The Accidental Call Girl Read Free Page A

. but aren’t you forgetting something?’
    Oh God, yes, the money!
    ‘Three hundred.’ It was a wild guess; it sounded right.
    Sandy eyebrows quirked. ‘Very reasonable. I was happy to pay five, at least.’
    ‘That’s my basic,’ she said, still thinking, thinking. ‘If you find you want something fancier, we can renegotiate.’
    Why the hell had she said that? Why? Why? Why? What if he wanted something kinky? Something nasty? He didn’t look that way, but who knew?
    ‘Fancy, eh? I’ll give it some thought. But in the meantime, let’s start with the basic.’ Reaching into his jacket pocket, he slipped out the black wallet again, and peeled off fifties. ‘There,’ he said, placing the notes on the top of the sideboard.
    Lizzie scooped them up as she passed, heading for the bathroom, but John stayed her with a hand on her arm, light but implacable.
    ‘Do you kiss? I know some girls don’t.’
    She looked at his mouth, especially his beautiful lower lip, so velvety yet determined.
    ‘Yes, I kiss.’
    ‘Well, then, I’ll kiss you when you come back. Now make your call.’

2
Something Fancy
    Well, well, then, ‘Bettie Page’, what on earth did I do to receive a gift like you? A beautiful, feisty, retro girl who’s suddenly appeared to me like an angel from 1950s heaven?
    John Smith considered having another drink from the mini bar, but, after a moment, he decided he didn’t need one. He was intoxicated enough already, after the barely more than a mouthful of gin he’d drunk downstairs. Far more excited than he’d been by a woman in a long time, and certainly more turned on than he’d ever been with an escort before. Not that he’d been with a professional woman in a while. Not that he’d been with a lot of them anyway.
    It was interesting, though, to pretend to Bettie that he had.
    Sinking into one of the big chintz armchairs, he took a breath and centred himself, marshalling his feelings. Yes, this was a crazy situation, but he was having fun, so why deny it? And she was too, this unusual young woman with her vintage style and her emotions all over her face. That challenging smile was unmistakeable.
    ‘Bettie, eh?’
    Not her real name, he was sure, but perhaps near to it. She looked the part for Bettie Page, though. She had the same combination of innocence, yet overflowing sensuality. Naughtiness. Yes, that was perfect for her. But how naughty? As an escort she probably took most things, everything, in her stride. Surely she wouldn’t balk at his favoured activities? And yet, despite her profession, there was that strangely untouched quality to her, just like the legendary Bettie. A sweet freshness. A wholesomeness, idiotic as that sounded.
    How long had she been in the game, he wondered. What if she was new to this? She was certainly far younger than his usual preference. His choice was normally for sleek, groomed, experienced women in their thirties, courtesans rather than call girls, ladies of the world. There might be a good deal of pleasure, though, in giving something to her in return for her services, something more than simply the money. Satisfaction, something new . . . a little adventure, more than just the job.
    Now there was the real trick, the deeper game. And with any luck, a working girl who styled herself as ‘Bettie’ and who was prepared to take a client on the fly, after barely five minutes’ chat, was bold enough to play it.
    Suddenly he wasn’t as bored with life and business as he’d been half an hour ago. Suddenly, his gathering unease about the paths he’d chosen, the insidious phantoms of loss and guilt, and the horrid, circling feeling that his life was ultimately empty, all slipped away from him. Suddenly he felt as if he were a young man again, full of dreams. A player; excited, hopeful, potent.
    When he touched his cock it was as hard as stone, risen and eager.
    ‘Come on, Bettie,’ he whispered to himself, smiling as his heart rose too, with anticipation.