to nonchalantly swipe my sweaty palm over my coat before shaking his hand, but I know he felt it.
With a glance at his hand, he asks, “Nervous?”
“No. It’s a little warm tonight.”
Laughing at my lie, he boasts, “It’s fifty-four degrees!” All I can do is smile. “I’m Robert.”
“Lily—”
“I know that.”
I chuckle, feeling completely out of my element.
“Ian says you’re the perfect girl for tonight.” The highly-doubtfully look across his face has me straightening my posture a little.
“I am.” I assure, but I don’t believe it, why should he? “Dinner and light conversation, right?”
“No sex,” he says firmly.
Offering a smile, I promise, “Then I’m the perfect girl.”
Returning my smile with his own charming grin, it shows how very attractive this man is. I didn’t think attractive men bought escorts. . . . I’ve actually never thought about anything to do with escorts.
“You have to act like you know me, Lily. We’re friends, and when I’m in town we’re usually together. Can you do that?”
“Will I be asked anything personal?”
“Probably not. You probably won’t even be addressed except by me. Your body.” Disappointment mars his face when he looks over at me.
Offended he’s insulting my figure, I grit my teeth, not in the mood to deal with insults about my body. I just sliced open my stomach last night because I’m borderline psycho, buddy!
“You’re turned away from me. Your hands are firm in your lap. You’re acting like we’ve never met.”
Oh. . . . Like I said: borderline psycho.
“We haven’t met, Mr. Tanaka, and we’re alone right now. Why don’t you brief me a little. What should I call you?”
“Robert.”
“How old are you, Robert?”
“Thirty-four. How old are you? I requested a young girl.”
“I don’t fit that?”
“Visually.” He nods.
“I’m twenty-two, but I’ll be however old you’d like me to be.”
“Twenty-two is fine. You won’t be asked anyway.” With a shrug, he looks out the window, giving me the sense that he isn’t impressed.
Nervousness hits my stomach again because this is going to be a complete fail. I’m going to fail at flirting.
I want Ian.
I clear my throat. “And we are friends with benefits? Dating? Or strictly friends?”
“Dating when I’m in Chicago.”
“Stop me if I’m going about this all wrong, but, we are trying to impress your colleagues, right?”
“Basically.” He nods again, looking back out the window.
“Okay.” Directing my attention out the window, I take his hand to get into character.
Immediately, he stiffens, but I swipe my thumb over his knuckles and it causes him to relax. I’m still nervous, but I’m trying to pull it together because I can tell he doesn’t like me and I don’t want Ian to be mad at me or fire me after my first date.
Holding my hand, he helps me out of the car and it’s almost like we’re an established couple. He waves and smiles at a group of men seated at a table and the first thing I notice is I’m the only female. We approach the table and he’s keeping my hand in the fold of his left arm while he shakes each hand of the seated gentlemen. They’re all staring at me and I think they’re waiting for him to introduce me, but he doesn’t. Instead, he pulls out my chair and I sit, smiling politely, playing my paid for part. When he sits next to me, his hand goes to my back and I lean into his ear. I don’t want to give myself a bighead, but I think the men are pleased by Robert’s date.
“Do you think they’re impressed by looks alone?” I whisper with a smile.
Letting out a laugh, he turns to me. “I was.” His smile seems like the first real smile since we’ve met.
Subtly flirting and occasionally touching me, I know what he wants. He wants the other men to think I find him charming and irresistible, so I do my job. I’m in tune to what
With a glance at his hand, he asks, “Nervous?”
“No. It’s a little warm tonight.”
Laughing at my lie, he boasts, “It’s fifty-four degrees!” All I can do is smile. “I’m Robert.”
“Lily—”
“I know that.”
I chuckle, feeling completely out of my element.
“Ian says you’re the perfect girl for tonight.” The highly-doubtfully look across his face has me straightening my posture a little.
“I am.” I assure, but I don’t believe it, why should he? “Dinner and light conversation, right?”
“No sex,” he says firmly.
Offering a smile, I promise, “Then I’m the perfect girl.”
Returning my smile with his own charming grin, it shows how very attractive this man is. I didn’t think attractive men bought escorts. . . . I’ve actually never thought about anything to do with escorts.
“You have to act like you know me, Lily. We’re friends, and when I’m in town we’re usually together. Can you do that?”
“Will I be asked anything personal?”
“Probably not. You probably won’t even be addressed except by me. Your body.” Disappointment mars his face when he looks over at me.
Offended he’s insulting my figure, I grit my teeth, not in the mood to deal with insults about my body. I just sliced open my stomach last night because I’m borderline psycho, buddy!
“You’re turned away from me. Your hands are firm in your lap. You’re acting like we’ve never met.”
Oh. . . . Like I said: borderline psycho.
“We haven’t met, Mr. Tanaka, and we’re alone right now. Why don’t you brief me a little. What should I call you?”
“Robert.”
“How old are you, Robert?”
“Thirty-four. How old are you? I requested a young girl.”
“I don’t fit that?”
“Visually.” He nods.
“I’m twenty-two, but I’ll be however old you’d like me to be.”
“Twenty-two is fine. You won’t be asked anyway.” With a shrug, he looks out the window, giving me the sense that he isn’t impressed.
Nervousness hits my stomach again because this is going to be a complete fail. I’m going to fail at flirting.
I want Ian.
I clear my throat. “And we are friends with benefits? Dating? Or strictly friends?”
“Dating when I’m in Chicago.”
“Stop me if I’m going about this all wrong, but, we are trying to impress your colleagues, right?”
“Basically.” He nods again, looking back out the window.
“Okay.” Directing my attention out the window, I take his hand to get into character.
Immediately, he stiffens, but I swipe my thumb over his knuckles and it causes him to relax. I’m still nervous, but I’m trying to pull it together because I can tell he doesn’t like me and I don’t want Ian to be mad at me or fire me after my first date.
Holding my hand, he helps me out of the car and it’s almost like we’re an established couple. He waves and smiles at a group of men seated at a table and the first thing I notice is I’m the only female. We approach the table and he’s keeping my hand in the fold of his left arm while he shakes each hand of the seated gentlemen. They’re all staring at me and I think they’re waiting for him to introduce me, but he doesn’t. Instead, he pulls out my chair and I sit, smiling politely, playing my paid for part. When he sits next to me, his hand goes to my back and I lean into his ear. I don’t want to give myself a bighead, but I think the men are pleased by Robert’s date.
“Do you think they’re impressed by looks alone?” I whisper with a smile.
Letting out a laugh, he turns to me. “I was.” His smile seems like the first real smile since we’ve met.
Subtly flirting and occasionally touching me, I know what he wants. He wants the other men to think I find him charming and irresistible, so I do my job. I’m in tune to what
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