“Pleasure is something I thoroughly enjoy giving.”
She laughed deep in her throat. Asshole. She wrote out the check for the down payment.
“The apartment will be leased to you for six months. After that time, if you decide to stay, you can apply for purchase.”
“Works for me.” She handed him the check for the first six months for thirty thousand dollars.
He looked it over, then slid it into the breast pocket of his jacket and gave it a pat. “I’ll put this through today.”
Leticia reached for her purse on the desk. “I really look forward to hearing from you.” She turned ever so slowly until she faced him, chest to breasts. Her gaze ran over his face, settled on his mouth.
“You definitely will.”
“I’m sure,” she said, before walking to the door. She stopped and turned halfway. “It’s been a pleasure.” She opened the door and walked out.
Nathan was sitting in the reception area. He stood as she approached. “How’d it go?”
She tucked her purse under her arm. “Oh, quite well. Looks like I’ll be staying for a while.”
He put his arm around her waist and they walked out.
Chapter 8
Back at her hotel room, Leticia quietly relished her successful endeavor. It had taken her years to create her “other self.” Pamela Armstrong was everything that she was not: a hardworking, tax-paying citizen. She’d used her connections in the state government in Atlanta and New York to secure a social security number, birth certificate, and an impressive list of job experiences and checkable references. Pamela Armstrong had a family, a good American education, and a sizeable bank account. All very legitimate for those who didn’t know any better. Her credit rating was impeccable, as Miles would soon discover.
She stretched out across her bed and folded her hands across her stomach. Maybe being Pamela Armstrong for a while would be a good thing, after all. Perhaps she could become in real life all the things that she’d created for Pamela and leave her old life behind. But old habits died hard. Felix and the stunts she pulled with Miles were perfect examples. Oh well, she thought. She’d ride this one out as long as she desired or until circumstances dictated otherwise.
Hmm. A little room service would be the perfect ending to the perfect day. She reached for the phone.
Nathan returned to his office after dropping Leticia off at her hotel. They’d made tentative plans for dinner. She promised to call. He hoped that she would.
He was reviewing some documents on the computer when his secretary buzzed him.
“Mr. Spencer, you have a call on 307. A Mr. Conyers.”
“Thanks.” He pressed the flashing red light on the desk phone. “Norm, how’s it going, man?”
“Everything is fine. I was planning on coming into town this weekend. I thought we could get together.”
“Of course. When are you coming in?”
“My flight arrives on Friday morning. How are you for dinner?”
“Aw, man—actually I have plans for Friday night.”
“Hmm, then maybe Saturday.”
“Absolutely. Hey, why don’t you join us?”
“Maybe another time. I don’t want to intrude.”
“You wouldn’t be. Anyway, think about it and give me a call. Where are you staying?”
“At the Hilton, downtown.”
“You’re welcome to stay with me if you want.”
“Thanks, but I live for room service.” He chuckled.
“I hear ya. Well, it will be good to see you. We have catching up to do.”
“I’ll give you a call.”
“Safe travels.” Nathan hung up.
He and Norman had met at a brokers’ conference several years earlier and became fast friends. Norman was a good guy, hardworking and honest. He’d lost his wife ten years earlier to cancer and had never remarried. He’d said he’d never find anyone to replace Virginia, so he took his pleasure where he could find it, drifting in and out of relationships and one-night stands. Not the ideal life, but it seemed to work for Norman.
Nathan returned to his computer files. He couldn’t wait to introduce him to Pam. He’d love to hear what Norman thought of her.
Disappointed that they’d sent a woman instead of Felix to deliver room service, Leticia slowly chewed on her fresh fruit as she sat on the balcony overlooking the city of Miami. In a few weeks she’d be able to relocate to her new home. She’d deal with Miles then, certain that he would be looking for some kind of payment. She only hoped that he wouldn’t become troublesome. She so detested troublesome men, which brought her thoughts to Norman Conyers.
It wasn’t that Norman was particularly troublesome, but his connection to Nathan was. Her gut instincts told her it was only a matter of time before the Norman Conyers shoe fell, but until then she was going to make the most of it and try to pretend to have a semblance of a real life.
She pushed her fruit plate aside and stood. One thing was certain: until that shoe fell, she wanted as much of Nathan Spencer as he could handle. She longed to be “the girlfriend,” not the escort, to be treated like a lady and not the paid whore, and she wanted to be made love to, not fucked. Was that too much to ask?
Entering the living area, she went to the phone and dialed Nathan’s number. She was never one for wasting time, as tomorrow was not promised.
Nathan made reservations for dinner aboard a cruise ship, complete with a live band.
“This is wonderful,” Leticia said as they walked on the top deck as the ship pulled off for its three-hour cruise.
“I thought you’d like it. Do you want a drink before dinner?”
“Yes, I’d love an apple martini.”
“Don’t move, I’ll be right back.” He went off toward the bar on the lower level.
Leticia leaned against the railing and watched the city of Miami slip away as the ship moved gently across the still waters. She tugged in a lungful of sea air and for a moment closed her eyes, imagining a life with Nathan Spencer. He was handsome, intelligent, comfortably welloff, sexy as hell, and he treated her like a lady. When she was in his presence she could almost forget the life she’d lived, the things she’d done.
Almost.
“Here you go.”
She turned and his smile and her drink greeted her. “Thanks.” She took the glass and a sip. “Mmm. Very good. Just the way I like it.”
Nathan braced his back against the railing to better look at her. “I’m really glad you agreed to dinner.”
“Really? And why is that? I’m sure a man like you has an assortment of women to have dinner with.”
“Maybe I do. But I wanted to have dinner with you. Does that make a difference?”
She grinned. “I feel special.”
They both laughed.
“Tell me about you, Pam. I want to know everything.”
“Everything! Ha. Trust me, my life is not that interesting.”
“Let me be the judge. How’d you get started in the entertainment field?”
She took a sip of her drink and then another. She’d rehearsed this hundreds of times. “I majored in Marketing and Communications in college and was lucky enough to get an internship in my senior year with a public relations firm that specialized in the music industry. I loved it. Loved the excitement, the scandals we had to cover up.” She smiled as the story took on a life of its own. “Even then, I was a savvy businesswoman,” she said with a hint of laughter in her voice. “I decided to leave school before graduation.” Just in case he decided to look up her graduating class.
He frowned. “Why?”
Her expression sobered. Momentarily she lowered her head. “My grandmother passed. She left me a large amount of money and the opportunity to start my own business presented itself. I had a client list and inside experience. So I took a chance, tapped into some of my contacts, and I’ve never looked back.”
“Sounds like a fairy tale.”
She snatched a glance at
him to see if he was serious or testing her. She smiled. “Sometimes life is charmed. I guess things just fell into place for me.”
“And you’ve made the most of it.”
“I’ve tried. I like what I do.” She finished off her drink and handed it to a passing waiter. “What about you, Nathan?” She played with his tie. “What made you the man you are today?”
“I can’t say my life was as charmed as yours. I’m one of five kids. The oldest, the one who had to set the example. Did pretty good in school and was able to get a partial academic scholarship. I majored in Economics and Finance. Unlike you,” he said without rancor, “I didn’t land my dream job right out of school.”
“What did you end up doing?”
“Worked in construction for about four years. In a way it was a good thing. It really gave me a close-up look at the building industry. That knowledge is crucial to me now. A building owner can’t razzle-dazzle me when I can run my hand across a wall and know what kind of beams are behind it.” He took a long swallow of his drink as if suddenly caught up in thought. He pushed out a breath and looked at Leticia. “I was in a bar one night after a tough day and wound up sitting next to a guy who worked on Wall Street. We got to talking and he told me about a friend of his who was opening a real estate office that dealt strictly in commercial property.” He shrugged slightly. “The rest is history.” The corner of his mouth lifted in a grin.
“Where’s your family now?”
“My two sisters live in Chicago. One is a nurse, the other a social worker. My youngest brother is a doctor in Houston, and my brother under me is a teacher in Brooklyn.”
“Were you and your siblings close?”
He chuckled as he nodded. “Yeah, when we weren’t trying to kill each other. We had a pretty good life. My mom and dad worked hard to make sure we had the best they could provide for us. Holidays were always great, and we still all get together every year for Christmas. Both of my sisters have kids and my youngest brother’s wife is expecting any day now.”
Family. She had no idea what that was, what it was like to have a Christmas dinner in a house that she could call home, have siblings that she could tease and tell her troubles to, share secrets with. She looked away. Family. Hump. It was overrated.
“Sounds wonderful.”
“Maybe you’ll get to meet them one day.”
“Hmm, maybe.” She took a breath and looked around. “Shouldn’t we be going in for dinner?” She started to walk off and missed the curious look that Nathan flashed at her.
“I had a wonderful evening,” Leticia said as they disembarked. “This was a great idea. Thank you.”
“I enjoyed every minute. He paused. I don’t want it to end.” He gently clasped her by the arm. “What do you say we continue our evening out on the beach . . . my place?”
She stepped up to him. “I like how you think, Mr. Spencer.”
“How ’bout a swim?” Nathan asked once they’d arrived at his beach house.
“I don’t have a swimsuit.”
His eyes spoke volumes. “This is a private beach. It’s dark, and I won’t wear a suit since you don’t have one.”
Her laughter danced in the night air. “Last one in,” she sang out as she ran toward the ocean, discarding her clothing as she went.
Nathan followed suit, and they swam the way God made them. The water seemed to heat as they played, swam, brushed against each other, the waves exciting their bare flesh. Finally they emerged, two bronze gods under the moonlight.
Nathan wrapped her in an oversized towel before tucking one around his waist.
“I turned on the fire before we got in.” He looked into her eyes, then put his arm around her waist and guided her inside.
The warm fire blazed, the only other illumination in the room save for the moonlight and stars. Soft music played in the background.
“Can I fix you a drink?”
“Some wine would be great,” she said, her voice thick and sensual as she took in the expanse of his chest, the long, lean muscles of his calves.
Nathan poured two glasses of wine and brought them back to the couch, where Leticia was curled up.
“Thanks.” She brought the glass to her lips, but Nathan stopped her.
“I want to make a toast. To new beginnings and happy endings.” He touched his glass to hers.
“I like the beginning part,” she whispered.
“So do I.” He took her glass from her hand and put it on the table. He looked at her for a long moment. “I want to kiss you, Pam.”
“I want you to.”
Gently he put his hand behind her head and drew her to him until his lips were only a breath away from hers. When they met, Leticia felt as if she were being kissed for the first time. It was gentle, sweet, and caring. Nothing like anything she’d previously experienced. When the tip of his tongue stroked her lips, shock waves of bliss coursed through her. A low moan rose up from her chest as he pressed a bit harder, compelling her lips to yield to his.
Nathan’s arms embraced her, pulling her into an erotic dance of lips and tongues that found its own unique beat.
Leticia’s fingers played with his chest as his trailed up and down her back, loosening her towel until her breasts were freed and pulsing against his chest.
“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured against her mouth. “I want to see all of you.”
Slowly he stood, pulling her gently to her feet, letting the towel pool at her ankles. His eyes ran over her and heated her body like hot coals. She shivered under the intensity of his gaze and nearly crumpled to the cool wood floor when his mouth captured a hardened nipple.
“God, I want you,” he groaned as he eased down her body, his mouth and tongue taunting every inch of skin. He pressed his mouth against the dark hairs at her center and had her crying out when his mouth tenderly suckled her throbbing clit.
Her knees weakened and she clung to him to keep from falling, tossing her head back in joy as wave after wave of unspeakable sensations jettisoned through her. Just as she was at the threshold of her climax, Nathan drew back and stood. Her entire body vibrated.
“Not here,” he whispered. He took her hand and led her to his bedroom.
Once inside, he continued the titillating assault on her body until he had her on his bed. For what seemed like forever, he braced himself above her.
“I’ve thought about this moment from the instant I set eyes on you.” He reached across her to his dresser drawer and took out a condom.
“Let me.” She ripped open the packet and skillfully slid it on his erect penis, using her fingers and her mouth to make the simple act become a symphony of the senses.
Nathan shuddered and groaned as she teased and played with him, licking, sucking, taunting, drawing out the moment until neither of them could hold out any longer.
He moved her away, his eyes dark and dangerous as he pushed inside of her all the way.
Leticia drew in a long, tight breath as he filled her, moving inside her with the artistry of a Caribbean dancer. She came after little more than a dozen expert strokes, but he didn’t stop. He lifted her legs higher, pushed deeper, rotating his hips to elicit even more pleasure. She exploded again and again until she was weak, limp with tears of incredible joy slipping from behind her closed lids.
Nathan slowly, methodically, increased the tempo until it seemed as if the world moved beneath them.
“This is for you,” he groaned, pulling her raised hips hard against him as he thrust into her one final time before slumping into the welcoming valley of her breasts.
Chapter 9
Leticia had slept with many men in her life, too many to count. For the most part it was just a job. Periodically, she allowed herself to feel pleasure, to screw simply for the fun and thrill of it. This with Nathan was something different. She didn’t understand it. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like the sudden feeling of being connected, as if what they’d just done to and with each other really mattere
d. It didn’t.
She turned onto her side, and was surprised to find that Nathan was awake and looking back at her.
“Hey,” he whispered. He pushed damp hair away from her forehead and trailed his finger down her cheek. “You okay?”
She nodded instead of speaking, thinking she might say something really stupid like she was falling for him or something equally ridiculous, like it was the first time in her life that she’d been made love to. Her throat tightened.
He leaned over and kissed her tenderly. “I’ll be right back.” He got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom.
Leticia listened to the water running, and for just a moment, she allowed herself the joy of simply relishing the moment, letting her imagination explore the improbable possibilities of being a part of Nathan’s life, being cared about by him, waking up with him in the morning, sitting across a dinner table from him at night.
Fool. This is not your life. It is only a temporary diversion. You’re a paid whore. It’s who you are, all you will ever be. But be of good cheer—you’re great at it.
Nathan returned with a basin in his hand and a towel draped over his arm. He sat next to her on the bed after setting the basin filled with water on the nightstand. He eased the sheet off of her.
“Let me take care of you.” He dipped the washcloth into the water and wrung it out before running it tenderly across her face. He repeated the process, washing her hands, her neck, her breasts, her stomach, the still-pulsing crown of her sex.
It took all Leticia had not to weep. He was treating her as if she mattered. Not showering her with gifts or money, but with warm, cleansing water, the most profound gift she’d ever received.
“It doesn’t replace a shower.” He chuckled lightly, almost selfconsciously, Leticia thought. “But it’ll help you to rest more comfortably.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m gonna get something to drink. Can I get you anything?”
“Some fruit juice or water would be fine,” she said, barely able to find her voice.
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