Dirty Talk

by S. L. Scott

  “I agree. Lawsuits suck the life out of you. I’ve gone through a few. They steal a piece of your happiness away if you let them. Don’t let them, Reese. Stay strong.”

  Sipping my drink, I look around. Holli’s done an amazing job of keeping her happiness. It’s seen all around and just by looking at her. “Can I ask you something personal?”

  “Sure.”

  “How do you handle the fans and groupies, the women throwing themselves at him, the videos? How do you not get jealous, or do you?”

  Laughing to herself, she replies, “I love him and that’s part of his life. So I had to make the decision between getting my happily ever after with the man I love or walking away and making do for the rest of my life. I chose love. What will you choose?”

  I don’t have to think on this and it’s not a trick question. “Love. I choose love.”

  “Then you’ll learn to handle it, after a few more freak-outs. Then everything will calm down.”

  She’s being so open so I raise another topic. “Do you mind if I ask you about your business?”

  She doesn’t get defensive and no walls go up. She smiles and says, “Absolutely. What do you want to know?”

  With most women, they’d hold their cards tightly to their chest, afraid of any competition. Not her. She’s open and honest. I see why Danny likes her so much. I’m starting to like her just as much. Wonder if she’ll be my new best friend? Maybe too soon to bring that up. I inwardly laugh, and then ask, “How did you know you wanted to start a business, that it was the right time?”

  “I woke up one day and couldn’t shake the idea. I knew I had to pursue it or I’d regret it. Danny tells me you’re incredibly creative and quite the advertising guru.”

  My cheeks heat from hearing Danny’s compliment from another person. I look toward the house and see Danny talking to a man close to his size, brown hair, tattoos sneaking out from under his short-sleeved T-shirt. They both have their arms crossed and look everywhere but at each other as they speak. It’s quite amusing to watch.

  “I’m not a guru, but I’ve spearheaded some great projects. My friend is a fashion designer and he offered me a job since I quit the last agency. I could work for him direct. The pay is amazing, but I’m thinking I might want to start my own agency. Something small at first. Basically me, but grow it from there. My personal reputation may be shot after the photos of Danny and me were sold, but I can defend my career.”

  “The photos will blow over, the lawsuit will go away, and everyone will forget about it. But what you do with your ads, that’s your portfolio and your work will speak for itself.”

  “I haven’t told Danny yet.”

  “Why not?”

  We stop swinging, and I look back at him again, while the tips of my shoes drag through the grass. “I didn’t want to make a rash decision. I wanted this lawsuit behind us before committing to anything. But I know in my heart I can’t move back to New York without him and seeing him in LA, this is where he always belonged. He’s happy here. His friends are here. This is where he’s built his life.”

  She follows my gaze and smiles. “His life is with you. You do what you need to do. If you need to go to New York, he’ll support your decision. He’s just that kind of guy.” When she stands up, she says, “But I think in your heart, you already know what you want to do. And Reese, there’s nothing worse than living a life of regret.”

  Years of regret cross my mind. “I know a lot about that.”

  “Then you have your answer. You’re ready to start your own business. If I can help in any way, just let me know.”

  I stand up and take a sip of my drink. Danny nods his head, signaling me to come back to him. Sadly, I’ve missed him already too. “Should we join them?”

  Holli and I head over. Danny wraps his arm around my back. “Reese, this is Dex. He’s the drummer in the band. Dex, this is my girlfriend, Reese.”

  Hearing him call me his girlfriend fills my soul, seeps into my veins giving me strength. I shake hands with Dex, trying not to make a big deal about my new moniker, but my heart still leaps. I finally reply, “It’s nice to meet you.”

  When I return to Danny’s side, Dex says, “I’m working on some songs I want to get back to. I’m going to find Rochelle, then head out.” He leans over and kisses Holli on the cheek. “Catch ya laters, Hols.”

  “Thanks for coming and drive safe.” Holli pokes Danny. “Impressive. You got him to say more than five words. For someone who likes to be surrounded by people, he tends to be more introverted at parties.”

  Danny shrugs. “We were shooting the breeze. Not talking about much. His music.”

  She smiles. “He likes talking about his music. He’s changed a lot over the years. A good change. Or maybe it’s just you, Danny. You put everyone at ease.”

  Leaning my head on Danny, I say, “Back in college, everyone loved him. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t get along with Danny.”

  The living room behind us falls noticeably quiet and we turn from the sudden change. The rock star himself walks through the party, full of charisma, his presence overtaking all others, except for one—Holli’s. She stands confidently next to us, comfortable in her own skin, and asks, “Have you met Johnny Outlaw?”

  I hear Danny exhale loudly through is nose and laugh. Okay, so there’s history here and the timing couldn’t have been planned better. Besides actually starting to sweat from seeing the famous rock star, now I’m nervous I might upset Danny if I get too excited. Plus I don’t want to look like a crazy groupie in front of Holli. But look at him. Oh my God. It’s Johnny freaking Outlaw. The Resistance is one of my favorite bands. I stalk with my eyes as he comes around Holli and whispers something in her ear that makes her laugh. She kisses him before turning back to us. “This is Danny’s girlfriend, Reese. Reese, Johnny.”

  He reaches for my hand and I try to stop it from shaking so I don’t die from embarrassment. His smile is so kind it’s easy to feel comfortable around him. When our hands meet, he leans in, and kisses me on the cheek. “So you’re with him, huh?”

  I laugh, a little too giddy. “I am.”

  Danny mutters, “Jesus Christ,” making Holli laugh.

  She takes Johnny by the arm, and through laughter says, “Is the pissing contest over because I’m sure Reese doesn’t appreciate being the prize. Why can’t you boys get along?”

  Johnny speaks first as he grins at Danny, “We can. Right, old friend? How about I buy you a beer?”

  “You’ve already bought me a bourbon,” Danny replies, holding up his glass. “But I’ll happily take another.”

  We move to go inside. Johnny pats Danny’s back, and says, “The past is in the past. It’s time we all moved on.”

  Truer words were never spoken.

  CHAPTER 36

  ~Reese~

  ON THE DRIVE home… home. Danny. My home. I just spout it out. “I’m turning Vinnie down.”

  “You are?” Danny asks, surprised.

  “It never felt right because of our friendship, and though I love working with him, I want to do a variety of things and different campaigns.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I am,” I say with confidence. “Absolutely positive.”

  “What do you want to do?”

  “I’m going to start my own agency.”

  “Really? Where?” The concern is heard clearly in the last question.

  “What do you think about me staying a little longer, maybe permanently?”

  That smile I love so much crosses his lips. “I think that would be amazing.” He glances from the road to me. “What do you think about staying with me a little longer, maybe permanently?”

  Reaching over, I run my fingertips through the back of his hair. “I was hoping you’d ask, but I didn’t want you to feel pressured.”

  “Pressured? I’ve wanted you here since that first day at the Illustrious meeting. So hell yeah, I want you to stay.” His hand is on my thigh and he leans c
loser. I meet him over the gearshift and we kiss. “And I like the idea of your own agency. We can turn the other room into your office if you want.”

  “You’d do that for me?”

  He takes my hand and kisses it. “Don’t you know by now, Reese? I would do anything for you.”

  “And I would do anything for you.”

  * * *

  WE WALK INTO the meeting with Mark and Danny’s lawyer. We’ve been told not to say a word. They didn’t want me to come, but Danny said if he was basically pleading guilty and paying the bastard, then he was going to “rub it in his fucking face.”

  I have my own reasons for wanting to be here today.

  When we enter the conference room, my eyes meet Keaton’s. I’m tempted to turn away from his glower. I can feel his hate burning through me, but I do what Danny always tells me to do. I raise my chin.

  We sit down, and while our lawyer goes over the settlement agreement, Keaton continues to stare at me. His limited range of emotions seems to have run out and he’s stuck on confusion.

  When I glance to my left, Danny is not amused. He takes my hand under the table, and with our fingers woven together, sets them right on the top for everyone to see.

  Keaton’s eyes dart to Danny, and I hear, just above the silence, “Fuck you.”

  I squeeze Danny’s hand to calm him, but I’m also struggling to stay calm under these circumstances. As soon as our lawyer finishes reading the agreement, Keaton’s lawyer sets an addendum down on the table and pushes it across the shiny wood surface so we all can see. There’s a lot of fine print, but what stands out is the following line:

  By agreeing to this settlement, Daniel Weston, waves his right to see Ms. Reese Carmichael in any professional or social capacity. By doing so, the monies settled will be reduced by $1,000,000.

  I’m on my feet, my palms slamming down on the table. “You can’t do that!”

  Danny’s lawyer calls to me. “Ms. Carmichael, I’ll handle this. Please sit down.” He clears his throat and pushes the addendum back. “This was not a part of the original agreement and we won’t accept the addition during this final meeting.”

  As Keaton’s lawyer checks a text message that vibrated his phone, Keaton sits back, smug in his chair, his fingers forming a temple in front of him.

  I say, “You won’t win, Keaton.”

  “I already have, sweetheart. Either way, I win. That’s what you get for fucking the help.”

  My feet barely touch the ground as I fly forward to slap him. Danny catches me and pulls me back. “Now you’ve gone and pissed her off. Good luck, asshole,” he warns, with his own wry smirk in place.

  He makes me want to spit when he says, “I can handle her.”

  Through my blinding rage, I manage to reach down and find the reason I’m here. I slap a check down on the table and push it toward his lawyer. Keaton and his lawyer both lean forward to get a closer look. I say, “You’ll never separate us. You can’t keep us apart. It’s a lot of money, but I’d pay it again to be with him.”

  A check for seven million dollars is between Keaton and us. Danny turns to me, and whispers, “Where did you get that money?”

  “I sold my apartment. There was a bidding war, a quick sale, and a cash offer. The deal was too good to pass up, and I cashed out my investments and 401k, so don’t worry, the check is good.”

  Danny stares at me, then says, “I’m not worried if you’re good for the money. You didn’t have to do all that. Keep your money. I don’t want you to pay, Reese. I want to pay and I’m prepared to.”

  “I’m prepared to pay, too.” The whole transaction of selling my sought after apartment in a trendy part of Manhattan took less than two weeks. With money in hand, I’m willing to give it all up for this second chance.

  Keaton interrupts, “What the fuck, Reese? Are you seriously fighting over who’s going to pay me the money he owes me for breaching the contract?”

  I hate the sound of his voice. Turning toward Danny, I kiss him. Because we’ve paid our dues for the crime we committed and I don’t want to spend another second dealing with this.

  With my back to Keaton’s side of the table, the other lawyer clears his throat this time. When I look back, Keaton is standing in front of the windows with his back to us. His lawyer pushes the check back to me. “We won’t be collecting it. Mr. Klein has decided to drop the charge and forget this happened.”

  “And why is that?” Danny’s lawyer asks.

  Keaton turns, a mixture of anger and resolve fills his stance. “Mr. Vittori has agreed to an eleven-million-dollar, one-year deal if we stop the proceedings.”

  Oh Vinnie. Looking over at Keaton. He feels the victor. He thinks he has won. But this proves what I knew all along. I never mattered to him. All of his claims of love were just deceptions dressed in expensive suits. This was never about love. It was about ownership. His. Good riddance, Keaton Klein. Asshole.

  I smile. Vinnie may be stuck working with Klein for another year, but you can’t beat the sentiment. Looking to Danny, I say, “We’re done here. We get to be together and keep the money. Look who wins after all?”

  He takes me in his arms and kisses me hard. “Oh baby, we were the winners all along.” He stands. “Let’s get out of here.”

  We follow our lawyer out, but Keaton’s lawyer calls me, “Ms. Carmichael, against my advice, Mr. Klein has requested to speak with you.”

  “I have no interest in speaking with Mr. Klein.”

  Keaton appears in the doorway. “Please, Reese. Just a minute of your time.”

  Danny’s hold on my hand tightens, but there are a few things I’d like to say to Keaton as well. I whisper into Danny’s ear, “I’ll be all right. This will be quick.”

  Begrudgingly he nods and walks a few feet away. I walk to the corner, but not back inside the room like I think he wants. When he feels he has sufficient privacy, he asks, “How could you sell? You love that apartment.”

  “I love him more.”

  “Give me a break. He’s a model. How could that model possibly be a better catch than me? I mean… really,” he scoffs.

  “This is the last time you’ll ever disrespect me or my boyfriend.”

  “What can he give you that I can’t?”

  Now there’s a loaded question if I ever heard one. I love a great setup.

  “Happiness. Love. Real love. I’m not a puppet he wants to control. His pride doesn’t keep him from showing real emotion. He doesn’t treat me as an equal. He treats me better. And the sex? Best. Sex. Ever. So you see? He’s nothing like you.” I turn on my Louboutin-clad feet. With my hand on my hip, I kick up a stiletto, so he can see the signature-red sole. “Guess what? I bought my own. I think I’ll wear these tonight while fucking that model.”

  ~Danny~

  THOSE SEXY FUCKING shoes.

  The little devils—tempting me to the dark side of the bedroom where our bed lies waiting for a good romp. But Reese is on the phone with Vinnie thanking him for the bailout. She puts him on speakerphone after he insists. “If I couldn’t help you with the money, I had to help however I could. Love should always trump hate. Anyway, Reeses, my little peanut buttercup, you’re going to need that money for your agency.”

  “What happened to Candy Girl?” she asks, laughing, the weight of the world lifted from her shoulders.

  “I’m in a chocolate and peanut butter phase.”

  “Ah. I see.”

  I shout from across the room. “Thank you, Designer Vittori.”

  “You’re most welcome, Model Danny.”

  Sinking farther down into the mattress, adrenaline letting go, I get all my sins off my chest. “And by the way, I kept the pants from New York. They fit in all the right places.”

  “Keep them. I’ll never find another model to fill them out anyway.”

  “I found it impressive that you never measured the inseam and they fit perfectly.”

  “I’ve got a good eye for those kind of things. Call it a ta
lent.”

  Reese starts laughing so hard that she begins to cough. I shake my head. “We’ll let this conversation lie where we leave, which is right here. Thanks again.”

  She finally hangs up the phone after a fit of giggles and goodbyes. Her dress came off an hour ago and she’s been walking around in the smallest of panties and bra that covers too much of her amazing chest. And those heels. Damn I like those heels on her.

  I’m about to call my woman over when my phone rings. I answer it because I know the wedding was tonight. “Hey, Luke, how’s the wedding?”

  “Terrible.”

  “Are you still there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Leave if it’s so bad. No one’s forcing you to stay if it’s torture.”

  “No, it’s not torture. It’s terrible because I don’t know what to do.”

  I scratch my head, perplexed. “What’s going on?”

  “Jane danced with me, but she returned to him.”

  “Him, her boyfriend?” I ask.

  “Yes.”

  “Is she coming back?”

  “I don’t think so. I told her I still loved her. She said thank you and that she had to go back to her date.”

  “Dude, get out of there. Cut your losses and leave.”

  “You’re right. I need to leave.” The reception music is loud in the background, but starts to sound distant, until it’s quiet. “Can I come over?”

  Reese is bending over while reaching for something in her bag and all I see are two miles of legs, a great ass, and those shoes. I sit up when her legs part oh so slightly, zeroing in on where I want to be most.

  “Danny? I’m almost there. It’s cool to stop by, right?”

  Luke’s voice is killing my hard-on. My silent plea is No! My verbal response is, “Sure.”

  “I’ll be there in ten.”

  I sigh when I hang up, torn between being a good friend and struggling that I can’t be alone with my woman. She asks, “What’s wrong?”

  “You dressed like that.”

  Reaching for the strap on her shoulder, she playfully lifts it teasing me. “If this is a problem, I can take this off.”