3. Chapter 3
Spyridoula
I looked at the request, my jaw dropping slightly. Not that I didn’t think it would happen. Because it was evident from the look on his face when I was talking to him that he wanted to talk but I wasn’t going to give him the time of day.
So, it struck me as interesting that he made a request. I mean, he could have just found me online or something. But I had to admit, I was intrigued about this.
Because it was another book deal and I couldn’t recall when we had so many authors in one place.
And against my better judgement, I accepted the request. I mean, five grand was nothing to sneeze at.
“Ugh,” I groaned, looking at myself in the mirror.
It said cocktail dress and I had plenty of those, but for some damn reason, nothing was looking good to me.
The navy one was beautiful with a sheer cover over the material that just did wonders for my deeper skin tones, but the black was far more formal.
There was also a sage one that I loved, but that was far too much skin. Which I never had a problem with before, so I wasn’t sure why I was questioning it now.
“Don’t do that,” I scolded. I knew exactly why. This was Ajax. A man that I had a crush on growing up but didn’t see me or want me like that.
I slipped the navy dress back on, added a pair of silver heels along with some simple silver jewelry and then pinned my hair up on one side. I kept my makeup simple, figuring that though this was a book convention for him, he didn’t want me to overshadow him.
At six-thirty, a knock sounded on my door and I opened it, trying my best to cover the quick intake of breath I had over seeing this man in a simple white button down and black slacks.
Damn it all to hell, he looked extremely fuckable and that was not a good sign for me.
“Shit, Spy, you look unbelievably gorgeous. Wow.” He took my hand and spun me around, making me laugh.
“Stop. I do not. Look at you. That white shirt is only making your skin glow.”
“Thank you. Glad you noticed. Been out on the boat a lot more this summer.”
I locked up my door and walked out to the awaiting car.
“You have a boat?”
“My dad left me his. Went and upgraded so said I could have it. It’s far less fancy than his, but it’s nice. Great time to sit and enjoy the sun and the water.”
“I saw that your dad got something new. I’m friends with them on Facebook.”
“How did I not know this?” he asked, following me into the backseat. I shrugged but gave him a smirk.
“Don’t think you know a lot about my life these days.”
“Sadly, no.” He rested his arm on the back of my seat, and I crossed my legs as I turned to him. “What have you been up to?”
“Work. It’s busy.”
“So, I can tell,” he grunted, making me laugh. “I guess the pay is well.”
“It helps with the bills. But it allows me to really focus on what I love.”
“Right, the stars. You still sky watch?”
“All the time.”
“One of these days, you’re going to have to go on a trip with me at night. Star gazing is beautiful from the middle of the water.”
“Gonna request that too?”
He reached out and poked my side, making me squeal. I shouldn't be shocked that he could make me laugh, it’s a trait he always had. Guess some things don’t change because I was far more comfortable with him when I shouldn't be, simply because so much time had passed since we’ve seen each other.
“Maybe if you hadn’t snubbed me at breakfast, I would talk to you like a normal person.”
I lifted a shoulder as I made a face.
“This was far better though. I got a nice chunk of change from it.”
I watched as he rolled his eyes, but his focus was on the street.
“I just want you to be you, Spy, okay? No pretense tonight. If you want to tell people what this is, it doesn’t bother me.”
I rested my hand on his arm, trying my best to ignore the heat that raced up my arm from the contact.
“I don’t talk about my dates.” We stopped in front of the hotel, and I looked at the building before turning back to him. “However, I am into role play or fantasy, if that helps, or at least Goddess is and you did request her.”
I climbed out of the car, laughing to myself at the groan he released.
I sipped the glass of wine I had, standing next to Ajax as he talked with a fellow author. Well, I can’t say Ajax talked, it sounded more like the other guy, who was an Albert something, was monopolizing the conversation.
I felt the slight pressure on my lower back from Ajax and had to stifle my laugh, because he was just as bored as I was, it seemed.
He glanced at me and I smirked before turning to Albert, trying to follow what he said but I couldn’t. I opened my mouth, and it caught his attention.
With a sweet smile and a look of innocence, I spoke. “What was the last big hit you wrote? You’re giving all this advice and I’m just trying to see if I even knew your name.”
The man blubbered and then spun around without a word, and I turned into Ajax’s chest to laugh.
“You are horrible,” he teasingly scolded.
“But it’s the truth. How did you even know him?”
“Albert writes a lot of self-help type books. He’s got quite the following.”
“But that is not your genre of writing, so how can he offer advice to you? I really don’t see how that works.”
He looked down at me, and I could feel the subtle shift. I had just told him more than I meant to and he knew it too.
“What do you know about my writing?”
I swished the liquid around in my glance, trying to figure out the best way to get out of this without sharing anything else, but I wasn’t sure there was one.
“Maybe I looked you up a time or two. Seeing what you made of yourself. And maybe I grabbed a book only to find out it was one I had heard before.”
His lips slowly lifted up on one side, and I had to force myself to look away.
“Maybe I did take a story from our youth and add far more details to it.” He grabbed a glass from a passing waiter and lifted a brow. “You kept tabs?”
“Far from it, AJ. I just looked a few times. It’s really no big deal.”
“Then why won’t you look at me and tell me that, Spy?”
I lifted my eyes and looked at him, regretting it the moment that I did, because this was exactly the problem. Even after all this time, this was the one man who saw far too much.
He was my best friend for a reason, and even as the time has gone by, some things don’t age.
“Join me on my boat?” he whispered, brushing his knuckles over my cheek. “I can write and you can star gaze.”
It was the perfect time, and I didn’t have it in me to say no.