Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 25940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 25940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 86(@300wpm)
SIXTEEN
Cadence
I unwrap my arms from around Santiago’s neck. “I’ll tell you everything. I mean, how many more embarrassing moments can I possibly have? Almost breaking my neck, being accused of something that I’m not, and now I can’t even leave because my phone is old and currently can’t keep a charge for longer than a night. Anyways, I work as a medical receptionist, a dead-end type of job, but there are great benefits. Pay sucks, and it’s not at all where I want to be for the rest of my life. I must have been complaining out loud to where a patient could hear because the next thing I know, she’s sliding me a business card for Dates for Hire along with Rachel’s number. I asked the right questions, and she assured me there would be no sexual encounters. I’m just a naive girl, hoping to get her own business up and running while thinking I could make a quick buck.” I take a deep breath, allowing Santiago a moment as well as myself. “I took my time before calling Rachel, not wanting to make a rash decision, but as the weirdness escalated in the office, it was one of those moments you knew something had to change.” I don’t go into the Leah and Doctor Manning situation. With the way Santiago is sitting like steel granite, no way, Jose. He looks like he’s about to blow a gasket on the Rachel factor alone, not that he’s wrong. Seriously, I’d like to waltz my ass in there, ankle un-sprained, of course, and give her a piece of my mind, money or no money. I know without a doubt after this weekend, when the stores open again, I’ll be looking for a new job.
“You mean to tell me Rachel didn’t say you’d be hired as an escort?” Santiago’s voice is low, nevertheless intimidating if you’re on the wrong side of this situation.
“That’s what I’m telling you. I thought it was a date and only a date. You know, like some stodgy old man just needed arm candy for a few hours. I’d earn enough money to keep putting up for my nest egg. A few dates, maybe five at most. I’d quit both jobs and focus on my business plan, and not have a pile of debt come along with it.” Maybe it’s a good idea not to mention the last interaction with Leah, at least for now. Though, I probably shouldn’t be spewing all of my baggage to a virtual stranger. Add that to my never-ending list of things one shouldn’t do. “Okay, the red flag should have been when I received the text for what I’d be making. Ten grand is a lot of money for a date. I get that now, but after the weird talk with Leah, the lead nurse at the doctor’s office I work at, there was no turning back.” Yep, I did it, word vomited when I shouldn’t have.
“What happened? Tell me the whole thing. Do not cut corners.” If I thought Santiago was ticked before, that’s nothing like how he is now, pissed while still maintaining that virality.
“Fine. I walked in on Leah and Doctor Manning. A memory that is engraved into my brain forever, and it’s not a good one either. Both are married, which yuck, no way would I ever think that was okay, but to each their own, or however the saying goes. That’s not the weird part. It was the fact that Leah never led on that I opened the door. There Doctor Manning was, dry humping, which was seriously gross. No one needs to see that in a workplace setting, much less from their boss. Leah stared, eyes glazing over, and that was all I could take. I ran away, knowing that there was nothing I could do or say to the officer manager. Their word versus mine. So, I ignored it, until Leah came up to me this week asking for me to join her and Doctor Manning yesterday. I bumbled through an excuse. Thankfully, or not so thankfully, receiving a text for a date with, well, you. There was something really weird. It was almost as if Leah was making an advance, and I’ve never, not once, welcomed that kind of motive or behavior. Going so far as to invite me out with the two of them, can you believe that? Well, I mean, this week has sucked, rounding it off with last night, and today is not shaping up to being much better. It’s the day before Christmas Eve, you’re upset, I’m upset.” I’m done pouring my heart out. Santiago has remained quiet the entire time. And I have nowhere else to go currently, seeing as how his hands are gripping my outer thighs, locking me tightly on his lap. I just bow my head, wanting to look anywhere except into his warm, chocolate eyes, eyes that I thought would pose a greater threat than where my gaze is now, looking at our bodies so close together, crotch to crotch, his hard length to my soft core, unable to admit to myself what Santiago does to my body. A touch, a look, a sentence, it’s too little and too much all wrapped together.