“No, we don’t have time for nature to take its course. This is a transaction,” I said, barely containing my anger. With a hard yank, I ripped my tie up and over my head. I tossed my black suit coat next. He couldn’t see me, which somehow didn’t lessen the anxiousness that rolled over me. I rarely left these rooms in casual clothes. The suit was what distinguished me from the professionals. Being “stuffy,” as they called me, kept me sane. I stripped as quickly as I could but stopped when I was standing only in my red briefs. I played with the waistband, and the anger that had powered ripping off the rest of my clothing faded to a sick nervousness.
He hadn’t said anything, and a frustrated little frown twisted down his lips. “Fuck,” he grumped and turned back toward the bedroom door.
“What are you doing?” I reached out and snagged the cuff of his dark gray suit coat between two fingers.
He shook his head. “I didn’t expect you to act this way.”
The entire world was crashing in on me, and I had no idea how to navigate these waters, even though I should. “What way?”
“Like you’re not going to have a good time.”
I huffed. “Well, you don’t have to leave because of that.”
His frown deepened, and his dog gave a tiny growl, so I dropped my hold on him. “Don’t I?”
“This isn’t aboutmehaving a good time. It’s aboutyouhaving a good time.” My stomach twisted in on itself and my knees felt like they didn’t exist. The floor was looking awfully comfortable. I took a deep breath when my head went light.
“You haven’t been in this business long, have you?”
“You apparently know me, so you know that’s not true. I’ve lived my whole life in this business.” The words hung between us, dripping poison.
“Maybe that’s your problem, then.”
“I don’t have a problem. So how do you want me?”
He stomped forward, and I wasn’t ready for it when he dropped his hold on the dog’s harness, let his cane clatter to the floor, and gripped me by both shoulders. He slid his strong hands along my skin. Surprisingly, my chest went warm with the gentle touch, and I was able to breathe again.
“On your knees.”
Fuck, that was… well, completely expected.I trembled and fell to the floor so hard my knees hurt. My change in circumstances put me face-to-face with Lemonade. “Hi, girl,” I whispered, and my mystery owner groaned out a happy sound. I was surprised when he patted my head.
“I thought I could do this, you know? But maybe I can’t.” He glanced backward over his shoulder at the door, as if judging the distance mentally.
A thrill of terror shot through me. “Don’t. I’m sorry. Don’t go. My mother will kill me. She doesn’t do refunds.”
He sucked in a quick breath, and I realized how that might’ve sounded.
“Oh, not literally. She’d never hurt me. But she’ll give me hell about this for the rest of her days on this earth if I chase you off by… being myself. I wouldn’t be shocked if she hired someone to keep berating me after she went to the great beyond.”
He ran his fingers softly through my hair, and I was stunned when he grasped the strands and forced my head back. The way he handled me stung, but I wouldn’t call it painful. Excited heat streaked through my gut.
“I know what you look like, Darcy. Maybe I can’t see you right now, but I have you in here.” He tapped his temple. I nibbled on the corner of my lip as a firm bulge shoved at the cloth near his pants zipper. He was obviously packing a weapon in there, one that might do some damage if I didn’t know how to play with it. I sucked in a deep breath. “You know what? You’re right.” His tone hardened, and my blood ran cold. “Fuck it. I paid. Blow me. That’s what I want first.”
My mind blanked. I fought to not hyperventilate as he let my hair go. He unbuckled his belt, and I forced myself to stop my statue impersonation. I unzipped his fly, and through the slit in his boxers, I pulled out a cock that was nice. I felt clinical as I weighed his hot hard-on in my hand. I’d seen my fair share of dicks in passing, erect and otherwise, and he had girth and length and a wide, rosy cockhead that went well with his veiny shaft. Dildos could have been modeled on him and we would stock them—he was that perfect.
There were no unsettling surprises. I let out a shaky breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
Best of all, there was none of that acrid smell I’d heard the boys talk about. Some of my fear faded. I’d heard so many horror stories during my time working here. This man had obviously washed, and the hair peeking out through the slit in his underwear was groomed, like he’d come here fully expecting for someone to see him naked. In fact, he smelled good, period. I was surprised when my cock plumped and my skin tingled. I glanced up his body.
“You know me, do you?” I murmured. “So you’ve had time to think about me?”
“Yes,” he whispered huskily.
“And what would the Darcy who lives in your head do?” I tried to hedge because while I’d heard Romeo talk to the newbies about giving head maybe a thousand times, and hell, I’d even heard my mother talk about technique—as much as I did not want that in my brain right now—I felt a little scared in the face of actually doing this. The man grinned and shifted his hips forward. I opened my mouth and got within a hairsbreadth of putting my lips on his fat cockhead before I sat back on my heels and covered my face with my hands.
“Darcy?” he asked curiously.
“I can’t. I can’t fucking do this. Damn that woman. I’m sorry. I thought I could, but I can’t.”
