Unlikely To Fall In Love

by Esmeralda, Debie

  “No. He wanted to pay me for helping him.” I clarified. “You know me Maggie, when I help I didn’t ask for anything in return. I’m doing it because I want to.”

  “Yeah.” She agreed. “And because of that urge to help, you’ve stumbled into a billionaire. You’re a lucky bitch.”

  I could not help rolling my eyes. “Come on, let’s get back to work.”

  I had a costumer, a son of a politician in mid twenties, that night that paid me two hundred and insisted that he remained anonymous. I got that, many of my costumers were very private persons.

  I opened the door and got inside the apartment. I could hear my brother’s snore all the way across the living room. Aiden must have been very tired, going to class and work at the same time. I walked towards my room and took a long bath. I changed from my prostitute clothes into a comfortable white cotton t-shirt and pajama pants before lying on the bed.

  My body still ached from the penetration. I still felt how rough my costumer was with me. But what could I do? I could not complain because that was my job. I couldn’t provide for both my brother and me if I didn’t suck up all of my pride and dignity.

  And it was a little too late to think about dignities and stolen virtues.

  Being orphaned at a very young age with no relative and was left with only a twin brother, that was what happened to us. I needed to work in order for us to survive. He got scholarship but it was not enough for our everyday needs. We needed money to pay the rent, to have a food served at our table every day, to be able help him finish med school. It was such a waste if I let our situation stopped my brother from attaining what he deserved. He was a bright young man (his IQ was above average, that was what our junior high teachers used to tell us), and I wanted him to be a doctor like the one he dreamed to be.

  Therefore, during the day, I was waitress at a diner and at night, I was a hooker.

  Because of my looks, I was one of the highest paid hookers in our group. My mom was of Irish and Welsh descent and my father was an American. With the height of five foot and nine inches, I was taller than my other co-workers were. My twin and I looked like mom. She has this straight golden blonde hair, green eyes, oval shaped face and milky-rosy complexion.

  I remembered mom was fond of cooking and baking, we inherited that from her. Dad was more like Aiden, bound by the books and kind of a bit perfectionist at times.

  I was still thinking about my deceased parents until I drifted off.

  ~***~

  Rosie and I were complimenting each other’s clothes when Margaret interrupted. “There’s a red Aston Martin on the other side of the road.” She pointed a finger towards the direction of the luxury car. We stared at the expensive piece of engine pulled over at the sidewalk.

  Wow. A red Aston Martin.

  A man with dark brown hair came out of the car wearing a dress shirt that hugged his impressive toned body like a second skin. He turned his head towards us, and his blue eyes met mine.

  Damon Rhodes.

  My heart was beating so fast and so hard, I thought it was going to jump out of my chest. My surrounding suddenly spun as if someone tilted the earth on its axis. My throat constricted making me feel breathless. I kept feeling those crazy butterflies inside my stomach.

  Damon Rhodes looked at us, no, at me? I was not sure. He was still standing on the other side that for a moment I thought he was a cardboard cutout. Wait a minute. What was he doing here?

  He leaned inside his car and the next thing I knew, he was halfway across the pedestrian lane with a big bouquet of flowers cradled in his arms.

  I swallowed the bile forming in my throat, suddenly feeling nervous. I didn’t know what was going on with me. I reluctantly took my eyes off him and glanced at Rosie and Margaret who were looking at Damon with their jaws halfway to the ground. I could not blame them for drooling at the sight of Damon Rhodes. He was to drool for. They were star-strucked as I was the first time I met him. Heck, even now I was still a little star struck.

  When he reached us, he stood right in front of me. I couldn’t help but stare back at those beautiful blue eyes of his. He didn’t look like this when we talked last night. I couldn’t determine what he was thinking. I felt a new aura around us and it made my heart beat erratically.

  “Hi.” Damon said.

  However, before I could answer Margaret interjected. “Damon Rhodes.”

  Damon smiled at Margaret. “Hello.” He said before returning his attention back to me. “Amanda.” The way he said my name it was like…like tiny bells ringing in my ears, chiming softly and beautifully.

  “Mister Rhodes.” I said breathlessly, suddenly it was so hard for me to breathe.

  “Here.” He handed the bouquet to me and I just stared at it.

  The flowers were a mixture of white and pink roses, white baby breaths tied with a pink ribbon. “For me?”

  Damon nodded and pushed the bouquet closer to my face. “Thank you for helping me.”

  I looked up at his face, my brows pulled together in a frown. “I have no idea what kind of flowers you like so I picked these.” A tinge of pink crept on his sculpted cheeks.

  “Thank you.” I took the flowers from him and our fingers brushed, leaving a tingling sensation on my skin. I ignored it, pretended that I did not felt it, and then blamed my imagination for giving me illusions such as tingling sensations. I turned my attention to the flowers instead. “They’re beautiful.”

  I glanced up and our eyes met again. This time there was no need for skin contact. I could feel the tingling sensation giving me goose bumps, the surge of electricity passing through my nerve endings, and the cold feeling running down my spine. My world focused only on the two of us, as if we were the only ones standing on the sidewalk. I could feel my heart thrumming loudly inside my chest, the familiar feeling when you were about to take a test and were pressured to get a high score.

  Damon Rhodes looked at me, as if he knew me all his life, as if he was talking to my soul.

  “Amanda.” Margaret tapped in my shoulder brought me back to here and now. “Your costumer is here.” She whispered and I reluctantly tore my eyes away from Damon Rhodes to glance towards the black SUV parked a few feet away from us. I recognized the car, belonging to one of my regular clients Jean Francois.

  I returned my focus back at Damon and smiled. “Thank you for the flowers. I really like them.”

  He returned my smile with one of his own, and it was genuine and beautiful.

  ~***~

  “So how was your night with Jean?” Margaret asked as she wrapped an apron around her tiny waist.

  “It was fine.” She gave me a look as if I was hiding something. “What?” I lifted a brow at her.

  She moved her face a bit closer to mine as if she was searching for something. “What’s going on with you and Damon Rhodes? Clearly, he was not there for a one-night stand because the minute you left he drove away. Like you were the only reason he was there.”

  I shook my head. “Nothing.” How I wished there was something between us.

  “Ladies get back to work, there’s a costumer.” Miss Anderson barked at us.

  I left Margaret and her delusions of Damon and me and went back to work. Really, how could she even think about that?

  Come on, Damon Rhodes and me?

  I greeted the costumer with a pen and paper ready for jotting down the order. “Good afternoon sir. Can I take your order?”

  The costumer’s face was behind the menu but by the looks of it, I assumed that he was new in the neighborhood. He had this sharp businessperson look going on with him―charcoal gray tailor made suit, light gray tie, expensive Italian shoes and gold cuff links. His body was tone but not in a body builder or rugby player kind of way, more like Ian Somerhalder’s.

  He put down the menu slowly as if he was still debating what he wanted to order. “I want a cheeseburger, fries and iced tea.” However, I was not able to hear a word he said. His words sounded like mumbled as if he was
speaking to me in another language.

  Oh. My. God. It was Damon Rhodes. What was he doing here?

  His hair was tousle as if he just rolled out from bed, his eyes shone with playfulness making the color clear blue. He looked up and stared at me, a smile lifted the corners of his lips. “Oh. Hi Amanda.”

  “Hi.” The only word I was able to form.

  “Come have a seat.” He offered.

  I was halfway sitting on the chair opposite him when my brain started to work properly again making me remember that I was an employee here, not a costumer. I straightened and stood next to the table. “Sorry, I can’t. I’m working.”

  “It’s okay.” He smiled.

  I shook my head. “I really can’t. “ I cleared my throat and regained my professional tone. “If you needed anything else you can approach any of our staff, Mr. Rhodes.”

  “Are you really sure you didn’t want to join me?”

  I nodded and walked away as soon as I could, because if he asked me again I might say yes.

  I gave the order to the other staff and attended to the other costumers. I could feel Damon’s eyes on me, following me everywhere I went, sending shivers down my spine.

  Ten minutes later, as I was refilling a glass of water for a costumer Miss Anderson approached. I did not bother to turn because I thought she was just checking on me. “Amanda. Mister Rhodes requested that you sit with him at his table.”

  “But―”

  “He knew the owner and Rick texted me to do whatever Mister Damon Rhodes asked for. And he was asking for you.” The manager face etched with confusion as she waited for me to move and oblige.

  I walked towards his table and he looked up as if he sensed that I was approaching. He smiled at me and his smile woke the butterflies in my stomach.

  “You asked for me?”

  He nodded and gestured towards the chair opposite him. “Join me.”

  I took a seat, hands on my lap and my back straight as I could manage. “What do you want?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “Nothing. Would you like anything to eat?” He handed the menu towards me and I shook my head.

  “Okay.” Disappointed, he put the menu down.

  “Look, I am working right now and you are interrupting me.”

  “I know. If it bothers you that much I’ll pay for your time while you sit here with me.” He said, obviously missing the point.

  “Mister Rhodes―”I started but he cut me off.

  “Damon.”

  “Huh?” I frowned. I knew he was Damon.

  “Call me Damon.” He smiled as he told me this.

  “Call you Damon?”

  “That’s my name.” He nodded.

  I knew it was his name. But he wanted me to address him by his given name?

  “Amanda.” Margaret transferred the food from her tray to our table. “What are you doing here?” She looked to the man sitting opposite to me and gaped. “Oh my God.” She blurted out, too loud.

  Damon turned his head and gave her a smile that caused her to faint. The recently emptied tray dropped to the floor made a clattering noise. The manager and the staff ran to her aid and I bolted out of my seat and kneeled beside her to catch her head before it hit the floor.

  “Maggie.” I said.

  After a few minutes, she opened her eyes landing directly on Damon who was still sitting in his chair, unmoved by the recent events, not caring about the rest of the world.

  “Is he really in the diner?” She murmured to me.

  “Hi. I’m Damon Rhodes.” The man in question said.

  “Damon Rhodes.” She repeated his name as if she could not believe it herself.

  “Can we get off of the floor now?”

  A co-worker carried Margaret to the back of the diner and everyone followed behind. Damon thrusted his hand in front of me and I took it. He pulled me up a little strong that I lost my balance, accidentally pressing my body to his. His firm chest pressed against my bosom and his arms wrapped around my waist to steady me. I looked up and saw that he was looking down at me with hooded eyes. My eyes were right at the level of his clean-shaven jaw and all I could think about was feeling its smoothness against my lips.

  Oh God, get a grip Amanda.

  My eyes returned to his eyes and I felt his arms tightening around me.

  Damon helped me, keeping his arms around my waist until my bottom touched the chair and then returned to his seat. He started eating his meal and he looked quite content and happy with it. I had no idea that billionaire’s ate diner food. He took a bite of his cheeseburger then tossed a fry in his mouth. He looked like a starved man who had not eaten a proper meal in months.

  “Open your mouth.”

  “Huh?” The moment my lips parted, he placed a French fry inside of it.

  “I missed eating this.” He took a bite of the burger again.

  “You eat burger and fries?” I said as I chewed.

  “Of course. I haven’t had one of these since I was in college.”

  I could not help but smile as I watched him eat.

  Three

  “I love you shoes.” Margaret said when I approached her. “One of your regulars is here.” She pointed a finger in the direction of a sedan parked on the sidewalk.

  I waved Margaret goodbye and walked towards the car. “You look handsome tonight.” I purred while leaning inside his car through the window.

  He smirked at me. “Come on in.”

  I got inside the car, and as I was strapping the safety belt someone tapped on the window, my client’s side, getting both our attentions.

  A man wearing crisp navy blue tailor made suit stood outside. He impatiently tapped again and this time my costumer rolled the windows down for him. He bent at waist level and faced us. Blue eyes stared back at me.

  “Good evening.” Damon Rhodes greeted us with his priceless smile.

  “Good evening, Mr. Damon Rhodes. Do you need anything?” My client asked.

  Damon nodded as he said, “Yeah.” He scratched his jaw before continuing. “Look, you have what I need inside your car. Do you mind if you could hand her over to me?” Damon pointed at me, indicating I was the one he needed.

  My client shook his head. “I can’t.”

  Damon looked surprised by his answer. It was obvious that he had never heard someone answered him like that before. “Why?”

  My client shrugged. “I just can’t. If you’re here to pick up girls, there are plenty of them out there on the sidewalk.”

  “But I want her.”

  My client gave Damon a smug look. “Sorry dude, first come first serve.”

  That made Damon’s brow rose as he stared at the man with burning blue eyes. Obviously, Damon was always used to getting what he wanted. “What’s your name?” He asked.

  My client threw Damon a look as if he was being crazy. “Why are you asking?”

  Damon widened his baby blues as he stared at him. “I just wanted to know. Is there something wrong about that?”

  “Jonathan Bines.” He said his name with arrogance.

  A flashed of recognition passed by Damon’s handsome features and a smile slowly tugged the corner of his lips. “Oh. Bines. I know your dad.” He smiled the kind of smile that did not reach the eyes. “Look Jonathan, I will try to forget that this thing ever happen if you would hand her over to me.”

  “Why would I do that?”

  Damon smirked. “Hand her over to me, or I’ll tear your company piece by piece until you decided to file bankruptcy.”

  Whoa.

  “So?” Damon looked somewhat scary. I bet his employees were afraid of him.

  Jonathan stared at me, obviously wounded for losing it to Damon.

  Damon opened the door for me as I stared at Jonathan. I reached for his hand and covered it with mine. “I’m sorry.”

  Damon smiled as he held the door while I eased out of the car. He closed the door, offered his hand and I took it. “Shall we? My car’s over there.” He jerked
his chin towards the other side of the road where he parked his Aston Martin.

  He guided me across the road, his hand at the small of my back as we crossed the pedestrian lane. He opened the door for me and I eased inside the car.

  I was a bit irritated for his manipulative behavior towards Jonathan Bines just to get what he wanted, but I was also overwhelmed with the attention he was showering me. No man was that overprotective of me as if he claimed that I was one of his own. My heart exploded with unexplained happiness―what the hell was that crunching noise―because I knew he was coming here to see me.

  I felt something dropped on my lap as I was having a reverie so I glanced down and a bouquet of white roses wrapped in clear plastic tied with a blue satin ribbon sat on it.

  “What’s this?”

  He started the engine and it roared into life. “Flowers.”

  I rolled my eyes. I could not help it. “I know.”

  “It’s for you.”

  “Why?”

  “Do I need to have a reason to buy you flowers?” I stared at him, just stared at him as he continued. “I don’t know. I passed them by on my way here and I felt the urge to buy them for you.”

  I did not know what was going on with me. My heart squeezed inside my chest with giddiness, my eyes were seeing Damon in a different light and my brain was trying to memorize his face. No man had ever thought of buying flowers for me plainly on urge to do so, except for Damon Rhodes.

  I had sex with a lot of guys, guys I didn’t remember names at all and who didn’t cared to asked who I was. Guys I shared the same passion in bed, loved the way I moved in synchronized with their bodies. But, no guy had ever thought of giving me flowers for no reason at all. Yeah, I knew I sounded like some silly romantic female lead, but his little gesture with the flower really did tug a part of my heart.

  I could not explain what I was feeling right now. There was this new surge of emotion bursting like a firecracker inside my chest. I was not sure what it was, but as I looked at Damon, I knew something has changed.

  “Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like them.” He was staring ahead on the road, but still he managed to give me a smile. The way he smiled, that sweet simple curve of his lips, it made me think that he was a potential for more kind of man. He made my heart squeeze tighter more than I thought it could.