Page 3 of Stay With Me

When I lift my eyes to see who’s paying a pretty penny to spend the night with me, a soft gasp slips past my lips, and my eyes widen in pure shock at who is standing in front of me. He’s the definition of tall, dark, and handsome. His black hair is styled messily, and the sleeves of his dress shirt are rolled up to his elbows to show off his thick muscles. My eyes trace the veins that trail up his arms before taking in the few buttons of his shirt that are undone, his chest hair peeking out. I continue my way up to his stubbled jaw, past his parted thick lips, to stop at his shocked green eyes.

“Ava.” My name never sounded as sweet as it does coming from him. His voice is low, husky, and has my body lighting up like a Christmas tree.

Never in a million years would I have thought that on my first night working as an escort, my first client would end up being him. Roman Knight. Literally, the man of my dreams. He is my best friend’s father and the man who’s hired me to fuck him.

I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t go home, isn’t it?

Chapter 2

Roman

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“Yes. Yes to all of that. Make sure it gets done, and the papers are on my desk when I get back. Goodbye.” I hang up my cell phone and sigh. Closing my eyes, I place my head on the head rest of the rental car.

Being a high-profile New York lawyer is a never-ending job. My phone never stops ringing, and I’m always in the courtroom or meeting with my clients.

It’s kept me so busy over the past twenty years that I’ve hardly had any time to date. I’m forty, unmarried, with an adult daughter living a life of her own.

I feel like I missed so much of her growing up because of work. It’s why I spend all of my free time with Tasha.

Like this week, I have a business meeting back in Philadelphia, my home city. I have one meeting with a potential new client, and then I’m taking the rest of the week to just relax.

I just won a big case, and it wasn’t easy. They had a lot of evidence that made it seem like he was guilty. But after endless hours of work, I did it. I got the proof necessary for an acquittal, and we won.

Now I feel like ten years have been taken off my life. With each case, I’m starting to wonder if I should lessen my workload. Money won’t be an issue in this lifetime, even if I do take on less. Perks of being a trust fund baby.

While I may be on the older side, I’m nowhere near retirement age. But I do want to enjoy my life before all my good years are gone.

“We’re here, Mr. Knight,” the driver’s voice jolts me upright. I blink, looking out the car window and up at the Royal Heights Hotel and Resort. It’s the only place I’ll stay when I’m in town. I have my own penthouse suite, giving me all the space I need.

“Thank you, Jeremy.” I clear my throat. “Sorry about that, I must have fallen asleep.”

“You put in long hours. Take it easy and enjoy your time off.” He smiles at me in the rearview mirror.

“I always do.” I chuckle.

He gets out and opens the door for me, but when he goes to grab my bags, I wrap my hand around the handle. He chuckles and shakes his head. I’m a big boy, I can get my own bags, and he knows it. But it never stops him from trying, and I appreciate that. “Goodbye, Mr. Knight.”

“Goodbye, Jeremy.”

***

Once I’m settled into my room, I sit in the big leather chair and scroll through social media. I only have the account so that I can follow Tasha. I smile when I see she posted a new photo. She seems so happy. I’m glad. I’ve always worried that there was something missing in her life.

Tasha’s mother, Nia and I, had her when we were both young. We were childhood friends turned high school lovers. Having children was never the plan, but things happen and Tasha was born. Nia never wanted to be a mother. She said children were nothing but an obstacle in the way of her goals.

Part of me understood. Nia didn’t come from the same kind of money that I did. She always had to work harder to get to where she was, eventually becoming one of the best ballerinas in the world.

A baby would have put her plans on hold. She showed up at my parents’ house with our two-week-old baby girl, handed her over to me, and I haven’t seen her since.

At least, not in person. I’ve seen her on the news. She made her dream a reality.

But at what cost? Tasha is my whole world. I could never imagine giving her up for anything.

If Nia had stayed, I would have worked with her to make sure she was able to have her dream too. Unfortunately, I don’t think that would have even mattered. She was dead set on not being a mother.

Me? I loved kids. Always wanted to have a good career, a loving wife, and a handful of kids.