eyes. “That someone is you, mamacita.”
“Ah.” Tamia nodded wisely. “So that’s what this is all about. The new wardrobe, help from the movers, the swanky apartment. You’re trying to bribe me.”
“No, I’m not,” Lou insisted. “I bought you new clothes and got you this place because we’re friends, and friends look out for each other.”
Tamia eyed him knowingly. “So you weren’t trying to bribe me?”
“Of course not.” Lou hesitated, then grinned sheepishly. “Maybe just a little.”
“Umm-hmm. That’s what I thought.”
“Did it work?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Tamia sighed heavily. “Don’t get me wrong, papi. I’m flattered by your job offer. But I don’t know anything about running an escort agency.”
“Neither did I, but that didn’t stop me from starting one anyway. I’m telling you, Tamia, you’re perfect for this job. You’ve already proved that you have a head for business, so you’d know how to interact with my clients. Not only that, but all of my girls already know who you are. They’ve watched your movies and they look up to you.”
“They look up to Mystique,” Tamia corrected. “And I’m not her.”
Lou groaned. “Come on, mamacita. If you worked for me, you’d make a killing. You could afford to buy a new car and lease this apartment on your own next year.”
“Damn,” Tamia marveled, staring at him. “So it’s like that? You’re really making that kind of paper?”
“Hell, yeah. I wasn’t lying when I said that starting an escort agency was one of the best ideas I’ve ever had. That shit is recession-proof.” Lou grinned broadly, looking pleased with himself.
Again Tamia sighed. “I won’t lie. Your offer is very tempting, because after I pay off my legal bills, I’m gonna be flat broke. So I need a job ASAP.”
“Then come work for me.”
“I can’t.” She grimaced. “No offense, Lou, but I’m not interested in going back into the sex industry.”
“This is different—”
“Maybe in some ways, but sex is still the main focus of your business.”
Lou smirked. “So what? You got something against sex now?”
“Not at all,” Tamia said wryly. “In fact, getting laid is all I’ve been thinking about since I left the courthouse yesterday.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” Lou wiggled his brows suggestively. “You know I can help you out with that.”
Tamia grinned. “Um, no, that’s okay.”
Yet she found herself staring at his full lips and remembering what her fellow porn stars used to whisper about his bedroom skills. If she hadn’t made a vow to hold out for Brandon, she would have been seriously tempted to give Lou some pussy. She needed her back blown out like nobody’s business.
Pushing the thought aside, Tamia said humorously, “I appreciate the offer, papi, but I value our friendship too much to take advantage of you like that.”
“Take advantage of me,” he urged. “Really. I don’t mind.”
They both laughed.
Sobering after several moments, Tamia smiled softly at Lou. “For real though, papi. I’m glad that business is going so well for you, and I’m flattered that you’d entrust me with managing your agency. But I love working in advertising, so I’m really hoping that I can find another job in that field. Starting Monday morning, I’ll be scouring every job search engine that’s out there and sending out my resume. With any luck,” she added ruefully, “I’ll find an employer who doesn’t know, or doesn’t care, that I was just acquitted of murder.”
“You will,” Lou said with such certainty that Tamia gave him an amused look.
“How can you be so sure?” she asked.
“That you’ll find a job?”
“Yeah. I mean, given my recent legal troubles—combined with a bad economy and an even worse job market—you have to admit that the odds are seriously stacked against me.”
“They are,” Lou gently agreed, his hazel eyes boring into hers. “But you’re a survivor,
“Ah.” Tamia nodded wisely. “So that’s what this is all about. The new wardrobe, help from the movers, the swanky apartment. You’re trying to bribe me.”
“No, I’m not,” Lou insisted. “I bought you new clothes and got you this place because we’re friends, and friends look out for each other.”
Tamia eyed him knowingly. “So you weren’t trying to bribe me?”
“Of course not.” Lou hesitated, then grinned sheepishly. “Maybe just a little.”
“Umm-hmm. That’s what I thought.”
“Did it work?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Tamia sighed heavily. “Don’t get me wrong, papi. I’m flattered by your job offer. But I don’t know anything about running an escort agency.”
“Neither did I, but that didn’t stop me from starting one anyway. I’m telling you, Tamia, you’re perfect for this job. You’ve already proved that you have a head for business, so you’d know how to interact with my clients. Not only that, but all of my girls already know who you are. They’ve watched your movies and they look up to you.”
“They look up to Mystique,” Tamia corrected. “And I’m not her.”
Lou groaned. “Come on, mamacita. If you worked for me, you’d make a killing. You could afford to buy a new car and lease this apartment on your own next year.”
“Damn,” Tamia marveled, staring at him. “So it’s like that? You’re really making that kind of paper?”
“Hell, yeah. I wasn’t lying when I said that starting an escort agency was one of the best ideas I’ve ever had. That shit is recession-proof.” Lou grinned broadly, looking pleased with himself.
Again Tamia sighed. “I won’t lie. Your offer is very tempting, because after I pay off my legal bills, I’m gonna be flat broke. So I need a job ASAP.”
“Then come work for me.”
“I can’t.” She grimaced. “No offense, Lou, but I’m not interested in going back into the sex industry.”
“This is different—”
“Maybe in some ways, but sex is still the main focus of your business.”
Lou smirked. “So what? You got something against sex now?”
“Not at all,” Tamia said wryly. “In fact, getting laid is all I’ve been thinking about since I left the courthouse yesterday.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” Lou wiggled his brows suggestively. “You know I can help you out with that.”
Tamia grinned. “Um, no, that’s okay.”
Yet she found herself staring at his full lips and remembering what her fellow porn stars used to whisper about his bedroom skills. If she hadn’t made a vow to hold out for Brandon, she would have been seriously tempted to give Lou some pussy. She needed her back blown out like nobody’s business.
Pushing the thought aside, Tamia said humorously, “I appreciate the offer, papi, but I value our friendship too much to take advantage of you like that.”
“Take advantage of me,” he urged. “Really. I don’t mind.”
They both laughed.
Sobering after several moments, Tamia smiled softly at Lou. “For real though, papi. I’m glad that business is going so well for you, and I’m flattered that you’d entrust me with managing your agency. But I love working in advertising, so I’m really hoping that I can find another job in that field. Starting Monday morning, I’ll be scouring every job search engine that’s out there and sending out my resume. With any luck,” she added ruefully, “I’ll find an employer who doesn’t know, or doesn’t care, that I was just acquitted of murder.”
“You will,” Lou said with such certainty that Tamia gave him an amused look.
“How can you be so sure?” she asked.
“That you’ll find a job?”
“Yeah. I mean, given my recent legal troubles—combined with a bad economy and an even worse job market—you have to admit that the odds are seriously stacked against me.”
“They are,” Lou gently agreed, his hazel eyes boring into hers. “But you’re a survivor,
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