One-Night Whore
by Manda McNay
©2012, All Rights Reserved
Smashwords Edition
“How much?”
The voice was smooth and deep, the breath hot against her ear. Candice barely heard it over the throbbing bass of the club.
She turned to face him. He was taller than she'd thought he would be. His skin was smooth caramel. In the flashing lights she couldn't tell the exact color of his eyes, and the half-mask he wore only shadowed them further.
“What?” she shouted, to be heard over the music.
He put an uninvited hand on her arm and leaned in close. “I said, 'How much'.” A slow smile spread across his plump lips, showing impossibly perfect teeth.
Candice felt her face flush. She looked down at herself, and realized what he meant. Her Halloween costume was a skintight black minidress, black fishnet thigh-highs, and thin spike heels. The dress had a corset that pushed her breasts up until they threatened to spill out.
She'd never felt the urge to slap a man, until that moment.
“Excuse me,” she said, and turned to walk back towards the bar. He put a hand on her shoulder. She wheeled around, glaring.
“I said 'Excuse me'.”
He smirked.
Candice stomped away, hoping that she looked more confident than she felt. These heels are ridiculous, she thought. I can't believe I let Jenny talk me into wearing this. Jenny, her best girlfriend. Jenny, who was a half-hour late.
He found her a couple minutes later at the bar.
“I didn't mean to make you mad,” he said. “I just don't like wasting time, and I want to fuck you.” The tip of his pink tongue darted out and licked slowly across his lips.
Candice felt a prickly heat spread across her cheeks. Who the hell does he think he is?
Her drink came and he signalled to the bartender. The bartender ignored the money in her outstretched hand and moved on to the next customer.
“What was that?”
Her mysterious suitor leaned an elbow casually on the counter. “You could say I'm known around here.”
“Oh yeah?” She scanned the club briefly. Still no sign of Jenny in the sea of dancers.
“Yeah.” That sly smile again, a flash of brilliant white teeth. He really is good-looking. She felt a tiny twinge in her most secret spot.
“You could thank me for that drink, by the way,” he said.
“Thanks.”
“So, listen. I'm used to getting what I want. And I want you.”
She rolled her eyes. “Uh-huh. Nice try, player.”
He reached in his back pocket and came up with a wad of cash in a money clip. He started pulling bills out, one by one.
“Like I said, I get what I want. How much for a fuck?”
Candice was stunned. “I, uh, can't. I'm meeting a friend.” Her mind was reeling.
Her stranger made a show of looking around. “I don't see her.”
“Yeah, well, she'll be here. And I don't fuck for money.”
He held out a few folded bills. “That's five hundred. You want more?”
Five hundred...?
When she didn't answer he added two more. “Seven.”
She thought of her bank account, long in overdraft. Her hours had been cut, and she'd only agreed to come out with Jenny so she could drink some of her problems away. Seven hundred dollars was a lot of money...
“A thousand.” She didn't realize she was thinking it until she said it.