How am I supposed to keep my dress clean while eating this?
Hadley eyed the seeds covering the baguette-style bread that would surely fall off when she picked up the sandwich.
Sheng wasted no time, taking a large bite over his plate as a waterfall of seeds toppled off of the crust of the bread, just as Hadley predicted.
“No elegance required here.” Sheng smiled at her, wiping a smidge of mayonnaise off of the corner of his lip. “It’s good, and I promise it’s not poisoned.”
“I’m not sure if saying that is as comforting as you think it might be.” Hadley beamed at him, feeling her courage start to build back up. She picked up her sandwich and took a bite with the same sloppy results, but closed her eyes and groaned from the salty, creamy combination sliding over her tongue.
“Usually, it’s not the food that results in moans at these parties,” Sheng teased while Hadley took a few more bites of her sandwich.
“I think you might be eating some of your lipstick with that sandwich,” he added, handing her a napkin. “It’s a bit smeared, you see, all over your face.”
Hadley remembered that the clerk who did her makeup overlined her lips and suddenly felt horrified.
She wiped her mouth furiously with the napkin, pulling her phone out to use the camera as her mirror. After adding some water to the napkin, she looked more like herself. She took off her mask, feeling slightly more relaxed.
“This party is something,” she said to Sheng, who was watchingher with every curiosity now that her mask was off. “Is this your thing? Wild, sexy orgies?” She blushed, not realizing how ridiculous those words would feel to say out loud.
“I’m a spectator,” he replied.
Hadley nodded, having plenty of clients that related to that somehow.
“I like to watch people, humans. I like seeing the darker side of their nature. What fantasies might pull them in, and what nightmares push them away?” he mused, smiling down at his feet.
“Hey, are you planning on eating that?” She gestured to Sheng’s sandwich half, sitting now forgotten on his plate.
Sheng laughed, his face lighting up with amusement. “Please, be my guest.”
He switched their plates and watched Hadley attack the extra food, no longer trying to play the part of a mature Halloween vixen.
Hadley heard the familiar buzz of her phone as it danced on the countertop. Grant’s words flashed across the screen.
I’m back out front; their paid time is up.
“It was nice to meet you, Sheng, but it looks like it’s time for me to go. I have to say that you might have given me the gift of the best BLT I’ve ever eaten in my life.”
Sheng stood up from his barstool and adjusted his coat before fishing for something inside his pocket. He pulled out more cash and counted a few bills, handing them to her.
“I’m sorry it’s not in a discreet envelope, but it's your tip for the night. Hailey, I do hope I can have you come back and eat another sandwich with me soon.” He smiled, removing his mask for the first time.
Hadley took in how dazzling he was, with smooth, tan skin. His almond eyes were endearing, hiding behind separated, low eyelashes. His smile was sincere, taking up most of the bottom half of his face.
“I would like that, I think.” She blushed.
Sheng took her hand in his, pressing his lips against it and bowing. The move made Hadley’s stomach flutter.
“Goodbye,” she said as Sheng guided her back to the entry room. She looked up at the pentagram in the ceiling as she walked towards the double doors. Faint sounds of pleasure whispered through from upstairs, accompanying her out of the mansion.
The cool night sky air pricked at Hadley’s exposed skin as she walked down the driveway, locating Grant’s car.
“How’d it go? Are we in the club? Is this our new life, girl?” he asked excitedly, pulling out the envelope he was handed at the beginning of the night and counting out bills.
“One thousand dollars for you, five hundred for me,” he grinned, handing Hadley her cut. Between the tip and the hourly rate for attending the party, Hadley had fourteen hundred dollars of cash on her at that moment.
“I didn’t have sex with anyone,” she whispered, “so I’m not sure.”
Grant looked mildly disappointed but shrugged, starting the car and gently hitting the gas pedal.