Chapter 12- The dilemma of a gigolo

 Richards pov

 "What I don't understand is why you want her to work for you. She's practically doing you a favor by not wanting to," Gunner, my best friend said, frowning as he tossed a stress ball in the air like he wasn't currently stressing me out.

 "I for one think it is romantic,"

 "What part?" Gunner glanced at Carter, 

 "Everything. Don't you see? He wants her," Carter chimed in with a smirk. "A little office tension, some accidental touching, late-night rendezvous… it's the perfect office Lust-mance."

 "She's not going to take the deal," Gunner added. "She doesn't seem like the type to mix business with whatever the hell this is."

 "This…" I gritted my teeth. "...is all your fault."

 Gunner feigned innocence. "How?"

 "You signed me up for that escort dating site, that's how."

 "You lost the bet," Carter said smugly. "We told you, if you miss the free throw, you get a Valentine,"

 "A Valentine," I echoed. "Not a full-blown romantic hostage situation with a woman who clearly thinks I'm the devil."

 "To be fair, you are a little devilish," Gunner said, smirking. "Charming. Arrogant. A little cocky. Dead in the eyes,"

 I gave him a blank stare.

 "Look, you should be grateful she doesn't want you. Close the chapter for goodness sake. Besides, you got laid, didn't you?"

 I sighed. My friends were complete idiots.

 "Not the point, Gunner. I actually happen to feel guilty for what I did."

 "And what might that be?" Gunner asked.

 Sometimes, I wonder how he managed to get himself two Masters degrees. He could be slow as a sloth when he wanted to be.

 "She thinks I used her."

 "Well, technically you did." Carter chimed in as per usual.

 At least he gets it.

 "Wait a minute. But you didn't per se. It was a one-night stand. Was she expecting some kind of commitment from a Valentine Escort?"

 "Obviously not, but when she saw me in New York, and I wasn't the lowly Escort I lied to her about being, she flipped."

 "Still not enough reason to hate you this strongly, at least I don't think so. Lots of women would jump at the opportunity if they found out their new boss they thought was a gigolo happened to be a billionaire, Hell, I would," 

 "That's because you're a whore," Carter pointed out. He was now sipping on his overpriced iced coffee, grinning ear to ear.

 Gunner threw a glare at Carter and he laughed.

 "Whatever." Gunner said, glancing back at me."I just think you should let it go."

 That made sense. Letting it go. After all, she hated my guts but the thing was… I couldn't.

 I was madly attracted to her, and as much as letting her go made sense, wanting to know more about the angry, fiery bursts of a woman intrigued me, and what's worse? I had not been able to get her out of my mind. Not to mention the sex… goodness, I could still feel her inside squeezing my dick tightly and it had been a week.

 At first, it was a wellness check. Wanting to know if she was alive and okay… oh, who was I kidding?

 I wanted her the moment I saw her on Valentine's Day. It was ridiculous especially since I hated rude women.

 She was a rude woman, an angry one too, but she'd been kind to me, thinking I was a struggling Escort, and a part of me found that hot.

 Her bluntness intrigued me and I could tell she liked me too until she saw me in the hotel room.

 "Maybe you're right," I sighed.

 "First of all, I always I'm right, and secondly, stop mopping. Since when were you a fan of angry women?"

 "Since You know who…" Carter spoke 

 I glared at him. He didn't have to speak her name for it to be awkward.

 "Sorry," he whispered.

 I shook my head and leaned back against the booth, staring up at the ceiling like the answers to my life problems were etched somewhere between the peeling paint and the flickering lights.

 "Maybe, I just need a drink," I muttered.

 "And to get laid,"

 Gunner added.

 "Preferably by a woman that doesn't hate your guts," Carter added.

 Gunner busts out laughing. "Good one,"

 I opened my mouth to respond but my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and glanced at the screen.

 Jake.

 I hesitated. Jake was a new guy, the kind who played golf twice a month and thought loyalty could be bought with the right bottle of whiskey. We weren't close, but he'd been pestering me to "chill" for weeks now.

 Maybe it wouldn't hurt to get hammered and forget about Lexi for a few hours.

 I answered. "Yeah?"

 "Right?" Jake's voice was way too enthusiastic for my current mood.

 "There's a spot downtown, Cheap drinks, good music, you in?"

 "Depends. Are you asking me out on a date?" I joked, trying to lighten my own mood.

 Jake chuckled. "Aha, I knew under that machoness, you were funny. But no, my girlfriend wouldn't like that very much. It's a social call,"

 I knew that wasn't completely true. Jake has been trying to get me to close a deal with him for months and this was his way 

 Still, alcohol and loud music sounded a hell of a lot better than sitting here with these two idiots dissecting my miserable excuse for a love life.

 I looked at Gunner and Carter, who were now throwing balled-up napkins at each other like children.

 Maybe getting out was the smarter option.

 "Fine," I said. "Text me the address."

 "Attaboy!" Jake shouted before hanging up.

 I slid my phone back into my pocket and stood.

 "Later, losers," I said to Gunner and Carter.

 "Bring us back a girlfriend!" Gunner called after me.

 "Or an STD!" Carter added.

 I didn't even dignify them with a response. I just flipped them off over my shoulder and headed out.

 Two hours later, Jake and I walked into the bar.

 "Glad you came, partner," he grinned.

 The bar was exactly as he'd described: huge, cheap, and the kind of place where you didn't have to bear the burden of your name.

 "Come on, I'll grab us a table…" he suddenly paused, his gaze suddenly fixed on a table at the right. My eyes followed his and my stomach flipped like a school girl who'd just seen his crush.

 Sitting a few booths away from us was Lexi in a beautiful black number laughing and joking around with two other women.

 Goodness, she was gorgeous.

 "Seems my girlfriend is here."

 "Who Lexi?"

 "No, Rhea. Come on, I'll introduce you,"

 A wicked grin spread across my lips. 

 That I would appreciate.