The Arrangement (unenhanced Edition) by AnnaRCase (good novels to read TXT) 📕

                Amberleigh slept in the next morning, as she had no desire for an awkward morning after breakfast with Grayson. It was actually Leo who gave her a wake-up call around noon, as he came bearing a tray with French toast, fruit, a latte, and fresh orange and pineapple juice. Things were looking brighter already.

He informed her to eat, and get her ass dressed, as he was springing her from the penthouse for a while. He refused to tell her where they would be headed, and she acted surprised. She ate every last crumb of her breakfast, and decided she definitely needed to hit the workout room when they returned from the outing. Not that Grayson would give a fuck if she got fat, he probably wouldn’t even notice anyway. Last night had been cringe worthy, and she’d even had better fucks when she was turning tricks for pill money back in the fringe. It wasn’t the worst sexual encounter she’d ever had by any means, but it left much to be desired that was for damn sure.

She showered and decided to make an effort, as she didn’t want to embarrass Leo, or give off that homeless vibe. She blew dry her hair, gave it a bit of volume and dressed tastefully in a light cashmere sweater dress, leggings and boots. It was officially fall now anyway, so bring on the fuckin Ugh boots and pumpkin spice shit.

Leo looked and smelled good enough to eat, and she wondered what he tasted like. She longed to run her fingers over his buzzed hair and her tongue over his goatee. He was dressed in a pair of chino khakis, a teal and white printed button down shirt, and leather loafers. A pair of designer aviator shades clipped on the front of his shirt, and a frost colored diamond and gold Rolex watch completed his look.  He had the biggest, most luscious brown eyes she’d ever seen. It was hard to stick to the contract when he was around, but she knew he was loyal to his friend, and she didn’t want to fuck up their developing friendship. And he was hella out of her league.

“You ready to do this thing Miss Dubois?” he asked with a devilish grin, before he pulled a card from his pocket. “Black card compliments of my boy Grayson. The only limit is our imaginations.”

“I like the way you think.”

And he owes me for last night, she kept that to herself of course. Leo held and elbow out to her, quite the fuckin gentleman. It almost brought a tear to her eye that he wasn’t ashamed to be seen with her. She ginned and linked her arm in his.

As they waited for the elevator, he gave her another smile. He had a great smile with real teeth, not those veneers. It was refreshing and charming, especially the little chip she noticed on his right front tooth. She hoped he never got it fixed.

“You look nice by the way,” he said.

“You clean up nice yourself Mr. Cleomonte. So where are we going anyway?”

He left that question unanswered save a mischievous grin as they stepped onto the elevator. She didn’t push him for any answers, just decided to go with the flow and see what he had planned. She couldn’t contain her excitement when a Valet pulled a Red Porsche up to the curb outside and handed the keys to Leo.

“Your car sir,” said the Valet.

“Thank you,” responded the Leo placing some money in the Valet’s palm before he opened the door for Amberleigh.

“My lady if you please,” he said.

“No driver? No sedan?” she asked.

He chuckled, “Why you don’t trust me? I can do more than just cook I assure you.”

“Oh I’m sure you’re a man of many talents Mr. Cleomonte.”

It was a beautiful fall day, the kind where it wasn’t too warm or too chilly, but just right. The leaves on the trees, which lined the street to fake that people still gave a fuck about oxygen and the environment and all that jazz, were splashed in red’s, golds, yellows, and greens.

The park in the heart of the city would be the prime location for family and couples photo shoots in front of the fall foliage. Those cookie cutter pictures, often nothing but sugar coated lies which were easier to swallow than the fuckin truth. Mommy stole juniors ADHD meds for the energy to keep up with the Joneses, Daddy was an alcoholic fucking his secretary, and Junior had tortured to death the family cat and pushed Timmy off the top of the jungle Jim. Living the American dream indeed.

But it was easy to tell reality to fuck off, while Amberleigh and Leo zipped in and out of the Uptown traffic in a Porsche with the windows down and the sound system turned up. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had this kind of carefree fun really without any liquor involved. Or that she heard someone butcher a rap song so badly as Leo did, which was saying a lot as she was including drunks ass people in that. Bless his heart, he tried though, and what he lacked in musical talent he made up for in enthusiasm.

At a red light, he turned down the music just enough to get a word in. That grin seemed to be a part of his face.

                “Grayson likes to give me shit about being a disappointment to my ancestors,” he laughed, “A black man born without rhythm. You should see me dance.”

                “Well I’m an Italian who can’t cook, so I guess we’re both fuckin disappointments.”

He turned to look at her, pushing down his Aviator shades, “Nothing about you is a disappointment Amber.”

What the fuck. Shit just got real. Oh Leo, stop saying shit like that which makes my insides melt and makes me regret signing that fuckin contract even more.  But then again, if she’d never signed it, she would have never met him to begin with.

Leo had never been in the club to her knowledge or saw her act, so she wasn’t just a novelty object to him. They’d only known each other about a week now, and he couldn’t help but feel that Leo got her. That he saw past the whore at her exterior to what else comprised her.