A Model Escort

by Amanda Meuwissen

  When he scheduled Cal for the night, he hadn’t intended to make this ongoing. Money wasn’t a problem, especially if Owen’s needs fell under the normal fee for Cal’s services, but he couldn’t let this go on forever, just… a few more nights to help him with the transition, so he didn’t freak out and call Harrison in a fit of desperation. Cal’s company was preferable, and Owen could use him for a few events coming up, not always just to… snuggle.

  He was a good snuggler, though, strong and warm and understanding. Owen wished he hadn’t broken down like that, wished he hadn’t flinched when Cal’s touch moved to the arm Harrison had hurt, but with this first night out of the way, he already felt more comfortable in his own skin than he had in a very long time.

  Owen might be out of his mind for hiring an escort on the regular for snuggle sessions and dinner dates, but Cal was like a dream, and Owen was not ready to wake up yet.

  Chapter Four

  THE mayor was taking all of Owen’s suggestions, even when his “people” insisted that some of the recommendations were “cost prohibitive.”

  “Is it going to bankrupt the city or this project in any way?”

  “Well, no, but—”

  “Then we do things Owen’s way. He has the data, and we want this program to work. Will it cost us more or less money if we have to scrap the whole thing in three months because we cut corners and failed?”

  “But Mr. Mayor—”

  “Unless we absolutely can’t make things work the way he’s suggesting and you have the numbers to back that up, we do things his way.”

  It meant that all the training and equipment Owen recommended for the officers was being implemented before the program went live. It wouldn’t be perfect—nothing could ever be perfect—but they’d have the highest chance for success to prove the system worked. That meant more funding when crime started to decline, more opportunities, and overall safer neighborhoods all over Atlas City.

  It also meant that Owen didn’t feel glued to the mayor’s office, worried that something would go off the rails when he spent time at Nye Industries. He could relax. As much as he ever relaxed anyway.

  Working with Frank and his team made Owen feel more like he belonged than overseeing the mayor’s group. The mayor’s people were more public relations officers. Frank was a fellow scientist. Right now, Owen was a contractor for the company, an outsider looking in, but Keri had promised him a full-time position if he wanted it. Still, Owen didn’t want to decide anything long-term too quickly. For once, he was taking his time.

  He’d been so focused at the start of the week, refreshed from his idyllic Friday night and a low-key weekend of organizing his schedule—and a little shopping, thanks to Cal—that he hadn’t gotten too many new outfits. The man Cal recommended, Dennis, was a little smugger than Owen could handle in large doses. Plus, he wanted to fill out the rest of his wardrobe in Cal’s company if he could.

  It was Wednesday now, and Owen was seeing Cal tonight. He hadn’t been able to concentrate all morning. His tension and loneliness had started to increase again, a little more each evening he came home to an empty apartment. Alyssa, Casey, and Mario helped a little, like they were tag-teaming to call him once a day to make sure he didn’t break down and phone Harrison. Owen had no intention of doing that, but it seemed more manageable when he knew that tonight he had something to look forward to.

  Cal was so handsome, so attentive and engaging, his touch sure and strong wrapped around Owen’s body….

  “You all there, Owen?”

  “Huh?”

  Owen looked up from the workstation they’d given him, where he was basically auditing all of the company’s current and future projects for ways his models could benefit the research, or to see if he had any other epiphanies they might be interested in. A few times, he had assisted Frank’s R&D team where they were stumped, already proving his worth, not that he’d been put on the spot. He just felt so at home in this type of environment. Right now, however, he was a little too lost in his daydreams.

  “Sorry, Frank. Must need another dose of coffee.” Owen smiled.

  “I can get a fresh one for you, Mr. Quinn.” An intern jumped up excitedly.

  “That’s okay, Rory. I need to stretch my legs anyway.”

  Excusing himself from the large laboratory, Owen slipped into the hallway to head to the nearest break room. He hadn’t gotten around to buying an extra pair of glasses yet, but he wore one of his new blazers—charcoal this time instead of blue—over a darker charcoal sweater and slim black slacks. A little monochrome for Owen’s tastes normally but much sharper than his usual looks.

  He was so up in his head wondering if Cal would like the new outfit when they saw each other tonight, that he didn’t realize he hadn’t taken his used coffee cup with him to refill until he was about halfway to the break room, down a deserted hallway about to pass an opening down another hall—when a large hand gripped his left forearm and yanked.

  Alarm bells went off in Owen’s mind like a bullhorn, panic gripping his chest and phantom pain shooting up his arm as his breath caught and he told himself to fight. Don’t let this happen again. Fight back. But he couldn’t. He was too afraid, too immediately brought back to feeling small and trapped, that all he could do was gasp when his assailant pulled him into the corner and pushed him against the wall.

  “M-Mr. Walker?” Owen stuttered.

  As the owner behind that strong grip materialized, Owen realized the hold hadn’t been rough and he hadn’t been pushed back with any force, of course he hadn’t. This was Adam Walker, CEO of Walker Tech, who’d been trying to schedule time to see Owen since last week.

  The man would have been intimidating for his impressive height, also his powerful build and classic good looks, if not for his humbling nature.

  “Please, call me Adam,” he said brightly, as if he hadn’t just seized Owen and brought him into a dark hallway. “Glad to finally meet you, Owen.”

  “Uhh… shouldn’t that be happening at your building or over lunch somewhere?”

  “Which you keep rescheduling on me.”

  “I-I haven’t had time to—wait.” Owen steadied himself and his breathing. He was fine. Adam hadn’t intended to scare him, but this was also highly suspicious behavior. “Is this corporate espionage?” he hissed.

  “Nonsense.” Adam chuckled. “Think of it more like a game of tag. Or keep-away, seeing as how Keri has been keeping you away from me all week.”

  “I don’t think she’s purposely—”

  “All in good fun, Owen.” Adam patted his shoulder, sort of like the friendlier version of a high school quarterback who, in this case, would also have been captain of the chess team. “She wants first crack at you, I get it, but I have a proposal to make, and if I wait for your calendar to clear, you’ll be knee-deep in projects here before we can get anything off the ground.”

  “O-okay.” Owen might have been quick when it came to deciphering data, but he tended to be slow in social situations, especially when taken by surprise like this.

  “What’s she have you working on?” Adam asked.

  “Oh, I can’t—”

  “It’s the next generation of those chips of hers, right? I’m not asking you to give up any secrets. All I’m asking is for you to listen to my proposal for doing a joint venture with my nanotechnology and help me present it to Ms. Nye.” He smiled with that wide, beaming expression again. Much like the mayor, he certainly seemed genuine for someone Owen probably shouldn’t trust too easily. “Only if you like what I have to say, of course.”

  “Well… I guess I could listen,” Owen said, trying to analyze the situation for any ways he might be in over his head or could get in serious trouble. “You’ve done joint projects before. But then… why can’t you propose this to Keri yourself?”

  “I’ve tried.” Adam leaned back a step, finally giving Owen room to breathe. “I haven’t been able to prove the data in a way her investors see as viable. But with y
our guidance, your models, I think we can make it work. Hear me out….”

  Owen wasn’t usually up for adventure like this, being secretive and squirreled away. His heart was beating rapid-fire the entire time, as he hid at the end of a hallway no one went down, listening to a multimillion-dollar CEO in the building of another multimillion-dollar CEO tell him how together they could change the world.

  He was pretty sure this was corporate espionage, in a way, but as long as the end goal was for the benefit of both parties, it didn’t seem like he was doing anything bad simply by listening, especially when it meant furthering medical technologies that could save lives on a whole other spectrum from what he was doing with the mayor’s office.

  Thinking of everything he could accomplish, he sort of felt like a superhero.

  The proposal was fascinating, but Owen could see where the holes came in and why Adam and his scientists were stumped. It wasn’t ready to be brought to Keri yet. Owen would need to think about this, see some of Adam’s data first, and work on the models himself.

  “I won’t share anything with you about Keri’s side, and I won’t share anything with her about your side, but I need to use research from both to make this work.”

  “I’m putting a lot of faith in you, Owen.” Adam nodded. “But the end results will be worth it if we can move forward on this together.”

  Owen hadn’t signed anything with either company yet that prohibited him from doing something like this, but he was technically going behind Keri’s back. He was terrified and excited at the same time. If this worked out, it was exactly the sort of thing he’d come to Atlas City to achieve.

  He wanted to tell Alyssa, Casey, and Mario to get their opinions, but he couldn’t risk leaving a phone trail.

  Then he thought of Cal. He could gush to someone in person in only a few hours. Once he’d parted ways with Adam and continued to get his coffee, he couldn’t wait for the day to be over.

  The catch in his throat from how he’d been ambushed lingered, but only enough to leave Owen slightly shaken. He didn’t blame Adam. He just needed to do something to help him overcome his instant panic reaction whenever someone touched his left arm. He certainly hadn’t meant to flinch when Cal did it the other night.

  Alyssa had suggested self-defense classes to build up his confidence, which he’d tried to start attending back in Middleton, but he hadn’t really had time to keep it up. Along with all the other info Alyssa had gathered to help him settle into his new city, she’d included a gym that came highly recommended for that sort of thing, where Owen could get a personal trainer instead of having to do classes, which weren’t really his scene.

  Maybe he’d set something up before heading home today and give Knockback Gym a call.

  PRINCE was an ideal client. Gorgeous. Wealthy enough to request Cal’s services often, but not too often since she was also a busy woman. She wasn’t a princess, not really, but an ambassador working in the city. Cal forgot which tiny country she was from, but she might as well have been royalty for how she carried herself.

  She didn’t have the time or patience for romance, but she had needs to fulfill, and Cal was the most efficient way to meet those needs without complication. She also liked to tie him up and play with all sorts of toys, but she was the type of dominating partner who knew how to treat her companion with respect and care. Cal wouldn’t have put up with anything less.

  Normally he saw Prince in the evenings, but she’d agreed to a schedule shift to accommodate his other evening plans—Owen Quinn.

  “I appreciate you squeezing me in early.”

  “My pleasure, Calvin.” The tall, Amazonian woman laughed lightly as she freshened up at the vanity mirror in her bedroom. “Or both of ours, I should say. A break in the afternoon is a nice treat on occasion. Busy man today, are you?”

  Cal had nearly finished dressing, moving a little slower with the strain in his arms from being tied to the bedposts a few minutes ago. “Can I help it if I’m in demand?”

  “Even the wicked need to rest, don’t they?” She finished the application of bright red with a smack of perfect, bowed lips.

  “It’s not that kind of evening. Next week?”

  “Certainly. I’ll let Miss Tyler know what works best with my schedule.” Standing to stop him in the doorway before he could leave, she mimed kissing both cheeks to spare him the stain of her fresh lipstick. “Ta leme.”

  “Soon.” Cal nodded.

  He needed to shower and change before seeing Owen. Cal enjoyed his work, wouldn’t do it if he didn’t, so it surprised him how excited he was for the evening ahead, without the usual endgame.

  Owen was in the system now, meaning his requests came to Cal’s inbox like a normal email. Remember how I can’t cook anything besides that goulash? Maybe we should order in.

  Cal had messaged back a grocery list. I’ll teach you how to make something new tonight. Unless you had other ideas?

  No! That sounds perfect.

  Cal arrived to find Owen looking even more delectable than he had the first evening, and far better dressed.

  “Dennis holds up, I see,” he said as Owen invited him in.

  Owen’s cheeks filled with color to solidify his codename when he glanced at his sweater. “Kind of a jerk, like you warned me, but I really like the things I got. This is good?”

  “Very good.” Cal had toned down his own wardrobe tonight, a white button-down with a cream sweatshirt and tan slacks, painting him more pastel than Owen’s ensemble in gray.

  “I need an extra pair of glasses next,” Owen said, leading Cal to the kitchen, where he already had the groceries set on the counter. “I was thinking of something more delicate than my black ones for contrast. Maybe gold? Thinner frames?”

  “I can picture that. Would you like company for another shopping trip?”

  “Can we?” Owen filled with light when he got excited like it might burst from his pores.

  “Absolutely. Perhaps this Saturday afternoon? I believe my schedule is free.”

  “Great. I’ll send a request tomorrow. We can get lunch. But dinner first, right?” Owen glanced skeptically at the collection of ingredients waiting for them. “I’m a fast learner but a bit of a klutz. You may regret wearing light colors when we’re working with pasta sauce, and it’s probably best if I do minimal chopping. Though I guess we don’t need to chop anything….”

  “Not for this recipe,” Cal said. “Ever learned how to make a good lasagna?”

  Those large hazel eyes kept catching Cal off guard. “I figured that’s what we were making from the noodles, but this seems different.”

  Cal’s list had told Owen to get ground turkey instead of hamburger and spinach and sundried tomatoes to go with the ricotta filling. “My own recipe. The real secret is in the right cheese.” He patted the bag of shredded whole-milk mozzarella, that he then realized was open with a few shreds spilled onto the counter.

  “It’s really good cheese,” Owen said, scratching the back of his head to betray his embarrassment. “I may have stolen a few handfuls already.”

  He had no idea how charming he was without trying. “Well then, you’ve mastered step one of this meal.” Grabbing his own handful, Cal devoured mozzarella from his fingers with unabashed enthusiasm.

  Owen laughed. That scarlet blush was going to be their constant companion.

  “I wrote down the recipe for you,” Cal said. “All you have to do now is watch me, follow my instructions, and tell me about your day. Still settling in well?”

  As Cal rolled up his sleeves to work, Owen mirrored him and eagerly fell into a fast-paced retelling of his week’s highlights so far. Cal understood now what Owen needed from him—basic companionship. A warm body in his home. A friendly face around to listen and exist in his presence without obligations between them, besides Cal’s fee. A friend, but more intimate than that when Cal was expected to undress and hold Owen close again at some point. Even the most open-minded of friends might not be
up for that caveat to a new relationship.

  There were times when Cal played the role of date with his clients. He’d cooked with them before too, but conversation rarely strayed to anything deep, and a “happy ending” was always expected, often the main attraction more than a meal. Owen flipped that on its head.

  If this was one of Cal’s other clients, he would have stepped up behind him while cooking and guided his hands until their pulses ratcheted and Owen’s hips ground back against his own. But Owen didn’t want to be seduced, so Cal remained at his side.

  “You don’t think I’m being taken advantage of, do you?” Owen asked once they had the lasagna in the oven and were slicing bread. They’d already opened a bottle of wine. Owen said he was a beer man too, so Cal decided that the next meal they shared would be paired with something lighter.

  “You’re the one in a position to take advantage,” he said. “You could come to a conclusion with your models, take the research for your own, and screw over both companies.”

  “I’d never do that!”

  Cal snickered at his scandalized expression. “I know. Just saying, you’re not under any legal obligations, only moral ones. Nye and Walker are lucky they’re dealing with you and not someone less scrupulous.”

  That seemed to be what Owen wanted to hear. He must have been used to being taken advantage of. “It’s kind of fun,” he said, walking the plate of bread to the table while Cal followed with their half-drunk glasses of wine. “Sneaking around, working on a side project like a spy or something.”

  “I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. Who knew data science could be so exhilarating?”

  “It’s not usually so clandestine.” Owen chuckled. “But thanks for your input on the whole thing. I feel better after a second opinion. Adam seems so nice.”

  Adam Walker, possibly the richest man in the city, was nice. “You do realize how impressive it is that you’re on a first-name basis with three of the most powerful people in Atlas City?”