15. Bradley
Bradley
T he room swirls with music—a mixture of sweet ballads and low, throbbing bass and shimmering lights that make the walls pulse like a heartbeat. Bodies move everywhere, tangled in shadows and strobe light, but in the center of it all are me and Jefferson.
Jefferson’s fingers graze along my wrist as we sway back and forth to the haunting, sad song playing.
Our bodies close, our chests pressed together as our hips sway in sync, the motion fluid, lazy, almost hypnotic.
My eyes wander past him to the couples around us, not wanting him to see how this is affecting me.
It shouldn’t be. This is a job, and I shouldn’t be having these longing desires for him.
Jefferson slips his hand further around my waist, splaying his palm along my back, resting it just above my ass. His touch is firm and grounding, and I’m loving it. My breath hitches, and he lets out a soft rumble, letting me know it didn’t go unnoticed.
The music shifts to an upbeat rhythm, and more couples spill onto the dance floor.
“Shall we get another round of drinks?” he asks huskily.
“Yeah. But it’ll need to be my last. Still need to drive home tonight.” I wink with a gentle reminder. Our time is nearly up, unless he’s wanting to add on the additional three hours.
He moves his arm, angling so he can see his watch. “That it is. Go ahead and have a seat and I’ll be right back. They should begin announcing the auction winners shortly.”
Jefferson leans in, kissing me gently on the corner of my lips before moving across the room through the crowd. I return to the table, taking my seat. Annabelle and her husband are still seated there, and I’m jealous of the way they look lovingly at each other.
The two of them; that’s how I’m hoping that Malcolm will be with his ex. This weekend is a big step for him, and I’m so happy that he’s willing to try it. The next will be coming out to his children and family, a date here in town and winning back the love of his life.
“Bradley.” Annabelle leans forward, calling my name across the table.
“Yes, ma’am?”
“That man loves you.”
“Annabelle, that’s none of your business,” her husband says sharply, but it doesn’t faze her a bit. She just shoos him away with her hands.
“As I was saying, before my husband so rudely interrupted me. I can tell things about people and that man loves you.”
I smile, not because she’s right, but because it’s sweet. One day I do hope to have a man who loves me, but Jefferson isn’t it.
“Thank you.” Then I lean in, giving her a huge grin and my best playful wink. “I think he does, too. Sometimes he’s just not good at showing it.”
She bursts out laughing. “Honey, I hate to tell you that’s all men. Best you learn it now rather than later in life.”
“Ain’t that the truth. Best to get the disappointment out of the way early.”
“Annabelle. You’re corrupting this young man with your nonsense. Don’t listen to her, she just likes to meddle.”
This woman reminds me so much of Nana that my heart aches for her still to be here. Her and Annabelle would have caused the most mischief together. I can already envision the call to bail them out of jail for whatever antics they caused.
A sharp tap-tap crackles through the speakers, the familiar pop of skin against metal echoing over the hum of conversation and music. Heads turn instinctively, some wincing slightly at the sudden spike of sound, while others laugh it off.
“May I have your attention, please,” comes from a rich, slightly gravelly-with-age voice. Shifting my attention over to him, I see it’s the same man from earlier. “DJ, let’s bring the music down, if you would.”
The volume fades, the beats of music falling away like a slow tide pulling back from shore, leaving only the murmur of voices and the faint clink of glasses.
“That’s better,” the man continues, clearing his throat gently. “Now, I believe it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for.”
A few scattered cheers rise from the room, along with a ripple of laughter. My eyes roam the room, looking for Jefferson, but I don’t see him anywhere. He won’t want to miss the announcements of who won, and he should’ve been back by now.
Did he leave me? Oh shit, he did. Is this like some upper scale dine and dash and I’m the unsuspecting party? No way in hell can I shell out the amount he wrote for that weekend getaway to Turks and Caicos Islands.
“Yes, yes,” he says with a smile, “it’s time to announce the winners of tonight’s incredible auction items. If your name is called, please make your way to the side of the room to finalize payment and collect details for your items. We’ve got some very happy bidders in here tonight, I’m sure.”
He pauses, holding up the envelopes in his hand, before placing them on the podium, except for one, opening it.
“Let’s begin…”
The announcer's voice fades to the back and is nothing more than idle white noise as I become concerned. I’m the first to say I get paranoid easily, but this has me on edge. Annabelle must sense something is off as she keeps looking at me, her eyebrow raised.
“Are you okay? You know if you don’t win, it’s not the end of the world.” She tries to comfort me, mistakenly thinking I’m afraid of losing a bid I didn’t even make.
“Yeah, just wondering—”
“I’m so sorry it took so long.” Jefferson’s deep voice speaks as he places a glass of wine in front of me, then sits down.
“Had to use the bathroom, then got a phone call, and the line was crazy,” he rambles and my heart calms. I really need to stop getting so wired about things or I’m going to end up having a heart attack before I’m twenty-five.
“See, told you so,” Annabelle says matter-of-factly.
“Did I miss something?” Jefferson leans in, whispering in my ear, his hot breath skimming across the delicate skin of my earlobe.
“Nope. Nothing at all.” There’s no way in hell I’m telling him I was spiraling.
“I haven’t heard them announce the item I bid on.
Did they and I just didn’t hear? There was a moment I stepped out of the room to take the call.
” I catch the slight change in his voice when he talks about the call.
Almost as if it’s not exactly what happened.
But that’s me diving off the deep end again with my thoughts.
“They haven’t yet.” I lean into him and whisper, noticing the angry glare from the woman sitting at the table across from us.
I really want to give her the finger, but I know this isn’t the place and I am working.
Getting a bad review or a complaint call to Foxy for embarrassing Jefferson isn’t worth it.
Not when I still have to save Nana’s house.
“Fingers crossed I’m the highest bid.” He takes my hand in his, holding it on the table as his thumb moves back and forth across my skin. Butterflies erupt in my stomach over the simple act. It’s been so long since I’ve been in a relationship, and it was more physical than emotional.
The announcer continues to go through the items, but Jefferson doesn’t let go of my hand. My eyes skip between where they lay conjoined on the table to his face that’s focused on the announcer.
“Our next item is an all-inclusive five-day trip to Turks and Caicos Islands. And our winning bid is from.” The man pauses for dramatic effect as he opens the envelope. “Jefferson Silverfox, with a bid of thirty-eight thousand dollars. Thank you for your generous donation.”
“Holy shit, you won it.” I all but shout as I pull my hand away and wrap my arms around his neck, slamming my lips down on his. He stiffens at first, almost shocked at my actions, before opening up and kissing me back.
“Go pay for your trip. There’s time for fooling around later,” Annabelle snorts from across the table. She lowers her voice slightly, but I still hear it. “Not that I don’t mind watching. It’s getting my motor running.”
“Annabelle. For God’s sake. Can you put a filter on your mouth?” her husband asks harshly.
“You’re not going to have any complaints when we get home, so you should be thanking them.”
Jefferson and I pull apart. I gently wipe my lips with my fingers, as if that could remove the tingling, while he adjusts his suit and inhales deeply before blowing it out.
“Guess I should go pay. I’ll be right back, and then we can get out of here.” He stands and hurries away, leaving me to obsess over his words.
“Get out of here.” Well, his time is up. It’s practically eleven as it is. He made an appearance, made his donation, and now it’s over. A true Cinderella story in the making. Only instead of me running away, it’s him.
“This is just a job. Nothing more,” I mumble.
“What’s that, Sweetheart?” Annabelle asks, her face drawn in concern.
“Nothing. Just thinking out loud.” I laugh. Forced, but it’s there.
My eyes track over to where Jefferson headed. I can see him barely, just slightly in view as he stands at a table. His shoulders are bouncing up and down as if he’s laughing.
I’m still staring when I see him turn and make his way back across the room. He moves with a kind of quiet confidence—and I feel like every eye is on him, appreciating him. The low light casts soft shadows along the jawline and the curve of his shoulders beneath the fabric of his jacket.
His stride is deliberate, slow and smooth. His hands slide casually into his pockets as he weaves through the tables filled with guests, nodding once to someone who greets him, barely slowing his pace.
I can’t help but follow the motion of his shoulders, the faint sway of his hips, the length of his legs with each step.
As hard as I try, I can’t pull my eyes away from him.
Heat burns within me, and for the first time I’m wishing for more than just being a paid companion for a night.
I want a relationship, and Jefferson ticks off every box.
His eyes lock on me and his face softens, the corners of his lips turning up, his eyes sparkling. Does he feel the same?
Jefferson reaches the table, but he doesn’t sit. Instead, he moves behind me, bending over so his face is nestled in the crook of my neck. His hot breath dances along my skin as he whispers huskily. “Ready to get out of here?”
And the metaphorical cold shower begins. The doomsday of dates. The night is over, and all my worries are confirmed.
“Yeah. Sure thing,” I mutter, trying not to show my embarrassment over my ridiculous thoughts that he could possibly be attracted to me as well.
He steps back, allowing me to move my chair enough to stand, and takes my hand in his, leading me out of the room. Others are exiting the event as well, while others move to the dance floor now that the announcer has finished and the music has restarted.
Jefferson’s grip tightens on my hand and his steps quicken, causing me to have to reciprocate to keep up with him. He’s really trying to get away from me. Did I come on too strong with the kissing, the jokes with Annabelle?
We leave the ballroom and head toward the hotel lobby, but after a few steps, he halts. Not noticing, I slam into his body, almost knocking both of us over. He smiles, pulling me to the side, turning my body so I’m flush against the wall.
“I don’t want to be presumptuous. But I’m really having a great time with you tonight.
It’s been a while since I’ve felt like this.
That I’ve been able to show the affection like I have with you in public.
” He stops, and I bite nervously on my lip.
Jefferson raises his hand, rubbing the pad of his thumb across the ridge of my jaw.
“Okay.” God, that sounded lame. Not exactly the smoothest response to a heartfelt confession.
But I’m not used to this—being wanted like this.
My brain short-circuited, and that’s what came out.
“I know Foxy’s has rules. I had to read and agree to them all.
It’s after eleven, so our official paid time is up.
But Bradley, I don’t want the night to end.
I lied earlier when I told you why it took me so long to get the drinks. ”
I raise my eyebrow in confusion. He lied. Okay. But what is he trying to say?
“Tonight with you has been amazing and I want to explore more, so I went and got a room. One that I hope you will come to with me. What I want is for you to stay the night with me and we can take this further? No pressure. If the answer is no, I can take you home right now.”
My heart slams against my ribs, drowning everything else out.
This isn’t part of the job.
This is real.
“Yes,” I whisper, the word catching on my breath. “God, yes.”
His lips crash down on mine before I can say anything else.