The Escort (11 page)

"I don't know, Helen, it's really messed up. I really messed up."

"Flowers are always good for an apology."

"Flowers." He gave it some thought. "You might be right. At least it can't do any harm."

"Come on, we'll walk with you to buy some. It'll do us good to get some fresh air." She held out her hand to her children. "Come on girls, we're going to help Uncle Dan with his budding romance."

Dan smiled, but knew that was not going to happen. Max had run out on him, and he doubted flowers would be a good enough reason for her to take him back. His only regret was that he ever took her money in the first place, he was just thankful he managed to slip it into her purse while she was looking out of the window in the taxi. Maybe it would show her he wasn't the jerk she thought he was.

If she was even thinking of him, maybe he had just been a one night stand, a bit of entertainment after dinner. She thought he was an escort, a man who took money from women in return for his company. He still couldn't work out why she had enjoyed being with him so much. Compared to her he was some kind of Neanderthal. But last night, in his bed and up against the wall, he shook his head, not wanting to torture himself. They had fitted together so perfectly.

Thinking of their lovemaking made him feel worse. There was only so much of a hammering his male ego could take. Max running out on him when he thought he had shown her how much she meant to him made him cringe. Just like his fiancé before, she must have seen through him, all women left him in the end.

His mood darkened. Perhaps he should forget the flowers, and simply let her go. He was no good for women. Last night had been a way of him getting the cash together to save his sister from losing her home. All he had done was upset Max, and let his sister down. What an asshole.

Feeling like a zombie, after a sleepless weekend, Max dragged herself into work on Monday morning. Faking a smile, she carried her list of appointments into her office, closing the door thankfully and crashing down into her chair. This was going to be a long day, the start of a very long week

Every time the phone rang, or Shirley came in, she expected it to be a message from Dan. Time and time again it wasn't, so she started to relax. Although her head developed a dull thump behind her temples, telling her she had to snap out of it, because concentrating was a struggle. Thankfully she had no big clients today, and so she struggled on, most certainly lack lustre in everything she did.

"Anything I can get you, Miss Lewis?" Shirley asked for the hundredth time.

"Nothing, thank you, Shirley. I have a headache, that's all," she eventually conceded when she saw her secretary's worried look.

"Oh, shall I get you something for it?"

"Already taken something, but it's persistent. I might go home early if I can't shift it."

Shirley's worry increased, her secretary knew too well that Max always left late, never early. She’s just have to tough it out.

***

Mr Bradshaw sat in her office, they were going over his projected figures, Max stifled a yawn and glanced at the clock. The day had been unbearably long, and if the man in front of her droned on much longer she would fall asleep in her chair.

"So, Miss Lewis. I think you'll agree I'm a good risk for a substantial increase on the loan we've already arranged."

Snapping her attention back to Mr Bradshaw she realised she had missed a lot of what he had been saying, and he had slipped something past her. "Perhaps you could take me through it again." She groaned internally, and Mr Bradshaw looked unamused. Smiling in encouragement, she added, "I want to make sure I can get you the best rate possible for your loan, and I can only do that if I know your plan inside and out.

Looking happier, Max found people often did when they thought they would save money, he pulled out his sheaf of papers and began going over his plans again. Luckily he had it all in order, and after another hour she was shaking his very grateful hand, and seeing him out of the door. "I'll get my secretary to type it up tomorrow, and then I'll have a courier bring it over for you to sign."

"Thank you, Miss Lewis. Sorry to have taken up so much of your time." He left, looking happy, and Max leaned back against the door, hoping she could slip out now. The clock said five thirty, so technically she had done a days work, although she wouldn't get bonus points for effort today.

The wood underneath her hands vibrated when someone knocked on it. Shirley, no doubt checking everything was OK before she left. Max pulled the door open, to be faced with a grinning Shirley.

"Dan's here, he’s been waiting for quite a while. He has flowers. Now I understand why you've been so out of sorts today. Lovers tiff? Get's me in a bad mood all the time." She couldn't help being over familiar, her face shone with excitement. More gossip for the office.

All these things flew through her mind, before coming to rest on the simple phrase, Dan's here. Why was he here? What did he want? Was this where he made a play for something he wanted from her? A loan, information, what exactly had she fallen into?

Max was about to find out, because here he was, walking towards her, dressed casually in jeans and a shirt. But there was nothing casual about him, his sculptured body, barely contained in his blue shirt, his face ruggedly handsome, so contrasting to every other man in the office. She was so used to seeing clean shaven, suited men, that he looked so out of place.

"Max," he said quietly, questioningly.

"Dan. What a surprise," she said keeping her tone light, her eyes sliding past him to where Shirley stood watching, close enough to hear what they said. "Why don't you go home, Shirley. It's late, and I'm sure..."

"Carl," he whispered.

"Carl," she gave him the briefest of looks, "Will be waiting for you."

"If you're sure. I can get you a vase for the flowers. They are very beautiful."

"I can manage, thank you. See you tomorrow." With that she stepped back into her office, holding the door open for Dan to follow.

Treat this like a business meeting, she told herself. Keep it simple, and don't let him railroad you. What's the worst that can happen?

The worst? Dan being so close she could smell his cologne, mixed with the heat of his body. When he walked into her office he passed by so close his body brushed hers, so lightly, so subtly it might well have been by accident. Her body over reacted, heat creeping up from her core until it filled every part of her. He overwhelmed her, what ever he asked, for she would beg him to take, as long as he took her to the heights of pleasure he had shown her last night.

Shutting the door behind him she walked over to her desk, going around it and sitting in her chair, keeping a solid barrier between them in the hope it would stop her doing or saying something stupid.

"These are for you, Max." He offered the flowers to her, she didn't move. Hesitating he settled for placing them on her desk. "Max, I... "

"What, Dan? What exactly is it you want?" She decided to go the route of intimidation, an act she knew she was capable of pulling off under normal circumstances.

"I came to apologise?"

"Really? And exactly which part of this whole fiasco is the apology for?"

"I'm not sure."

"OK. Well we could make a list." She put such venom into her voice he recoiled from her. His reaction throwing her off guard. Again she reminded herself he was a liar and a cheat. A married man with kids, who had slept with another woman. A man who had slept with her. It made her feel cheap and dirty.

"I'm not sure why you left. If you calm down I'd like to try to explain a few things so we can start again."

"I have intention of starting again, Dan. I don't know how desperate you think I am, but sleeping with a married man, no matter how good he is in bed, is not something I ever intend to repeat."

"OK, back up a little. A married man?" He grinned. "So that's it. You think I'm married?"

The wind went out of her. All the pent up anger she felt dissipated to leave her feeling stupid. "Yes. I think you're married." Although now she wasn't so sure. He seemed to find it amusing, and that started to rankle. "I saw the picture of you and your family."

"Family, yes. I guess you would think that. But wife? No." He leaned over the desk, staring straight into her eyes. "I am not, nor have I ever been married, Maxine."

She wanted to pull back away from him, but she was trapped in his gravity. His lips were so close, if she leaned forward she could press hers against them, so tender and inviting. "I don't understand?"

"The picture is one of me and my sister, and my two nieces. We're very close."

"Sister," she repeated.

"Yes. They come over a lot, my sister had a deadbeat husband who ran off and left her with no money. She works, but being a full time single parent, it's tough. Which leads us to the next part of my apology. The money."

"You put it back in my purse," she accused.

"Yes, I did. When I set out as an escort, I thought it would be easy. Spend a couple of evenings with a woman, make her feel good, get paid. I never expected you, Max."

"What, you never expected to feel so sorry for a woman you couldn't bear to take her cash?"

"Stop doing that," he raised his voice slightly, his tone so much firmer. "I fell for you Max. I don't know what it is about you, but for the first time in a long, long time, I wanted to be with someone. You have no idea how hard it was to return your money. I was doing it for my sister, I thought I could spend a few hours with a woman, get paid and hand it over to my sister."

Max slumped back in her chair. "Then take the cash. If that's what you've come here for, take it. Give it to your sister, you earned it."

She reached into her purse, and pulled out the envelope. Throwing it on the desk in front of him. He glanced down at it, and then picked it up. Max held her breath. This was it, he would walk away with the money, and her life would return to normal, the threat to her safe life would have passed.

Instead he held the money in his hand, and came around the desk to her. Kneeling down, he placed the money back in her hands. "I can't take it, Max. I don't want it. I only want you to know why I pretended to be an escort. Drake used to be a neighbour, when he goes away I feed his cat and water his plants. Three days ago he called out of the blue to say one of his regular clients wanted him to go abroad with her. He knew I needed the extra money so he asked if I wanted to take his place. He said he had never met you so you wouldn't know the difference. Just show up, be nice, and get paid. He made it sound so easy, so I thought, what the hell."

Looking at her here in front of him, he knew he had made the right decision. He wanted her more than anything, wanted her to submit to him. In his head he held her hand, helped her to her feet, and then bent her over her great big desk, and fucked her.

His breathing became ragged as he pictured himself lifting up her skirt and sliding her panty hose down over her bottom. Bending down, he would kiss her bare flesh, while he slipped them further down, her legs lifting one at a time to step free, the soles of her feet bare on the office carpet.

He would slide her feet apart, allowing himself to push a finger, then two, into her heated sex. The sound of his fingers moving inside her would arouse him, his cock straining to be unleashed. Dan could almost feel the slick heat of her around his cock, slowly he would inch inside her...

Jerking up he pulled himself back to the matter at hand; convincing Max to give their relationship another go, or at least give him a chance to start again. But she looked so desirable, sitting at her desk, all smart business woman, with her soft curves encased in her dark business suit. He longed to free her from it.

"Does your office door lock?" He wasn't sure where those words had escaped from. They were supposed to stay in his brain. A great way to woo a woman, making her think all he was after was sex.

"Yes." Her eyes were fixed on his, questioning, anticipating. Did she really want this as much as he did?

"Max... I want you." He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, her response would tell him everything he needed to know. If she slapped him across the face he would know he had screwed up, if she pushed him away he would still believe he could make it right. But if her lips moved against his, inviting him in, then he would know she believed him, and was going to give him another chance.

A moment passed while she sat frozen, he was just about to pull away, to tell her again how sorry he was, and that he should have given her more time, when her lips parted with the softest of sighs, and she welcomed him in. Her arms slipped around his neck, drawing him closer. His tongue traced her lower lip, teasing her. She responded, her tongue slipping out to play against his. No words were needed, this was a much simpler language, and one they were both willing to learn.

He slid his arm around her, pulling her forward, his other hand undid the top button of her jacket, then another until he could slide a hand inside and cup her breast, teasing the little bud until she groaned, inching further forward on her seat.

Caution brought him back to his senses, he pulled away from her, going to the door. Before he locked it he turned to her, looking for a signal that this was the right thing for her. He had no intention of embarrassing her, or causing trouble for her at work. A slight incline of her head showed him she wanted this too.

He flipped the lock, and now they would not be interrupted. He would have to hold himself back, not take her so hard she screamed. Dan only hoped he could hold onto that, because right now he was about to live out that fantasy about Max and her big desk.

Risky as it was, Max wanted this. Since the night of the charity dinner she had dreamed of him making love to her again, and if this was her only chance she would take it. She had to believe what he told her was true. Why else would he say it?