January (Calendar Girl #1) (11 page)

“Yeah, it is. She’s stressed about money, too. The bills are piling up. Need me to give her some cash?”

“No, no! I have money. Well I’m going to have a lot of money in a week. Enough to send her some to pay the bills and buy food. Soon though, I’m going to have a lot more! Just need to get on an airplane next week, and that hundred thousand goes into my account. Then I have an opportunity to get paid another twenty thousand, and that would be just mine.”

“How you going to make an extra twenty thou?” I could hear her suck in a drag off her cigarette. Must be finishing up her lunch break with a smoke.

I chewed on my thumbnail and looked down at the ragged edge. “Next client is an artist. I’m going to be his muse or some shit. Wants me to pose nude. If I do it, it’s an extra twenty large.”

You could hear Gin blow out a breath into the phone. “Fuck! I take off my clothes every fucking day and don’t get paid no twenty grand! Get me hooked up with Auntie Millie. I’m due some fat cash!” she harrumphed into the phone, and I laughed. She’d never leave Vegas. God, it’s good to talk to my girl. She reminds me of everything I am, where my roots are laid, and that I’m still me. Even if I’m dressed up like a Barbie doll and playing the part of a trophy date, I’m still Mia Saunders. The girl who raised her sister from age five, took care of herself, and is going to save her dad’s ass…again. Hopefully, for the last time. I could only hope that once he woke up and realized what he’d done, what had happened due to his choices, he might actually learn from it. Get some help with the drink. See a counselor. I’d given him information on tons of free programs along with the flyers and pamphlets for the local AA. Maybe, just maybe, this time he’d see the error in his ways.

“You coming home at all?” Gin asked as I pulled out the dress I was going to wear to this evening’s social event. Wes was taking me to some movie shindig with the new cast. It looked like fun. I’d get to meet some famous people. Ones I hoped to work with someday. That career path was nowhere in sight for the time being. Funny how things had come around full circle. I finally knew someone in the industry, and there was no way I could even commit to anything or go on any auditions. That part of my life was on an indefinite hold until I got my dad out of hock.

“I wish. Heading straight to Seattle three days after I leave Malibu. Auntie has me set up on a horde of beauty appointments between that day and the day I head out. I’ll try next month though,” I offered weakly.

“Hey, I know you want to come home as much as I want to see your fat ass, but it’s okay. Things are going to be fine here while you clean up your dad’s mess. But shit, Mia, he’s gotta learn from this go ’round. You can’t keep upending your life for him.”

“I have no choice,” I whined. “If I don’t, they’ll kill him. And he’s in a coma, Gin. It’s not like he can defend himself.”

This conversation was getting old. I loved Ginelle more than anything, but she spent an ungodly amount of time nailing me over my dad’s bullshit and how I continued to save him. It’s not like I wanted to. But I couldn’t just let him be hurt or killed. Blaine and his goons are serious motherfuckers. Blaine is a coldhearted snake. He wouldn’t think twice about killing Dad. Hell, he’d be more concerned about getting blood on his expensive suit than he would about taking my dad’s life. People are collateral damage to him, and I had been one of his victims. Cheating, lying piece of trash!

Through the phone, I could hear rustling around then the ever present clinking and pinging of the slot machines as she made her way back through the casino. “Just promise me you’ll find a way to have a life?”

“I will, I will. Besides, I’ve been having some fun here in Malibu. Wes taught me how to surf!”

“Okay, that is pretty cool. I’ve never even seen the ocean,” she groaned. “When you become rich from escorting, will you take me to the ocean?”

I laughed. “And see your skanky ass in a bikini?” I pretended to gag and choke. 

“You’re messed up. I’m revoking best friend status.”

“You can’t revoke best friend status. It just is. Like the commandments written in stone. It just is,” I said again lamely. 

“Did you just compare our friendship to God’s Ten Commandments? For real?”

“Um…yeah?”

“You’re going to hell,” she stated flatly. 

“If I do, you’re skanky ass better be there to pick me up!”

She giggled, and I smiled holding the phone tight. “You know I will.”

“I love you, ho.”

“I love you more, slut.”

Chapter 8

Nobu Restaurant in Malibu was swanky. Like entering into your own private posh world. The
Honor Code
actors, directors, and writers were all in attendance. There wasn’t a huge crowd, maybe forty people. When we arrived, the hostess led us to a private outside area. The patio had a natural knotty wood flooring that spanned a huge veranda with wicker-cushioned furniture and hardwood tables. The entire expanse opened out onto a hundred and eighty degree view of the beach. The sun was just setting, and the colors of the sky bouncing off the water were breathtaking. Wes pulled me into his arms as I grabbed the rail. He hugged me against his front.

“Beautiful,” he said into my ear before trailing his nose down the column of my neck.

“It is pretty,” I agreed.

“Not the view, you.” He bit down on that place where neck meets shoulder sending shivers of burgeoning excitement to swell and ache delightfully within me.

“Smooth talker.” I pinched the side of his thigh where my hand rested.

“Ouch, see if I ever give the lady a compliment again,” he said with mock agitation.

I turned around and clasped my hands around his neck, and kissed him. Nothing indecent, just a coming together of lips. I’d missed him throughout the day while he was at work, and this was the first chance I had to be close to him.

He groaned into my mouth and then pulled back and just stared. After a moment, he shook his head and smiled. I knew there was something he wanted to say to me, but right then, I knew it wasn’t going to be something I could handle.

“Let’s get a drink and a bite?”

His shoulders slumped, the moment broken. “Sure,” he finished, grabbing my hand and leading me over to the bar. We got drinks and then a waiter came by and offered us some Asian style nibbles. While we were talking and snacking, the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen made her way through the crowd. She was wearing a deep crimson, strapless cocktail dress that accentuated her large breasts perfectly. The hemline came up just above the knee on her incredibly long legs. She had black, thick hair that looked a lot like mine, but hers was curled in perfect loose spirals that wisped along her pearly skin perfectly. Bright red lips and smoky eye makeup completed her look. The woman was every man’s wet dream and every woman’s nightmare. Except mine. I wanted to be her!

“Gina,” Wes held out a hand towards the stunning woman. “I’d like you to meet my friend, Mia Saunders.” Her eyes widened and her lips curved into a smirk at the way he said ‘friend’.

She placed a small hand on Wes’s shoulder, looked up at him, and batted her eyelashes prettily before turning to me. Wes was completely enchanted by her. Hell, I was too. True beauty like hers didn’t come around too often.

“Gina DeLuca.” She offered her hand and I shook it. “Any friend of Wes’s is a friend of mine.” Her voice sounded as if she was singing a melody, only with a sultry female crooner type vibe. Once she shook my hand, she stood in front of me and brazenly pressed her chest against Wes’s. “I’m really looking forward to getting started on your story. It’s a fascinating premise.” Her hand came up and stroked his lapel. He stood there speechless staring down into the sexy woman’s eyes.

I almost felt like I was intruding on a private moment. I most certainly was not needed for this conversation. And in spite of what I’d promised myself, I was getting jealous. No, I didn’t have a claim on Wes officially, but I was his date for the next few days, dammit! I tried clearing my throat. It did nothing to break the spell she had over Wes. 

“Maybe we could run some of the lines at my place sometime, you know, so I get a really good feel for the character.” She licked her lips and the core of heat within my gut turned white hot with rage. Who did this chick think she was?!

“Um, sure, yeah, that sounds uh…” Wes tried and that was it. I shoved her out of the way, politely interrupting.

“Sweetie, I’m starving. You ready to sit and eat?” I batted my own lashes, but I was pretty sure they didn’t have the same affect. Wes looked down at me, shook his head, and then a smile slipped across his lips. His eyes twinkled, and he pulled me to his side with a hand around my waist.

“Anything for Ms. Mia,” he said kissing my forehead. “Sorry, Gina, will you excuse us?”

I looked over at the pretty, black-haired vixen. Her mouth was gaping open like she couldn’t believe I’d butted in on her play when, really, she butted in on mine.

“Mia? Like in the movie?” she queried.

Wes looked over at me with that panty-dropping grin. “Wanted something to remember my girl by,” he said never looking at Gina. That gesture right there filled my heart with joy and sadness, knowing I would be leaving soon.

“Remember her? Where are you going?” she asked me directly, crossing her arms over her ample bosom.

I sucked in a breath and closed my eyes. “Seattle,” I said and caught it when Wes winced.

“Oh yeah, for what?”

“Work.” I had nothing better to say. It was the truth, but I wasn’t about to tell this chick that I was the hired help or that Wes was technically a free agent who might appreciate her blatant come-ons.

Gina rolled her eyes. “What type of work are you in?”

“Well, for this job I’ll be modeling for an artist over the next month while he paints me.”

Gina plastered on a fake smile. “And will you be wearing any clothing during these paintings?” She hit the nail right on the head.

“I think that’s enough, Gina. I’ll see you on set in a week. Come on Mia, let’s get some food and find a place to settle.” He gripped my hip and turned me around walking in the opposite direction of the pretty actress.

We got to a table way in the corner that had an even better view of the ocean at night. A server brought us new drinks and laid a plate of noshes between us. Once I took a bite and let the puffy pastry bite melt in my mouth, Wes pounced.

“So, Seattle?” I nodded not wanting to really get into it with him. “And was Gina right in her assumption?”

I shoved another bite of fishy goodness in my mouth and had to cut off a moan. Damn, this place was amazing. 

“Was she, Mia? Are you going to be naked in front of this artist while he paints you?” Instead of responding, I shrugged. “It’s a simple question,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Maybe. He does some nudes, so it’s a possibility,” I said thinking that might be better than the absolute truth or outright lying.

Wes shook his head and took a long pull of his beer. “I need a real fucking drink.” He got up and stormed over to the bar. I sat back and thought about how this night was turning out. I was jealous of him, now he was jealous of some guy neither of us had even met. What the hell was happening?

When he came back, he had a tumbler full of amber colored liquid that made my stomach turn. Ever since that first night, he’d made an effort not to drink whiskey, and I appreciated him for it. Now though, he was drinking it like it was water.

“Why are you mad?”

He shook his head. “Not mad.” he clenched his teeth, a muscle in his jaw ticking away. “I think I know when you’re mad. We’ve been living together for the better part of a month.”

“Do you even want to do this?” he asked finally.

“It’s not a matter of whether I want to. I have to!” I whispered loudly leaning forward. He looked around.

“You don’t have to do shit. Everyone has a choice. You could stay.” And there it was. He definitely wanted me to stay even though he knew I couldn’t.

“Don’t…”

“Why not! Because it will make you feel something?” he sneered.

I stood up and walked away. Wes didn’t follow me.

***

The sound of glass shattering woke me from a dead sleep. I got up and tiptoed along the hallway keeping myself dead silent until I found Wes laughing with half his jacket on, the other half twisted around his hand as if he’d been trying to get it off.

I walked over to him and tugged on the jacket. That was a bad idea. Once he was free, he steamrolled me into the opposite wall, lips on my neck. He bit down hard, and I cried out trying to push him off me. “Mia, Mia, Mia, I want you so bad. Don’t want to lose you…please,” he begged but I had no idea what his slurred, drunken words really meant.

“Come on. Let’s get you to bed,” I said trying to adjust him. He walked a few steps then stopped and grabbed me to him. My back hit another wall. This time his hand cupped my breast, and he tweaked the nipple with expert fingers. I moaned.

“Fuck yeah, I love those little noises you make. Almost between a moan and a whimper. Makes my dick so hard.” And he wasn’t kidding as evidenced by his rock hard erection thrusting against my hip. Before I could move, he had one of my legs slung up and over one hip. Even in a drunken state, he knew exactly what he was doing, only his movements were a little bit sloppier, less coordinated.

“Wes, not here., We need to get you in bed.”

“You’ll come with me?” he pleaded, licking and biting along the column of my neck. “Stay with me in my bed.”

“Yeah sure, we’ll fuck in your bed this time,” I said leading him to his room. Once we got there, he turned around, gripped me by the hips and kissed me. Even tinged with whiskey, the one liquor I couldn’t stand, he tasted great.

“No, I want you to sleep with me. All night long. I want to wake up to you one time,” he begged leading me over to the bed. He sat, pulled down my panties, and I lifted up my camisole standing before him naked as the day I was born.

“I love this body.” His hand traced down from my clavicle, over my breast where he gave a little squeeze, down the curve of my waist, over my hip bone, and down my thigh. I shivered when he completed the journey on the other side.