The Client's Proposal

The Proposal

Beverly

Three days later

Dinner with Elouise and Dante had been casual...burgers and beers at a local diner. Laughter and good company...I was also coming to learn that Alex could be two completely different people.

There was the charismatic, smart, well-mannered, gentleman; it's who he was when we were out in public, around people ,and now-friends. Then there was the man that only I got to experience...sexual, vulgar, demanding, rough. Mostly during sex, of course, but it was absolutely terrifying that I liked it.

Maybe it was the anticipation of the unknown with him. I'd never experienced it; being called disrespectful names, having my clothes ripped off, being used, and punished. No, I didn't like it...I loved it.

As promised, I had gotten my movie night with him too. Snacks, wine, and cuddling on the sofa had been the perfect way to end Alex's last night in town. That had been three days ago...in that three days I had experienced an entirely new feeling: withdrawal.

Was it even possible to have withdrawals from a human? I was pretty much over trying to fight it. I was in this thing. Alexander Bell was my guy now...and I was just...his. All that was left to do now was give him my blessing and I was desperate to have him back. 

He consumed my thoughts-so it was no surprise that I was thinking of him three days later as I worked the afternoon shift at Jamie's store. 

I was doing a little stocking when the handsome owner came to find me after ringing up a customer. "Thought we agreed I would give you a day off." I looked up from my task to meet a pair of hazel eyes. 

Jamie was the complete opposite of Alex; no suits, no tattoos, little to no intimidation. He was the guy that walked to the bottom of the stairs in the morning with a cup of coffee to get the morning paper while a woman cooked breakfast in the kitchen for him and the family. He got the kids ready for school. Did school drop-off. Went to the grocery store. 

Really just a whole package of perfection. A girl's dream. 

I shrugged, "It's fine. Always glad to help out and the extra money won't hurt." You don't need a second job. Alex's voice went through my head. Okay, I might have decided to "date" him but there were things that were still to be determined. 

"Fair enough. Drinks then? Or dinner? I feel shitty about missing out on the birthday dinner." 

I glanced back up at him for a second. I would like nothing more. I wanted to be friends with him but I didn't know if that was possible now. Not after the kiss and then whatever the hell Alex had done to me in the closet. Damn. I was still feeling the aftershocks of that one. 

Think fast then, Bev. "It's fine, really. It was hardly anything special." It was my way of basically avoiding his questions. Thankfully the arrival of a customer interrupted our short-lived conversation and he turned away to go service them. 

The rest of the afternoon and into the evening was busy. I clocked out and left before Jamie was done and I was glad. The truth was, I didn't know what to say. Still needed some time to get it right. I was barely out of the parking lot when I got a text from Elouise. 

Bringing over some drinks. Please say you have food. 

I didn't...I sent a quick reply, telling her I would pick up some takeout. There was a Chinese place near home so I stopped in, ordered, waited twenty minutes, and was home just in time for Elouise to be pulling into the snow scraped driveway.