January (Calendar Girl #1) (2 page)

It was all happening so fast. The words “
It can be done”
rang through my ears like a life line, a raft out in open water surrounded by sharks, but still afloat.

“But do I have to sleep with them? I mean I know there’s different kinds of escorts.” I closed my eyes waiting until I felt something warm clasp my hand. She had covered both of mine with hers.

“Doll-face, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. But in order to make that kind of money, you ought to consider it. My clients and I have an unwritten agreement, if you will. My girls sleep with them, and they add twenty percent to their fee. That twenty percent is left in cash, in an envelope in my girl’s room. None of that is exchanged with me or my service, as prostitution is illegal in California.” Millie touched her chin with her index finger. “But my girls should get more for the convenience, don’t you think?” She winked. I nodded lamely, not knowing what to think but going along with it anyway.

“I’m going to book you by the month. It’s the only way to make a six figure paycheck each month.” Her pale green eyes looked bright. So much so that I almost believed this could be easy if I just had an open mind. “You’ll be flown wherever the man is, and be whatever he needs for that month. However, I do not sell sex. If you sleep with them, it’s because you want to, although when you see some of the men I have on a waiting list, you’ll think twice about not hopping into the sack, not to mention the extra payout.” She grinned and then stood. She walked around her glass desk, sat down, then turned to her computer silently dismissing me. I felt stuck to the leather seat incapable of moving. Thoughts of how the hell I’d make this work swirled like vicious vultures through my mind, hunting and pecking at my morals one by one as if they were living prey available for the taking.

“I’ll do it,” I heard myself whisper.

“Of course you will.” She looked at me over her computer. Her lips turned into a crooked grin. “You haven’t any other option if you want to save your father.”

***

The next day was a whirlwind of activity. I felt like Sandra Bullock’s character in
Miss Congeniality
. I’d been prodded at, scrubbed, plucked, and waxed to within an inch of my life. I felt like a human pin cushion and almost ended up punching out the beauty consultant Millie hired to “fix” me. Her words, not mine. I couldn’t deny the proof was in the pudding. When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized the woman staring back. My long black hair was shinier than ever, falling into perfect waves down my back and over my shoulders. Everywhere the light touched my skin, a shimmer effect twinkled back. The normal sun-kissed tanned look that I’d worked on for weeks in the California sun now shone like a fine honey, really highlighting all of my best features. The dress she had me in was lavender, comfortable and slinky. Fitting perfectly along each rounded curve and toned edge giving it the desired effect. Sexy and sleek. I looked like a dark angel as the photographer set me on a cold white marble bench. He moved me this way and that, and before long, I actually got the hang of pouting prettily and staring blankly off into the distance devoid of emotion. That’s what I had to be now. Emotionless.

Once we were finished, and I’d redressed into my street clothes, which always consisted of jeans and a tight tee, I made my way back to Millie, or
Ms. Milan’s
, office.

“Doll-face, these shots are magnificent! I always knew you’d be perfect for modeling.” She clicked at her computer as I walked around and glanced at what she was seeing. All the air left my lungs as I took in the image of myself the photographer had taken.

“Amazing.” I lost my words for a moment. “I can’t believe that’s me.” I shook my head as one image after another loaded up to the Exquisite Escorts website. If I didn’t know for a fact that was me, I’d never believe it.

A slow smile slipped across my aunt’s lips. “You’re very beautiful.” Her light-eyed gaze caught mine. “You look so much like…“

“Whatever.” I shook my head and leaned a hip on her glass desk not wanting to hear how much she thought I looked like mother. “What next?” I asked while crossing my arms over my chest feeling a strange desire to protect myself against whatever was going to happen next.

She leaned back into her black leather chair, her eyes twinkling. “Want to see your first assignment?”

A slow sense of dread crept up my spine, but I stiffened my shoulders and looked at her with a bland expression. “Game on.”

Millie chuckled then clicked a few times into her internet browser bringing up an image of one of the most excruciatingly gorgeous men I’d ever seen. There was nothing that could take away from this man’s stunning good looks. Even in the overtly corporate headshot his dirty blond hair, green eyes, and chiseled jaw were something to write home about. His hair was long, layered, and had that messy, yet perfectly styled, appearance that was all the rage right now. Something didn’t add up. The man couldn’t be more than thirty. Plus, he was not the type of guy who would need to hire a date. He looked like the type of man women fell all over themselves and became brainless husks of lust for.

“I don’t get it. Why would he”—I pointed at the smiling good looking man in the picture—“need a date?”

My aunt leaned back, clasped her hands over her lap and smiled. “He chose you.”

I know I must have looked confused because she hurriedly continued. “I personally sent the first few test shots over to him and his mother. I work a lot with his mother. Anyway, he agreed to the match. He’ll send a car for you tomorrow morning. He’s in the area, but you still have to stay at his residence for the next twenty-four days.”

It’s possible my head had been hit by an imaginary baseball bat it shot back so fast. “Twenty-four days! Are you insane? How the hell am I going to take jobs or show up for auditions?” My acting career wasn’t much, but I did have a low-rent agent that sent me out on a few jobs here and there. And there was the restaurant I worked at in the evening.

Millie looked at me as if I had dared to grow a second head. Her lips compressed into a thin line, and her nose crunched up unattractively. “Mia, you will quit all your jobs for at least a year. You are now a paid employee of Exquisite Escorts. Your assignments will run from one to twenty-four days depending on the client’s needs. Since
you
need to make a lot of cash in a short amount of time, you need to take the bigger jobs. After the twenty-four days, you will have the remaining days in the month at home to relax, recoup, and repair any beauty needs. At the turn of each month on the calendar, you will be reassigned a new date.”

“I can’t believe this!” I started pacing her office, suddenly feeling like a caged animal needing to break free. It just dawned on me that my life as I knew it was over. There was no more going out on normal dates—not that I’d had any recently. No more auditions, making my fledgling acting career a distant memory, and there would be little to no time to see Dad, Maddy, or Ginelle.

“Believe it little girl. This is not a joke. What your father, what your ex-boyfriend is doing has made this decision. You’re lucky I’m even making room for you. Don’t be an ingrate. Now sit down and shut up!” Her voice was completely devoid of its usual warmth having morphed into the cold, formal tone of a determined businesswoman.

“I’m sorry.” She was trying to help me, but this was all so…sudden. Unbelievable. I slumped into the chair in front of her desk and let my head fall into my hands. Shaking it repeatedly did not change the outcome. I was now a girl for hire. Each month I’d be assigned a new man, and if I slept with them, I’d make twenty percent more in cash.

I shook my head and laughed. The kind that proved I was bat-shit crazy. I leaned my head back onto the cool leather and looked up at the white ceiling. After a moment, a creeping resolve calmed me. This is what I had to do. So I let a sexy guy take me to boring business dinners and whatever else he had in mind. I didn’t have to sleep with them and, most importantly, there was no way I would fall in love. A new man each month wasn’t enough time to fall head over heels like I had in the past. Who says I have to give up my acting career? What better way to perfect my acting skill than by being whatever these men wanted me to be? Then, after the month was up, I’d be someone else and my dad would be safe. As long as I could get Blaine to agree to monthly payments, this could work.

With a deep breath I stood and put out my hand to my aunt. Her smile was wicked, yet still sexy. She was very good at her job. “Alright,
Ms. Milan
,” I emphasized her fake name so she’d understand my commitment. “Looks like I’m your new Calendar Girl.”

Chapter 2

Weston Charles Channing, III. I stared at the name wondering why anyone would want to have a Roman numeral behind their name. I’d just bet he was a pretentious rich boy whose mommy didn’t want to be embarrassed by the Hollywood harlots he trotted to posh events. At least, in my head that’s the only possible reason that worked as to why someone so devastatingly handsome would need to hire an escort. Shuffling through the pages, I finally found the list of
rules
“Ms. Milan” sent home with me last night. 

1. Always look your best.
Never let the client see you unprepared. Makeup should be done, hair styled, nails polished, and clothes unwrinkled at all times. The client will provide you with a wardrobe of their choosing. Your sizes and preferences have been given to their personal stylist. 

I rolled my eyes and looked longingly at the fat stack of jeans I had in my closet organizer. A personal stylist? Jeez, these people had far too much money. How hard was it to pick out your own clothes? My sizes had been sent over? A
wesome. Now the guy knows I had a few pounds to lose. Being five nine gave me the advantage of looking thinner than I was, but I knew my aunt preferred her girls around a size zero. Whereas, I was a curvy size eight, sometimes even a ten, if I was being honest. Probably considered plus size in the modeling world.

He picked you.
I reminded myself while filling a small backpack full of essentials. Lotion, makeup, perfume, my Kindle, a small bag of my favorite jewelry. There wasn’t anything of value, but they were mine and, at the very least, I needed to be
me
in some small way. I also grabbed a brand new journal and my personalized stationary. Figured since this was a yearlong experience, might as well try to learn something from it. Hell, maybe I could even write it into my own movie one day.

Tossing the bag into my overstuffed chair in the studio apartment I rented for cheap, I looked at the rest of the list.

2. Smile constantly.
Never appear to be angry, sad, or emotional in any way. Men don’t hire women so they can deal with your emotional problems. They hire a woman so they don’t have to.

Emotionless. Way ahead on that one. I’d given myself a strong talking to after meeting with Millie and agreeing to the job.

3. Don’t speak unless spoken to.
You are there to be pretty and charming when called for. Discuss the needs with the client before any social or professional events so you are in agreement on your position.

What are we? Five? Be a Barbie doll. Got it. That’s easy enough.

4. Make yourself available at all times.
If the client wants to stay in, you will stay in with them. Be respectful, mind your manners, and follow the client’s lead. If he is looking for companionship, offering to cuddle is acceptable. Sex is not required.

She wants me to
cuddle
with the client when he wants to fuck? I laughed out loud. That’s going to be an interesting transition. “Hey there fella, wanna cuddle with me?” A snicker left my lips as I continued to read.

5. Sex with clients is not included in the contract.
If you choose to offer sexual companionship, that is of your choosing and is not the responsibility of Exquisite Escorts. We do, however, require all of our escorts to be on some form of birth control that can be proven at any given time. A blood test may be requested.

Where does she come up with this shit? I mean, really? Who would want to get pregnant by a man they’ve just met and didn’t love? Oh yeah, rich men, dumb women. A cocktail for disaster. Well, I’m not one of those women. Once my dad is safe and his debt paid off, it’s back to my life. Whatever that is.

Glancing at the clock I realized it was time to go. Even though Millie wanted me to arrive in one of her limos, I assured her I’d meet the client. That was my one term. If this first go around worked out, then I’d be more willing to have her clients pick me up. For now, I was leery as hell and would take my bike, even though I promised her I’d take a cab. Like she’d find out anyway.

Donning my sexiest black jeans and a black tight mesh top, I added my cropped leather jacket and tall suede knee-high boots. I knew Millie would kill me if she saw this getup, but I needed the element of surprise to check out this Weston Charles Channing, the
third
, before I willingly agreed to be his companion for the next four weeks. 

Finally the text arrived. It was from an unknown number.

To: Mia Saunders

From: Unknown Number

Looking forward to meeting you. El Matador Beach. Find the concrete stairway down to the beach. I’ll see you soon.

Cryptic. He’s having me meet him at the beach at eight in the morning? Quickly, I pick up my iPhone and ask Siri for directions, noting it’s seven now. The computer-automated voice brought up the beach and showed it was six miles northwest of Malibu. Must be close to his home because it was a solid hour on my bike to the beach from my studio apartment in downtown Los Angeles. My apartment wasn’t much, just a few hundred square feet of space where the futon I bought for fifty bucks in a yard sale doubled as my couch and bed, but it’s what I could afford. Looking around, I noted that I’d made it as homey as I could. The walls were a soft beige, and though the furniture was hodgepodge and mismatched, it somehow worked.