“I’m not doing anything Valentine’s day. I can do it. She’s not your normal client, Danny. I can see it all over her face. I bet she bought those shoes today just for this. She’s young, she’s new, she looks really fucking inexperienced. Don’t send her to the wolves. Just let me take her to the wedding, give her a few hours of what she needs—someone to dote on her—and that’s it.”
Danny’s eyes narrowed on me before darting back to her.
I saw him take in the way her fingers fidgeted, that red high heel wiggling back and forth.
“She’s nervous, Danny. I’ll give her a real date. No one has to know any better. Hell, I won’t even take her money. Tell her you give out free samples of the product before purchase is required.” I saw that my joke had fallen flat when I looked at my constantly crabby brother.
“It’s a wedding. How could I possibly fuck that up? Have I ever asked you for anything in my life?”
He arched one thick eyebrow.
“Ever?”
“No,” he finally answered, crossing his arms. “Fine. Fine, you can take her to the wedding. I’ll send you the details after she’s gone. But don’t breathe a word of this to anyone, Brodie. This is my livelihood here. My reputation is on the line.”
“Scout’s honor, brother.” I held up my hand, a triumphant grin spreading across my face.
“Get that ugly fucking smirk off your face and go out the back door so she doesn’t see you.”
“Got it, bro.” I smacked him on the shoulder. “Thanks again.”
“Family is such a pain in my ass,” I heard him grumble before I beat it out the back door and into the rear parking lot.
That woman, whatever her name is, left me starved for more of her.
She didn’t belong in a place like that. My skeevy bro’s “dating service,” as he liked to call it, wasn’t a place for someone who had that kind of soulful emotion radiating from her eyes. Maybe I was a little misguided in my desire to save her, but I also knew I could be just the man she was looking for.
Forget her type, I was the type that was about to rock her world.
Chapter Three
Bryn
I scrolled through my newsfeed, anxious waves of bile running through my stomach as I waited.
Waited for my super-taboo, forbidden, dirty escort to take me to my sister’s wedding.
Boy, would Mom and Dad have stroke on this one. Brittany, too.
But they didn’t have to know. No one did. This was my sorta kinky little secret.
I’d been on a few dates over the years, but if you’ve been on one bad date, you’ve been on them all. I couldn’t stomach the dating scene right now, and maybe not ever. So this would have to do for now, and then tomorrow everyone could go on with their lives, no strings attached. No messy emotions or hurt feelings. Just two adults, having fun at a cheesy, upscale—
“Waiting for a date?” A warm palm rested at the dip of my back and sent shivers racing through me.
“Uh,” I spun to find a pair of ice-blue eyes regarding me, something like amusement sparkling in their depths. “You are…?”
“Brodie, with Elite—”
“Yes,” I interjected before anyone could overhear. “Yes, I’ve been waiting for you.”
I nearly choked on my own tongue. This guy was devastating. The word handsome wasn’t nearly enough to describe him. He was tall, shoulders cut as wide as a gladiator’s, the three-piece navy suit doing nothing to disguise that he worked out. A lot.
His grin quirked up then, my eyes drawn to full, sexy lips that I was desperate to have pressed against my skin.
Wait, where had that thought come from?
I didn’t even know this guy. He could be a…well, he was an…escort.
“I’m Bryn.” I thrust out a hand before feeling like a total idiot and dropping my gaze.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Bryn.” He took my hand in his, raised it,and dropped a soft kiss across the knuckles. Holy shit, this must be what he’s trained to do, to woo women.
God, I hated that he was so good at it.
I hated that I had to keep reminding myself that he was getting paid to say things like that to me, not because he felt them.
I shook the silly thought from my head then, forcing a smile and backing away a step.
“We should get going. It’ll take us over an hour to get to my parents’ place without traffic.”
“I’ll drive.” His words were easy, confident, like it wasn’t a question or even an offer. It was an order.
“No, really, I know the way. I can get us there faster.” I pulled my keys from the little clutch I was carrying.