"The first time I did anything, I was paid for it," I continued. "It's just...part of who I am, I guess."
Cleo lit a cigarette, gave me a contemplative look as she exhaled. "It doesn't have to be."
I nodded. "No, but...it is right now. And I like it that way."
"You might change your mind one day," she said.
"I hope so!" I blurted out with a nervous laugh. My mirth faded quickly. "But probably not any time soon."
Cleo smiled slightly. "All right," she replied. "I'll set you up again."
8
My date the following night was named Arliss Montgomery. The name conjured up an image of some stately gentleman from Colonial times, tall and handsome with a distinguished look about him. I dressed in a long green dress and a transparent scarf, and confined my hair in a bun with a gold clip. I was told that we were going to a 'society function' at a hotel downtown. It was evidently some kind of benefit for a charity that all the rich and somewhat famous supported.
When I met Arliss, he wasn't exactly what I had imagined. Certainly, he was tall and handsome, but I had not anticipated that he would be black. That certainly didn't offend me, of course. I just hadn't entertained the possibility.
His age was difficult to ascertain. He had few wrinkles on his strong face, and his very close-cropped hair was jet black. From what I had come to understand about black men, he could have been anywhere from twenty-five to fifty.
He seemed very impressed with what he saw when I met him in the lobby of the hotel. Like a true gentleman, he took my hand and kissed my fingers, and graced my chin as he studied my eyes. He introduced himself formally, and slipped his arm around my back. He commented favorably on my dress, told me I looked 'very elegant.'
I was turned on already. Arliss was smooth, intelligent, handsome, and well-dressed in his black tuxedo and shirt. And more than that, he didn't act like a man who knew he was going to have sex with me by the end of the night.
Once we made it to the ball room where the event was held, Arliss picked up a couple flutes of champagne from a passing waiter and we toasted. His eyes bore into mine in a casually seductive way. I was more than conscious of my dripping pussy. I reminded myself to thank Cleo in the morning.
The guests at the function were a veritable who's who of the city's social and business elite. The charity itself was something that concerned a new hospital addition or something like that. Not much was said on the matter. The guests were more interested in talking up their own projects and investments. I had come to understand that such events were occasions for the ambitious to elicit their own 'donations.'
I hung off Arliss's arm, and he introduced me by name to those we spoke with. I was aware that I was definitely one of the youngest women in the room, and figured more than a few of those I met knew my profession. Still, Arliss's 'taste' for having chosen me was complimented.
I learned that Arliss was something of a hotshot lawyer from Florida who often did business in town. Many people knew him, and he dropped names in a casual way that indicated he truly knew the people he spoke of. His sense of confidence and personal worth rivaled that of Troy, I realized. And that turned me on.
At one point, Arliss excused himself to speak with a group of important-looking men, and asked for me to wait beside the large Roman fountain in the middle of the room. I did so, looking around at the various personalities in the room, and noticing the way some of the men were inspecting me.
"Allie?"
I turned at the sound of my name, instantly chastising myself for answering to it. I wasn't Allie, after all. I was 'Yvette.'
"Hey! I barely recognized you! Wow! Look at you!"
It took me a minute to recognize the girl before me, since I had only met her once, and that had been months ago...when she was with her mother and father. She was dressed in a classy blue gown, her face dolled up like mine. She looked gorgeous. She was much more curvy than I had originally thought, and her breasts threatened to spill out from her top. Her long, curly, reddish-brown hair was piled atop her head with a few seductive tendrils hanging down around her face. My heart rose in my throat.
I smiled self-consciously. "Hi," I said. "Um... Jenny, right?"
She grinned, showing off her perfect teeth. "Yeah! Wow! You remember me?"
I chuckled. Of course I remember you. You're the daughter of the man who took my virginity! "I have a pretty good memory," I said. "Um...enjoying the party?"
She shrugged, looking around as she held a glass of champagne. "Eh," she said, then smiled at me. "How about you?"
"Kinda boring, actually," I admitted.
Jenny laughed. "Yeah, no shit. These things always are."
I smiled back. I liked Jenny, I decided. She was a girl like me...in most respects, anyway. Except, she had a rich father and I worked for him.
"So, um...you here with your folks?" I asked. Oh, please, oh, please don't let Troy be here!
I felt a moment of dread. A date? Ohmigod...is Jenny an escort? Holy shit, if her own father is pimping her out...
"We've been dating for a while," she continued, smiling to herself. "He's a great guy. My dad likes him."
I breathed in inward sigh of relief. "That's always good."
Jenny chuckled. "No shit," she said. "My father's pretty picky. He didn't like my last two boyfriends. Guess that's why they're exes, right?"
I laughed, nodded.
"So...hope you don't think I'm insulting you or anything, but—"
I smiled. "How'd a waitress at a shitty little restaurant end up coming here?"
Jenny blushed, still smiling. "Yeah."
I shrugged. "I'm on a date, too."
Her eyes flashed. "Yeah? Wanna compare?" she asked playfully.
I laughed again. "Sure. What's your guy do?"
"He's a lawyer," said Jenny.
"Mine, too."
"And he's really good-looking."
"Mine, too."
"And he's got a real serious future."
I rubbed the rim of my glass. "Where is he?"
Jenny looked around, then nudged her chin toward a group of tuxedo-clad men, talking and joking. "That's him," she said with a glow in her eyes. "The younger guy, standing next to the tall black one."
I looked for a moment. The man Jenny indicated was in his mid-twenties, I figured, with short black hair, nice features, and a good build. He was making too much of an effort to laugh at the jokes of the other men around him, I figured, who were at least a decade older.
"His name's Ross Brady. Isn't he hot?"
I nodded. "Yeah, he's a good catch," I said, my eyes lingering on Arliss, standing next to Jenny's boyfriend. For a moment, my soon-to-be lover glanced at me, his dark eyes passing over me in a seductive way. I felt a twitch between my legs, conscious of my lack of panties. A drop of fluid slowly trickled down the inside of my thigh.
"So, who's your guy?"
I turned back to Jenny and sipped my champagne. "Actually, he's standing next to your boyfriend," I said. "The tall one."
Jenny's smile drained. She stared at me in disbelief. "Nuh-uh!" she exclaimed quietly. "That's Arliss Montgomery!"
"Oh? You know him?" I asked innocently.
"'Know him?'" she repeated, awe more than evident on her face. "He's only, like, the best lawyer in Florida. They say he wants to move here, start a new practice. Holy shit! You're dating Arliss Montgomery. I am so fucking jealous!"
I chuckled and shrugged. "Eh. He's all right."
Jenny giggled and smacked my arm. "Wow! How'd you score him?"
I sipped my champagne. He picked up the phone and told Cleo he wanted to fuck a blonde teenager. "We just sort of...met," I said. "He's a really nice guy. A gentleman."
Jenny shook her head, impressed. "Wow," she said again. Apparently, that was her favorite word. "Okay, you win."
"I think we both win," I replied. "Your Ross Brady looks like a real nice guy."
Jenny bit her lip and leaned close. "He's got an eight-inch dick," she whispered, then eased back, giggling. "I measured it."
I chuckled. "I don't think you want me to tell you how big Arliss is," I said. Yeah, as if I knew. But I will...soon.
Jenny rolled her eyes. "No, please don't," she said. "I'm already jealous enough."
Jenny and I talked for a little while longer, occasionally glancing to our men. At one point, Jenny's boyfriend gave her a wink, then looked me over in a very interested way. That made me a little uncomfortable. I liked Jenny. I didn't want her to think I had any designs whatsoever on her boyfriend.
Although, for the right price, I'd fuck Mr. Ross Brady any way he wanted, then send him back to Jenny, panting and spent...
Thankfully, she didn't seem to catch the look her boyfriend gave me. She just prattled on about how she had gone through her entire wardrobe just to find the right dress for the evening.
And then, what I had dreaded might happen...happened.
Arliss broke away from the group he was speaking with, and brought Jenny's boyfriend with him. The two were talking excitedly—Ross moreso than Arliss—as they neared. I shifted nervously on my feet.
"Hey, baby!" said Jenny, beaming, giving Ross a deep kiss. She curled her arms around his neck and lifted one of her legs—very nice legs at that, I had to admit—to rub against his. "You done playing with the other boys?"
Ross chuckled, said something I couldn't catch. Arliss gave me a look as he took my hand and gently pulled me to him. Feeling the need to mimic Jenny's actions, or maybe upstage her, I wasn't sure, I reached for Arliss and pulled his head down. I sucked softly on his lips, emitting a soft, faint moan. Damn, he had nice lips! Arliss kissed me back eagerly, and smiled as we parted.
"I'm glad you haven't been lonely in my absence, Yvette," he said.
I glanced at Jenny quickly, noting her frown at the name Arliss addressed me by. I shot her a look, hoping she would play along. "Y-yeah," I said, stammering slightly. "She's a friend."
Jenny narrowed her eyes slightly in suspicion, but the look faded quickly and she smiled. "Yeah," she said. "'Yvette' and I have known each other for a long time."
I gave her a little smile of gratitude. Thanks, Jenny.
She looked back. You owe me.
I was a little distressed when Arliss invited Jenny and Ross along to dinner in the restaurant in the hotel's lobby, but I really couldn't protest without giving a good reason why. Besides, Jenny was already playing along, so I figured she would hold up the façade throughout the evening. But I didn't doubt that I would have some explaining to do before the night was over.
Arliss and Ross got along pretty well and talked about lawyer stuff through our meal. We had been taken to a table off to one side of the dining room, and Arliss had done all the ordering. Our waitress was a woman not much older than me, very professional in demeanor, and while I was sure she wanted to card Jenny and I when Arliss ordered a round of Bellinis, she didn't.
"Hey, Yvette," Jenny said to me after the roast duck appetizer and before the main course arrived. "Let's go freshen up."
I felt compelled to follow her, even as I dreaded the impending conversation. She was going to ask me why Arliss called me 'Yvette,' and I would have to make something up...
Jenny grabbed my hand and directed me to the ladies' room. As soon as we were through the door, she busted out laughing, covering her face and staring at me, wide-eyed with amazement.
"Oh my God!" she cried, stomping her feet on the tiled floor. "You're one of those girls!"
I frowned, consternated by her exclamation. I ducked my head down to see if there were any feet in the stalls. But we were thankfully alone. "Shhh!" I hissed.
Jenny convulsed, giggling, her face blushing deeply. "Oh my God!" she sputtered again. "I knew it! I freaking knew it!"
I sighed, heading to the sink. Jenny watched after me, her mouth hanging open.
"Wow," she said, calming down. "I never woulda thought. So...that night that you waited on us, what was that? Recruiting?"
I stared at her in the mirror, startled at her words. "What?"
Jenny rolled her eyes and stepped up beside me. "Please," she said, taking out her compact. "I know all about my dad's little 'side business.' I think my mom does, too, but she'll never say anything."
I was shocked. "You know?" I asked.
Jenny fixed me a look. "Sure I do," she replied. "Look. You grow up in a rich family like mine, you...accept a few things."
I blinked, trying to concentrate on my makeup. "Like what?"
Jenny shrugged and painted her lips. "Like your dad screwing eighteen-year-old girls on the side," she said casually. Her eyes darted to mine for a moment in the mirror, reading my reaction. "You know, at first, I thoug
ht you were just having an affair with him. But when I saw you tonight, and especially when Arliss called you 'Yvette,' I figured it out."
I breathed out. I was floored. I never imagined Jenny would know about 'Daddy's side business.' "How'd you find out about it?"
Jenny shrugged. "I'm nosy," she said. "I've heard my dad on the phone sometimes, when he thought I wasn't there. And other things. I just kinda pieced it all together."
That feeling of dread returned, and Jenny noticed.
"Hey," she said, her voice reassuring. "I'm not gonna bust you or anything. What could I do, anyway? The only person at that table who doesn't know you're an escort is Ross, and if he found out, he'd probably be calling you up tomorrow."
I blinked. "No, he wouldn't."
Jenny rolled her eyes again. "Please. I know how guys are. Ross might be the guy I'll marry, but I saw the way he was checking you out. He finds out your goodies are for sale, he'll be the next in line to unwrap them."
I didn't know what to say. There wasn't anything I could say, other than, "Wow."
Jenny chuckled. "Yeah. Wow."
"I just...I just can't believe how casual you are about all this," I said.
Jenny rolled her shoulders. "Eh," she said dismissively. "It's part of how things are, you know? At least in my world. I'm not sure how things work where you come from, but in my world, girls are trophy wives and guys have affairs. And the fact that my dad runs an 'escort' agency—" she said, making quotation marks with her fingers, "Is no big deal. At least he's not picking up skanks off the street."
Like I used to be, I thought. I put my makeup away and faced Jenny directly. "You're not gonna say anything?"
She smacked her lips, made a kissing motion to make sure the color was uniform, then turned to me with a smile. "Nah, I'm not gonna say nothing," she said. Her dark eyes flashed. "Have you slept with him yet?"
I laughed, feeling the tension broken. "Not yet.”
She fixed me a look. "So how do you know it's big?" she asked.
I chuckled. "Come on, Jenny," I said, heading to the door.
"Sure...Yvette."
9