When he glanced around as if worried about getting caught talking to me, I took a slight step back, feeling like a lower life form. “For about a year and a half now.”
“Hmm.” He didn’t seem to know what to do with that, so he just stood there, gaping badly. I handed him his valet ticket, which finally jolted him back to the present. He gave me his keys and looked blindly for his wife as she finished rounding the front of the car to join us.
“Honey,” he said as if trying to warn her but not getting any further than that.
“Well, don’t forget to tip the boy, Stuart,” she scolded, finally glancing up and rolling her eyes with a teasing grin. “You act as if you’ve never dealt with valet service before.” Transferring her smile my way, she gushed, “Sorry. He usually—oh!” Jerking to a halt, she blinked. “Oh my God.”
A moment later, her eyes lit up and she glanced at her husband, looking hopeful. “Did you set this up?”
He grimaced. “Actually, no. He… He says he works here. As the valet.”
She skimmed her gaze over my uniform. “Oh.” Her expression heated as it traveled down my chest, but then her husband elbowed her, which made her clear her throat and check the area, blushing.
And even though they were super nice people, and I knew they meant no offense, they managed to make me feel shittier than any of my cold, selfish, and calculating clients ever had, because as soon as they realized I wasn’t there to please them, they grew worried about being seen with me.
I was just the dirty in their little secret.
Since one of my coworkers, Mac, was watching the entire encounter, I offered the couple a small wave and tight smile and brushed past them to slide into the opened door of their car. “Have a good evening.”
When I glanced back into the rearview mirror at them, they were staring after me as if they feared I was going to steal their ride or something. Maybe they thought that’s what prostitutes did. I don’t know. But I felt shitty for the rest of my shift, especially after the husband approached me when they returned from the casino with their valet ticket.
Mac actually accepted the ticket from them and took off to fetch their car. I hadn’t even noticed them because I’d been writing in stats we were supposed to turn in when I heard a voice say, “Here.”
I glanced up, and there he was, in front of me, holding out a folded bill. I frowned at him, confused, then peered past his shoulder to his wife who was waiting at the curb for their car but was watching us hopefully.
“I forgot to give this to you earlier.” He nudged the money closer.
“It’s fine,” I started, but he wouldn’t let up, so I just took the tip so he’d leave already. But as soon as it was in my hand, I realized a note was folded inside.
The husband stared at me meaningfully, so I unfolded it, only to read what looked like a hotel room number.
“We’re staying at the Hilton on Thirty-fourth for a conference this weekend,” he explained, his gaze traveling down my body before he met my eyes again. “If you want to stop by after you get off work tonight…”
When he trailed off with a telling question in his voice, I took a moment to breathe before I shook my head and blurted, “I’m sorry, I’m booked tonight.”
I was not booked.
Holy shit. What was I doing? Going to their hotel room after work would bring in good money, and this couple was probably easier to work with than anyone else who employed my services. They were straightforward, no games, no contention. It would’ve been a dream gig for a guy like me.
Stuart narrowed his eyes slightly, obviously not expecting a rejection. But then he smiled his politician’s smile and nodded. “No worries. We’ll be here until Tuesday morning if you have an opening before then.”
“I don’t,” I said, shocking myself even more as I repeated, “I’m booked. Indefinitely.”
Seriously, what the hell was I doing? Had I just retired? Again?
I’d tried this once last year, but then Sarah had ended up in the hospital with pneumonia, Mom got into a fender bender that required thousands of dollars’ worth of repairs on her car, and one of my clients grew so desperate for an appointment she offered to pay me twice her usual. So I was sucked back in.
I almost expected the man before me to start negotiating and raising his offer too, but all he said was, “I see.” He looked confused for a moment, not sure what to do or how to react to my refusal to join him and his wife for another threesome. He honestly hadn’t thought I’d turn him down, I guess. He started to swivel away, only to pause and grab my arm.
“Don’t forget,” he murmured discreetly, stepping closer as Mac pulled the couple’s car up to the curb. “Just because you left the business doesn’t mean the NDA you signed has become void. What happened between the three of us remains confidential. Forever.”
I looked down at his hand. The last time I’d looked at his fingers, he’d been jacking off to the view of me screwing his wife from behind. I tore my gaze from his grip and looked into his eyes. “I know.”
His smile was tense and forced, but he nodded at me politely. “Good. Well. Good luck with...with whatever path you take next.” He brushed past me, skimming his hand along my arm as if he couldn’t leave without one last caress, and he hurried to meet his wife, who was waiting eagerly and expectantly at the car.
After he thrust more money distractedly at Mac, he took his wife’s shoulders and said something in her ear.
I don’t think she took the news well.