Catch Your Breath

by Shannyn Schroeder

  She slapped her hand on top of his to prevent movement. “You hired me to be your date for the evening. A nice dinner out with a woman on your arm. That’s all.”

  His head jerked back and incredulity filled his face. Then he let out a hearty laugh. “I like a girl with a sense of humor, but I’m not in the mood to play games.”

  Her heart pounded and her stomach twisted. “I’m not playing games. I’m an escort, not a hooker.”

  He stared at her like he was waiting for a punch line. All she heard was Jimmy’s words of warning.

  Terry reached out and roughly palmed her breast. “You’re a hooker with a fancy title. That means if I pay, you fuck me.”

  Air trapped in her lungs and panic gripped her. She shoved at him, but he wouldn’t budge. “I am not fucking you. Get off me.”

  His body pressed closer, and tears pricked the backs of her eyes. No way was this happening. She sucked in a gulp of air and slammed both hands against his chest, dislodging his position. “Stop the car!”

  The driver looked in the mirror, but didn’t answer. Terry leaned closer, just as Moira jumped forward to make the driver understand that he needed to pull over.

  Moira’s elbow connected with Terry’s face, and he yelled, grabbing his nose. “Bitch.”

  “That was an accident. Stop the car.”

  He shot a look at the driver and snapped, “Pull over.”

  The car came to an abrupt stop, and Moira didn’t wait for the invitation to leave. She stood on the curb as the car drove off. Her breath hitched as she tried to inhale. Her entire body felt wobbly. Another car pulled to the curb and she took an automatic step back. The window rolled down.

  “Hey, I work with Gabby and Jimmy. Are you okay?”

  She nodded, not trusting her voice.

  “You don’t look good. Can I give you a ride?”

  She shook her head.

  He waited a moment and then threw the car into park and got out. He stood in front of her, assessing her. What was one more guy staring at her? A lump the size of Texas lodged in her throat. She couldn’t even tell this guy to leave her.

  He opened the passenger door. “If I leave you on the street looking like this, Jimmy’ll have my ass. Get in.”

  She jerked at the command, but didn’t move her feet.

  “I’m going to take you home.”

  She took a step back. After she swallowed hard, she thought maybe she could speak, so she forced out, “I’ll take a cab.”

  He had his phone in his hand and spoke to someone. She couldn’t hear what he said, but then he thrust the phone at her. “Gabby wants to talk to you.”

  She held the phone to her ear.

  “Moira, what happened?”

  “I can’t talk.”

  “What. Happened.”

  “My date decided all he paid for was to fuck and that’s what he planned to do.” Tears clogged her throat.

  “Shit. Are you okay?”

  Moira nodded and then realized Gabby couldn’t see her. “Yeah.”

  “Listen. The guy standing awkwardly next to you is my friend. His name is Joe and he’s going to give you a ride home.”

  Moira didn’t say anything else. She handed Joe his phone and sat in the car. Neither of them spoke on the way to her apartment.

  When she got home and locked the door, the full force of what had happened screamed through her. Her hands still shook and tears streamed down her face. She sank onto her couch and waited for the worst of it to pass.

  Her phone buzzed in her purse as it had multiple times since leaving her date. She was afraid to see who was calling.

  Billie would probably be pissed because the date had been ruined, but Billie had told her she never had to do anything she wasn’t comfortable with.

  Gabby would want to check on her again, but Moira was barely functional. She didn’t want to fall apart even worse under Gabby’s questioning.

  If it was Jimmy . . . she couldn’t talk to him. She wouldn’t be able to handle his I told you so attitude. So he was right. Big freaking surprise.

  And if it was anyone from her family, she couldn’t let them know.

  So she ignored the phone and went to take a shower. She wanted to wash away every remnant and memory of this whole stupid thing. This would go down as by far one of the worst nights of her life.

  Jimmy called and left a message for Moira to make a date. He didn’t know why she wasn’t answering. Gabby and Barkley were being closedmouthed about Moira’s date. All they would say was that she was back at home safely. But something was up. He studied the file Barkley had given him while waiting for Moira to call back.

  After an hour, he called again. Then he sent a text telling her not to go to her mom’s house for Sunday dinner. He wasn’t sure how often they did it, but she was in his neighborhood often enough for him to notice.

  When another hour passed and Moira hadn’t called, he called Gabby.

  “I know you’re bored, Jimmy, but there’s nothing for you to do.”

  “What’s going on with Moira? She’s not answering her phone or calling me back.”

  “She’s not supposed to have contact with you.”

  “As my date for tomorrow night, she is. Besides that, Moira answers. Always.” He flipped on the TV and watched news headlines scroll past.

  “I’ll call her and check. Maybe she’s following the rules.”

  That made him laugh. “Moira never follows the rules. What happened with the date?”

  Gabby got quiet. His gut twisted. He knew it. Something had happened. “Tell me.”

  “I didn’t get the whole story, but the guy got handsy in the car and she got out. She never made it to dinner.”

  Visions of some asshole pawing at Moira filled his head and rage coursed through him. “Who is he?”

  “We don’t know. She only got a first name. The car was a hired service.”

  “Fuck that. The escort service knows.”

  “Jimmy, I know how to do my job. This idiot isn’t part of the plan. Moira’s okay. Joe Barkley was following the whole time.”

  But Barkley hadn’t been in the car. What if it had been more than some groping? His head swam with the possibilities. He hung up on Gabby and texted Moira. Call me if you want to talk. It doesn’t matter if Gabby said not to.

  He waited, but his phone didn’t ring. Long minutes dragged by and finally, Moira texted Okay.

  The single word sent another wave of panic through him. He needed to see her, to know she was all right, but Kittner would never let him get near her right now. Not when it looked like they were going to be able to close this case tomorrow.

  He paced the room again and then called Liam.

  “What do you want, Jimmy?”

  How could Liam still be pissed? “Moira’s in trouble.”

  “What?”

  “I can’t give you any details, and I can’t check on her because I’m stuck at work. Go to her apartment and check on her.”

  “How do you know something’s wrong?”

  “She hasn’t returned my calls or my texts all day, until a few minutes ago, when she answered with one word.”

  “And?

  “Do you even know your sister? Moira never uses one word when she can use fifty. I can scroll through pages of texts from her and never does she use only one word.” His heart thumped against his ribs. How could Liam not trust him? “Please, Liam. I don’t want her alone right now.”

  “What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I can’t say.”

  “You’re an asshole.”

  “Tell me something I don’t know. Are you going?”

  “Of course I am. She’s my sister.”

  Moira stared at the TV, not absorbing anything she watched. A knock sounded at her front door and she jolted. Her first thought was Jimmy. Then she heard, “Moira, open up.”

  Liam? What was he doing here? She hesitated, not sure if she wanted to see him.

  “I know you’re home
. Jimmy told me to come here.”

  She went to the door and checked the peephole, which made her feel stupid since she knew it was Liam. Another wave of disappointment swept through her at seeing her brother. Until that moment, she hadn’t known how desperately she wanted to see Jimmy. She opened the door, but said nothing. He walked in and she locked the door behind him.

  Liam’s eyes narrowed as he looked her up and down. “What happened?”

  His voice was soft, so different from the last time they spoke. She wanted to be brave and shrug off her night.

  “It’s a long story.” Her voice wavered, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to tell it without crying again.

  “Then I guess I’ll put on the tea.” As he rumbled around her tiny kitchen, he asked, “Is this something I’m going to have to kick Jimmy’s ass over?”

  “No. He didn’t do anything.” She leaned against the wall adjacent to the kitchen and tried to figure out what she could tell Liam. She wasn’t supposed to talk about Jimmy’s case, but what to include?

  “Start at the beginning.”

  So she did. Liam, as usual, didn’t interrupt, other than to give her a cup of tea when it was ready and lead her to the couch. He listened and she was grateful. By the end of the story, tears trickled down her face at the memory of Terry groping her and pushing for more. She swiped at the tears. Her hands shook and tea slopped over the brim.

  Liam took the cup from her. “What the hell are you doing?”

  “About what?”

  “Why would you put yourself in a position like that?”

  “It wasn’t intentional. Things snowballed so quickly. I had the idea for the story, and working as an escort would give me a push others don’t have. It’s fascinating, but I didn’t realize, at least not fully, how dangerous and soul cutting it is.”

  “So you’re done then.”

  She shook her head. “No. Tonight taught me that I need to write this story. You wouldn’t get it. These girls, who you and every other man see as a pricey piece of meat, are people. Some are working their way through college. Just because they’re paid for a date doesn’t make them property for a man to treat like trash.”

  Liam edged forward on the couch. “Not that I don’t agree with you, but you’re not keeping this job as an escort.”

  She bristled for a moment because she hated being told what to do, especially by one of her brothers, but then she realized she’d already decided she wouldn’t be going on any more dates. “I want to tell their stories and the stories of the men who hire them. They’re not all bad. My first date was with an elderly gentleman who wanted company over dinner. But there’s no way to know what you’re getting into. And the thing that’s really digging into me right now is that Jimmy is pursuing these thieves, but no one bats an eye at the men who hired escorts to sleep with them.”

  After finishing, she felt better, more like herself, and her restlessness manifested itself in the need to write.

  Liam’s face scrunched up. “You’re not seriously saying that a man who hires a hooker is the same as a thief.”

  “No, but do you think Jimmy would hesitate to throw one of the escorts in jail if he caught her? Of course not, but everyone looks the other way when it comes to the man. Like somehow he’s better than she is.”

  “I can see you’re feeling better and I’m not about to get into this conversation.” He stood and gathered the teacups.

  She followed him to the kitchen. “Thanks for coming by.”

  “That’s what brothers are for.”

  “Hmm . . . and I thought your sole job was to boss me around.”

  “Nah. That’s just a perk.” He tucked his hands into his pockets. “About Jimmy.”

  “I don’t know what we’re doing or where things are going. They’re not in a good place right now because my story got all enmeshed in his case.” She wouldn’t tell him how much she wished it had been Jimmy at her door or how much she missed talking to him over the last couple of days.

  Liam looked defeated. “See you at dinner tomorrow?”

  “I can’t. Jimmy told me not to go.”

  “So you listen to Jimmy but not your brother.”

  “It’s not like that. I don’t want anyone to know my real last name or where my family lives. My part in Jimmy’s case should be over tomorrow night. Maybe we can do lunch next week. Okay?”

  He pulled her into a sudden hug. “Be careful.”

  Although she’d been careful, it was Jimmy watching out for her that made her feel safe. “I will.”

  Liam left and she got to work writing the article that could change her career.

  Moira spent the night in a caffeine-induced writing session. The words took all her focus, making it easier to push Jimmy from her mind. She’d barely managed a brief nap before waking from a nightmare with Terry as the star. She made another pot of coffee and then got ready for her date with James Buchanan.

  Since James had taken her Friday night while she wore the wig, Moira figured she’d better pretend all over. She didn’t bother with the bronzer since the only man she had to be with was Jimmy and he knew what she really looked like. The wig gave her enough of a disguise.

  When she parked her car and rounded the corner in front of Billie’s office, Gail was already waiting.

  Gail handed her an envelope, and as much as Moira itched to open it, she held it for a moment. “What’s this for?”

  “That’s the first half of your payment. All you have to do is convince Mr. Buchanan to spend the night with you in a hotel. All night, no matter what it takes.”

  “I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”

  A huge man walked up behind Gail. Unease skittered through Moira. The man said nothing and didn’t move.

  Gail smiled and said, “Don’t disappoint us.”

  Then they walked to a car waiting at the curb. The man held the door open for Gail and then he got behind the wheel.

  When they pulled away, Moira put the envelope into her purse and stood in front of the building nervously, like all the world was staring at her. Even her insides were fraught with tension, everything stiff and not working quite right.

  Then another car pulled up, and Jimmy opened the back door and held it open for her. The sight of him alone released something in her and she wanted nothing more than to jump into his arms, but she knew she couldn’t. And even if she didn’t know it, his body language would’ve sent the message. She joined him at the car, and his lips barely swept past her cheek with a kiss.

  She slid into the car.

  After closing the door, Jimmy pointed to the driver and said, “Moira, this is Joe Barkley.”

  Moira nodded. “We’ve met.” To Joe, she said, “Nice to see you again. And thanks for the ride yesterday. I wasn’t quite myself, but I do appreciate it.”

  The air in the car shifted. Anger rolled off Jimmy and she wondered how much he knew. She assumed he knew everything since he told her to call him to talk, which was a weird offer to begin with given how often he told her to shut up, but if he’d known, why was he angry now?

  She sat close enough to feel the heat of his body on her thigh, and she longed to curl up against his chest. She wasn’t sure why she couldn’t, or shouldn’t, but she knew it would be unwelcome. Jimmy wasn’t just his usual quiet self; he’d become a statue.

  They rode in the car for a while and she had no idea what the plan was. Then she remembered the envelope in her purse. She pulled it out and dropped it on Jimmy’s lap. “Here. Gail paid me half up front. I’m supposed to get you to spend the night with me at a hotel. The entire night and I’m to do whatever is necessary to make that happen.”

  Jimmy picked up the envelope and tapped Joe’s shoulder. Joe took it and left it on the seat beside him.

  “I don’t suppose I get to keep that, do I?”

  Jimmy slid her a look that effectively told her to shut up.

  When they pulled up to an expensive downtown hotel, Jimmy said, “We have reserv
ations at the restaurant and then we’ll go upstairs. You ready?”

  “Sure.” This was so much easier than her previous escort jobs.

  An hour later she was kicking herself. Jimmy was making this date impossible. She talked her way through dinner like she would any other time, but no matter what she said or did, he wouldn’t engage. There were brief flickers of something in his eyes, a heated gaze that sent warmth through her, but then he’d mask it.

  If Gail was watching, she would assume Moira would fail at her mission. Jimmy didn’t look like a man who wanted to get laid. The waiter stopped at the table to remove their empty plates and asked if they wanted coffee.

  “I’d love some.”

  “No, thank you. We’re good.”

  When the waiter left, she kicked his shin under the table. “I wanted a coffee.”

  “By the way you’re talking, I know you’ve already had a few pots too many. Judging by the look on your face, you also didn’t sleep. And it wasn’t because you were having fun.”

  So he noticed she hadn’t slept. Jimmy noticed everything. “Well, if you’re so smart, why don’t you realize that you aren’t acting like a man on a date?”

  “What are you talking about? I picked you up. We’ve shared a nice meal and a bottle of wine. Sounds like a date.”

  She rolled her eyes and then slid her foot up his calf. “You might want to make it look like you’re interested in taking me upstairs. Anyone watching us right now would think you’re my brother for all the physical attention you’ve directed at me.”

  She was pushing it, and the little tic in his jaw was the only evidence. Another flash of heat in his eyes. Without breaking eye contact, he waved the waiter over for the bill and signed it to their room. He stood and held out his hand.

  His fingers closed tightly over hers, and when she stood, he moved their joined hands behind her back and brought her body to his. He lowered his mouth and claimed her with a kiss.

  And God, did she melt. This was what she’d needed last night. This touch, this belonging, to make her feel right and normal. He was better than brownie à la mode. Besides giving her comfort and safety, he turned her on with a simple swipe of his tongue.