CHAPTER ONE-- The escort's arrival

Lexi

“Shouldn't you be halfway to Abu Dhabi?” I asked Rhea, my best friend, as soon as I picked up her call, placing my steaming mug of tea on the kitchen counter.

It was only 7am, and I was already wondering what had possessed me to wake up so early.

“Hello to you, too, Lexi. I'm also fine, thank you. Happy Valentine's Day!”

“Eww.’” I wrinkled my nose in disgust .”I don't celebrate Valentine's, Rhea, you know that.”

“Oh, come on. It's a great day. There's love in the air, romance on the horizon, what's not to love?”

“It’s just like every other regular day but with pretentious couples that are probably cheating on each other acting like horny teenagers that think they are in love,”

She snorted.

“Wow, you really know how to light up a room,” she said dryly.

“I just speak the truth, that's why I only have three friends.”

“You know, just because your ex cheated on you on Valentine's Day doesn't mean you should hate the holiday!’

“Not when two of my exes have cheated on me on Valentine's day… need I remind you about my father and his affair that came out ten years ago, too,, on Valentine's day?”

“Okay, I see your point, but it's Valentine's Day; you should celebrate it. I hate that you are home alone while Evelyn and I are out with our men. I feel guilty,”

I rolled my eyes.

“There is no need to feel guilty at all. Besides, I'm not home alone, I have a bottle of wine and a show ready as soon as I hang up,”

“Not this year, you don't…”

She sang-songed, her siren-sounding voice making me smile against my will.

Wait a minute!

“What does that mean?”

I asked, plopping down on one of the stools in the kitchen.

“Nothing.” She said in a suspicious tone that I was all too familiar with.

She was planning something or had done something. I just didn't know what.

“Except me and the girls just arranged a little gift for you, that's all.”

“FaceTime me, right now,” I said.

“I'd rather not. I'm currently on top of Jake and reverse-cow Girling him.”

“First of all, Eww, secondly, I know you are lying, and thirdly, what did you guys get me?”

“Nothing too deep, okay? Just flowers, chocolate, and something else, that's all.”

My eyes narrowed even though she couldn't see me. Out of all of my friends, Rhea was the one person who was horrible at keeping secrets, and I could feel there was something else that she wasn't telling me.

“Are you sure that's all?”

“Oh, come on, Lexi, if there was something else, you know I'd tell you. I just hate that you are lonely on Valentine's Day, that's all.”

“You are right,” I let out a sigh. “Thanks for the gift. Y'all are amazing.” My expression and tone softened.

“I know,” she said in her usual smug tone.

“Anyway, I gotta go, Jake and I just landed and will be going out soon,”

“Of course. Thank you and have fun,” I hung up the phone and went back to watching my show. Today was the last day I had before I started my new job, and I wanted to relax as much as possible before I started.

It was around 6pm when I was about to open my second bottle of wine and settle in for a horror movie when my doorbell rang.

I frowned, wondering who that could be.

I wasn't exactly expecting anyone. I had already received the gifts that the girls had gotten me, too.

I pulled the door open and froze as I took in the most handsome man I had ever seen standing at my doorstep, staring at me with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

“Who are you?” I asked, unable to take my eyes off the fine specimen of a man.

“Hello, Lexi, I'm Richard. I'm here to take you out on our date,” He smiled, extending his hands for me to shake.

I blinked at him.

“I’m sorry, you have the wrong person,” I said, about to close the door, but he was quick to stop me.

“No, I'm sure I have the right person. You are Lexi Cameron, aren't you?”

“Yes, but I have no idea who you are; I don't know a Richard,” I said with a narrowed gaze, hoping he wasn't some weird stalker or prankster. I was not in the safest neighborhood.

“Are you sure? I'm Richard from Get Your Valentine. Inc. you booked for my services. Do you not remember?”

I stood there, taken aback, as I stared at the stranger's chiseled features. His piercing green eyes looked like I was staring at a rich forest. His strong jawline and full lips added to his flawless appearance, making him look like a sculpted masterpiece.

"I'm certain I didn't book your services; I would never,," I said, feeling a little insulted. "I didn't hire you. You probably have the wrong person, like I said before.”

“Really,” he raised a perfectly arched brow at me, “...because I have your receipt right here and it says you definitely did,”

He countered, pulling out a piece of paper from his pocket and handing it to me.

I snatched the paper from him and scanned through it, my eyes narrowing when I saw my name, address, and Rhea’s name as the payer.

Rhea you bitch!

Of course, she was responsible. It had her handwriting all over it.

This was Rhea and Evelyn's doing!

Those little demons!

I groaned, my cheeks burning in embarrassment as I realized the Greek god of a man standing before probably thought of me as a loser who couldn't get a date and had to use a website like Valentine Inc. or whatever it was called.

I felt humiliated, and I wanted the ground to open and swallow me whole.

“Look, I'm sorry for the misunderstanding, but my friends signed me up without my knowledge. I'm sorry for wasting your time, but I'm not interested; thank you, but cancel it.” I said and closed the door in his face out of shame before he could say anything.

I was going to fucking kill Rhea and Evelyn!

They'd told me they wanted to set up a blind date for me two days ago since they were traveling and I would be alone on Valentine's Day, and I had specifically told them not to. Of course, they wouldn't listen!

Out of anger, I called Rhea's number, but she wasn't picking up.

I called again, and she picked up this time.

“I'm guessing the package has arrived,” she said in a faux innocent voice that almost sent me over the edge

“What the hell, Rhea?” I snapped, trying to contain my anger.

“I know what you are going to say, but just give it a chance..you haven't gone out on a date for months,, plus you need to get laid.”

“That's why you hired a fucking g gigolo?! What the fuck?”

“He's not a gigolo…I think…” she paused in question. “But I'm sure he's open to having sex.”

“You know what? I'm not even going to dignify that with a response. I sent him away. And tell Evelyn that I'm really mad at her, too. I know she was in on it too.*

“Come on, Lexi. Just give it a chance, please. Where is the adventurous Lexi I used to know?”

“She graduated from high school and got her heart broken…” I said and hung up, breathing heavily.

I didn't have enough time to process my anger when my doorbell rang again.

I groaned out in annoyance. Who the hell could that possibly be this time?

Begrudgingly, I marched straight to the door and opened it, and there he was again, standing at my door.

“I thought I told you to leave. Why are you still here?” I asked the tall man. He had to be at least 6’3.

“Look, Lexi, right? I'm sorry, but this is my job. I can't leave until I satisfy the client. Company's policy. Please, I need this. It's my first day on the job. I can't afford to have an unsatisfied client. I'll be fired, and I need this job. I won't do anything you don't want to do. We can go to a nice restaurant to eat, and once I take some pictures and reviews, I'll go back. You don't have to do anything crazy, although it's part of the package if you'd like to.” He smirked.

I gave him a once-over, wondering how a man so perfect could possibly be working as basically a gigolo. It didn't add up. He could easily be a model.

The smart thing to do would be to close the door in his face and go back inside, but I couldn't resist his green eyes staring at me like that, it was like it was calling out my name, seducing me.

So I let out a sigh. “I'm so going to kill you, Rhea, Eve!” I whispered under my breath.

I glanced back at my apartment and my TV show and realized just how pathetic it was being alone on Valentine's Day while all my friends were outside the country enjoying their day. Plus, Rhea was right; I had become dull. What was the worst that could happen?

Eat good food with a hot man who won't expect anything in return? Except I wanted it?

I shook my head.

This was stupid. I can't let them win.

“Are you really willing to waste two thousand dollars?” he asked as I contemplated what to do next. “Because my company doesn't do refunds, and your package is at the Lascadal hotel.”

My eyes widened on hearing that.

“Lascadl hotel?” I asked and he nodded.

That was enough to convince me.

“Give me twenty minutes,” I said before going back in to get dressed.