Page 87 of An Unholy Affair
‘Are you addicted to d—illegal drugs?’
‘No! I drink. That’s it.’
‘Are you dying?’
‘What?’
‘If you have a terminal illness, that might make you reluctant to be with me.’
He shook his head. ‘I had a full health check last month. I’m fine.’
She wiped her eyes. ‘Then what is it?’
They could never be together, but he could give her the truth.
He held her gaze. ‘I’m not a party planner. I’m an escort.’
Her brow furrowed. ‘Like a professional companion? You escort people to events?’
Jack shook his head, his heart breaking. ‘No, Eveline. I’m a sex worker. I fuck women for money.’
18
For a brief second, there was nothing but ringing silence in Eveline’s head. Then her brain went into overdrive, spitting out questions faster than fireworks. How did Jack start doing it? Did he enjoy it? Would he stop if he were with her? How many women had he slept with? Is this why he called himself Jasper? Was the woman in the bar a client? Did he evenlikethe filmGroundhog Day?
Jack was staring at her, his expression desolate, as if waiting for the axe of her censure to fall. But underneath the whirl of her mind, there was unbridled relief.It’s not me. And, as for what he did to make a living? In her line of work, she’d met many people who’d done things a million times worse.
He must have taken her silence as an affirmation of his biggest fears, as he stood.
‘I’ll leave.’
She shot to her feet. ‘No! Can I ask you a couple of questions?’
He shrugged, his posture slumped and defeated.
Grabbing his hand, she pulled him to the sofa. ‘Please sit.’
He did, shifting his knee away from hers when she placed herself next to him. She smoothed her hands across her skirt, trying to remain composed, when her heart and brain were racing each other to win her attention.
‘So,’ she began. ‘would you say your feelings for me are in the same, er…ballparkas the ones I have for you?’
He looked at her in astonishment. ‘Eveline, did you hear what I just said? I’m a—’
‘Do you feel romantically inclined towards me?’
He pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘Yes! But that’s not the point!’
Excitement flared in her chest. ‘So, in the bar, it wasn’t an act?’
His hand dropped to his knee. ‘No! I…’ He shook his head.
‘Do you likeGroundhog Day?Galaxy Quest?The Princess Bride?Star Wars?’
‘Theseare your concerns? Seriously?’
She nodded.
‘Yes.’ He sighed. ‘I love those films.’
