"I've been the one sending back messages. Just me and nobody else," she replied as my eyes widened. "I am a booking agent, not an escort. That was a one-off. It wasn't a permanent lifestyle for me," she murmured as I frowned at her.
"Why me?" I asked, thinking back to our night. It was wonderful, and she let me take her without any protection. Why did she trust me so much just as I'd trusted her so much?
"You were the next booking for the girl that was out for the week," she told me with a bland expression on her face. "It just worked out, and you were pleasant Declan. It's just done."
There was no possible way that she didn't feel anything that night. I could see it in her eyes and feel it on my lips. I saw something pass through her eyes that played off as negative for a moment before she looked calm again. "Pleasant?" I asked as she stared back at me. "I thought that it was an incredible night and I'd like to see you again."
"I can't. I need to go to work," she told me before glancing behind me.
"I can pick you up after your shift, just to talk. I want to get to know you more. One night wasn't enough," I told her, speaking softly, and looking around. I didn't want to humiliate her, and her cheeks flushed as she glanced at me. "You're a fascinating woman. Tell me your name at least."
"It's Rayna," she whispered as she nibbled on her lip. "I have to go, Declan. Goodbye."
I watched as she walked away, seeing her disappear into an elevator and up onto another floor. I stepped back out into the sun, wondering again why Rayna was dressed so heavily when it was warm out today.
I gave it a day and then thought back to Rayna as I sat at my desk at home, involved in a project. I went back to the message and sent one, knowing that it went right to her. I asked to see her again and waited for a message in response.
Why are you doing this, Declan?
I want to see you. I know you felt what was between us that night, Rayna.
No, it was business.
Were you really new or was that a lie?
I felt the anger in my tone and winced as I waited.
I didn't lie. I'd never done that before, but it wasn't my first time having sex. Did you think that it was?
No, but I do believe that it was different for you that night. I could see it in your every movement. What time are you off?
Declan, I can't do this. I don't want to be an escort.
You won't be. You'll be a woman that I am genuinely interested in.
The conversation ended, and I stared at the screen waiting for an answer. I wasn't the kind of man to stalk a woman by any means, especially with the pending divorce. I should want to be finished with this and not pursue Rayna, but she was under my skin. I clicked off my computer to go to bed, imagining our night together instead of drifting off to sleep. I reached down to take myself into my hand, hard and ready for Rayna as I began to stroke it.
I gripped hard, needing the release. I wanted Rayna again so badly. I wanted to repeat the positions I had her in all over again, this time calling out her real name. I came into a Kleenex and threw it into the trash with a sigh.
I knew that I could have dozens of one-night-stands with women from bars and walk away from them, but I was only craving one.
I would give her a little time and try again. I knew how to woo a woman, and I was going to make every effort to impress.
CHAPTER 8
Rayna
I kind of dreaded going to work now. Declan was persistent in trying to contact me, and though a part of me wanted to just delete the threat altogether, I couldn't do it. I did want to repeat the night with him as well, but I knew that it just couldn't happen. For one, I was married. I knew that if I did anything with Declan, that he could end up in trouble.
I should delete it and in the process, eliminate him from my life entirely. I longed to forget about the night that we shared, but it played through my mind like a movie. I couldn't escape the memory of our passion, and I knew that he was right about there being more than just sex between us.
James was home less and less. When he was home, he was an asshole and spoke down to me on most occasions while on other ones, he would hurt me. I was thankful that he didn't want sex anymore, but his words and actions hurt me.
In a couple of weeks, when Declan messaged me I was at my weakest. My arms were bruised yet again, and I wore a long-sleeved green shirt to cover the marks, and some makeup to make me look less pale. I worked quietly, sucking down coffee as I booked appointments for escorts, just like any other day.
It was like any other day until I realized that there was a new message from Declan. I read it, seeing that it was the common words. He wanted to see me and get to know me better, but not as an escort. He wanted to see me as a woman, and I felt tears in my eyes. I saw him ask to see me after work and I felt my willpower fade for a moment.
I am off tonight at ten o clock.
There was a long pause, and then a message came through.
Really?
Yes. I get off at ten, and I'd be happy to see you.
My plan was to tell him that I couldn't see him. I was going to say that I was married, taken and unavailable.
I will meet you at the curb. I'll be in a blue Porsche. Thank you, Rayna.
See you soon.
I knew that I didn't have plans for a good night with a future together. I had plans to end all of this for him and let him down as gently as I could. I knew that the sex was good, but I wasn't sure what else there was between us. I learned from other escorts that there were sometimes emotions in a situation with a client and they apparently saw them again. Was there a reason that they saw the same woman repeatedly? Was it more than attraction?
I was nervous the rest of the day. I nibbled on a salad for lunch down the street, sipping soda to stay awake. I was casually dressed today in a cotton shirt and black slacks with some sandals. I didn't dress up, and I knew that I had circles under my eyes today. I knew that I didn't look good.
I'd accepted because I needed to end this, but also just to see the way that he looked at me. Declan valued me as a woman and a person, and I desperately needed that right now.
When the clock turned to ten on the computer screen, I saw that the night shift had taken over before I powered down the computer for the evening. I looked at the glass of the window, knowing that I was hopeless tonight and merely secured my ponytail. I locked my door and then the office before going down in the elevator, telling the security guard that I was meeting someone outside. I said good night and walked outside, noticing the sleek car waiting at the curb. Inside, I could see Declan smiling towards me, and I managed one of my own.
Declan leaned over to open the door, and I looked around slowly, just seeing the usual crowd at the bars down the street. I slipped inside quickly and let out a breath as he pulled away, asking if I was hungry. I hadn't eaten a lot today and every day at the gym without eating well to go along with it was taking its toll. "I am. I had a light lunch," I replied as I glanced over at him. He was so gorgeous, and I couldn't believe that he wanted to be with me. "Can we be somewhere private, though?"
We stopped at a light, and he looked closely at me. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. It was a long night, and I just want to be in a quiet place." He nodded and stopped at a little place on the corner, smiling as he asked me if I liked pizza. I loved it and told him so, and I watched as he locked the doors to the car and walked inside the glass doors. I sat back against the leather seat as he spoke to the girl at the counter that was clearly flirting with him before he glanced back at me. I couldn't help but smile as he pulled out his wallet and the idea that another man was buying food for me settled into my brain. It felt so wrong but when was the last time that James willingly took me out to dinner without family being involved? I couldn't even remember.
I watched as Declan took the two boxes from the girl and turned to leave, pushing the door opened as I leaned over and tried to find the lock. Declan chuckled as he pushed a button and unlocked it, opening the trunk to slide the boxes inside. This car didn't offer much of a back seat at all as I looked back, enjoying the sports car. Declan got inside of the driver's side and started the engine again before pulling away from the curb.
He drove us to a small house at the edge of town, parking in the driveway. I looked at it, noting that it was nice but not the mansion I was expecting with the car we were driving in. I gave him a look as he stared curiously at me. "What?"