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Looking around there is only one door on this floor. The wood is the same color as the stairs with Private written in a black script.
Henley looks down at her watch and then back at me. “We have three minutes until we are supposed to meet him. He said to be prompt but not early, so we will wait to knock until then.”
He? Who is he? My mind is running a thousand miles per hour because I can’t imagine what she has signed us up for and with whom. I am about to ask her when she glances down at her watch and lifts her hand, tapping out two quick knocks.
Here goes nothing.
We wait in silence, Henley calm and cool when she winks at me. On the other hand, I can’t stand still and tug my upper lip between my teeth and run my hands down my dress. Then the door opens and I’m stunned still. On the other side is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.
His sandy hair is somewhat disheveled as though he missed his last haircut, a contrast to his perfectly tailored dark blue suit. Blue eyes are surrounded by the thickest and lushest of lashes, set square on each side of a perfectly shaped nose. His lips are the perfect shade of rose, the same color we women are always trying to get with lipstick. Instead of envying his lip color, I can only think of how I want to taste them. Suck on them. Where did that come from?
He steps back and silently ushers us into the office. I don’t move. Nope, I just stand in place, staring at him until Henley turns around and stomps her foot at me again, breaking the spell.
“It’s good to see you, Henley,” the stranger says, leaning in to give her a hug.
“You too, Xan. It’s been too long.” Certainly there is more to this story that I realize. I watch the person I thought I knew best and this stranger smile and exchange pleasantries like old friends.
I’m still standing in the doorway while all of this unfolds when I hear Henley say, “Alexander Lake, meet KJ, Kollyns Parker. My best friend and the woman in need of your services.”
On reflex, I unfold my arms as I step forward, my hand extended for him to shake. Except, he doesn’t take it. Instead, he stares at me. No, he assesses me. His eyes scan from the tips of my toes to my face and back down. It’s unnerving and I shift in my shoes.
“Turn around,” he demands.
Henley giggles.
I pause at his request, then slowly spin in place and when my eyes catch Henley’s, I glare at her. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but whatever it is, I don’t like it. She told me we were going out to meet a friend of hers. I’m confused as to why this man is giving me the once-over.
Henley constantly gives me grief that my closet consists of suits and yoga pants with nothing in between. She’s wrong because I also have T-shirts and swimsuits. I neither sleep nor swim nude.
I’ve always been a bit insecure about my body. My hips are a bit too large and my boobs are on the average side but are out of balance with my wide shoulders.
“You should stop there.” I hold out my hand when I am facing him again. “I have no idea why we are here, but I’m not going to spend any more time with someone who thinks my worth is related to my weight. Henley, I’m out of here.”
I take one step back toward the door when Mr. Lake speaks up.
“Ms. Parker, I have never, nor will I ever, assume that a woman’s worth is related to anything other than the way she treats people. Her weight is just one thing that makes her who she is. Like eye color or whether she has freckles or not. I don’t generally take on clients but when Henley told me that you needed help getting a date, I decided to make an exception for her.”
I stop and turn around. “Henley,” I say, exasperated. “You were supposed to help me, not tell every Tom, Dick, or Harry who would listen that your best friend has cobwebs in her vagina because all she does is work.”
It’s at that moment that I realize he's watching me, trying not to laugh.
“Then, Ms. Parker, it’s a good thing I agreed to help you learn how to date because no one should ever have spider webs in their pussy.” He glances over at Henley and his face reads frustration already. Maybe this is not for me. “Don’t get me wrong, dating and sex are two different things, but often dating leads to sex. So once you are confident in the dating world, you may just decide you want to actually have sex.
“As I said, I don’t generally teach, but Henley is a great friend. When she came to me and said she knew someone who was a workaholic and didn’t date, I told her no. I’m not in the business of teaching bitter women how to have self-confidence anymore. But she begged.”
Henley stands next to him, arms crossed and eyes pinning me in place. “Look, Xan, I never said she was bitter. That’s an assholish move, even for you. So pull the corncob out of your ass and be the nice guy I know you can be.”
Her dark brown eyes connect with his light ones and they have an unspoken conversation.
“Look, Mr. Lake,” I say while holding onto the door frame, one foot out the door, and step back in because I don’t want anyone who’s lingering around to hear this. “You’re very well aware of my situation at this point. True, I don’t date often. I needed a new vibrator—or three. But the idea of my best friend asking someone to take me on a pity date—”
“Oh my goodness, KJ,” Henley interrupts. “You’re not going to date him. Though he’s really pretty.”
I roll my eyes at her because she’s not wrong. He’s gorgeous. Something he’s aware of.
“Henley is correct. I don’t date, sleep with, or have relationships with my clients. It’s a business arrangement only.”
My jaw drops at his statement because his voice carries a unique tone. I’m going to kill Henley tonight because it may have been a while since I’ve had a date, but this seems a bit much.
