His expression hardened as if he didn’t want me to know what he was thinking. “What would be the limit?”
“We have sex one time, and even with those terms, I’m not sure if I would. I’m still thinking this through.”
“No.”
I blinked.
“Come back with another counter, and give me a price tag with it,” he said it like this was no more than an exchange of dollars and objects.
I shook my head. “No, never mind. I can’t do this.”
Annoyance lay in his gaze. “Think about it.”
“I don’t need time to think about it.” I grabbed my violin case.
“And what about your Eros? You’ll have to return it to me soon.”
“You’re not taking it now.”
He quirked his eyebrows. “I’m not?”
“No. You like to hear me play.” I smiled hoping it was the truth. Sometimes all I could do was bluff and pray for the best.
Thank God he nodded. “You’re right. I would rather hear you play it, than let it sit and gather dust.”
I let out a long breath.
“But our deal is still not off the table.” He moved in close to me. “You want me, just as bad as I want you. What’s holding you back?”
“The money exchange.”
“The business of love makes it easier to control.”
“There is no business of love. My heart doesn’t work that way.” I backed up.
I wanted to have sex with him.
My gut said no. Jean-Pierre wasn’t a guy I picked up from a bar for a one night stand like Leo. In fact, Leo could do something like that. He was big and could knock a guy out really quick. Leo could make mistakes and play with fire.
Compared to Jean-Pierre, I was short and small. He could crush my neck in a minute. Possibly seconds. He was gorgeous, but was he safe? He was willing to pay, but would the consequence be worth the price? This was his world. Shalimar’s world. My aunt’s world.
But this was not mine.
Had he asked me out for dinner, then it would’ve been a different answer. Had he approached me like a regular guy, then there would’ve been no deep thought to contemplate.
Just take your hot behind home and think all this through.
I’d already snuck behind Aunt Celina’s back to play for him. Granted, she might not have minded too much. Her intent came from a protective nature. However, if she discovered that I slept with one of her customers for money, that would open up a whole can of chaos.
Go home.
As soon as I went home, I would be touching myself. Daydreaming about him would be safer than tangling with the real thing. Jean-Pierre was a dangerous man who had no intention of doing more than having sex. Keeping the emotions out of things was exactly why men paid for sex.
I couldn’t keep my emotions out of it.
Maybe if he’d been someone else.
“I’m still going to give you time to think about this deal.”
Smiling, I shook my head.
“I want a better counteroffer.”
“Okay.”
Shalimar appeared at the door. “I was just checking. Are you done?”
“For now.” Jean-Pierre nodded. “I’ve given her a tip, but the main amount was transferred an hour ago.”
“I received it.” Shalimar grinned. “Will you be needing any other services?”
“Talk to Eden. She’s aware of what I desire.”
Shalimar widened her eyes and turned to me. “Okay.”
Jean-Pierre walked out.
“What’s he talking about?” she asked.
“Give me a minute to process it. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
She bothered me the whole walk to the exit. My body blazed from the interaction with him.
When I made it home, Leo had passed out on the couch. I put V out, lay in my bed, and though of him, as I played with my clit.
“Vous êtes impeccable.”
Chapter 8
Whore Logic
Eden
Three packages arrived at my apartment the next morning—large, medium, and small. In the big box was a long dress. In the medium box sat a diamond necklace. And the small box was an iPhone.
As soon as I pulled it out, the phone rang.
I put it to my ear. “Hello?”
Jean-Pierre’s sexy voice. “Have you considered my proposal?”
What a way to put it—proposal. It lacked emotion. Sensuality. The passion and romance that I craved. Still, the idea of his body against mine tantalized every part of me. “I thought about it.”
“And?”
I cleared my throat to get control of myself. “I’m going to have to say no.”
“We haven’t even discussed the amount.”
“It would need to be a lot, in order to give up the things that I enjoy with sex.”
“And what’s that?”
“An emotional connection. Passion.”
“I can give you passion, but the emotional connection is what I’m paying for us to resist.”
“Why?”
An edge lay in his tone. “It wouldn’t serve me in my new life.”
Silence passed over the line.
“Will Shalimar be brokering this deal?” Jean-Pierre asked.
“I thought I made it clear that we’re not doing a deal.”
“We will. Until then, I’ll give you time to think about it.” He lowered his voice and threw on that French charm. “J’ai hâte de te goûter, belle.”