As every day passes, I find my longing for Caleb growing deeper and deeper, like some impenetrable pit in the depths of my gut. I keep promising myself that I won’t fall for him but it seems like I’m watching myself fall off a cliff in slow motion. I’m not one to get philosophical, but when my heart hangs in the balance, I can’t help overthinking things just a bit. I never know when a night we share will be our last one together, I never know when he’ll decide to cut ties and be done with me. The thrill of buying a woman and using her seems to be all part of the experience and if that woman were to fall for him… I don’t have much doubt that Caleb would cut his losses and find someone else.

He doesn’t message much or call me beyond our working relationship, as it were. I find myself staring at my phone and aching for him to send one message, one little indication that I have been on his mind. However, the message seems as if it will never come. Maybe he’s caught on to my increasing infatuation with him. Maybe it’s better if he has ended this and I don’t have to go through the sheer agony of breaking off… whatever this is.

It’s been two days since our last thrilling experience in his play room and I can’t deny my curiosity is piqued by his interests. I can only imagine what kind of hard stuff he’s into, if he insists that the first night was taking it easy on me. My thoughts wander to what sort of tools or toys he has, what he can use to bring me to the brink of ecstasy and wonderful pain at the same time. I want him so badly, I want him inside me even as I sit in my small apartment, listening to my mother wheeze and cough in the next room. It’s not exactly the most erotic scenario, but God, if he would just give me some inkling of the idea of him wanting me… I would nearly collapse from the sheer delight.

I’m drawn from my innermost thoughts by the vibration of my phone and while I initially dismiss it as being Kara checking up on me, I can’t ignore the hope that it’s the man I’ve been dreaming off. I swipe the screen to check my messages, eyes widening as I read the message. While these two nights have felt like an eternity, objectively it hadn’t been very long. Caleb must have some sort of feelings if he was continuing to book me repeatedly over such a short period of time. Before I can babble out a response about being thrilled to potentially see him, he sends another message. The first had been all business, but there’s something more to this second message, something deeper.

Overthinking his intentions can only lead down a dangerous road I’d be foolish to tread upon. The handsome man has made his intentions painfully clear and to try and push myself into a relationship with him would only have disastrous results. Still, the three simple words he sent me have me questioning just how one-sided my feelings are.

‘Dinner and dancing?’

It’s a simple request, but it could be the catalyst for so much more. When I leave to meet Caleb and my Mom asks where I’m going, I don’t hesitate to tell her I’m going on a date.

The drive to the club is just long enough for me to begin feeling guilty about what I’m doing. I want to spend as much time with Caleb as humanly possible. I want to know him inside and out. There’s so much hidden behind those gorgeous blue eyes of his; feelings that I can’t quite decipher and a desire that sets me alight. I tell myself that all I can do for the time being is try to play it cool. If he has no idea how obsessed I’m becoming with him, maybe he’ll continue to use me as his plaything.

As I step out of the car, the steady thrum of the bass beat can be heard even from the parking lot. I can’t imagine we’ll get a lot of eating done, but I’d be just as happy with Chinese takeout again. Maybe a few moments in his arms, pretending that there’s more to this than sex alone. Shaking my head, I glance in my side mirror to examine my makeup, touching up my eyeliner before striding towards the club with confidence that’s altogether insincere. I don’t see his car anywhere, but I suppose he may have called a taxi or something.

Thinking of a man like Caleb doing something as mundane as hailing a cab strikes me as inexplicably hilarious and I’m trying to smother my nervous giggles as I step into the dimly lit club. I spot him immediately, ignoring the adoring stares of all the women in his vicinity. He sips a gin and tonic, moving slowly from side to side in time with the beat.

“Caleb!” I call out from across the club, darting towards him. His expression is nothing short of delighted as I close the distance between us and he pulls me into his arms in an unusual show of affection.

“Maggie, I was beginning to think you had stood me up,” he teases, brushing a hand through my wavy brown locks. I can’t help feeling plain compared to some of the other women staring us down, but for the time being at least, Caleb only has eyes for me. It’s a high unlike anything else, knowing that I’ve managed to snare him, at least somewhat. I wouldn’t go as far as taking his attention as a love confession, but, fuck it. I’m going to enjoy as much time as I can with him.

“Me? Standing you up? I think you have it backwards there, stud,” I say slyly, brushing my fingertips to the stubble on his jaw. He curls his lips into a smile, tilting his head to press his lips to my fingers. A small gasp pulls itself from my lips, but he moves away a short moment later and the spell is broken. He gestures for the bartender to approach us and the first thing I think to order is a ‘Sex on the Beach’. Caleb looks faintly amused by my choice in drink, whispering hotly into my ear.

“A fantasy of yours, sweetheart?” he asks huskily, as I try to ignore the shivers all but assaulting my body. I want little more than to press my lips to his before telling him to take me to the nearest beach. Hell, even a pile of sand beside a kiddie pool would do at this rate. I remain silent, however, accepting my drink when the bartender slides it across the bar. To fill the silence, I take a long swallow from the straw, allowing Caleb to guide me towards the dance floor. I’m not much of a dancer, considering that I’ve had very little time for such activities. Taking care of my Mom is a full-time job, as it were, not accounting for my job at Brookhaven Veterinary Services. Just as well, I find myself falling into a comfortable rhythm, swaying my hips from side to side in time to the beat. Caleb moves with more grace than I’d expect, though I shouldn’t be surprised that he’s talented at something like dancing. It seems the man has no flaws.

Well, disregarding his desire to own his women, with a new one at any given time. I try not to let myself fall victim to my depressing thoughts, which isn’t awfully difficult when he tangles a hand in my hair and presses our lips together. I can taste the alcohol on his tongue and before I get totally hammered, I’d like to find our way back to his penthouse. I draw away to tell him as such and he considers me with a wry grin.

“What’s with the look?” I ask.

“Well, I’d almost think you only want me for my body,” he retorts. He winks, soothingly taking me by the hand as I all but squawk indignantly. “I was hoping for a bit of privacy as well, truth be told. I can hail a cab, I didn’t drive because I knew I’d want to get a few drinks,” he explains and I can’t help grinning a bit coquettishly.

“How long were you waiting for me, Caleb?” I smirk. He rolls his eyes, his cheeks growing slightly flushed as he begins to guide me towards the door. “I can drive us to your place. My car isn’t anything fancy, but it has four wheels and a working air conditioner,” I continue, leading him to the side parking lot. He’s a bit clumsy in his steps, leaning on me a bit more than may be necessary.

“You know the way to my place by now, right?” Caleb murmurs against my ear. I feel a throb shoot through my cunt and it’s all I can do not to pin him against the car and ravish him.

“Of course,” I stammer out, slipping around to the driver’s side as he slips into the passenger seat. We fasten our seatbelts and if he’s put off by the state of my ride, he doesn’t say anything about it. He seems pensive on the drive to his penthouse, reaching his hand out on the center console to grip my own. It’s comforting and as we come to a stop in the parking lot, he gives my hand a squeeze before slipping out of the car. I’m at his side immediately and he wraps an arm around my shoulders as we make our way to his special elevator. He enters the code with dexterous fingers and I lean my head against his chest as we step inside.

“I know the idea of a… date, as it were, seems a bit out of character. I was just hoping we could get to know each other a little better,” he explains gently as we step out of the elevator. He guides me to the sofa, hesitating for a moment before stepping towards the kitchen. “How about some wine and cheese? We can talk things over a bit,” he calls back, slipping out of sight for a moment.

“That would be great,” I call back, getting comfortable on the sofa in spite of how strange the situation is. I can’t imagine what he would want to know about me, but I’m more than happy to sate his curiosity. It’s rather endearing, the way he seems to be taking a sudden interest in my personal life. I don’t expect the conversation to get awfully deep before the two of us retreat to his bedroom, but as he emerges from the kitchen, I’m surprised to see him clad in little more than a pair of flannel pajama bottoms.

“I took a moment to change and get comfortable,” he murmurs, stepping towards the sofa and placing the cheese tray on the coffee table. He pours me a copious amount of wine, idly pointing out which cheese goes best with each choice of wine he’s brought. When he finally seems to settle down, our eyes meet and I chance a nervous smile. He looks troubled by my anxiety, reaching out to rest a hand on my shoulder. “For now, I’d just like to talk, if that’s alright?” he implores.

“That’s fine, Caleb, of course,” I murmur, sipping the wine he had poured and picking up a block of one of the cheeses he had pointed out. “So… I suppose we’re going to play one of those games where we lob questions back and forth at each other?” I giggle, leaning closer to him. He wraps an arm around me, drawing me flush to his side. His warmth radiates in a way that seems more than pure sexual energy at this point.

“I just wanted to know a bit about your life. No offense, but you don’t seem the sort to get involved with the escort lifestyle. Not that I’m complaining by any means, I was just rather curious as to what got you involved,” he says carefully. I feel my eyes widen and I can only wonder what direction he’s hoping to go with this conversation. The wine is hitting me a bit harder than I’d like to admit, mixed with the drink I’d had at the bar. I know it’s not exactly prudent to spill my life story to my client, but with those sincere eyes locked upon my own, I’m helpless.

“It’s… my Mom. She’s been suffering from cancer for years, now,” I pause, reaching up to rub my eyes. “I had to give up my education, my friends, relationships… because I had to devote all of my time to taking care of her. I don’t hold it against her, God knows how dearly I love her…” I trail off a bit, taking another long sip of wine. He presses a kiss to the side of my forehead, pulling me into his lap in one smooth motion. “The bills were getting insurmountable and I had to take on two jobs. I lost my night shift job because of some dick head football player and… well, here we are,” I sniffle.

“I’m so sorry to hear about your mother. She must be a lovely woman, to have raised someone as wonderful as you,” Caleb mumbles, brushing a hand soothingly through my hair. “I know it means very little, considering the circumstances… but if I may be so bold to tell you how happy I am that we met?” he continues, pressing a kiss to my temple. Warmth spreads through my body, sheer adoration for the man that holds me so tenderly in his grip. I tilt my head to press our lips together again, however this time seems different from all the others. There’s a surprising tenderness in it, something that makes my heart ache.

When I draw away, I realize just how exhausted I am. I can barely keep my eyes open when I feel Caleb draw me into his arms, muttering something I can’t quite make out. I can feel him carrying me somewhere, slowly realizing I’m in a bed as he sets me back down. He slips down my body to remove my shoes, and and a soft groan pulls itself from my throat. With his fingers moving deftly towards the button of my jeans, I feel as if I should feel aroused. In a way, I suppose I do. Moreover, I feel the most comfortable I have in some time.

Time slips away and as I feel myself losing consciousness, I’m aware of Caleb settling in the bed beside me. He draws me into his arms and for once, I feel whole.