The Million Dollar Virgin

Chapter Four - Stevie

"That bothers you?"

"It does, actually."

"Why?"

Seriously? "It smells bad. It kills you."

Why did he look so...relieved?

"You don't think it's...sexy?" he replied, a half-smile dusting his face again as he dropped the last word.

Stevie's lips tingled, and she fought to keep from reaching up and touching them. "No."

"So you're not into that?"

"Into what? Smoking?"

"Bad habits. Living on the edge."

"Of course not."

He pulled out another cigarette and lit it. The man was a veritable chimney. For some reason, it really bothered Stevie, but she leaned against the wall, pretending it didn't matter.

"How old are you, really?" he asked.

She considered lying again, then decided it was pointless. "Nineteen."

"Let me guess...your birth certificate confirms it?"

She sighed. "Yes."

"You know that you only have to be eighteen to get into the club."

"Yes. But you have to be twenty-one to serve alcohol. And the drunks tip better."

He inhaled. "Ah."

"Are we done now?"

Unsurprisingly, Snug Pants shook his head. "Your boss figured out your age and started cutting your pay, I'm guessing."

"Yes. But he went too far, this time."

"So you have limits?"

"Doesn't everyone?"

He studied her face. "Echo Hardman is a grown man. Twenty-nine years old."

"So?"

"You're nineteen."

"So?" she said again, knowing it made her sound even younger and not caring.

"Echo is ten years older than you are."

"Yeah, I passed second grade math, thanks."

"He is beyond too old for you."

"How old are you?" The words were out before she could stop them.

"Irrelevant," he replied.

"Completely relevant," she retorted, annoyed more at herself than at him.

"Because we kissed?"

Her face felt positively volcanic. "No. Because I'd really to know what age you have to get to decide before you're allowed to make everyone else's decisions for them."

The ghost of a smile touched his lips. "I'm twenty-four. And it's the perfect age from which to see a disaster coming from a mile away."

"Oh, please."

She pushed up from the wall, prepared to shove him aside if she had to. But he stopped her with his words instead.

"I don't want you to go in blind," he said, sounding sincere and almost...worried.

Stevie paused. "Blind about what?"

"You know why all the old, rich guys like being on the show?"

"Besides the boobs?"

He didn't smile. "They're using the boobs to pull them out of whatever hole they've fallen into."

The comment was just pointed enough to make Stevie blink. "Are you saying Echo Hardman is in a hole?"

"No. He isn't in in a hole. Echo is the hole. A giant black one, sucking in everything around him. Destroying the light and crushing anything he touches."

He spoke the words so evenly that Stevie almost missed the slick edge of hatred they contained. But she refused to buy into his expectant look.

"Melodramatic much?"

Another deep inhale. "Give me your verbal nondisclosure and I'll explain."

"My..." She sighed, resisted the temptation to point out he'd repeatedly called her a liar, and agreed. "Fine. You have it."

"Echo Hardman is an addict. Drugs and booze and women. He's spent the last six months in court-mandated rehab."

Stevie stared at him. "That's a low blow. And probably slander."

"I have no reason to lie. And you're going to find out anyway. Because this TV show is his about to become lifeline. It's the thing that's going to salvage his reputation once we release the press statement and the shit hits the fan."

"And this hasn't made it to the news already how?"

"Me."

"I thought you said you weren't a wizard."

He shook his head. "I'm not. I'm just someone who cares enough about Echo to know that you're no good for him."

"Didn't we already discuss the fact that it's not up to you?"

"You're wrong. As the show's primary producer, a large portion of it is up to me."

The show's producer? Well. At least now she knew why everyone was so keen on doing his bidding.

"My advice?" he added. "Splash some water on your face. Give them five minutes more minutes to assume you've had time to think the whole thing over, then tell them you're not interested. Even if you're truly tempted."

Stevie lifted her chin. "I thought you didn't like liars."

"Were you listening to anything I just said?"

"All of it," she said.

"And you're still thinking about doing it?"

She met his eyes. "I'm pretty sure I've lost my job here at Spangles already. I have existing commitments that I have to keep. So I don't need five more minutes or another lecture or a kiss. I've weighed the benefits against the drawbacks, and I'm going to take a look at what Echo's offering."

"Fine."

"Fine."

She slipped out of his grasp and moved back towards the main lounge. And she told herself she wasn't at all disappointed that he didn't try to stop her again.

k