lean over to put on his socks and shoes. He stood and pivoted
around to look at her. “You’re a beautiful woman.” Abruptly he whirled away and
strode over to the chair to put on his jacket. “This is our last time, Helen.”
She shot up from the bed. “What do you mean? Why?”
He gazed at her from across the room. “This is business.
I’ll be honest. I’m attracted to you in more than a professional manner. It has
to stop. I can’t let this get personal.”
Her body tingled at his words, grew warm from the thought of
getting involved with him on a more personal level. “Is that so bad?”
Again he laughed without amusement. “You know better—you’re
an intelligent woman. I’m a professional escort, and from what you’ve said
without being specific, you hold a pretty important position in your town. It
could never work—you know it and I do, too. Best that I end the association now
before either of us gets hurt. You’re a good woman and you deserve a good man.
Don’t sell yourself short.”
Helen knelt up on the bed, gripping the sheet around her.
“What if I want to take the chance?” She knew it would have to end, but not
yet. She wasn’t ready for that.
He shook his head. “Face the ridicule? I would never ask you
to do that. You deserve better. You needed some excitement in your life and I
tried to give it to you. But it’s time for us both to move on.”
She sank back onto the bed. “I don’t think I’m ready for
this.”
He walked over, cupped the back of her head, and bent
forward to kiss her. “You’re a one-of-a-kind, Helen. Always leave the table on
a winning streak. It’s time. The one thing that’s kept me alive here, is
knowing when to walk away. This is one of those times.”
“If you’re doing it for me, then don’t. I can take care of
myself.”
He smiled. “I know you can.” His eyes turned dark, his
emotions masked. “If you really want me to refer you to another escort, I can
do that.”
She reeled back from him, shocked by the suggestion. “You
can’t be serious. I don’t want another escort. I want you.”
He was the reason she kept coming here. She didn’t want
someone else.
“Well, you can’t have me. Not anymore. It’s over.”
Without another word he walked out of the room, leaving her
alone. Hot tears welled in her eyes and it was at that moment she knew it had
become far more than a paid companion providing her pleasure. Far more.
He’d kept a cool head—had he sensed something from her?
She’d never said anything specific, she was certain of it. It was not going to
be easy going back to being good Helen all the time. She wasn’t sure she could
do it.
She wanted something she didn’t dare acknowledge even to
herself. Yet she had known from the beginning it wasn’t possible.
She lifted her chin. Well, she wasn’t going to beg. If she
were truly honest with herself, she accepted he was right. Once she got back
into her life, the summer ended, she would be able to accept that she would
never see Fallon again. And there certainly was no way she’d ever attempt to
hire another escort. At some level it became so much more than hiring a paid
companion. And he was correct—it wasn’t about the sex—it never really had been.
Slowly she rose from the bed. His scent still clung to the
air. She had to get out of here before she did something really stupid. Maybe
eventually this void inside her that gaped open when he walked out the door
would close. She just needed to give it some time.
CHAPTER TWELVE
It didn’t seem like her life any longer. She’d tried to
return to the person she was but found herself fantasizing about Fallon and
Vegas. Three months had passed since their last encounter and more than once
she’d picked up her cell to call the agency and then stopped. She would not
beg. And even if she did, she doubted Fallon would change his mind. He didn’t
seem the type of man to reverse a decision once he’d made it.
around to look at her. “You’re a beautiful woman.” Abruptly he whirled away and
strode over to the chair to put on his jacket. “This is our last time, Helen.”
She shot up from the bed. “What do you mean? Why?”
He gazed at her from across the room. “This is business.
I’ll be honest. I’m attracted to you in more than a professional manner. It has
to stop. I can’t let this get personal.”
Her body tingled at his words, grew warm from the thought of
getting involved with him on a more personal level. “Is that so bad?”
Again he laughed without amusement. “You know better—you’re
an intelligent woman. I’m a professional escort, and from what you’ve said
without being specific, you hold a pretty important position in your town. It
could never work—you know it and I do, too. Best that I end the association now
before either of us gets hurt. You’re a good woman and you deserve a good man.
Don’t sell yourself short.”
Helen knelt up on the bed, gripping the sheet around her.
“What if I want to take the chance?” She knew it would have to end, but not
yet. She wasn’t ready for that.
He shook his head. “Face the ridicule? I would never ask you
to do that. You deserve better. You needed some excitement in your life and I
tried to give it to you. But it’s time for us both to move on.”
She sank back onto the bed. “I don’t think I’m ready for
this.”
He walked over, cupped the back of her head, and bent
forward to kiss her. “You’re a one-of-a-kind, Helen. Always leave the table on
a winning streak. It’s time. The one thing that’s kept me alive here, is
knowing when to walk away. This is one of those times.”
“If you’re doing it for me, then don’t. I can take care of
myself.”
He smiled. “I know you can.” His eyes turned dark, his
emotions masked. “If you really want me to refer you to another escort, I can
do that.”
She reeled back from him, shocked by the suggestion. “You
can’t be serious. I don’t want another escort. I want you.”
He was the reason she kept coming here. She didn’t want
someone else.
“Well, you can’t have me. Not anymore. It’s over.”
Without another word he walked out of the room, leaving her
alone. Hot tears welled in her eyes and it was at that moment she knew it had
become far more than a paid companion providing her pleasure. Far more.
He’d kept a cool head—had he sensed something from her?
She’d never said anything specific, she was certain of it. It was not going to
be easy going back to being good Helen all the time. She wasn’t sure she could
do it.
She wanted something she didn’t dare acknowledge even to
herself. Yet she had known from the beginning it wasn’t possible.
She lifted her chin. Well, she wasn’t going to beg. If she
were truly honest with herself, she accepted he was right. Once she got back
into her life, the summer ended, she would be able to accept that she would
never see Fallon again. And there certainly was no way she’d ever attempt to
hire another escort. At some level it became so much more than hiring a paid
companion. And he was correct—it wasn’t about the sex—it never really had been.
Slowly she rose from the bed. His scent still clung to the
air. She had to get out of here before she did something really stupid. Maybe
eventually this void inside her that gaped open when he walked out the door
would close. She just needed to give it some time.
CHAPTER TWELVE
It didn’t seem like her life any longer. She’d tried to
return to the person she was but found herself fantasizing about Fallon and
Vegas. Three months had passed since their last encounter and more than once
she’d picked up her cell to call the agency and then stopped. She would not
beg. And even if she did, she doubted Fallon would change his mind. He didn’t
seem the type of man to reverse a decision once he’d made it.
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