Chapter 4

 

“Ugh…” the throaty moan escapes his lips. “Yes…”

 

The man continues to pump at a slow, rhythmic pace until his dick starts to soften inside her. Dante – that’s his name – pulls out, and then rolls over and lies down on the bed. He removes the condom off him and throws it somewhere around the room.

 

Eww.

 

Harsh breaths escape his lips, as he tries to calm down and relax. The blindfold is still safely fit around his head, and before he has time to take it off, Valerie gives him a quick peck on the lips and sits up from the bed.

 

“Another round?” she says safely, seeing the man getting too comfortable with lying down. He looks too tired to go at it again. His reply is just as she expects.

 

“I’m beat. You were wonderful.”

 

With that, Valerie throws her legs over the bed and stands up. She walks around the room, picking up her underwear, her bottoms, her bra, and then her top last. When she’s fully dressed, she leaves the room, but not before saying, “Thanks. You can pay the remaining balance tomorrow. Just give me a call if you want another.”

 

Dante nods his head and then says, “You know you’ll be in my bed again.”

 

Valerie quirks her lips up into a small grin. Another job down, many more to go.

 

When she walks out of his apartment building, she hails a passing cab, which stops to a screech a couple meters in front of her. She gets in and gives the cab driver the directions to her apartment before she leans backwards against the seat.

 

Valerie can’t help but let out a disappointed sigh at the thought of the sex earlier. It doesn’t compare to Lucas.

 

It’s been a day since her conversation with Amanda. She promised her friend she’d try to stop thinking about the man. But it’s just so hard because she knows she’s going to see him tomorrow. The expectation is there, and she wants to smack herself for it.

 

Leaving Dante’s apartment wasn’t all too difficult. She dressed up, told him to pay up, and then left. She inserted a few kisses here and there, but there was no aching and clawing feeling for her to stay, unlike with Lucas.

Valerie doesn’t know if it’s the closer age gap or the fact that Lucas has managed to break her walls down. He got her to blindfold herself, something she never thought of doing. Valerie can’t pinpoint a singular trait that makes Lucas attractive and the kind of man she can’t stop thinking about. Like she told Amanda, it’s everything about him that makes him so.

 

When the cab comes to a screeching halt in front of her apartment building, she takes her wallet out of her bag, pays the driver, and steps out of the cab. She feels the cool wind of the night lightly brush against her face. Trent’s probably sleeping, and she can’t be any more thankful for her ten-year old boy. For some reason, he never questions her on why she goes home late. Sometimes, she feels Trent knows what she’s doing. She knows children nowadays are much smarter than adults give them credit for. She still hopes he doesn’t know and that he never asks. It’s for the good of both of them.

 

Valerie doesn’t realize she’s been standing outside in the cold for quite a while, give or take five minutes. When her train of thought is broken, she reaches for the phone in her bag and dials a number. Grant, the owner of the city’s most exclusive gentleman’s club, picks up after a couple rings.

 

“’‘Ello!” he yelps into the phone, which causes Valerie to flinch a bit and hold her phone further away from her ear. “What’s up, darlin’?”

 

Hey Grant,” she says, voice light and easy. “Wondering if you have room for me tonight?”

 

She hears chuckling coming from the other end. “Of course! That’d be a treat! When did you last take in walk-in clients?” When she stays silent, Grant then continues, “Exactly! You’ll be doing me a favor, my dear!”

 

“Great.” She tips her lips up into a grin. “I’ll be there in a few minutes.”

 

“I will fucking kiss you when I see you!” he says, trying not to laugh too much. “I’ll have one of the VIP rooms prepared.”

 

After a couple more pleasantries, Grant hangs up, and Valerie hails another cab. She pushes herself to believe she needs this – sex with another stranger. It’s going to help with Trent’s transplant. Having more money is always better. At the same time, she’ll be forced to stop thinking about Lucas even for just a few minutes.

 

She’ll worry about him when they see each other tomorrow.