Escort by Mistake (Contemporary BWWM Billionaire Romance)

by Tiana Cole

  “Tell me about your friends,” Tristan said. His grey-green eyes looked into hers inquisitively. Did he really want to know so much about her? She figured it was better than talking about mom and dad, or telling him about the money she sent to them on a regular basis and how she earned it.

  “I know some people, like the gang at the coffee shop, but I don’t really have good friends here. You know, the kind that know all of your secrets. I haven’t met anyone I’m comfortable enough around to get that deep with. It’s all friendly banter and what’s happening in the news.” She still felt his shoulder now solidly against her side. It was as though her left side was glowing.

  “So, what do you do when you’re not working at the coffee shop?” he asked, and sounded like he genuinely wanted to know. What could she tell him? She had to think of something... fast. He couldn’t know that her “spare” time was really spent working at a scandalous second job that made her wildly uncomfortable. Should she tell him about her secret dream? No, not on a first date. She wanted to be a great writer, and her latest notebook was yet another testament to that. Other women had done it, so why not her? She made her answer bland instead.

  “The days at the café are long. By the time I get home I just want to crash. As soon as I walk through the door I put on my comfy clothes and veg. What do you do when you’re not taking photos?” If she turned the conversation back on him, she knew she’d temporarily be off the hook.

  Tristan pulled his shoulder away and Cassidy felt a sudden longing. What? From a mere shoulder touch? She had more control than that.

  He sat up straight, watching the pizza guy effortlessly twirl dough. He kept his gaze blankly fixated on the man as he answered, “Well, I have my photography, and that keeps me out and about. I also have a makeshift studio set up in my loft and occasionally have clients over for professional shoots. It sounds more glamorous than it really is, believe me. I spend time making the images pop. Adjusting the lighting and removing imperfections, stuff like that. I spend a lot of time on the computer doing post-production work.”

  “That sounds very technical,” Cassidy replied. “So you’re a whiz at computers. Meanwhile, I can barely get my mobile phone to work,” she chuckled. “We’re at the opposite ends of that spectrum.”

  God, she thought. What does he see in me? I still don’t understand that $500.00 tip. Where does a photographer get $500.00 bills to throw around so casually?

  At the same time, she felt sparks ignite inside of her. Was it the tousled hair? His eyes? His overall good looks?

  Tristan laughed. The surrounding evening lights made his eyes sparkle as he tossed up his head at her joke. Even though he seemed casual, she could feel him steal sideways glances. He looked at her face. He glanced at her hair. He followed the movement of her hands when she spoke. As Tristan and Cassidy went through the motions of a requisite night out, an onlooker would conclude that they were two attractive people out on a date. They ate more pizza and drank the remains of the soda. No one around them was aware of the sexual tension that was mounting slowly between them. It was there when he accidentally brushed his hand against hers, or when she tilted her head in laughter, lips slightly parted. His hand dropped casually to her thigh and she made no move to push it away. Her breath quickened as a slight flush suffused her entire being.

  A momentary silence that spoke volumes settled between them. He reached out a knuckle and caressed the side of her cheek. She responded with a languorous stretch of her body. Keep it casual, Cassidy, she thought, but inside her body ached for more.

  “Where do we go from here, Cassidy?” he asked.

  She took a moment to process the question. It felt like she was standing at some crossroad. One side was familiar and she could navigate the twists and turns blindfolded. The other was unfamiliar and she might lose her way. The adventure, however, could be worth the risk.

  She chose the strange and new.

  “Anywhere… as long as it is with you,” she responded with a smile.

  Chapter Four

  A heightened sense of excitement made Cassidy lose track of time and space. She remembered fleeting images of the city flashing through the car window before Tristan turned towards a quiet, residential neighborhood. Cassidy was unsure where they were, but she was willing to guess that it was a fashionable Upper East Side neighborhood. The extra wide streets lined with century-old trees were empty of pedestrians, but in front of the classic boutiques, art cinemas, and fine restaurants, luxury vehicles lined the street.

  They came to a stop in front of a squat building with classical designs and an intricately carved cartouche decorating the elegant entrance.

  “This is my parents’ house…” he said with a discomfited look.

  “What the fuck? Why did you bring me here?” she replied, shrinking lower into the leather seat of the BMW.

  “They’re away for the summer, no worries,” he chuckled. “We have the place all to ourselves,” he assured her, slightly abashed by her reaction.

  Comforted that she wasn’t running into anyone she wasn’t ready to meet, she allowed him to usher her in. The apartment had a quiet classiness with walled paneling and marble floors. The furnishings were minimalist and screamed understated elegance. She’d seen photos of these houses in ‘Better Homes and Gardens.’

  “My bedroom is this way…” Tristan said, studying her face for clues.

  He opened the door to a spacious room that was bigger than her apartment. It had a vaulted ceiling with walls of rough concrete and bleached brick, giving the impression of a very masculine space.

  “This is nice,” Cassidy commented, eyeing the king-sized bed with pleated headboard.

  “Tell that to my mom. She said I’ve turned it into a depot after I renovated it.”

  “I can imagine how that conversation went,” Cassidy replied in amusement.

  “Would you like some wine?” Tristan asked solicitously.

  Cassidy nodded her head, expecting him to retrieve some from the kitchen. Instead, he walked to a nearby wall where a fridge lay hidden within its recess.

  “You have a fridge in your bedroom wall?” Cassidy asked in mock disbelief.

  “Err… yeah. I need it to store some of my film negatives. Most of what I shoot is digital, but every now and then I‘ll go old-school and shoot with actual film,” he explained. “It has a certain feel to it that digital photography lacks. It’s more of an art.”

  Cassidy caught sight of several photo prints hanging on the wall and stepped towards them for a closer look. They were mostly 5 x 7 prints, and she recognized some of the pictures as ones he showed her the night they met at the coffee shop. She went through them one by one and recalled how beautiful they were.

  She came to a sudden stop in front of one photo in particular and gasped. The façade was a familiar one. It was obviously the large plate glass window of Ron's Good Beans Café where she worked, but what drew her attention was the focus of the shot. Right in the middle of the photograph, through the plate glass, she recognized her face.

  “That’s me,” she exclaimed in surprise.

  Tristan approached and handed her a glass of wine.

  “Yup, that’s you,” he answered.

  “Why… why didn’t you show it to me the night we met?”

  “Because this one was shot with film, and I wasn’t even sure how it would develop,” Tristan answered as he studied the photo closely. “I wanted to try out my new telephoto lens and took that photo on a whim. It’s when I first noticed you.”

  “I don’t look so bad, do I?” Cassidy giggled. “I think you actually managed to make me look, um, err… interesting.”

  “You are the most self-deprecating person I know. You have no idea just how beautiful you are,” Tristan replied, locking his warm eyes onto hers.

  Cassidy swallowed hard. Not because she didn’t believe him, but because he was standing so close and staring at her so intently. She lowered her head to avoid his gaze as his arms casua
lly snaked around her waist. Her breathing hitched when he placed a finger to her chin and raised her face towards him again.

  He kissed her gently as he lowered his moist lips against her own. It was a kiss so sweet a sigh escaped through her lips. His five o’clock shadow tickled her gently as she melted against his hard, firm body. It was everything she'd expected it to be.

  She was surprised at her own boldness as she opened her mouth and allowed her tongue to taste him for the first time. The kiss deepened as he cradled the back of her neck, her own arms pulling him even closer, her breasts crushed against his chest.

  The kiss ignited the sexual tension that had started back at the park. He begun another round of devastating kisses, swinging the pendulum from tender to savage and leaving her totally breathless.

  His kisses had turned more urgent as he walked her backwards to the bed, arms flailing wildly, and desperately removing pieces of clothing along the way. He fondled her breasts against the cloth of her cotton top as she began to unbutton his shirt. He shrugged the shirt away from him, simultaneously reaching out for the hem of her blouse and yanking it off her head.

  She could feel the heat of his body radiating through the six pack abs that were now in full display. She couldn’t resist the temptation to run her fingers through his chest hair as she inched closer to him once more.

  They stared at each other, grey-green meeting her dark golden brown, speaking volumes of the desire that sizzled between them.

  “Are you sure about this?” he asked her huskily.

  She nodded her head, never more sure of anything in her life. It was really an unfair question to ask right now because her breasts were squashed against his chest.

  He caressed her shoulder, moving down the side of her arms then onto to her back, creating sensuous patterns with his fingers.

  “You are so beautiful,” he said as he kissed her mahogany skin.

  She ran her knuckles over his jaw, relishing the feel of the rough stubble and imagined them rubbing against her pussy. The thought sent a thrill coursing through her body that eventually pooled in her groin.

  Tristan pushed her gently onto the mattress, his fingers expertly unzipping the front of her pants before reaching down to her ass and peeling the jeans off her legs. She was now naked except for her skimpy white thong.

  She reached out to unzip his pants, but he pushed her hand aside as he slithered out of them, boxers and all. The lines in his abdomen were like little canals that ran below his pectoral muscles. Cassidy couldn’t resist the temptation to brush her fingers softly between them before he lay softly on top of her.

  His cock was pushing hard against her pussy, her panties the only remaining barrier that stood between them.

  Oh my god, he’s big. The thought ran through her mind as his cock grinded against her groin.

  He lifted her up into a sitting position, his thighs straddling her hips, her legs under his and wrapped around his ass. Locked together, he gazed down her breasts, his yearning written all over his face. He cupped both her breasts into the palm of each hand as he grazed her neck with a kiss.

  His lips followed the curve of her shoulders down to the side of her breasts before he claimed one into his mouth and sucked. With his other hand, he fondled the other breast, playing with her nipple using his thumb and forefinger. Cassidy’s back arched with pleasure as he alternately sucked on both nipples with his lips and tantalized with his tongue. She strained hard against him, moans of pleasure emanating from her lips.

  He twisted suddenly and pushed her back onto the bed with him on top of her. He showered her belly with soft bites and wet kisses until he reached the triangle patch of her pubes. With one swift move, her thong was in shreds, as he casually tossed it aside.

  “Open your legs wider,” he commanded, and Cassidy obeyed like a robot.

  She held her breath knowing what to expect, but still unprepared for the hot and cold flashes as his tongue assaulted her clit. His hot breath tickled the sides of her vagina as his tongue explored the insides of her thighs and every inch of her pussy.

  Cassidy was breathing hard as she raised her head to look at him, but she couldn’t stay upright long enough. She fell back onto the mattress as his tongue sucked her clit, sending her into a frenzy. His ministration was driving her insane as he peeped at her from between her legs. The wanton look in his eyes only managed to make her hornier, and she was never wetter than she was at that very moment.

  She slumped down onto the bed as she climbed the apex of her orgasm. Every flick of his tongue against her smooth nub was indescribable pleasure, sending her higher and higher. She clawed at the sides of the bed as his tongue slipped lower and deeper inside her. She had reached her peak by the time he was back sucking on her clit.

  A guttural scream escaped her lips as the first of a series of orgasms hit her like a tidal wave. She flounced on the bed like fish out of water. She wanted to control the tide that was sucking her in. But it was no use. She had no power over it as her body heaved and shook violently when the second orgasm hit her.

  “I want you inside me,” she begged him.

  Tristan needed no second invitation as he clambered between her legs and mounted her. He positioned his cock onto her clit and rocked slowly back and forth. The feel of his hard dick rubbing against the velvety softness of her clit ignited her once again.

  Cassidy was panting. She feverishly grasped onto the ephemeral sensation that propelled her to the edge of the abyss.

  After a few more strokes on her over-sensitized clit, he rammed into her, pounding her repeatedly so that she was lifted partially off the bed. She steadied herself, meeting his thrusts in perfect harmony, lifting her hips so he could penetrate her even deeper.

  Tristan’s grunts were coming fast and Cassidy knew he was almost there. After a few more strokes, her pussy felt like it was ready to explode.

  “I’m cumming…” Cassidy whispered.

  Like a fuse that had reached the end of its wick, they ignited together in savage orgasm. Cassidy felt like her brain had exploded as she clung to him tightly with her arms and her ankles wrapped around his calves.

  A few minutes passed before Tristan’s heavy breathing subsided. His body writhed every now and then as he emptied himself inside her. Cassidy felt limp as a rag doll as her own quivering body settled down. The ringing in her ears disappeared, followed by a lethargy that swept from the tips of her hair down to her toes.

  he hardly managed a peep as Tristan twisted on top of her and settled by her side. He raised her shoulders slightly and placed his arms around hers. Her head was nestled against his neck and her arms wrapped around his chest. Nothing felt safer. The world’s troubles couldn’t get to her. She could stay there forever, she thought.

  It felt like home.

  Tristan and Cassidy grew into a routine. No commitment. No spoken promises, but an easy way of being together. Cassidy kept her apartment in Queens but spent most nights with Tristan. He was courteous and affectionate. All the love-making kept her from her notebook in the evenings so she changed her schedule. She woke before Tristan and would go to the kitchen to wrote in the early mornings.

  After about two weeks, she felt completely comfortable with him. The kitchen which was filled with every appliance known to culinary arts and a huge porcelain covered French stove covered with iron plates that heated from underneath. The coffee machine was built into the corner and it made delicious espresso. She made herself a cappuccino and settled in with her notebook. She was working on her fictional Tristan, caught up with crack-heads in a small town in Alabama, an innocent who met the wrong fate at the gas station.

  “Morning,” Tristan greeted with a sleepy smile.

  “Good morning,” Cassidy smiled as she quietly closed the notebook and sipped her cappuccino. “Want your black double espresso?” She got up to push buttons on the coffee stand.

  “So what’s this? A diary?” Tristan teasingly reached for the notebook.

&nbs
p; “No!” Cassidy said with more edge to her voice than she meant. “It’s my notebook.”

  “Oh?”

  “It’s… I guess…”

  Tristan smiled. “Just can’t get rid of that self-effacement, can you? We’ve got to work on that, Cass.”

  Cassidy knew he was right. There was nothing wrong with aspiring to be a writer.

  “It’s my journal. It’s not a diary in the way you think. I write down snatches of conversation, or character descriptions, or, just names. You know, someone comes into the café and they tell me their name with the order. Sometimes a name just strikes me and I write it down.”

  “Ha! Did you write down Tristan?”

  “I did. I mean it’s not you, it’s the name. It’s hard to explain.”

  “Try me.”

  The coffee stand gave out a final hiss. Cassidy poured Tristan’s espresso into a tiny cup and set it in front of him on the large kitchen table.

  “I… well… someday I want to be a writer.”

  “So your notes are like snapshots. You write those sketches and then, eventually, you have a story. Is that it?

  “Yes.” Cassidy was relieved he understood. Somehow he got it.

  “You capture people in words. I capture them with the camera. I think I know how the process works,” he smiled as he sipped his espresso.

  “I never thought of it that way. You’re right… snapshots. I’m going to call them snapshots from now on.” She gave him a big grin, her face lit with excitement.

  Tristan reached his hand across and touched her arm. She felt the electricity shoot through her. His grey-green eyes looked into hers. “Cass, never be ashamed of your talents. It’s a gift. Practice. That’s what makes you go from good to great. I want to see you in here every morning writing away. If you don’t want me to talk to you, just tell me.”

  Cassidy flushed with pleasure. She had much to learn and Tristan was such a gentle, understanding teacher.

  “I’ll let you know, but I like it when you talk to me.”