Escort

Chapter 74

We arrived at the restaurant and were seated.

They took our drink orders and since I was stressed, I got an orange mimosa and Anders got a black coffee.

I was looking down at the menu when I heard something fall onto the table and noticed from the corner of my eye that Anders was looking at me.

"Yes?" I asked and flipped my menu page.
"Look at me." he commanded.
I put my menu down and did as told.

"Do you want to bring it up or should I?" he asked.
"Bring up what?" I wondered and sipped my mimosa.

He sipped his coffee then rested his arms on the table with them crossed.

"I'm in love with you too." he said with a smile.

I just stared at him as my heart raced.

I took my mimosa and sipped some more.

"Come on, give me your attention." he commanded.
I took one more sip.

Two more.

Three.

"Candace." he scolded.
I put my glass down and looked back at him.

"Yes?" I answered nonchalantly.

"Talk to me, baby."
"No, I'm embarrassed." I said and looked out of the window.
He laughed fondly. "Why?"
"You weren't supposed to hear me. I thought you were asleep."
"Well, angel, your alarm was pretty fucking loud."
I sighed.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about." He took my hand and kissed over it.

I still didn't look at him.

"I'd like to say I won't hurt you." he stated. "I trust myself enough. I wouldn't want to be with you if I didn't think it would work out. But that's whether or not you trust me as much as I trust me because I realize that me trusting me doesn't mean shit if you don't."
I glanced down.
"Do you trust me?" he asked.

I took a deep breath.

"Be honest with me. If you don't, that's okay. If you do, even better."
"I trust you."
"Do you really?"
I nodded.
"Great. Can I ask you another question?"
I looked at him.
"Will you be with me now that you do?" he asked me.
I just stared at him.
"You trust me. I trust you. You've lived under my roof for almost half a year. I've seen you at your happiest, saddest, angriest, and horniest. I know how you feel now and I think you've always known how I've felt. What's stopping us?"

"Here's your omelet. Your French toast. And small side of bacon." the waitress set our meals on the table. "Let me know if you need anything else."
"Thank you." Anders replied.
She nodded with a grin then walked away.

"Listen, baby." he started again and I looked back at him. "I want to be with you. I do. But I won't rush anything that you're not comfortable with so we won't progress unless you're ready."

I realize there's nothing really holding me back. I've had multiple signs show me that he's a good man. A great man. Much better than I expected him to be, I really thought he would be a prick.
Well he is a prick.
But not as prick-y as I thought he'd be.
He's not a prick in the same sense that I thought he would be a prick in.
I thought he'd be a horny, misogynistic, fuck boy prick.
He's just a prick.

"Candace, I'm in love with you." he restated. "I'm so in love with you that I hate when you leave the room." He held eye contact. "I'm so in love with you that the simple thought of you makes me smile to myself and I look crazy in front of people who can't hear what I'm thinking. I'm so in love with you that every dream I have has you in it, by my side. And then I wake up, and you're there sleeping peacefully on my chest but I still don't think you're close enough."

I blinked my tears away and just nodded.
"I want to be with you." I admitted.
"Really?" he smiled.
"Yea..."
He kissed repeatedly over my hand and wrist then a little up my arm and I laughed fondly.

____________________________________

We sat in the car on the way to the conference center and I felt really fucking happy.

Granted, nothing would change. We already had pet names, sex, gifts, romance. But I kept trying to trick myself into thinking it wasn't more than what it was. I kept telling myself it's just the job I was hired to do.
I was hired to be submissive.
Not to fall in love with him.
Him treating me like royalty and like he cared about my well being wasn't in the contract either. He's the first to incorporate it.

So now I was finally able to stop tricking and fooling myself. I'd let myself enjoy it and be happy. I'd try to be stress free and finally allow myself to accept him into my life fully.

"Anders..." I called.
"Yea, baby."
"Why did you hire me?"
"Because it was obvious you wouldn't say yes to a date."
Hm.
"So, I decided we'd compromise. You'd get money out of me. I'd get your time out of you. It was a game for myself. Get the workaholic nonromantic to agree to give me a chance. Just one date."
I scoffed.
"As you can see, I was very successful." he smiled at me.

"You were very adamant." I snickered.
"I was. Maybe that's the answer to your question."
"What question?"
"You asked me what I liked about myself."
"Yes."
"I think it would be my relentlessness. Persistency gets you places." he explained.
"Right."
"As long as you're not some fucking creep." he added.
"I think you're a creep." I joked.
"Are you serious?" he asked in genuine concern.
"No!" I laughed.
"Oh..." he could finally breathe.
"If I did, you would be in the hospital from severe macing and a busted testicle." I shrugged.

I saw his hips shift in his seat and a pained look on his face. It made me laugh.