No Such Thing

Chapter 4

Playlist:
Paradise - Wild Nothing
Cherry Wine - Hozier
Warm Foothills - alt-J

Hot green tea doesn't sound like the most ideal drink of choice when it's somewhere between 80-90° outside, but you'd be surprised how soothing it can be after a couple hours of slightly drunken karaoke. Ryder somehow managed to convince me to get on stage with him at a hole-in-the-wall karaoke bar in Chinatown. Well it was either him or the alcohol. "Wait what song are you even picking?" "Trust me, it's a good one." The smile on his face was one of bad intentions and those intentions were clear the second I heard the sax intro of Careless Whisper. Of course he would pick the most embarrassing George Michael guilty pleasure possible. Thank god the place was empty since it was pretty late already.

"So I don't think you looked at the lyrics on the screen once. Are you a closet George Michael fan?" He was teasing me. "I might be. And judging by your enthusiasm to sing it, I'm guessing you are too." "I won't deny it. The man has talent." The waitress walked up with a steaming plate of hot dumplings. As Ryder reached for one, I noticed some ink peeking out of the sleeve of his jacket. "A tattoo? On New York's pretty boy?" A very mocking look of surprise on my face. "Very funny. Yeah I have a couple. My parents hate them." He lifted his sleeve to reveal a silver revolver wrapped in thorny vines. "I can see why." "You don't like it?" I loved it. "It's alright." His face seemed skeptical of my response but I could tell he wasn't going to threaten how pleasant I've been since we left 1Oak. Which I'm still pretty confused as to how I actually ended up spending a night doing very.. me things with him. "So who do you model for?" "IMG, Johanna Curtis is my agent." "She's the best in the business. I should drop by some time, she loves me." Yeah right. "She hates the ratpack." He broke into a very loud, warm laugh. "I like that name you made up there. As I recall, I did mention they're not my friends." "Georgia Dritzer doesn't seem to feel the way you do." The immediate look of disdain on his face had me fighting not to smile. It's the same face I make when I hear her name. "Georgia Dritzer is someone I wouldn't touch with a 90-ft stick. Please. All that comes out of that girl's mouth is utter trash." I can't even stifle my giggles. "You have a very cute laugh, but I don't see what's so funny." His half smirk could cut through you like a knife in warm butter. "It's just tonight she was bragging about how she could have you any time she wants and your response is pretty contradictory." "So that's who you were describing when you were talking about my type!" "Yes, that's definitely who I had in mind." I see him reaching into his wallet to pay for our bill. If he was anyone else I would fight him to the death before letting him pay for me, but I think even hinting at paying half would be a joke. "No, you're not paying for anything." Okay, mind reader. I start blushing but we were heading out the door before he could notice.

"Well the night is still young. What do you wanna do?" I check my phone to see the time and I had no idea it was already four in the morning. "You mean the morning is young?" "Okay grandma. Where do you live?" Far as hell. There was no way I was gonna have him on a subway or walking this late when he's a walking dollar sign. "It's fine, I'll get there on my own." "You're definitely not walking around this late at night, especially on your own." He's right I really don't wanna go alone, but I don't want him out either. Getting a cab at this time is gonna be impossible. "Do you have any suggestions?" His smirk made me want to eat my words. "You could stay with me, I'm right over in Greenwich." "Good joke." "How about I promise, solemnly swear, that I will stay on the couch and not even dare touch you." I didn't believe him for one second. Plus he'll probably shoo me away within the hour when he realizes he let a peasant into his domain. But I wasn't going to say no seeing as I didn't want to inspire a future episode of Law & Order: SVU. "Fine."

The doorman looks at me like he's never seen a girl in his life. Maybe it's the fact that I'm actually wearing a decent amount of clothing unlike Ryder's probable prior guests. I'm already bracing myself for the extravagant interior of Ryder's apartment. I bet there's a solid gold toilet in there. He really could afford one anyway. "It's so cold in here." I was literally shivering as we got off the elevator. "Maybe it's just you." I couldn't even stop to argue because we had already arrived at his door. He opened it without taking his eyes off me, but I tried my best to keep my eyes anywhere else as we walked in.