Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
“Born and raised. I grew up in Brooklyn, Williamsburg to be exact. This is before it gentrified, so there were no hipster coffee shops or cute boutiques selling artisanal goods. Then, after college, I moved to the Upper East Side,” she answers while swirling her wine around the bottom of her glass.
“I like both neighborhoods,” I say. “And you were roommates with Marley on the UES?”
She shakes her head.
“No, Marls had her own apartment in Hell’s Kitchen, I believe. But wait, how much did Marley tell you about me?”
I shrug.
“Just that you were gorgeous, which is true, and very smart, which is also true.”
She clicks her tongue, looking off to the side for a moment before swinging that chocolate gaze back to me.
“Well, I feel like I should tell you the real story of how we know each other,” she begins.
“Sure,” I drawl, one eyebrow raised. “Could be interesting.”
She nods, still looking a bit nervous.
“Well, we didn’t actually meet in college. I mean, we both went to NYU, but we didn’t meet when we were in school. Instead, we met through City Girls, the escort agency Marley used to work for.” She takes a deep breath and looks at me, as if bracing for the worst. “You knew Marley used to be an escort, right?”
I nod.
“Yes, and it worked out,” I say with a half-smile. “In ways you can’t imagine.”
After all, Marley’s previous connections as an escort came in handy. After her husband Justin was kidnapped by goons, she was able to locate him using the eyes and ears of City Girls. Criminals tend to like to talk, and they talk the most to the women they’re sleeping with. So everything worked out in the end. But right now, it’s clear that Nella’s expecting some sort of backlash from me.
“So do you still work for them?” I ask lazily.
She bites her lips and nods, her gaze meeting mine before darting away once more.
“I do. It pays well, and again, my college degree hasn’t amounted to much yet, so I support myself by going on dates.”
I nod knowingly.
“You don’t have to be shy about it,” I say in a low tone. “I don’t mind that you’re an escort. It’s just a gig, like any other job. Actually, I’ve thought about using City Girls myself in the past because it’s so difficult to meet quality women in New York.” She looks at me, startled, and I nod. “What better way to get access to gorgeous, smart young women like yourself?” I take a sip of my scotch and then place a hand over hers on the bar top. “Don’t be ashamed of who you are Nella.”
She inhales deeply, her generous bosom rising and then falling with relief.
“Well, thank you Paul,” she says in a soft voice. “I appreciate that.”
I know I should be more of a gentleman, but the scotch is setting in and I’m undeniably turned on by Nella. I decide to make a move against my better judgment. I lean in, bringing my lips to her ear, and push her silky hair out of the way in order to whisper what’s really on my mind.
“As a professional in the industry, let me ask something that I’ve never been able to figure out: do you do everything your clients want?”
She blushes and stammers a bit.
“What do you mean?”
Again, warning bells are going off in my head, but now I can smell her sweet perfume and my judgment goes out the window.
“Well, do you take it in the ass, sweetheart? You know, in your butt? Or is that only for extra money?”
With that, Nella gasps and yanks her head backwards, away from mine. I know it’s wrong, but seeing her angry makes me want her even more.
“Nella-” I begin, but she cuts me off. Instead, the curvy girl stands up and strikes me across the face with a loud smack. Now, everyone at the bar turns to look, staring at the fuming woman while I sit there, a red handprint on my cheek. Nella’s standing before me, looking like she is about to explode, but she doesn’t tell me off like I deserve. Instead, the curvy girl swivels and stomps back across the lobby towards the exit, with steam coming from her ears. I turn back to my scotch and try to not care as I listen to the furious clicking of her heels disappear in the distance.
Shit.
I don’t even know this chick, and I shouldn’t give a crap whether or not I pissed her off. But for some reason, I do. And suddenly, I realize I’ve got to stop her. Yes, I’m an asshole, but no woman deserves to be treated that way, professional or not.
I hurriedly grab a few bills from my wallet and slap them on the bar top to pay for our drinks before dashing across the hotel lobby myself. Yanking open the door, I catch Nella just before she turns the corner on the sidewalk. My instinct is to grab her and kiss her, but of course, that’s out of the question at the moment. Instead, I seize her elbow and she spins around, spitting epithets at me that I know I deserve.