“I’m sure it wasn’t the first time.”
I don’t know if everyone heard the slap, but it sure sounded loud when her hand hit my cheek as it echoed in my ear. And for dramatic effect, I leave my head turned to the side, letting the sting set in. I can’t believe she fucking slapped me, but I deserved it. What I said was a low blow, especially after I’ve already told her that I’ve never called her a whore. The word may not have come out of my mouth right then, but it was definitely implied.
I drop my hands, effectively freeing her, and rub my face. It fucking hurts, but it’s a stark reminder that I’m nothing but a fucking dick. Regardless of her profession, she deserves respect because that’s what she’s given me all week. Everything I’ve asked her to do, she’s done and done without complaint.
By the time I’m ready to face her, she’s gone. I look around the bridge quickly and find her walking toward the Arizona line. I think about chasing after her, but realize she probably needs her space, so I stay where I am, assuming her spot along the bridge wall and watching the river flow below me. Every few minutes, or more like thirty seconds, I’m looking down the bridge to find her. Sometimes I spot her easily, other times I have to squint, but she’s still at the dam, although she could be looking to hitch a ride back to Vegas.
I don’t know how much time passes before I’m walking toward her. She’s across the border and on the opposite side of the road, chatting with a security guard. This all but forces me to play it cool because one wrong move and my ass will be tossed in jail.
“Hey, babe.” I rest my hand on her hip and place a simple kiss on her cheek. The corner of her lip rises, I can feel it against my lips and her body sighs. As mad as she is at me, she still craves my touch. “Did you see everything you wanted to see?” I ask, hoping to set an amicable tone with the security guard.
“Yeah, we were only chatting.”
It doesn’t escape my notice that her statement can easily be taken out of context. I don’t know whether to walk away or wait patiently. She makes the choice easy for me and says goodbye to the guard then steps in front of me. I’m sure to keep my hand on her waist so he knows that she’s with me.
“I’m sorry I slapped you,” she says on our walk back to the car.
“I deserved it, Macey. I was out of line, but not about last night being a mistake. I shouldn’t have lost control like that and not protected us. It won’t happen again.”
“Okay.” Her voice is soft and barely above a whisper as we walk back toward the Wrangler. I help her in before climbing in myself. Once we’re back on the road, I can’t help but want to ease her mind. I reach over and place my hand on her bare leg, pulling it slightly closer to the middle. Her attempt to adjust against the leather seat is subtle. If it weren’t for the automatic cooling system, her legs would be burning right now.
Halfway back to Vegas, after we’ve stopped at a roadside hut for dinner, she laces her fingers with mine and turns her head so she can watch me. Every chance I get, I look at her and wonder if this is the woman she would’ve turned into if someone, even me, had paid her a little more attention in high school.
15
Macey
While today was great in the sense that Finn took time out of his day to show me Nevada, everything felt awkward. The fact that he regretted last night weighs heavily on my mind. I should’ve stopped him. I should’ve reminded him of our agreement, that he’s paying me to service him, but I couldn’t. I desperately wanted to feel him without the barrier. The move was completely selfish on both our parts, but I knew better. This is my livelihood, reminding men of what’s allowed and what’s off-limits, and sex without a condom is definitely a no for me.
As much as I want to dissect his actions, make myself believe that after almost a week of being together, he’s fallen for me, I’m not that stupid. For a brief moment, when he asked me to stay, I wanted to believe that maybe he wanted something with me, something away from sex. That’s the problem, though; men don’t see someone like me as a long-term commitment, and I’d give anything to change that view, especially where Finn is concerned. Having him in my life, in Morgan’s, is a dream I wish for and I know with one sentence I can change everything.