Oh boy. Jem had a feeling he knew where the conversation would go next. “I appreciate that.”
Sure enough, Caroline took another sip of her coffee and then leaned forward. “Now, Jem. Let’s talk about you a little bit. Your profile says you’re open to negotiating more intimate arrangements. I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise that that’s my primary interest.”
“I may have guessed.”
“I can be a very demanding woman.” She smiled as she admitted this, maybe because she followed it up with, “And a generous one.”
Jem picked up the piece of paper she slid across the table and glanced at it. A number with a significant number of zeroes was written on the other side.
“This is what I’m offering on a monthly basis, as well as gifts—you’ll need appropriate clothing for the parties, jewelry, so on. I’d expect you to stay over on weekends, of course.”
“Uh-huh,” Jem said faintly, trying to process the number. Was this the beginning of his inexorable transition into prostitution and debauchery? Because from where he was sitting, it was a pretty sweet deal.
But….
With a deep breath, he raised his eyes to meet Caroline’s. Her gaze was shrewd, assessing, but not unkind.
“You’re turning me down,” she said mildly.
“Honestly, I think I’m more surprised than you are.” He gave her a weak smile and pushed the paper back toward her, as though she’d need it for something else. “It’s not—definitely nothing you did or said. You’re funny, you’re attractive, I think we’d have a good time.”
“But?” Caroline prompted.
He blew out a long breath and tried to put words to it. “Cold feet?” he said. “That’s not it exactly, just, uh. I’m gonna be real with you, the idea of getting paid that much for my dick is gonna give me performance anxiety.”
She broke into a peal of surprised laughter. “Now, I’m not sure I believe that.”
It was as close as Jem could come to explaining. He shook his head slightly. “I think it all just got too real. I need some time for it to sink in, you know? And this is my very first, um, interview? I feel like there’s a difference between jumping in the deep end knowing you can swim and doing a polar dip.”
“Hmm.” Caroline considered him. “I suppose I might be something of a shock to the system.”
Lady, that’s putting it mildly.
“I’ll tell you what.” She reached into her purse and withdrew a business card, which she passed across the table. “You go see what’s out there, and if you don’t find something that suits you, give me a call.”
Jem took the card and smiled. “Sounds like a plan. I will. Thanks, Caroline.”
Of course,the interview itself was fine. The debrief with Tori afterward, however—
“Tell me everything,” she demanded. “No, wait, if there were bodily fluids exchanged, I don’t want to hear that part.”
Jem was literally the one who taught her how to go down on a girl, once upon a time, but whatever. He rolled his eyes. “It wasn’t anaudition. It was just coffee with a potential… client.”
“Uh-huh. And do you always discuss your dick size on your coffee dates?”
“Caroline did not ask how big my dick was.”
Apparently Tori had not anticipated this. “Wait, really?”
And—well. Jem made it a habit not to lie to her. “I wore the white chinos.” He’d bought them online, intending to make them part of his work wardrobe, but he’d only worn them to school once before Tori informed him why he would not be doing that again.
“Oh, so she’s seen it.”
The pants weren’ttranslucent, just… tailored. Jem sighed. “Tori.”
“Right, right, okay, I’m focusing. Tell me about her.”
“She was hot. Older, I don’t know how much, but like, at least forty, probably fifty. Definitely works out, hair and nails done on schedule. Beverly Hills type for sure.”
