My Deadly Escort

4

   I'm laughing to the point of tears as Kayden finishes telling me the story of how his little sister had managed to erase a whole meetings worth of information ten minutes before because she wanted somewhere to save her online drawings, this was a few years ago and she'd only been ten and didn't know any better.
   "Oh my, I'm sorry for laughing so much but my god that is hilarious." I giggle, we'd left the party not long after the run in with Mahlia. It was safe to say it had dampened my mood, but with Kayden smiling at me like he is now it didn't seem that bad.
   "It's alright, I always have a laugh when I retell the story. She's a lot smarter now than she was then." He lifts the mug of coffee to his lips and takes a long sip. We'd found a small café not far from the convention centre and had decided to just talk, the company was really nice and I hadn't realised how lonely I'd become.
   "My little brother would do that as well though if he ever had the chance, he's ten now so it wouldn't surprise me." I look around the café, no one else was in here even though it was only eight thirty. It had varnished wooden floors with fake plants hanging off the walls, we sat at the front of the shop in heating. I had not dressed for this.
   "So, where's your family now?" He asks, sitting his cup down.
   "Canada still, it's just my grandad and nan with my little brother. It's always been like that, even when I was just a kid." I sit my cup down and avoid looking at him, afraid my face would give too much of my emotions away. With a mum addicted to drugs and a dead dad I hadn't had the most stable family life, but I wouldn't be here today without my grandparents.
   "You're from Canada? What's it like over there? I'd love to visit but with work lately leaving the office seems almost impossible."
   "Yes, from Banff. It's lovely, you have to enjoy the colder weather though as the winters are unbelievable. I know what that feels like, I may as well live in my office." I sigh as I look back down to my cup, I hadn't been home for almost two years now and a visit was due.
   "The joys we live." I look back up to him to find him already staring at me, my heart speeds up.
   "Ha, yes. Such a joy. I didn't realise I'd find it so easy to talk to you. How did you get into escorting anyway?" I ask, sipping my hazelnut cappuccino. He leans back in the chair and rests his arm up in the back of it, my eyes involuntarily watch as muscles move beneath his shirt.
   "That's another secret I'm going to have to keep."
   "Here I was thinking we could be friends." I joke, I look out the window and into the city. It's quiet in here, with low R&B Soul music playing in the background.
   "That would be problematic now wouldn't it?" He asks, a hint of amusement in his voice. I look back to him and huff out a laugh, I finish my coffee and check the time. Nine fifteen. Our time was almost up.
   I feel...disappointed. I didn't expect being around him to be so easy, or comfortable.
   "Well Mr Mysterious we better get moving, your times nearly up." My chair scrapes back as I push it away, I leave a tip under my mug and grab my purse. I walk out, the click of my heels filling the silence. He follows after me, catching me quickly. I flag down a taxi, one screeches to a stop in front of us. He opens the door for me, gentlemen as always.
   I settle in and my mood plummets, I didn't know I could go from happy to miserable in the frame of thirty minutes, but here I was. I tell the taxi driver my address and he jumps into gear.
   "Do you have any plans for the rest of the night?" Kayden asks, pulling my attention away from the window. I look briefly at him before focusing outside his window.
   "Shower, Netflix and crime shows and I'll probably have a few drinks. I don't work tomorrow so I may as well enjoy the night. What about you?" I ask, he stretches out and his knee touches mine. I swallow.
   "You like crime shows?" He asks, avoiding the question. I let it slip, I wouldn't see him after this so I wasn't in the mood to pester him.
   "I love them, I watch them every night. Forensic files is my big thing at the moment. Luna loves watching them too." I relax slightly at the thought, although being alone in my apartment is currently daunting. He gives me an easy, genuine smile.
   "I love that series. I mean I guess I have to be interested in crime related things." We both share a soft laugh, the taxi pulls up and Kayden pays the bill. I get out of the cab and to my surprise he does as well. I give him an amused smile as we stand on either side of the taxi.
   "What are you doing?"
   "Well it wouldn't be very polite of me to not walk you to the door." I roll my eyes at him.
   "What are you hoping for? A kiss? This isn't a sappy sitcom." I muse.
   "That'll cost extra." He winks as the taxi drives away and he comes forward. We walk into my building in silence, once we reach my door I stop.
   "Well this is me." I say, not really knowing what to say.
   "Indeed it is." He says.
   "How much do I owe you actually?" I ask, opening my wallet. I had two hundred on me at the moment and even though I won't be able to buy food until my next pay I don't regret spending this money on him.
   "Two fifty."
   "I only have two hundred, can I just like transfer the fifty through the bank?" I hand him the cash, our hands linger briefly. He pulls away first, I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear feeling stupid. This was his job.
   "Don't worry about it." He checks his watch.
   "I'm sorry I'll let you go, sorry for wasting more of your time. Um, I'll see you around. Ah it was nice meeting you Kayden." I babble, I unlock the door and push it open; I'd left the living room light on.
   "It was nice meeting you too Shay." He reaches for my hand, kissing the back of it. My eyebrows shoot up and I open my mouth to say something but before I can he's striding towards the elevator. I watch as he leaves before going into my apartment.
   I run to the window, looking down. He flags down a taxi, not before looking back up to my apartment. I squeal and duck down, not wanting him to see me. I peek over the edge and watch as he gets in and leaves.
   I do as I told him earlier, showering and pulling my big black tee that has a white outline of a demonic cat back on. I make a drink and grab a smoke, needing one badly. I pull my phone out and put my music on shuffle, the first song that comes on is "Talia." By King Princess. I'd discovered this song when me and Blake had split.
   I lean my head back and close my eyes, sighing. My phone pings, I pull it up to my face and look at the message.

Kayden: Hey, I'm sorry to disturb you but I think I've left my keys in your apartment? I can't find them and I don't feel like breaking into my own place.

My heart pounds rapidly in my chest as I look around the room, I spot them on the floor near the couch. They must have fallen out when he'd been patting Luna.

Shay: Hey, uh yeah you sure did. I'm currently staring right at them.

Kayden: Photo proof.

I roll my eyes as I snap a photo of the living room, I attach the message and send it to him.

Shay: Eye spy Mr Mysterious.

I put my phone down and light another smoke, a stupid smile stuck on my lips. I'm sure he'd be able to climb through a window or something, that's what they did in the movies.

Kayden: Ha. You're funny, you know that? I'm at your apartment for them.

Shay: Um excuse me? PHOTO PROOF !

I frown down at my phone as the little bubbles come up to let me know he's typing. To my horror a photo of me sitting on the window ledge pops up, looking down at a bright device; smoke in hand.

Shay: Stalker.

Kayden: I know, now let me in woman it's cold out here.

I put my smoke on the ash tray and open my front door to find him standing there; his hair was di-shelved; like he'd been running his hands through it. The top three buttons of his shirt were undone, I look down at the floor.
   "Come in, you know where they are." I open the door for him, he walks in like he owns the place and looks around. I shut it behind us and my heart picks up, I'd never had a guy in my apartment like this. An episode of forensic files plays in the background. I walk to my phone and turn the music off, I take my seat again; letting one leg dangle in the apartment and have the other sitting up on the ledge.
   "Aren't you cold?" He asks, I look over at him. His eyes travel up from my legs and finally find my face. I'd forgotten I'd only had this shirt on. My cheeks flame.
   "No." I say, clearing my throat. I hold his stare as he bends down and picks up his keys; he doesn't take his eyes from me. I wasn't cold before but the way he's looking at me has my body setting on fire.
   "Fair enough miss I don't feel the weather." He muses, smirking at me. I narrow my eyes at him but can't seem to keep a straight face. He turns and looks at the TV, he grips the couch as he leans forward.
   "I haven't seen this episode before, any good so far?" He asks, I put the smoke out and grab my empty cup. I shut the window behind me as I step down, heading for the kitchen.
   "Yeah it is, it's about a jealous girlfriend murdering her boyfriend's lover on the side. They're explaining how she did it at the moment." I say, I open the fridge and grab the coke and Bacardi. I feel his eyes on me, I look up.
   "What?" I ask, I look back down and pour my drink.
   "Girls are mad."
   "You make us mad." I laugh, they really did. I had so many problems I had to work through from my last relationship because of that factor.
   "And I'm sure you speak from experience no doubt?" He asks, I gulp a mouthful of my drink before answering.
   "I sure do." I say, scrunching my face up, I'd made it a bit too strong. He comes over and stands on the other side of the kitchen bench.
   "Tell me about it." He leans in, challenging me. I sit the cup down and lean in as well, our faces are centimetres away from each other and I can make out small black flecks in his grey eyes.
   "No." I say, raising an eyebrow. I lick my lips and watch as his eyes follow my tongue, I see his Adams apple bob in his throat.
   "Next time." He states, leaning back.
   "Ha, there won't be a next time." I say lightly, grabbing my drink again.
   "What? Didn't you enjoy my company tonight?" He pouts, acting sad. I grin at him, unsure of how he can still look drop dead gorgeous making a face like that.
   "Quite the opposite. But I'm not buying your time again, and I'm never going to that stupid dinner again. I don't care how miserable I look to everyone." His eyes search my face as he inspects me, seeing if I mean what I say. I do, I was not buying a man's time again.
   "You shouldn't care what others think of you Shay." He says, serious. I wave him off as I walk past him and settle back on the couch.
   "Look, that's not a conversation I'm having tonight. You have two choices, you can make a drink and stay or you can go. But I want to watch this episode now." I pull the blanket over my legs, sitting my cup down beside the couch.
   Much to my surprise, he takes a seat on the other side of the couch; drink in hand.