The Escort (3 page)

"Pizza."

"Snap."

"Ahh, but not just any pizza. When we were kids I helped my dad build this pizza oven in our backyard. We spent years making up these different concoctions. You know, things that should never be on the same plate, let alone together on a pizza." His hands mesmerised her, he used them when he talked to emphasise movement and add expression, to his words. Right now they were showing her how he would sprinkle mozzarella on top of his spaghetti sauce pizza.

"And that was your favourite."

"For a while. But we never made the same one, my dad always got us to experiment."

She wanted to ask who "we" were, to ask about his siblings, but it seemed too intrusive. But she could imagine being there, being part of a family that did things together, something she had missed out on.

"So what about you? Favourite food, and why."

Max found it hard to talk about herself, especially when her life seemed empty of the colour and flavour of his. But she gave it a go, caught up in his infectious story. "Chinese food."

"I can relate. We visited Chinatown one time. All the smells, the sounds."

"I mean actual food in China. We lived there for six months when I was a child."

"Wow. That must have been cool."

"Not so much. My dad worked the whole time. He was in banking too, only he travelled and we followed. My mom was a bit like Phil's wife. A trophy he took with him wherever he went. When I came along I went with them until I was old enough to be sent to boarding school."

"Boarding school. That must have been tough."

"You get used to it. After a while it doesn't seem strange."

"Is that why you went into banking?"

"Because of my father? It might be. I've never thought of it. I mean I don't do the job I do to impress him, or anything. There's no way that would ever happen because I'll never be as successful as him."

"Success in business isn't everything. My dad lived his whole life doing the same job, never had the need to better himself. My parents are happily living in the same house they brought us up in."

"I envy you that. I never had a home. My dad travelled until he retired. Then he bought this awful mansion with so many rooms you'd get lost. But it's not a home, it's a status symbol. Sometimes I wonder if that was why he sent me away. he married my mom because she was beautiful, and a good hostess. I must have been such a disappointment, always frumpy, never the sweet little girl he dreamed of." She looked down at her empty plate. "Damn that got depressing quick. Do you want dessert? Or have you had enough of my company?"

He reached over and placed his hand over hers, leaving her with the sudden desire to cry. "Do you know what I would really like?"

She shook her head, unable to speak.

"To take you to a club I know. Where we can dance and really get to know each other."

In her head she was saying no, this was not part of her well thought out, controlled plan. Yet her mouth said, "Yes", and when he smiled, she found herself smiling to.

He looked uncomfortable while she paid the bill. Funny to think it affected his pride, considering all the times he must have escorted women who picked up the tab. She liked the idea he had a strong male pride hidden deep inside. Surely over time he should have got used to everything being paid for by his clients. Max stopped her mind wandering to all the other things his clients paid for.

"Do you think we should say goodnight to Phil?" Max asked, giving Dan a malicious smile.

His mood lifted. "You are a wicked woman, Max."

Light on her feet, and in her heart, she let the closeness of his body wrap around her as he pulled the chair out for her to leave the table. For a moment she leaned back into him, feeling the heat of his body, and breathing in the scent of him. Thankfully he wasn't drenched in expensive cologne, instead a musky smell, with a hint of citrus excited her senses. It mingled with something else, she couldn't quite pin down, but it made him unique.

"Enjoying yourself there?" he asked.

Her eyes flew open, she hadn't even known she had closed them, and her body jolted forward. He laughed, low and sexy, inflaming her body. For the first time she considered if it would be worth sacrificing her pride to pay him to make love to her. Those strong hands touching her body, stroking her flesh, his slim hips driving himself into her heated sex. Swallowing hard, she chased the image away, anchoring herself into the present.

"The wine made me a little light headed," she said, and wanted to run to the powder room, but too late. He slipped his big hand over hers, and they threaded their way across the room to Phil.

"Goodnight, Phil," Max said. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening."

"You too, Max, Dan." He nodded at Dan, before his gaze dropped to where Dan had slipped his arm around Max, pulling her tightly back against his body. The unmistakable press of his hard cock against her back made her start forward, but he held her in place with his strong arm.

"I intend to, Phil. Max and I certainly have plans for the rest of the evening. I only hope she's fit for work in the morning." He winked at Phil, gave Amy a smile, which had the desired affect of making her sit to attention and gaze after him greedily while he eased Max out of the restaurant.

"Don't laugh," he said, his arm wrapped around her shoulder while they walked past the restaurant. "They are still watching."

She couldn't help it, tilting her head she looked at Phil and Amy through the restaurant window. Designed to be a tantalising glimpse inside the world of expensive dining, the big glass window had frosted panels to break up the view inside. It provided Max with a slide show, which unfolded at each glance she caught of them through the clear glass. First they were both staring at Max and Dan, then Phil turned, and said something to Amy, she didn't give him her attention. His face grew redder in the next snapshot, Amy slowly turned to face him, a wistful smile on her face. Her last fleeting look showed Phil, leaning forward, almost pleading with his wife, who stared at him haughtily down her nose. Never again would she feel jealous of Phil.

"Thank you, Dan."

"My pleasure. I believe it took him down a peg or two, don't you?"

"Yes. I do." They walked back along the road, and Max saw her car parked across the road from them. "Listen, there's my car. I should go home and get some sleep before work tomorrow. I've had a lovely evening." She let the words trail off, not knowing what she hoped his response would be.

"A lovely evening. Wow, my company is that bad?"

"No. Not at all."

"So you're just trying to play it safe?"

She ducked her head to avoid his eyes. "I do have work tomorrow."

"If you go in to work tomorrow all fresh, Phil will know we were lying about our plans for this evening. I want you to go into work tomorrow and for them all to know you had a late night. That's the kind of thing you can't fake, unless you're a very good actress."

"Dan, I don't know what I'm doing. Honestly, this scares me. I never lie."

"He leaned close and whispered in her ear, his breath warm on her neck, sending goosebumps along her spine. "Then let's make it the truth."

She pulled away, her eyes fixed on his lips as she spoke. "Dan, I can't sleep with you."

He laughed. "That's not what I was asking." He held out his hand for her. "Come with me, Max. Let your hair down, dance with me, free the woman inside of you."

Cross with herself for even mentioning sex, of course he didn't want to sleep with her, even for money, she wanted to take her keys from her purse, and run back to her car. To her safe life. But he tilted his head, and smiled, so completely genuine, she understood why he must be very successful as an escort. He made her feel good about herself, attractive, and the woman inside hammered on her chest to be freed by him.

For the second time that night she took his hand and let him lead her off into the unknown. Promising herself she would not question her decision again. Putting her inner voice on hold, she walked hand in hand with him, past her car, and on along streets she had never walked, into parts of town she avoided. This was an adventure, and with each step she evolved into something new.

"Where did you grow up?" she asked.

"Here, in the city. I live close to my parents, and the rest of my family." His voice shifted slightly at the last part of his sentence.

"So you're a close knit family?"

"Yeah." He looked into the distance. And then said, "Do you want a burger? Frank here sells the best burgers in the city."

"I have just spent a small fortune on dinner, and you're offering me a burger from a street trader?

He stopped in his tracks. "Sorry, I never thought. I didn't mean to offend you." He frowned when he saw her hard set face.

She burst out laughing. "I got you. perhaps you are going to be a good, or maybe a bad, influence on me."

Laughing with her they crossed the street. "I aim to unleash the hidden bad girl in you, Max. Although she's only allowed out when I'm around. I don't want to get blamed for ruining your life or anything."

"Deal. Now, let's get that burger, I'm starving."

They stood in line, Max rummaged in her purse for some cash.

"No," he said, pushing it aside and getting out his wallet. "This is on me. I think I might be verging on being a male chauvinist, but I hate women paying for things. My dad would have a fit."

"I'm confused. I thought the point of this was that I paid you. Is that not how it works?"

He shifted uncomfortably. Looking into her eyes, he opened his mouth to say something. Then he looked away, and simply said, "Yeah. You’re right, that's how this has to work. But I'm still buying the burgers. My treat."

They stood awkwardly in line. The easiness between them completely gone. Max wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself, feelings of insecurity returning. What was going on with him? This should be easy, Robin said he was very experienced and professional, yet she had hit a nerve. In trying to make it better she said, "You're a great guy, Dan. And worth every penny, just for making me feel good about myself. You would make a good therapist you know?"

He smiled at her, his gaze travelling down her body. "You make it easy, Max. I want you to know I'm having fun too. This is not how I expected the evening to turn out. I want you to know that."

Puzzled, she tried to read his expression. "Dan, I..."

"Next, please. Oh, hey Dan, not often I see you out on the town. What can I get you?" The burger guy interrupted her, and by the time they were walking away with their burgers, with everything on, at Dan's insistence, it was forgotten, the easiness returned, and he took her to sit in a small park sandwiched between tall houses in an old part of the town.

"Favourite childhood memory?"

"Wow. That's a tough one," she said, taking a bite of her burger and thinking while she chewed. The meat was perfect, Frank would put the chef at Brantana's to shame.

"Too many to choose from? I'll bet all that travelling must have given you experiences the rest of us could only dream of."

"Funnily enough, no. You forget so much from your childhood. Mainly I remember feeling lost, left to fend for myself in strange schools, or having tutors who didn't really care about the little girl they would only know for six months."

"Sounds like you’ve seen the whole world. The furthest I've ever been was the south coast. I remember the warm sand beneath my feet, and the ocean, so cold it took your breath away."

"You've never left the country?"

"Nope. You make me feel like a country hick."

"Sorry." She finished chewing. "For what it's worth, that's not how I see you."

"Thank you, Max. Now, back to my question."

"I'll think about it while you tell me yours."

"OK. But I'm not going to let you off the hook."

"I never expected you to," she said. "So... go on."

"Christmas. I was seven, and my dad asked me to help him get a tree. We went out to my uncles place, and spent a couple of hours selecting the right tree, and chopping it down. It was the biggest tree ever. I don't know how we managed to get it home, we didn't have a truck, but my dad was so determined. Getting it in the house was even harder, there was no way we could get it in the front door and turn it to get it through into the lounge. Anyway, between us we got it in through the window, our neighbours helped. While we were out my mom and sister had spent the afternoon baking, and everyone stayed over while we decorated that tree."

"That's a lovely memory, Dan, You have close family?"

"Yeah. That was the day when I realised what community is all about." He gazed off into the distance, and Max felt a lump in her throat. These were all the things she had missed about growing up in a settled home. The closest she had got to a community was her boarding school. However, the place was subject to constantly shifting allegiances, probably because most of the girls came from similar backgrounds to Max, with no loyalty.

"I have nothing to compare to that," she said, finishing the last of her burger.

"There must be something?"

"I don't know. The days when I did things with both my parents were so few and far between. When my dad was there, he always seemed distracted. Like he had important things to do, somewhere else."

"You must have had special birthdays. Christmas."

"My best day probably was the day I met Robin. But I wasn't a kid. I was sixteen, awkward age, especially when you're no one's idea of a date. It was another girls sweet sixteen, and I was feeling like a lemon, hanging out in the garden, wishing I was somewhere else. And along came this girl with hippy clothes, long red hair, and a nose ring. She was about as close to decadent I'd ever got. For some reason we hit it off, she sat smoking weed, and I sat thinking how cool she was, without really trying."

"Robin, your flatmate?"

"Yes, I was moving into my own place, while I went to college, and I hated the idea of being alone. I never told my parents, they would never have approved of her, but I had no idea of what it entailed looking after yourself. Robin on the other hand was two years older, and had travelled around for a year, trying to find herself. Well she found herself in my apartment, and we've lived together for the last six years."