...AND SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH A HOOKER

CHAPTER 5

Adrian was still looking at her with that sultry stare but had removed his finger from Rose’s chin and put his hand back in his pocket. There was a heavy silence following Adrian’s vivid description, and Rose could feel her heart thumping against her ribcage.

She was going to strangle Jenny. Slowly. With her intestines.

Jenny couldn’t do anything like a normal person, could she? She just had to go and hire a f*****g prostitute to be her date. Oh, no, sorry. 'Escort.’

Rose would have rolled her eyes had she not been seething with anger towards her supposed friend. Or paralyzed with shock over what Adrian had just told him.

Adrian eventually broke their stare by glancing at the clock on the wall behind Rose’s head and clearing his throat before focusing back on Rose. ‘’So, what do you say? Will we be sharing a cab out of here, or are we going in different directions?’’

Rose, however, was not quite ready to answer that yet, still preoccupied with thoughts of murdering a certain friend as she was, so she took a deep breath and held up a finger.

‘’Would… would you excuse me for a sec?’’ Rose’s voice was a bit strained since she was trying to rein in her anger in front of Adrian.

‘’I just need to make a quick phone call. I’ll be right back!’’

Adrian’s smile dimmed just a fraction before he gave a short nod. ‘’Of course!’’

Nodding back, Rose waggled her finger a bit as she turned and walked briskly towards her small kitchen, pulling out her phone and aggressively punching in her lock code on the way. She scrolled through her contacts and, once she found the name she was looking for, Rose tapped the call option and pulled the phone to her ear. Her cheeks puffed out on an impatient huff when she reached the kitchen and leaned back against the counter, impatiently tapping it with the fingers of the hand resting by her side.

‘’Pick up, pick up, pick up…’’ she muttered through clenched teeth.

The call connected, and a lazy ‘’Hullo?’’ greeted her.

‘’What have you done, you f*****g i***t?’’ Rose whispered harshly in response while straightening up and leaning away from the counter.

Jenny chuckled. ‘’ What do you mean?’’

‘’You complete and utter arse-wipe; you know exactly what I mean!’’ Rose continued, careful not to raise her voice as she paced around the small space in between the stove and the sink. ‘’Why is there a f*****g hooker in my living room right now?’’

‘’Rose, he’s an escort,’’ Jenny pointed out.

Rose lifted her hand to rub her forehead as she closed her eyes and groaned. ‘’Not you too….’’

‘’Hey! I’ve hired him to be your date for the night because it’s a guaranteed way to get you some action at the end of all this. You need to go get laid, Rose. You’re turning bitter.’’

‘’No, I’m not!’’ Rose scoffed. ‘’And I am not about to sleep with a ho-escort just to prove you wrong. Besides, it’s illegal! I could get arrested!’’ she hissed.

Suddenly, remembering that she’d left a stranger with a questionable career alone to roam about her apartment, Rose pushed off the counter and went to stand by the open doorway between the kitchen and the living room. She felt a strange tug in her chest when she saw Adrian had found her Pokémon cards and was eagerly flipping through the folder with a broad smile on his face.

Blinking in surprise, Rose was momentarily distracted by the almost childlike happiness on Adrian’s face before Jenny’s voice pulled her back to the present.

‘’No. You could not, because you haven’t done anything wrong. You’ve been set up on a blind date, nothing more, nothing less. And yes, you are turning into a bitter, old, shrivel-led crack, and I will not stand idly by and watch it happen.’’

‘’Oh my god,’’ Rose murmured as she looked heavenward for inner strength.

‘’Look, all I’m asking is that you give this guy a chance,’’ Jenny implored. Don’t focus on what he is; relax and try to have a good time tonight! You are supposed to have fun with this no-strings-attached deal, to let loose a little! That’s the point.’’ Jenny’s voice rose in exasperation. ‘’Now get your arse in gear or you’ll be late for the opening speech!’’

Rose shook her head. Once again, she was letting herself be persuaded by Jenny, but this time, it wasn’t entirely her friend’s urging words that had her reconsidering. The man looking at her card collection, dressed to the nines, may come off as confidence and seduction personified. But standing in Rose’s living room, lifting the cards closer to his face to squint at the text, was also a person shining through a facade that was probably honed over years in the s*x trade business.

‘’Alright, alright,’’ Rose signed in defeat. ‘’ See you there.’’

Hanging up the call, Rose continued watching Adrian silently for a few more moments before stepping out of the doorway.

‘’You ready to go?’’ she asked as she pocketed her phone.

Adrian looked up at her, still smiling, and nodded. ‘’Whenever you are, gorgeous!’’ he beamed. ‘’And this collection of yours is awesome!’’ Adrian lifted the folder in his hands to indicate the cards.

‘’Um, thank you,’’ Rose said as she averted her eyes to reach for her wallet on the small table where she kept her keys. She hesitated before adding, ‘’And please, don’t call me that.’’

A chuckle made her lift her eyes back to find Adrian putting the cards back on the bookshelf before turning around and walking up to stand beside Rose.

‘’But you are. 'I can’t help it.’’ Adrian’s smile softened as he kept their gazes locked.

Rose could feel herself blushing again. She shook her head, breaking the stare, and tried to fight off the annoyingly delighted smile tugging on her lips.

‘’The cab I ordered earlier should be waiting outside by now. Let’s go.’’

Rose turned, grabbing her jacket from the coat hanger in the hallway as she walked up to the door, opened it, and looked back at Adrian expectantly.

Adrian let out a loud bark of laughter at Rose’s way of ignoring the compliment and shook his head in amusement as he sauntered past her.

Taking a deep, steadying breath, Rose closed and locked the door firmly behind them.

This was going to be a long night.