I arrived back at my apartment and found my roommate sitting in the same spot on the couch as when I’d left.

“That was a long session,” Josh said, turning around briefly before turning back to the TV. He was playing some video game.

I sat down next to him and picked up the beer bottle that I’d left on the table earlier that day. I took a sip of the stale, warm beer. “I can’t believe I just kissed a client,” I confessed.

“You? Kissed a client?” Josh paused the video game and set his controller down, then took the beer bottle from me and took a sip himself. He wrinkled his nose at the taste of it.

“I just kissed a client,” I repeated, trying to process what I’d just done.

“I kiss clients all the time. But I can’t believe you broke your own sacred rule,” Josh said.

I put my face in my hand. “Why did I do that? Why? Why? Why?”

“Tell me what happened, Riv. I’m sure it’s not as big a deal as you’re making it out to be.” Josh said, then winked. “Making it out, get it?”

I shook my head at him. “It’s not the time for jokes, right? I went on a fake date with a client so that we can get to know each other, and then one thing led to another, and we fake kissed.”

Josh looked at me with a raised brow. “I don’t get it. So, it wasn’t real?”

“It was just a bit of role-playing, but...I felt something after the kiss.”

“Was there tongue?” Josh asked.

“The first kiss, no. The second kiss, yes.”

“There were two kisses?” Josh’s eyes widened.

“Yes, two and I enjoyed both of them more than I should’ve.” I closed my eyes and thought about how nice Gray had smelled when he’d pinned me against the wall and how his stubble had scratched my face softly.

“What are you going to now?” Josh asked.

“Well, I’m not drinking with a client ever again, that’s for sure. And I’m definitely not going to kiss Gray again.”

Josh laughed. “You’re usually good about keeping your client relationships separate from personal ones...better than me at least. Why are you getting so worked up over a simple kiss? You get tied up and spanked for a living. One kiss isn’t going to kill you.”

“You don’t understand, Josh. It wasn’t just a kiss. It was a really romantic date, followed by a kiss, with a guy who’s kind of out of my league and straight. Even though it was a fake first date, it was perfect.”

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. Wait. A. Minute. He’s straight?” Josh’s eyes couldn’t have gotten any wider.

He crossed his legs on the couch and turned to me like I had some juicy story to share.

“Yes. He hired me to escort him to his brother’s wedding. I’m going to be his fake boyfriend. He told me he’s straight. He’s even mentioned his type.”

“What’s his type?” Josh asked.

“Blonde and intelligent, someone who can hold a good conversation with him,” I said.

Josh took another sip of the beer. “That’s you, honey. You’re his type.”

“Blonde and intelligent woman. Last time I checked, I’m definitely not that.”

“Well then, you’re at least half his type,” Josh said.

“I don’t know what to do now. Should I tell him that I can’t go on with this? This is way out of my comfort zone. I don’t know how to handle it.”

Josh put a hand on my shoulder. “Riv. You’re fine and probably too drunk for your own good right now. He’s your client. You set the rules. You’re in control remember? Even though you’re a submissive, don’t forget that you are the one who’s really in control.”

I leaned back, letting the leather couch consume my body. “You’re right, Josh. But fuck, I really wish I hadn’t done that. We should’ve just agreed that I wasn’t going to kiss him at all.”

“What’s done is done,” Josh said. “You can’t dwell on the past.”

“When did you become the more reasonable roommate?” I asked.

Josh laughed and then shrugged. He handed me one of the controllers, and we played some video games. I couldn’t fully concentrate on the game. My mind was occupied by Gray. I couldn’t stop picturing his piercing brown eyes during dinner and the way he’d paid attention to what I had to say. He was different from my other clients, who only wanted me to fulfill some sexual fantasy. Part of me wished Gray wanted to use me to fulfill his sexual fantasies. Because I wanted to see that side of him. But maybe it was better to stick to the original plan. Just attend his brother’s wedding and nothing more. God, I was so fucking confused.

“I think I need to write a contract between us,” I said to Josh, who was beating me in the game. “Maybe that way, the lines aren’t so blurred, and I can stop overthinking it.”

“Don’t you always write up a contract beforehand?” he asked.

“I do, but since Gray wasn’t looking for what I usually do, I thought I’d make an exception. I wasn’t sure how to bring up a contract with him because what he wants from me isn’t what I usually provide. But it might be a good idea now to make that contract. That way, both of us know what we’re getting out of this.”

“There you go. That’s the River I know. The submissive, who’s actually low-key taking charge.” Josh winked.

Josh was a good friend. I was glad to be able to get his advice because I had no idea what the fuck I was doing.

* * *

I was woken up by my phone vibrating in my back pocket. I realized that I’d passed out on the couch and my head was pounding from the Chardonnay from the night before. The afternoon sun was coming in strong through the window.

“Hello?” I answered.

“River, it’s Peter.”

I sat up and cleared my throat.

“What’s up?” I said.

“I have a new client who’s interested in meeting you,” he said. “Initially, I told him that you wouldn’t be interested because some of his requests are things that you don’t do. But he’s offered to pay more if you’re interested.”

“What’s the request?” I asked.

“First of all, he wants you to have sex with him. Second of all, he says kissing is mandatory.”

“Peter, you know I don’t do either of those things,” I said.

“I know,” Peter said. “But there’s a reason why you’re not getting any new clients. Your laundry list of things you won’t do is longer than things you will do. So don’t come crying to me asking why you aren’t getting clients.”

I sighed. “Well, I guess I can’t take this client.”

“Really? He’s offered to pay you more, and you’re still not going to take it?” Peter asked. “You know, if you’re going to be in this industry, you’re going to have to be less of a prude. Maybe take some notes from your roommate, Josh, who’s at least willing to kiss his clients. At the end of the day, they want you to make them feel wanted. You not kissing them is kind of a slap in the face.”

“If they want to kiss someone, they’re going to have to find someone else,” I said firmly. “And if they want to fuck someone, I’m not the right guy. When we first talked, I told you these things. So don’t think that things are just going to change all of a sudden. Those are my requests, and I’m sticking by them.”

I noticed that I couldn’t hear Peter anymore.

“Hello?” I said.

He’d hung up on me.

I tossed my phone onto the armrest and palmed my face.

Was I really a prude?

So what if I was a prude?

I got up and went into my bedroom. My neck was sore from sleeping on the couch all night. When I passed by Josh’s room, I noticed that he wasn’t there. Maybe he had a client that morning. Hearing Peter tell me to take notes from Josh made me angry that he was comparing both of us at all. I was sure that Josh had things on his list that he wouldn’t do. But he was right about Josh getting a lot more clients than me. Maybe people just thought he was more attractive.

My phone rang again. I thought it was Peter again, but when I looked, I saw that it was Gray. My heart started racing, seeing his name on my phone screen. Why was I getting so excited?

I let it ring a few times, not wanting to pick it up right away and appear too desperate. But then I remembered that he was a client, and I wasn’t trying to date him.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hey. It’s me, Gray.”

I know, I thought to myself.

“What’s up?” I said, trying to sound casual.

“Wanted to see if you were free later today. I’m going to a suit fitting and realized that you probably need something as well for the wedding. Can you meet today?” he asked.

“Yeah, I can,” I said.

“Great. Meet me at Yorkville at the Louis Vuitton at two thirty. I’ll be there for my fitting. Talk soon.”

Gray hung up the phone. His deep, sexy voice lingered in my mind. I fell back onto my bed, holding my phone near my chest like I was some preteen girl who just got a call from their crush. Thinking about Gray in a nice suit made my cock hard. But thinking about taking his suit off made me even harder.

I wished I wasn’t alone in the apartment because Josh was always a good person to talk to in times like this. He was good at calming me down and reminding me that it wasn’t a big deal.

I remembered that I’d left my car parked on Gray’s street since he’d ordered an Uber for me to get home safely. So, I knew I had to go get it before we met up.

I hopped into the shower and got dressed, making sure to make sure I looked good before meeting him at Louis Vuitton. I didn’t own a suit. I couldn’t imagine getting a suit at a place that fancy either.

I took the streetcar and got off at the stop near Gray’s house. Walking down his street lined with beautiful mansions while looking for my beat-up Corolla made me feel poor.

I looked on both sides of the street, and I noticed that my car wasn’t there anymore. I started to panic, and I walked up and down the street many times, making sure my eyes weren’t playing tricks on me. That was when I noticed that the sign read, Permit Required for Overnight Parking. Underneath the sign was the phone number for the towing company.

My heart sank. I couldn’t afford that extra expense to get my car back. Last month’s rent was already overdue. I wasn’t getting any clients either. And why hadn’t Gray told me I couldn’t leave my car on his street when he knew I’d driven there that evening? I wanted to go knock on his door and ask him. But he probably wasn’t home, and I was going to see him soon anyway. If I wanted to get there in time, I had to go. There wasn’t enough time to get my car first.