Page 3 of Nothing to Deny
She wrapped her arms around herself, scanning the pictures as she would in a museum installation. One distinguished gentleman was familiar, hadn’t she met him at one of her grandfather’s functions? Maybe it was just that he looked like so many others. He could certainly fit in with her grandfather’s crowd. Many of these men could.
Despite their appearance of sophistication, something drove these men into this line of work. Sure, Squires seemed upmarket, and the conditions were impeccable, so far, but no one chose sex work because they wanted to share themselves with the masses. It was a necessity.
She backed out of the gallery. This wasn’t right. She had to find Holly and remind her these were real people, not meat meant to make their lives easier. Hurrying down the corridor, on the hunt, she went deeper into the complex and rushed smack, bang into the side of a guy who materialized from a perpendicular hallway.
“Whoa, hey,” he said, whoever he was, and opened his arms to cocoon her without actually making contact.
Stumbling back, her heel wobbled and her ankle gave out, but the stranger caught her arm. Thank you. Good. She didn’t fall on her butt. What a first impression that would make. None of these words came out. On instinct, her arm rose to push his down. And, heart racing, it didn’t settle her any to see thedazzling white smile emerge on his lips. The warmth in his brown eyes stunned her into silence; words, all words, were lost.
“Second thoughts?” he asked. Somehow the deep growl of his voice intimidated and soothed at the same time. Still, she had nothing. “I recognize the look… Married?”
Her vocal cords had clenched shut. Relax. Relax. Progress was made in a shallow headshake. The act must have shaken something loose, though it wasn’t sense, as proved by what did come out of her mouth.
“Are… are you a hooker?”
His practiced smile quirked to something much broader and more genuine. She hadn’t thought the last one was false until she saw the light of a laugh in his eyes.
“If you’re asking do I work here? Yes. I do work here.”
Squeezing her eyes closed, she shook her head. “Oh, that was so offensive. I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry.”
“Baer will do just fine,” he said and offered her a hand. Confused, she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. “You don’t have to call me God.” Had she? No. That hadn’t been what she meant, he was kidding, that was kidding… maybe. “Now, let me guess… You didn’t come here alone.”
“No,” she said and pointed back over her shoulder. “I—”
“No, don’t tell me… You said you weren’t married.” Glancing down, he stole a look at her hand. “No fiancée… So a girlfriend brought you… or a relative?”
“Cousin.”
Bobbing his head, he slipped his hands into his slacks pockets. “It’s an event.”
“Something like that,” she said. “I’m sorry I called you a hooker.”
“It’s okay. I’ve been called worse… You got all the way here, now you want to back out…? What changed your mind?”
Licking her lips, honesty was a good start. “Your gallery.”
One side of his mouth curled high enough that a hint of a dimple showed. “Yeah, some of those guys should be hung by the neck not by picture hooks… You’re skittish, aren’t you?” Taking a backward step, he opened his arm toward the corridor he’d emerged from. “Would you do me the honor of a chance to change your mind?”
TWO
FLOODED WITH GLORIOUS light, the wider hallway led all the way to the other side of the building.
“I… I haven’t shaved my legs today…” she stuttered. “Are we going to have sex?”
Discernment crossed his expression. “I don’t know… You got a major credit card?” Why did she keep saying insane things? Insane and insanely rude things? As she begged the ground to open and eat her, he released a laugh and smiled. “No sex, Little Skit… Let’s start with coffee.”
Going down the corridor, he stole several glances back, probably checking she hadn’t fled. Getting the hell out of there would be the smart course. Worth consideration—whoa, he had an ass on him. What the—where did that come from? She was not one of those people. God, she made herself sick.
After a few more feet, he stopped and gestured for her to go ahead of him up a set of stairs.
“Am I allowed upstairs?” she asked as they ascended.
He came to her side. “How else will we get to the bedrooms?”
The smile on his face suggested he hadn’t been offended by her stupid mouth. Could be he was a good actor. With her being a potential client, he probably couldn’t tell her even if she had.
“I’m sorry I propositioned you.”
