Chapter 6

Lori

“Oh my God, Lori. I had to get hammered to do the things I did to that poor man. You didn’t tell me he was that fucking hot. I was in two minds about whether I was going to ignore you completely and just fuck him and have done with it. I bet he has a massive cock and knows what to do with it. He just had such like animal magnetism, the X-factor,-”

“Yeah, okay, stop right there, at guy crush o'clock. Tell me everything you did to him.” I didn’t tell Chrissy that Aidan had already informed me of her actions. I wanted to hear it from her own mouth.

But, God help me, I could not stop laughing as she relayed how she had eaten his meals and basically been an utter pain in the ass. She also sent me a photo of him sitting in front of half a salad and the expression on his face almost made me incontinent, I laughed so hard.

“I bet I’ve put him off women for a long time. Anyway, aim achieved. Your friend will not be dating the hot sex god.” She made a wailing sound, “unfortunately.”

“Ah, he doesn’t know how to date a woman properly anyway, he says. He keeps asking me for advice.”

“What?”

“Yep, I’m his new best friend, apparently. Going to advise him on all things girl.”

“And of course he believes you can do that. You being a lesbian? Lori, you do realize that pretending to be gay has to be the dumbest thing you’ve ever done, second to that which we shall never talk about.”

“Look, I don’t want a boyfriend right now, or even a date. I want to save and get my studies done.”

I could imagine her right now at the other end of the line, shaking her head and/or rolling her eyes at me.

“Well, I think you’re crazy. Aidan seemed like a great guy. He didn’t let it show once how much I annoyed him. He stayed a gentleman until the end. Well, I guess he did because I didn’t stay until the end.”

“He apologized for your behavior and gave the waitress a huge tip.”

“Seriously? Fuck, I feel so guilty. I must have cost him a fortune. You bartenders earn little. Do you think I could make a secret deposit into his bank account? Could you get me the details?”

“He’s good for it. I didn’t want you to know while you were on the date, but he’s not a bartender. He’s actually my boss. Aidan Hall.”

“Aidan Hall. AIDAN HALL? The bachelor everyone wants to ensnare? That Aidan Hall? Not Aiden fucking Jones who I was introduced to last night?”

“That’s right.”

“You sooo owe me. Ironing is not enough for walking away from a hot billionaire. Oh my god, Lori. What are you doing? Go tell him you are not gay right now. Go get him. He’s a hot commodity.”

“No. He’s my new friend, and he’s going to help me trust a guy again, hopefully. That’s my aim.”

“Your aim should be around his boxer shorts area, or whatever he wears. God, he could go commando.”

“On that note, I’m going to say goodbye. I need to get to work.”

“Bar or movies?”

“Movies.”

“Pussy or cock?”

“Cock. Right up the ass. More money for today’s work. Soon I will have my college money.”

“You could just ask your new best friend for it. I’m sure it’d be like him giving away ten cents.”

“No. I’m doing this myself.”

“Oh yes, Miss Independence. Well I hope today’s other actor knows what he’s doing and gives you a great time.”

“Me too. Sure makes the job easier when it’s a hot guy who knows how to use his cock.”

“This has to be one of the weirdest convos we have ever had. Right, I’m off to the world of fashion. Speak soon!”

I ended the call on my handset.

Work was good. I was with a really professional actor who I felt straight at ease with. But I had to admit that at one point I wished Aidan was watching. I wondered if he would be jealous if he was a lover and his girlfriend had sex with other men for a career. Did he really accept it as a job, or did he think it was like prostitution? But then as owner wouldn’t that make him a pimp? My own thoughts on it were like a rollercoaster. One moment I’d think it was a job like any other job. The next I’d wonder what I was doing and I couldn’t help but think if part of my movie career was about the fact that I was in control of what was happening to my body. Not like when my ex had attacked me and beaten me black and blue. Everything that happened during filming was with my consent. I was owning my body.

The rest of the week passed quickly as the countdown to Abandon’s opening night got closer. I didn’t hear from Aidan much except for he’d developed this strange habit of checking in with me each evening to make sure I was home safe. It was cute and unexpected that this business mogul would remember to check if I was okay. And then it was here. Abandon’s opening night. We’d practiced and done run throughs as much as we could and now it was the big night. Press were coming and journalists from several leading female magazines who wanted an insight into a modern day sex club. As a few top models were going to be in attendance, it didn’t surprise me that Aidan was more than happy to be attending without a date.

We all took our positions ready for the doors to open. Aidan came round every part of his club and thanked us and wished us all the best. He’d bought every single member of staff a gift in celebration of the opening. The bar staff had engraved glasses with the name of the club and the date of opening on them and a bottle of champagne each.

A top DJ had been hired for the evening. The music started and people began to come in. The club was open for business as usual but because it was the opening night, members had been told that the rooms wouldn’t be available for use until after midnight on this occasion. It was press and opening ceremony from nine until midnight. Aidan had already told me that each member of press or other visitor had to leave at midnight unless they joined the club as a member in which case they had to hand over their cameras at midnight and observe the same rules as the rest of the members. In turn they could be rest assured that confidentiality was key and issues like being one of the most famous models on the planet didn’t matter after midnight. You became another face in the crowd. I could imagine the appeal for them and I’d bet some of them would join and stay after midnight. No doubt the thought of the handsome billionaire being around was a temptation to stay and lose their clothes too.

Aidan couldn’t have renamed the club anything finer - Abandon - that’s what people here came to do. Abandon themselves to pleasure. I realized that in some ways the people who came here weren’t that different to me with my acting work, except for mine was business and there’s was pleasure. Everyone was owning their bodies though and choosing what to do with them. Once we got busy I had no time to think about what Aidan was doing anymore. My last thoughts of him were how utterly electrifying he looked in his dark navy suit, white shirt and black tie. I watched as he chatted. His mouth curving into a smile that made me want to smother him in kisses and lock myself in a room with him for hours. Then another order for drinks was shouted at me over the bar and I knuckled down and worked my ass off.

By the time my shift finished at three am I was exhausted. I almost stumbled out from around the bar. I needed my bed, and I needed it fast. Tomorrow I would lie in my bed all the damn day and never get out of my pajamas. There weren’t so many people around the bar area now, with them mainly having drifted off to the different rooms to watch or play.

I deliberately walked past Aidan on my way out. I just wanted to be near him. Have one last look and maybe hear his voice. He was deep in conversation with two men and their conversation looked quite heated. As I approached, I could hear their voices.

“I will find a woman and you my friend will be dating that Assistant of yours, believe me. Now stop ganging up on me.”

A guy with blond hair was shaking his head, “We just worry about you, friend. You turned down a Victoria’s Secret model. We thought you must be sick.”

A Victoria’s Secret model. I couldn’t possibly hope to compete with one of those.

“Not my type of girl.” Aidan told them.

“I don’t think they’ve made your type of girl yet.” Laughed the other one. “A woman who’ll stay at home while you work here. Not a chance.”

I stepped in. Maybe I should have minded my own business but I couldn’t. These other guys were goading Aidan, and I hated it.

“Hi, babe.” I wandered right next to him. “I know we said we wouldn’t say anything tonight with me having to work behind the bar, but I’ve finished my shift now.”

Aidan looked at me, a puzzled look on his face. I hoped to God he worked out what I was doing in the next few seconds or I would look a fool.

I held out my hand to the blond guy. “Hi, I’m Lori. Aidan’s girlfriend. It’s lovely to meet you.”

The blond man and the guy with the salt and pepper hair both turned to me with their mouths hanging open. When I turned back to Aidan, his face was the same. So, I did the only thing I could think of to cover up the shock on his face.

I kissed him.