“A woman who wants to pay her own way in this town? Who’d have thought? How novel.” She tosses the sarcasm around like a clown juggles balls.
“Roxie!” I growl. I might be letting her have her say, doesn’t mean I have to concede every point and take it all lying down. Apparently, I am the boss, and I do sign the checks, although we both know better.
In true scrapper Roxie style, she doesn’t even pause. Instead, she puts the tip of her index finger to her lips. The color of her nails and lipstick are perfectly matched—blood red. Her eyes focus skyward in an exaggerated thinking gesture. “Oh, that’s right, she’s not from around here. She lives seven thousand miles that way.” Her hand points towards the east not the west, but I don’t have the heart to point out the minor geographical booboo to her. Her meaning is plain and simple. The minor issue of whether Australia is on the opposite side of the Atlantic or the Pacific is here nor there for this discussion.
“That must be the reason, because fuck knows, I do not know any other woman from these parts to feel like that about things here. I also haven’t known a woman to turn down thousands of dollars, particularly the rich ones. But none of this matters. You’re different, Rome. Something happened in those two weeks you were gone.”
Her eyes soften and change to something warm. “You found something more than all this.” She whips her hand around the office. “More than me—I missed my chance, Rome. Don’t make the same mistake. This life should have an expiration date, and I think you’ve reached yours. You can’t play the game forever.”
I went to speak, but she holds her hand up to silence me.
“I taught you the rules of the game, Rome, and you’ve diligently abided by them—it’s why you’ve been so successful. But the game is a fickle mistress, and to survive, you can only be true to her. Now you’ve gone and given your heart to another. There’s no going back. You’ve broken the rules, and that means you’re out of the game.”
She’s talking cryptic crazy shit.
“What the devil are you rambling about, Rox?”
Her eyes are solemn and full of pain, when they meet mine.
“I understand the rules, Rome. I was where you are right now. I thought I could keep playing the game when my heart belonged to someone else. I was so wrong. Eventually, it catches up with us all. You’re either in or out, and you’re out. I’ve got the regrets to know I made a mistake by trying to juggle both. I should have jumped and taken the chance I had. Regardless how it may seem, there is another life outside of this.”
Roxie is never one to normally look back, only forward. To see her like this strikes something deep in me. The winsome look in her eyes is unmistakable, as she disappears to a time in her head that obviously meant something very special to her.
Hope flares in my chest before reality rears its ugly head once more.
“She thinks what we had wasn’t real.”
Roxie nods. “Understandable, it’s also smart. She didn’t get dazzled by the whole experience—by you. She has her feet firmly on the ground. I like her already. You need to convince her otherwise, Rome.”
Suddenly, I feel defensive. “I tried to tell her…besides, you don’t even know her.”
“Phftt. I don’t need to know her. I know you. Your specialty is women. After ten years, I seriously doubt there’s a woman you can’t handle. If this Carlene managed to get to you, under your skin, then she must be different. The real deal for you.”
Must be different. Her words clang around in my head. Taunting me, penetrating the façade I’ve worked so hard to keep in place for the last ten years.
“She stopped a tractor and revived a man with CPR…” God, she was amazing then. Her strength, her smarts, her cool head.
“What are you talking about?”
I look up from my daze and realize Roxie doesn’t have a clue what I’m talking about. I quickly fill her in about our detour into Center Valley.
“Wow…that’s fucking impressive. Girl has a cool head in a crisis.”
“She does but she’s so much more.”
Roxie gives me an exasperated look. “No shit! She wouldn’t have you so wrapped up if she was run of the mill.”
I ignore her sarcastic teasing. “She kept saying to leave it in the moment, and I…”
“You looked after the wishes of the client rather than your needs as a man.” It is as if Roxie is reading my mind. “I made that mistake. He kept telling me he wanted more. I was tempted, but I was scared.”
I let out a sigh. “That, I can understand.”
Roxie taps a paperclip on the desk lightly. “You’re not that broken guy I met in a busted ass diner ten years ago. You’re successful. You’ve got a solid business. You can afford to do something for you. Something which makes you happy. Because, let me tell you, hot shot, in a few years’ time, if you keep trying to play the game, you’ll be even more jaded and wondering what could have been. If it doesn’t work out with her, no reason you can’t come back as long as your heart’s back in the game.”
She’s right. I have been getting very jaded with the life. Therein lies the reason I was out of the game for the six months prior to Carlene.
I stare out the window for a bit, wondering if I can really do it. Could I go to her? Then what? I doubt she’ll come back here.
“Stop thinking, Rome. There’s nothing to think about until you know if there’s something with her or not,” she insists.
“But, the business…”
“Will be fine. I’ll be here.” She shrugs, like it’s no big deal keeping this place running. “It’s not like I’ve got anything better to do. Anton can keep helping me out. His knee is still shit. We’ve got plenty of clients and plenty of talent. I’ll just keep banking the coin, and you can enjoy life.”
I burst out laughing. “When you put it like that, it’s sounds like I’m completely superfluous to this whole gig.”
She gives me a saucy wink. “You said it, not me. I don’t mind making the decisions. At least things get done my way. The right way.”
I keep laughing. Truth is, Roxie was a Godsend when I met her but particularly since I decided to expand the business a couple of years into things, and we both know it. She’d been ready to have a change of pace, or rather, she’d been keen to give up turning tricks. Now, she just vets the guys here for pure fun.
“Okay, I get it. I’m not needed.”
Rox just smiles. “Rome, honey, I’ll always need you in my life. I just don’t need you here to do this. I want you to be happy, and I have a feeling she makes you happy. Give it a go.”
I rise from the chair and grab my phone. I head for the door and give her shoulder a squeeze on the way past.
“Good talk, Rox.”
“Always, handsome. Get the girl.”
“If only it was that simple!”
“Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy for the ultimate Perfect Gentleman—Rome.”
I’m glad she has such confidence in me. I’m not at all sure I can pull this off, but I’m going to give it a go.
Carlene
“Hello,” I absently answer, a little annoyed someone is breaking my concentration. I feel like I’m about to uncover a rare gem in my research. I’m waiting for that ahh haa moment. The one where the lightbulb flashes and you just know you have the answer.
“Oz?”
I nearly drop the phone in shock. I’d know his smooth, deep voice anywhere. Every single nerve I have jumps to immediate attention, as if waiting to be petted.
“Rome?”
“Yeah, baby, it’s me. How’s things?” I can hear the little hint of appreciation at my obvious shock of him calling.
“I didn’t expect to hear from you.” My mouth is blabbing, and my mind hasn’t even made a conscious thought.
“I figured. I waited and waited, hoping you’d call. Then nothing. Your text prompted me. I hope you don’t mind me calling…” He trails off, but I know he wants to say more, so I wait, all the while attempting to get
over my shock of hearing his voice again. “I couldn’t wait anymore, Carlene. I need to talk to you.”
The way he said the word need has chills zapping up and down my body that bloom into little explosions of fiery need for the man.
“Oh. It’s so good to hear your voice,” I manage to stammer, sounding far more like some crazy fan-girl than a grown woman.
His reply is a deep chuckle with a hint of an amused edge to it, or am I mistaken.
“Relax, it’s me. You don’t have anything to be nervous about, beautiful.”
Every elicit memory of our time together surges through my head at once. The hot thoughts in my mind are matched only with the heat spreading over my body, and the man is an ocean away.
“That’s kind of what has me on edge,” I admit.
There’s that sexy chuckle again. “Are you thinking about our time together? Because I know I’ve replayed every single moment through my head more than I ever thought possible.”
He’d been thinking about me!
About us.
My mouth is thick, and my stomach is fluttering with butterflies. I’m stunned at the extent to which a few words from him could send me into a veritable melt down.
“I can’t and won’t take your money, Rome. I’m returning it.”
Once again, the words come out of nowhere.
There’s more laughter at my ear.
“I knew you’d say that, but I’m not taking your money, Oz.”
“But—”
“No buts, Carlene. What we have wasn’t work. It is so much more. It’s special to me, and if I’m not wrong, it’s special to you.” His voice is firm and commanding. The tone alone sends another wave of needy prickles over my skin before settling in my core.
I say nothing as I take a moment for his words to sink in and the delicious chills to subside to a point my brain can function to some degree. Our time together was special to him.
“Yes,” I somehow manage to respond in more of a breathy rasp than anything else.
Was that a long sigh I hear from him?
“That’s all I need to know for now. We can work the rest out when I get there.”
“Get here! What are you talking about?”
“I’m booking a ticket now. I’ll be on the first flight I can find into Brisbane. I’ll text you the details.”
Panic swamps me as I realize he’s intending to hang up.
“Don’t go…” I manage to stammer, but it’s too late. He’s already hung up.
I take a few seconds to catch my breath.
Rome is coming here, and I have no idea how to feel about it.
How do you describe feeling totally discombobulated? Because I’m sure that’s what I’m feeling at that moment. So many different emotions all fighting for space, the effect is quite overwhelming.
When the onslaught clears enough for me to gather my thoughts, I let out a squeal of excitement. Then I try to call him back and the phone just rings or is it engaged? I can never tell from those funny beeps.
Ahhhh! I scream and tug at my hair.
Stop panicking, Carlene, I tell myself. He’s going to text you the details, and Rome always kept his promises.
My logical brain is in a desperate war with my emotions, and I fear the emotional side might just win. A little voice in my head keeps asking me. “Would that be such a bad thing?”
Probably not.
At least, I hope it is the case.
Chapter 28
Rome
The closer the plane takes me to the east coast of Australia, the more I’m reminded of the fateful trek to LA and a whole new life a decade ago.
Will this trip be life changing, too?
I feel like a caged lion on the plane. As much as I will myself to relax and try and enjoy the flight, the anticipation of seeing Carlene is way too strong. Once I made the decision, I haven’t wasted a second.
The moment I hung up the call from Carlene, I went straight to the airline and managed to get a business class seat on a flight leaving LA last night. I did what I needed to in the office, all the while Roxie didn’t even try to hide the smug smirk of approval at my rash plan.
My intention was to sleep overnight on the flight and arrive in Brisbane some-what refreshed. The reality is anything but. I’m just too keyed up to sleep. And now the rising sun is evident around the edges of the window shades and the cabin crew are rolling out breakfast. Sleep is a definite bust for me. All I can think about is Carlene. And what could be.
Then the doubt creeps in.
Am I crazy doing this? Was I any less crazy ten years ago fleeing New York? I was desperate then, and I am desperate now. Only this time, it’s a desperation of the heart, and somehow that feels even graver than when I had barely a cent to my name and nothing but a massive pile of debts. If this doesn’t work, I fear I’ll be left with a hole in my soul I’ll never fill. Something no amount of hard work can ever make better.
What I’m doing is a huge risk.
I just hope the reward will be even bigger—Carlene.
If what is between us has a chance of working, she deserves all of me, for herself—all the time.
If my nerves were bad before in the air, two hours later when I walk out of Australia’s incredibly strict customs, my brain feels like it’s scrambled, and my heart is in my throat.
I look at the exit doors in front of me and then down at my phone. Carlene texted me a few minutes ago to say she’s waiting for me.
Yesterday, for a moment, I entertained the idea of just showing up and surprising her. Only for a moment. I’m not sure Carlene would have appreciated me turning up unexpectedly. I’ve learned over our time together, she’s agreeable and flexible as long as she has a basic plan. A surprise arrival at her door might just have been too far out of her comfort zone considering how awkward it was at the end. Besides, this way, I get to see her a couple of hours earlier.
A stray thought jumps into my mind as I approach the doors, and I wonder if this was how Carlene felt all those weeks ago as she’d walked a similar path in a different city and into the arms of a stranger.
Somehow, it seemed easier then.
I didn’t know her, and she didn’t know me.
We’ve kind of come full circle.
She was a client I was expecting, and I was an escort wondering if I was going to have a pleasant couple of weeks or two weeks of living hell.
They’d turned out to be a couple of the best weeks of my life, and now, I want a more than a couple of weeks.
I want a lifetime.
The doors automatically open as I approach, and my eyes start scanning.
A few long seconds later, my eyes finally connect with hers. She’s standing at the back and off to the right. Her hand lifts in a wave, and her face looks as anxious as I feel.
Is she as unsure as me?
I move through the crowd of people hugging and greeting each other, not really seeing anyone. She doesn’t move from her position until I breach the crowd, then she breaks into a little jog as she approaches me.
I drop the handle to the suitcase I’m pulling and hold out my arms, beckoning her to me. She doesn’t hesitate to launch herself at me, and my heart settles into a more regular rhythm.
Her head buries into my chest, and I inhale the scent of her. Just as I remembered. Clean, classy, and understated.
She feels so good in my arms, and I can’t help the hard squeeze I give her. I would absorb her into my body, to keep her close to me always, if I could find a way.
A few seconds pass, and I take the time to relax, to breathe, to feel, to remember just how good it’s to have this woman in my arms again.
Now I need more.
“I thought I made it clear last time, you were to greet me with a kiss? Should I have sent you a text to remind you?”
She raises an eyebrow and tilts her head back waiting for me to make good on my request. Without hesitation, I take the invitation.
My lips meet hers, an
d the sparks which always accompany us coming together, burst to light. We’re so good together. So much chemistry, but it’s a deeper chemistry. A chemistry formulated on respect, desire, understanding, and compassion. Way more than the hot heady strokes of lust. Although, we have those in spades as well.
I want to take the kiss deeper, to brand my presence on her once again, but I sense her pulling back and allow her this, keeping my need in check. Carlene is still conservative in her displays of public affection. I have no such qualms or insecurities.
There will be time for my need to be filled when we get back to her place and we’re alone. Then I’ll do far more than kiss her. I can’t wait to bury my cock deep into her. I want, no need, to take us back to the good place we had before the fiasco in Vegas.
From there, we’ll go forward—build.
She moves from my arms. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Sounds like a great idea.”
We start out toward the carpark. “Can I take one of those for you?” she offers.
“No, babe, I’ve got it covered.”
She nods briefly and hurries over to a ticket machine to pay for the parking before joining me once again. The carpark is mostly empty at this early hour, and Carlene has managed to find a park right up the front. The lights flash on a current model Range Rover as we approach.
“Nice ride.” I whistle. If I’m not mistaken, it’s optioned up to the hilt and I’m a car guy, so I’m confident I know what I’m looking at.
“Thanks, I’d always driven Land Cruisers before leaving the property. Toyotas are the vehicle of choice out there. When I came to the coast, I wanted something with a little more comfort, but I wasn’t quite ready to give up my four- wheel drive. Not that I’m ever likely to need it but…”
“Old habits die hard. And besides, you never know, four- wheel drive can sure come in handy at times.”
“Right. I like your thinking! You just never know when you’ll need to jump a gutter or straddle a ditch and don’t even get me started about those little concrete block things in the carparks.” she agrees, flashing me the smile guaranteed to make my heart lighter.
When With Rome (Perfect Gentlemen Book 1) Page 31
