The Arrangement: Collection A (Vol 1-3)

by Ward, H. M.

  “Says you,” I say to him, smiling. He’s wrapped his arms around my waist and pulls me to him. I mimic his phone call from earlier, “I want her delivered to my doorstep wearing nothing but a bow.”

  Sean smiles. The way it spreads across his face makes me melt. Oh my god. “I did say that, didn’t I?” I nod. “Well, we haven’t had dessert.”

  I twist out of his arms, laughing lightly. “I am not eating dessert with you.”

  “Who said we’d be eating? You’re the dessert,” Sean says tugging my arm playfully. “And I can’t wait to taste you.”

  I can’t wipe the smile off my face. Laughing, I pull away from him again. “I have to leave. Go eat a Kit Kat.” He follows me across the parking lot to my car. I stop in front of my door, expecting him to try and kiss me, but he doesn’t. Sean remains two steps away. “Thanks for dinner.”

  “My pleasure.” There’s a look in his eye. It makes me want to be chased.

  I open my car door and grab the can of ether. I spray the engine, walk back to my seat, slip in and close the door. Sean is sitting next to me in the passenger seat. “So, dessert.”

  “Seriously?” I laugh. “This is the car from hell, or have you forgotten?”

  “Oh, I have not forgotten. This car is vividly seared into my memory.” Sean takes my hand and lifts it to his mouth and presses his lips gently. A light tugging sensation snakes through my body, pulling me toward those lips like they’re magnetic. Sean lifts his sapphire eyes and looks at me.

  I forget to breathe. I forget everything. I take a jagged breath and pull my hand from his. “I need to go.”

  “I’m going with you.” Sean takes his seat belt and pulls it across his lap, ready to shove it into place.

  “I wouldn’t do that.”

  27

  He does it anyway. The metal clicks and his seatbelt is buckled. “Tell me not to come if you don’t want to see me.” Sean watches my face as he says it, knowing that I don’t want him to leave. He lifts his hand to my face and trails his fingers down my cheek. Images of slippery bodies pass through my mind.

  “That’s not it.” I breathe. He’s an inch from my lips. That tugging consumes me. I want to close the distance and press my mouth to his, but I don’t.

  “Then what is it?” he replies softly.

  I’m quiet for a moment. I’ve forgotten what I’m talking about. His eyes are so beautiful. The curve of those lips is hypnotic. No wonder I can’t think around him. I find my brain and tell him, “That seat belt only buckles. It’s doesn’t unbuckle.”

  Sean grins wolfishly, like he just deflowered an entire flock of virgins and I’m next. “I guess I’m going with you, then.”

  Shaking my head at his tenacity, I start the car. It lurches out of the parking spot and I get onto the road. Sean reaches for the heater. I tell him not to, but it’s too late. A puff of white smoke shoots out of the vents. Reaching for the switch, I flip it off. “Don’t touch anything.”

  “There’s no heater?” he balks, but when he glances at me, he looks concerned. “Why aren’t you ever wearing a coat?”

  “Because I don’t have one. They’re expensive and it seemed like a waste of money. When it’s really cold out, I have a sweater I can wear.”

  “You mean that other oversized ball of yarn I saw you wearing?” I nod. His eyes flick to the window, where it’s cracked open next to my head, blasting me with cold air. “Why are you still driving this thing? It’s a death trap.”

  I shoot him an evil look. “Seriously? You’re asking me why I’m driving a shitty car? Because, I don’t have eight grand to blow whenever I want. I can barely keep this thing running as it is.” There must be something about the way I say it, because Sean doesn’t press me. Instead the topic shifts to him.

  Sean’s fingers are at the top of the window, and he looks outside and up at the sky. “I haven’t been here at this time of year in a long time. I forgot how much I like it. The air smells like snow.” He gives me a half smile and asks, “Where are we going?”

  “You’ll see.” I drive into a park. It’s past dark and there aren’t many lights along the road once we’re inside.

  Sean looks around and says, “If I wasn’t stuck in my seat, I’d be worried you were going to hack me up and leave me in the woods.”

  Grinning, I reply, “I have to get you out of the seatbelt somehow.”

  “You’re a little twisted, you know that?”

  “Oh, and you aren’t?”

  “I never said that.” Sean gives me a look and shakes his head.

  “What then?” I say, driving past the building I was looking for. There are a few cars in the parking lot. I drive around back and stop the car. It shudders and dies.

  “You surprise me, that’s all.” Sean looks around and asks, “Where are we?”

  “At the skating rink.” I get out of the car and walk around to his side. I yank open the door to find him trying to free himself from the seat. “I’ll get it. Wait a second.” I flip open the glove box and grab a screwdriver. I lean across his lap and shove the screwdriver into the buckle. I can feel Sean’s breath on my cheek. His scent fills my head as I jiggle the screwdriver and the buckle comes free. “There.” Sean’s gaze is intense, like I just did something so sexy he’s going to die. The way he looks at me, makes every nerve in my body feel like it’s strung tight. I want to scream in giddy excitement and laugh.

  “Thanks,” Sean says, his voice a little too husky. I turn and walk away from the car. Sean steps out of the old car and slams the door. “What are we—?” he asks but doesn’t have a chance to finish before getting hit in the face with a snowball.

  I laugh hysterically, standing next to the enormous pile of ice shavings from the rink. After they fix the ice, all the shavings are dumped out back to melt. It’s the funniest thing to grab some snow and hurl a snowball at someone when it’s summer. Since it’s cold outside, there is a lot more than normal because it hasn’t melted yet, but still—Sean doesn’t expect it. The look on his face is priceless.

  Sean turns toward me in slow motion, his eyes taking in the pile of snow. “You took me here to have a snowball fight?”

  I nod. “Well, I can’t exactly take my chastity belt off for just anyone. You have to earn it, man.”

  “I thought I bought it,” he says, walking slowly toward the pile of snow. It’s taller than both of us. It looks like the huge snow piles you see in parking lots after the plows push all the snow aside.

  I back up the hill, grinning like a lunatic. “You bought the belt, not the key.”

  “I’m going to pretend that I’m not in metaphorical hell and—”

  Smack! I hurl another snowball at him. It hits his cheek and explodes into powder.

  “You talk too much,” I giggle and start grabbing snow and throwing snowballs as fast as I can.

  Sean doesn’t hesitate. He runs up the pile of snow in his black suit and tailored black coat. He runs up the hill so that he’s higher than me. I nail him in the stomach with a few throws before he has time to retaliate. A snowball clips my ear and the snow goes down my sweater. My hands start to sting from my lack of gloves, but I don’t really notice. We’re laughing and jumping around on the snow hill, pegging each other like little kids. Sean laughs so much that his eyes water. When I least expect it, he charges me running straight at me. Sean’s body collides with mine, and he pins me in the snow, holding my hands down at my sides.

  I yelp as snow goes places it shouldn’t. “You suck! Let me go! Lemme go! Lemmegahhhh!” My laughter turns into hysterical screeches when he yanks my feet and snow gets shoved up my back. I try to twist away, but he doesn’t let me.

  Flailing, I kick my legs out of his grip and swing. My leg clotheslines him and Sean falls next to me. I take my chance and jump on top of him, straddling him and shove snow in his face. “You’re so mean!” I laugh, trying to make him eat snow.

  Sean grabs my wrists and pulls me down on top of him. Our eyes lock and I can’t
look away. I’m freezing, but I don’t care. I want him. Leaning in slowly, I think about kissing him, about how it would feel. That’s when someone opens the backdoor to the ice rink and starts yelling.

  “You damn kids! Get the hell out of here!” He can’t see us, it’s so dark, but we’ve been so loud up until now that he knows we’re here. He shines a flashlight at the snow pile.

  My eyes go wide and I stifle a laugh. I get off Sean and pull him to his feet, dragging him by the wrist around to the back of the snow pile. We stay there for a second, until the guy gives up, and then burst out laughing.

  “Holy shit,” he says, doubled over and breathing hard. “I haven’t gotten yelled at like that since high school.”

  “Yeah, what’d you do then?” I say, laughing.

  “Toilet papered the principal’s car… and got caught by said principal when he left for lunch early.” Sean snorts a blast of laughter and shakes his head. “He let me have it.”

  I smile at him as we head to my car. It feels like I should take his hand in mine, but I don’t. We smile at each other and get back into the car. Breathing hard, I look at him. My face is frozen and I’ve been smiling so much that it’s stuck like that.

  “Thanks,” I say.

  “For what?” Sean looks at me, but he doesn’t know it yet. There’s a stain that mars my life. It hangs over me like a lead balloon.

  “I haven’t laughed so much in a really long time.”

  Sean takes my hand and holds it to his lips, cradling my frozen fingers between his. “Neither have I.” Sean opens his mouth, like he wants to say more, but he doesn’t. Instead he releases my hand and I drive him back to the restaurant where he grabs his bike and we part ways.

  28

  By the time I get home, I’m cold and tired. My head is spinning, unable to understand how tonight went from disastrous, to bliss. The laugh lines on my face seem like they’re going to be etched onto my skin until I walk into my dorm room. Amber is on top of some guy, riding him like a horse, and they’re both naked. I look away, but it’s not before I get an eye full of her bouncing boobs and sex noises that I could have lived without hearing. Again.

  I go into the shower and lock the door. I stay in there forever, hoping they’ll both pull their groin muscles or something. After a while, the hot water beats on my back and I start thinking about Sean. I wonder if I’ll ever be like that. Amber’s a skank. I wonder what made her that way, and hope to God that it doesn’t happen to me. When I get out of the shower, I wrap myself in a towel and pad out into our room. The monkey loving is over, and I head to find clothes.

  Amber is sitting up on her bed with a pink sheet draped over her body. The guy she was with is gone. Disgusted, I say, “Was that the fourth guy this week?”

  “Yes, no thanks to you. Dennis tried to dump me after you blabbed.” Amber grabs a pack of cigarettes and smacks them into her palm after opening the window. She’s smoking again. Wonderful.

  “There’d be nothing to keep secret if you didn’t screw every guy who walked in here.” I yank a pair of sweats on and head to my bed.

  Amber laughs bitterly, “You need to get laid. You should have taken up what’s-his-face up on the three way.”

  “You disgust me,” I say, staring at the ceiling and wishing she’d fall out the window.

  “Are you saving yourself, Avery? You think the right guy will just waltz into your life and you’ll be in love? Get real. Life doesn’t work that way. Sex is dirty. It has nothing to do with love.”

  “I feel sorry for you,” I mutter, not thinking about what I’ve said.

  “Screw you, bitch. You act like you’re better than me, but you’re not. You’re a goddamn whore, you just don’t know it yet.” She sucks on her cigarette and holds it in. “Or maybe you do and that’s why you’re such a bitch.” She releases a cloud of white smoke out the window.

  When people find out that Amber’s my roommate, they feel sorry for me. Her reputation precedes her. She’s a total whore and everyone knows. The thing is, while she’s absolutely vile, her words are true. I turn my back on her and feel the center of my chest cramp. After tomorrow, I’ll be a whore—a real one.

  Pressing my lips together, I say, “You’re right.”

  Amber laughs, like she doesn’t believe me. She waits for me to say something else, to bash her again, but I don’t. I can’t. I’m a hypocrite. I don’t like that she’s slutty, because it affects me. No, that’s not true. I don’t like her because she’s vile, because she’s always got some guy’s dick in her mouth. At least, that’s what I’ve told myself all this time.

  I don’t want to think about it anymore. I close my eyes, willing sleep to come, but it doesn’t. I lay there long after Amber passes out. My heart races so hard that I can’t stand it. I curl into a ball and feel the tears streak my face. I wish things weren’t the way they are. I fall asleep, wishing my life to be different, hoping for a miracle.

  29

  Miss Black calls me and lets me know that I have a date this evening. I wear my new dress. This time I change in my room. Amber isn’t around. She’s avoiding me, which is kind of nice. I zip my new dress and put my heels in my shoulder bag, since I have to drive my car to Black’s.

  When I arrive, Miss Black looks me over, approves my dress and then does all the measurements. Lastly, she comments on my lingerie. I’m wearing a white cotton set that’s trimmed with embroidery and lace. The bra is no more than a shelf. It barely conceals my nipples. If I lean forward, I’ll fall out of the bra and the dress.

  Miss Black says, “The bikini panty is fine for the virgin gig, but when this is over, I want you in a thong or g-string. No exceptions.” I feel like a bad employee. I nod and don’t say anything. She seems to think that I’ll be staying here for a while, even though I told her that I’m not.

  “Since the other night didn’t go well, I’m changing protocol with you. Here’s a phone. I will call you if your bracelet goes off premises. Mr. Ferro gets no more chances, understood?” I nod and she shoos me. “Get dressed and go to the car, and remember—confidence. Even if you have no idea what he wants or what you’re doing, act like you do.”

  I walk to the car that’s waiting for me at the curb and climb into the backseat. I’ve had more time to think about this, so I’m not as nervous. Last time I was near puking. This time I just have a serious case of butterflies. The car pulls up in front of the same hotel. I’m given the same room number, which surprises me. I wonder if this is his room, if this is where he’s staying while he’s in New York.

  Shoulders back, I walk across the lobby to the elevator. I press the button to the penthouse. When the doors open I walk to the end of the hall and knock. Sean pulls the door open. He’s wearing a white button down shirt that’s open at the neck with a tie that’s been undone. The shirt is tucked in at the waist to a pair of tailored slacks. He’s barefoot. The stubble on his cheeks makes him sexier than he already is. His eyes slip over me and it feels like a caress.

  “I told them naked with a bow, Miss Smith. Do I need to call your employer?” Sean sounds serious, but the smile on his face makes my nerves fade.

  I walk past him and into the room. “They said I wasn’t allowed to walk naked through the lobby.”

  “And you do everything you’re told?”

  “Only sometimes. Maybe.” I smile. “I’ll try it next time, if you like.”

  He laughs to himself and shuts the door. Sean walks across the room and closes a laptop that’s open on the table. He’s been working. There are dark circles under his eyes like he’s under a tremendous amount of stress. I didn’t notice them last night. I walk further into the room and look around. It’s the same as the other night. He must be living here.

  Sean crosses the room and grabs a bottle from the bar. “A drink, Miss Smith?”

  “No, thank you, Mr. Jones. I’m a professional. We don’t drink.”

  “You’re not allowed to drink, are you?” he asks.

  “I can.
It’s not forbidden.” He walks toward me with a predatory look in his eye. It makes my stomach twist.

  “Then, why not?”

  “I don’t my first time to be when I’m too drunk to remember. Call me romantic, but it sounds more appealing to me that way.” I’m nervous. My fingers tug at the fingers on my other hand. I try to stop, but then I just do something else.

  Sean’s eyes remain fixed on my cleavage. “You’re very appealing, so is your notion of remembering.” His eyes lift to my face. “Are you expecting to be interrupted this evening?” I shake my head. “Good. Let’s begin where we left off last time. Strip. Throw that beautiful dress on the floor and lay on my bed.”

  My heart is pounding. I didn’t think he’d do this. Sean’s acting cold, distant. It’s like I don’t know him. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” he says evenly. “Do it.” Sean sits down in the chair and watches me.

  My heart is pounding so fast that I can’t hide how nervous I am. Maybe I should have taken that drink. I reach for the zipper and slide it down. I shimmy my shoulders out of the dress and it falls to the floor in a puddle, around my ankles. Sean’s hot gaze drinks in my body. When I turn away to walk over to the bed, he stops me.

  “Wait.” I stop. “Come here.” I walk toward him with my heels still on. The bra barely contains me. I stop in front of him.

  Sean reaches for me slowly. He places his hands around my back and pulls me closer, and then palms my breasts through the bra. The shock of how he behaves makes me want to cry. He’s acting like I’m an object. I don’t like this, but I can’t stop. Sean doesn’t get another chance. And if I say no, this is over.

  Sean squeezes my breasts, but it scares me. It doesn’t feel like I’m here with him. I have a darker version of the man I lo—

  Oh my God. That’s when I realize it. I love him. I’m here thinking that this job is going to be something else, but it’s not. Sean doesn’t have any romantic inclinations toward me. I want to yell at him. I want to slap him in the face and ask how he could behave this way, but I can’t.