“Interested?” She bites her lip, arches an eyebrow.
“I don’t get interested in women very often,” I admit. “Normally, I just want to fuck them, taste them, give them one good night and move on. But you… there’s something about you. I’m interested.”
She crosses her arms. “I appreciate your honesty, at least.”
“Have dinner with me. I promise I won’t try to fuck you tonight.”
“But you might later?”
I smirk. “Of course. And I bet you just might surprise yourself.”
“I doubt it.” She doesn’t sound so sure, though. I watch her and I can see the wheels turning, the uncertainty, the excitement. Finally, she sighs, exasperated.
“Fine, okay. Dinner. And after, if I say no, you’ll leave me alone?”
“It’ll be like we never met.”
“One dinner. Then we’re done.”
“Exactly. I’ll text you the details.”
“Fine.” She sighs. “This isn’t okay, Brady.”
“I know you don’t like giving up some control, but I promise, it’ll be worth it.”
Her eyes flash. “It’s not about control.”
I laugh at her annoyance. “Yes, it is. Don’t worry, little Aria. You’ll have plenty of control again soon. I’ll see you tonight.”
This time, I walk away from her. She’s speechless, and I bet more than a little pissed.
But equally interested. I can see it in her eyes. She’s attracted to me. That’s the only reason she’s saying yes to this dinner.
I know what I want from her. It’s so clear to me now. Five million for a week is nothing compared to what I’ll get in return from this beautiful girl.
I’ve needed something for a long time, but I haven’t been able to get it.
I’ve needed a woman, a strong woman, to take care of.
And I think Aria might be that woman.
I have one dinner to make it happen. But I think that’s more than enough.
By the end of it, I’m going to have her calling me Daddy.3AriaI’m an idiot.
I’m a total, absolutely impossible, full-on moron.
I should stay far away from Brady Price. I don’t know why I’m falling for his bullshit. Looking for something more? Come on, please. He basically admitted that he wants to sleep with me.
And yet here I am, wearing heels and a nice black dress, a little modest but still flattering, walking down the front stoop of my work apartment. I should keep on going, ignore the car waiting for me at the curb, but I can’t help myself.
I’m curious.
I haven’t been curious about a man in a long time, not since starting all this. I haven’t really had any boyfriends or at least haven’t been able to keep any steady relationship. All of my emotional energy goes toward my clients, and afterward, I’m left drained.
But Brady is different. For some reason, I want to get to know him, not as a client but as a person.
And that’s why I’m going. If he just offered me money, I’d run far away and never come back. The money isn’t a good thing, it’s a red flag.
No, this is about him. This is about the glimpse of the man I got earlier. I swear I saw something underneath that bravado, something interesting and complex. Maybe he comes off like just another rich asshole, but I think there’s more to him than meets the eye.
I can’t help myself. I climb into the back seat of the car, and I let it take me into Center City.
The restaurant is tucked down a tiny little alley a bit south of Walnut. I never would’ve noticed it if the driver hadn’t stopped right in front and gotten out to open my door. It’s small and cute, with a couple of tables out front. It doesn’t look busy or crowded at all.
I step in through the ivy-covered door. Inside, it’s dark with lots of candles and warm bulbs. Everything is wood and there are paintings all over the walls. The hostess smiles at me, a perky blonde girl that can’t be any older than fifteen.
“Reservation?”
“I’m here to meet with a friend,” I say. “Brady?”
She instantly nods. “Mr. Price is waiting for you. Right this way.”
I follow her through some intimate tables, packed close together. They’re all full of people wearing expensive clothing, mostly older, speaking low to each other. I realize that I haven’t heard of this place because it’s probably out of my price range.
Brady is seated at a prime table off in one corner of the room. He smiles as I approach and stands.
“Glad you came,” he says, leaning forward to kiss my cheek.
I feel a thrill run down my spine. “Almost didn’t.”
“But here you are.”
We sit down. “You wore me down.”
He grins. “That’s what I do best.”
“Not exactly a good thing.”
“Sure it is. Just means my particular charm takes a little while before people warm up to it.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling despite myself. “What are your particular charms, Mr. Price?”
He purses his lips. “I can’t really say,” he admits. “I was voted Class Clown and Most Likely to Succeed back in high school. I feel like that says a lot about me.”