Gents 4 Ladies (3 page)

Tommy smiled shrewdly at his friend. “Yeah, so magnanimous of you. But you know that you could get in some legal trouble if she finds out you’re not for real?”

For the first time, Jordan grinned with wide humor, as he headed for the door. “That’s why I’ve got such a hot-shot lawyer like you. You’ll be there to pull me out if that eventuality occurs, which I doubt it will.” He threw open the door and looked back for a moment. “Find out who did this, Tommy,” he added more soberly, then left.

Chapter Three

Tiana was not surprised that she had started having cold feet.

She was standing the lobby of the country club, waiting for Jordan to arrive. And yet, she was also having this strong urge to dash out of the room before he appeared. What if this whole thing blew up in her face?

She understood that the concept of exchanging money for companionship could offend some people. But that didn’t bother her. No one would know that the man who would be coming to join her was actually a paid escort. She knew she’d be seated at a table of strangers at the reception dinner anyway.

What she was actually having were those “blind date” jitters - the suspense becoming too much to bear that you weren’t sure you could wait and face your fears. Would she feel attracted to him when she met him in person? Would she get to discover that his profile was photo-shopped and he was not as hot, virile and stimulating as she’d been made to believe?

He was here.

She recognized him on sight. Not only because it was five thirty on the dot as they had arranged, and not even because he was wearing a dark suit and blue tie like he said he would be. No, she knew it was him because once he walked in the door, she recognized his bone-melting smile and his sizzling good looks that even that sexy photo hadn’t portrayed with proper justice.

He’d noticed her too, and she could have sworn he did that same double-take when he caught sight of her. She may have only imagined it though, because his charming smile slipped back into place as he strode up to her.

“Nice necklace,” were the first words he said, his chin tipping to the strand of pearls she’d told him she would be wearing. She had to smile, equally tilting her head in response.

“Now that we’ve established identities…” she began, regaining her poise – and her heartbeat.  Next, she was holding out a hand elegantly, as she added, “Why don’t you join me for a wedding?”

He shook hands firmly, and just from that brief yet warm contact, she felt it.

The surge.

That wave of awareness she rarely ever felt but strongly recognized when it happened. That first, simple physical interaction that screamed out “chemistry” to a woman who understood why that was important.

It was important to Tiana, that was for sure. It was the reason she was currently single; the reason she’d dumped her last boyfriend. They’d never had
it
. And over time, it certainly hadn’t developed - which was what she had foolishly hoped. Also, no one she had met since then had been able to dredge up even a flash of it.

And yet, just now, with this perfect stranger, this totally gorgeous, virile-looking hunk of male, she had felt that definite force of electricity. It sent that long-forgotten shiver down her spine; doused her like a bowl of water, hitting her with the sudden wish that she could say, you know what, scrap this stupid wedding. Let’s just go off somewhere and …

But she restrained herself, and smiled calmly enough as he finally withdrew his hand and tucked her arm into his. He hadn’t taken his eyes off her, and she hazarded a guess that he had maybe read her mind, from the way a pleased smile tilted those gorgeous lips of his. It was hardly possible, and yet, maybe it showed on her face that the boss’s wedding was the last thing on her mind right then.

But Tiana drew in one more calming breath, and strained to focus. This was business. An arrangement. She was paying good money for this, she reminded herself – and it was time Mr. Jordan began to earn every cent…

***

Jordan hadn’t known what to expect. Her voice on the phone had hinted at well-educated, confident, sexy black woman. And Tiana turned out to be all that and more. She was, in fact, stunning.

She couldn’t be called “chunky”, but she was certainly filled out in the right places. He wasn’t an expert on such matters, and yet he figured she had to be at least a very curvy size. He thought of what Tommy had warned him about; that maybe she wouldn’t be his type. But hell, whatever type Tiana was, she was definitely his. Jordan’s ex-girlfriend had been reed-slim, with the perfect “model” looks and body. But then Jordan had found out long ago that the model-thin image and size were not always a defining factor when it came to what was sexy, or attractive.

One thing was for sure: Tiana looked sexy
and
attractive. He liked how she wore her hair, done in a wavy style pinned close to the sides of her head. Very feminine. It made her features all the more open to scrutiny, and certainly she had nothing to worry about in the looks department with her even caramel skin, a nice, smooth forehead, perky nose, and full, inviting lips.

Her eyes were a bright, arresting brown, thickly lashed and piercing. It cut right through him every time she looked at him in that speculatively sensual way of hers that made his blood steam up. She seemed ready to leap right at him, Jordan sensed, and just the discovery of having her so attracted to him was making him forget all his good intentions.

The truth was: he’d finally decided to come clean. Realized that there was no way he could get away with deceiving her. He’d told himself this over and over, as he’d driven here to meet her. That first crazy impulse he’d felt in Tommy’s office had cooled down into common sense. He’d warned himself that he couldn’t let her go on thinking he was something he was not. He couldn’t proceed with this farce, knowing he was tricking an unsuspecting female.

But then he’d come in, taken one look at her in that alluring emerald green dress, and he’d felt something kick him in the guts.

I can’t deny it; I want her
badly
, Jordan decided. Their gazes kept locking and he wondered if she knew exactly what she was doing to him. How she was making him ready to forget all his codes, his principles – his sane judgment, just to see where all this would lead.

You could just tell her the truth, a voice told him simply. Let her know that this was all a massive mix-up, and then confess that you are attracted to her anyway. And who knew? It could still end splendidly, for both of them. She could laugh it all off with him and say, what the hell, let’s carry on regardless.

But no…this way was far, far more fun.

Thrilling, even. Having her seated beside him, thinking to herself that here was a man who was ready to do her will, to please her in every way she desired – on her terms – stopped Jordan from coming out with the truth. He looked into her big, startling brown eyes, and he knew that he’d face the consequences, whatever they were, much later.
             
Tonight, he was her paid escort. And he was going to make every second, every dime worth it…

***

“Are you allowed to tell me about yourself?” Tiana whispered, her tone half-teasing.

Their first course had arrived at the reception, and she was sipping on her wine glass as she waited for him to reply. She’d spoken to Alyssa about it and while her friend had advised Tiana not to say anything about other women or his past clients, Alyssa had still sounded thrilled that Tiana had taken the plunge and also, that she’d picked Jordan.

“Make sure you enjoy yourself and save all the juicy details for me later,” Alyssa had giggled with glee.

Tiana had thankfully taken the time to do some reading up on escort etiquette, and understood that, as Alyssa had advised, there were some questions that were bad taste and off limits. Like why was he doing this, getting paid to provide companionship to unknown women? Especially when he looked like someone from a designer cologne ad – like a guy who could easily be found on one of those Forbes’ top ten CEO lists or something. Come to think of it, his pastime as a high-priced escort probably bought him a better lifestyle than she could boast of as a PR rep. Whatever the case, he suited her needs just fine.

Damn.

It was hard taking her eyes off him even for a second. He looked early to mid-thirties, and seemed much like a guy who’d be as comfortable in a high-powered suit than in surf-boarding gear. He certainly seemed fit enough for it. His looks were clean-cut, chiseled. His hair was raven-black and sleekly trimmed. His clothes appeared very expensive, tasteful and well-fitting.

She glanced at his hands, wrapped around his wine glass and shivered. They certainly looked capable of providing pleasure, if one could tell just by looking. They were nice, blunt-tipped, man’s hands. Well-manicured, with a nice dusting of dark, silky hair on the surface, trailing up past the band of his expensive-looking watch and into the sleeve of his shirt and jacket. Tiana was intrigued. He really was superbly kept – but then, being a “gigolo”, a male escort or whatever it was proper to call him, must pay well in his case.

He seemed to take his good time before replying to her question, as he wiped at his lips with his napkin.

“Of course,” he said at last, smiling easily. “What would you like to know?”

She glanced around at the other couples seated at their table to make sure they were absorbed in their own conversations. “Oh, just normal things,” she said, shrugging. “The things you find interesting, your pursuits. I simply want to know what you’re like.”

He chuckled softly, tipping his glass at her. “I was made to believe that this evening is about what you like.” His eyes held hers over the rim as he took a long sip. And then he added meaningfully, “This is meant to be all about you, Tiana. Your needs, your desires. Your wish, as they say, is my command.”

She rolled her eyes, even as she went a little pink. “No seriously. I’m curious. I mean, no offence, but you do come across as really…genteel. The guy in that profile…” She shook her head suddenly, sitting back when she saw his expression. “Look, I’ve offended you. I’m sorry. It’s not my business to pry. I’m sure it’s rude or disrespectful in some way trying to find out why a man like you would…?”

“And why a woman like you would…?” he returned in the same tone, smiling playfully.

Tiana exhaled on a laugh, returning his smile while inclining her head slightly in acknowledgement. “Touché. Alright, Jordan, personal questions are off-limits, on both sides. So, what exactly would you be able to tell me about yourself? It has to be something I’d be interested in knowing, of course.”

“Of course,” he said smoothly. “I could tell you about my hobbies, and how I enjoy having a nice meal – Or, I can just talk about our plans later tonight.”

Tiana gulped, her throat suddenly going dry. His direct-sounding words reminded her exactly why they were here. This, the wedding, the reception, the whole evening, had been her idea. This wasn’t some flowery evening out; they were two fully grown, red-blooded individuals who knew the score. She was paying him for his time and attention. Truthfully she didn’t know how the evening would end since she hadn’t thought past dinner and a little dancing.

“Forget the way I came across in my profile,” he continued, when she didn’t – couldn’t reply. “I mean, I could try to impress you with my great sense of humor, my career or education, even my athletic body or any other cliché out there. No; that’s crap and tonight is going to be far more than that.”

“Someone told me this a long time ago: and he was supposed to be some kind of expert on the ladies. My grandfather. He said to me, a woman is not made to figure out. She’s like those modern paintings you see in the art galleries. They don’t have to mean anything. All that matters is the beauty it has when you look at it. So, just like you enjoy that beautiful painting, enjoy your woman.”

“Your grandfather said that?” Tiana said in a breathy tone, mesmerized by his voice, his stirring play on the words. “I would have liked to meet him.”

Jordan chuckled. “He was a bit of a scoundrel, I’m afraid. After my grandmother died he really let loose. Like he was trying to sow his wild oats after he was widowed.” He heard her laugh softly, and then he added in a sober tone, “So, what I’m trying to tell you, is that it’s going to be just about you and me. Nothing else matters.”

“Okay,” Tiana heard herself say on a squeak, and then she cleared her throat, saying more composedly, “Of course. I wouldn’t expect it any other way. Strictly business. Exactly.”

He grinned, shook his head at her like she’d missed the point, and then he reached out and covered her hand with his. “Would you like to dance? I seem to remember that being part of the total package.”

Tiana stiffened instantly; she hadn’t expected the gesture; she wasn’t much for public displays, and she wasn’t so good at the “touching” aspects of relating with people, especially strangers. But then…Jordan’s touch was different. It sent erotic waves rolling through her skin and down to that treacherous juncture between her thighs. It made her look at him, and want him. Need him. It was frightening, really. Like from the moment she’d glimpsed his photo on that website, she’d been hooked on him, spellbound. And she couldn’t seem to break herself out of it, and keep things level.