Page 17 of Hold Me
“No. I just don’t want to be seen there. A month or so ago, some guy recognized me in a freakin’ bar.” I try to look indignant. “Can you believe that? I don’t know who can recognize me on the street or near the hotel, and I really don’t want this to reach my father or the press.”
“Of course. You have to be careful.” The suspicion disappears from Allie’s eyes. “I’ll call you as soon as I hear from him.”
“Thank you.” The truth is, I don’t want to meet Caleb in some hotel or a room because I don’t want to have sex with him this time. I’m not sure if he’ll agree to just keep me company, but I’ll take that risk. If he doesn’t agree, well, at least I’ll know he’s truly not interested in me and I’m only another client to him. The only thing I can lose is some of my money. But at least I won’t have to explain to Alessandra why I’d want to see Caleb for anything other than sex, and I sure as hell don’t want him to get scared of my intentions and refuse me without me having a chance to explain myself.
“Are you sure you want Caleb?” she suddenly asks. “I know he’s like your favorite right now, but I know some other guys who are good at what they do too.”
A frown creases my brow. “Caleb already knows me and I feel comfortable with him. I’m not interested in other guys, but I’m curious about something. How do you find them?”
“I have weird friends.” She laughs. “No, seriously, I know a lot of people. I met some of Caleb’s friends. He’s not working alone, you know.”
“Are they as hot as he is?” I think that’s a safe question to ask because that’s something Alessandra would expect.
“Hell, yeah.” She grins. “I went to a few private parties with them. We had lots of fun.”
“Private parties? That sounds intriguing.”
Alessandra runs a finger across her lips. “Sorry, I’m not allowed to tell you anything because there’s lots of sex involved and some illegal substances, but nothing dangerous, trust me. Maybe I’ll tell you someday. I don’t want to get banned for life because I talked too much. All you need to know is that if you go to those parties, your pleasure is guaranteed. They can cater to each and every one of your fantasies.”
“Wow.” A tentative smile appears on my lips. “What does your boyfriend think about that?”
“Steven?” She rolls her eyes. “He doesn’t know.” She pushes herself off the fence and stalks toward me, her eyes narrowing. When she stops, her face is only inches from mine. “And you won’t mention anything to him about this, understand? I know your secret and you know mine. I think you can see how indiscretion could harm us both.”
“I won’t say anything.” I press my lips into a tight line, annoyed that she’s actually threatening me, but maybe she’s just worried that her boyfriend will find out that she’s cheating on him or whatever it is that she’s doing.
“Steven doesn’t like that kind of thing, and I mostly just watch, so don’t think I’m being a bitch. He has his little pleasures and I have mine.” She backs off.
“Right. I have to go now. Call me when you...”
“Yeah, yeah.” She opens her red bag and digs through it until she takes out a pack of cigarettes. She lights one up, and I turn to leave, excited about the possibility of seeing Caleb again.
My hands are clammy as I wait for Caleb in the alley where Alessandra told me to come. The alley is not completely abandoned, so I try to stay out of sight. I slip my hands into the pockets of my blue jeans and lean on one of the parked cars. My heart jitters as soon as I spot Caleb coming down the street. He’s wearing dark blue jeans and a white shirt. His dark hair is messy and his steps are wide and strong. I wish I could feel as confident as he does when I step from around the car.
“Hi,” he says, smiling. “Nice to see you again.”
“You too.” Warmth flushes my cheeks.
“Where do you want us to go?” he asks. “I know a place near here. No one will recognize you there.”
“No, I...” I look down at my black sneakers. “I don’t really want to have sex right now.”
“Then what do you want?” His voice is tense, and I look up to meet his serious gaze.
“I want you to come with me somewhere. If you don’t mind.” I give him a shy look. “If you don’t want to, that’s okay. I’ll go alone.”
“You should have said something...” His forehead wrinkles as he shuffles his feet.
“I didn’t really know it back then,” I lie. “I changed my mind today, actually. I thought it would be weird to just cancel. My friends are all busy, so I was hoping for some company, but I totally understand if you don’t want to...”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll come with you. I just... didn’t expect it.” He tries to smile but it doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s fidgeting a little and I wonder if he’s just being nice but actually wants to bolt.
“I don’t want to be a pushy, annoying client, so if this bothers you, please tell me.” I search his eyes for something, but he doesn’t give me anything.
“It’s okay. Really.”
“Great. Then let’s go.” I start down the street, and in the corner of my eye, I can see him taking out his phone and quickly typing something. When he’s done, he looks up at me. I really hope he’s not lying about everything being fine.
“How was your week?” I ask as we walk down the street.