Chapter 5 How Could He Be So Perfect?

• DORIS
• The ladies continued their conversation with Arthur. It seemed innocent, but their questions were getting more pointed.
• Brittney babbled. Is she flirting?
• Arthur was polite but aloof; his subtly cutting words made him even more attractive.
• Anna spoke up, asking him specific AmeriCapital questions.
• My heart raced.
• I tried to change the subject, but Anna wasn’t having it.
• Anna definitely once said her boyfriend worked at AmeriCapital Investments.
• The colleagues looked like they could see my guilty conscience.
• These women should be my friends! Instead, they winked and continued to stare aggressively at Arthur.
• Worse, they wouldn't stop asking questions, including if Arthur knew Peter, Anna's fiancé, an AmeriCapital executive.
• I didn’t know what to do. I’m doomed.
• AmeriCapital.
• God, of all the companies I could choose, why did I pick that one? I berated myself.
• I hoped to avoid disaster. Hopefully Anna's boyfriend wouldn't know.
• Anna asked a pointed investment question.
• Shit.
• I could barely breathe.
• I stiffened and turned my head to stare at the side of Arthur's face. Oh God, every line of his side was perfect. Especially his lips ...... were simply sexy.
• Wait---
• What was he talking about?
• When I came back to my mind, he was already talking eloquently!
• The financial jargon poured out of his soft, full lips. His tone was confident and elegant. His voice was magnetic.
• He talked about the stock market with ease, and I was even impressed by his knowledge.
• Amazing! How could he be so handsome? My heart was beating wildly. For him.
• "Oh yes, your insights are very insightful, in fact I haven't heard such professional analysis in a long time ---I swear you're even more professional than my boyfriend ......"
• Anna gazed at Arthur in fascination, even licking her lips.
• I let out a breath. Apparently, we passed. It was like a miracle!
• The women were suddenly polite to me. They hung on Arthur’s every word.
• “Ladies, it’s been lovely meeting you,” Arthur said, putting his hand on my lower back. “It’s time I take my girlfriend out of the rain.”
• He steered me away, and I was glad. We walked quickly.
• I felt the ladies’ gaze on my back. Adrenaline rushed through my veins. How did a stripper know so much about investments?
• That was a mystery.
• “Thank you, Arthur. I know it wasn’t pleasant dealing with them.”
• "I've dealt with worse."
• “Really? At the club? And how do you know so much? How did you know about the specific investment case Anna mentioned?”
• “Let’s not talk about me. Let’s talk about you. How come you said I was an executive? Want to look good? Vain, huh?" He winked to soften his words. "That means a lot to you?"
• “No it’s…” I realized he was teasing me. I blushed.
• I shot back at him. “Not all of us can be a great stripper boy and make a living on his looks and dance moves. I guess when you look like you do, you'll never have to look for a serious job."
• Arthur was speechless. He sputtered.
• I winked to let him know I was kidding, and he burst out laughing.
• “You never did tell me how you know so much about investments and s financial things you talked about so fluently.”
• Arthur didn't answer, but he shrugged with a 'Hey, there's always YouTube expression.'
• He was even smarter than I thought if he learned all that finance from self-study.
• He was more than meets the eye.
• Arthur was sexy. It would be easy to get carried away.
• I shouldn’t get distracted. I was coming off a bad break-up. I had Noah’s hospital bills to pay.
• But it was hard not to get caught up in Arthur's male strength. His chiseled jaw, broad shoulders, deep voice, and intelligent comments.
• The sexual tension between us rose with every step.
• The rain began to let up slightly.
• Arthur ran his thumb over my bottom lip and I felt it all the way down to my core.
• I didn’t know what to feel. One minute I was thankful for him saving me from my stupid lie. Then I was okay with him calling me vain and teased him back.
• Now I wasn’t sure I could stand not having clear answers and I couldn’t take his joking.
• Annoyed with myself, I thrust the umbrella back into Arthur’s hand and ran around the corner.
• “Great,” I mumbled. “I’m drenched and a mental wreck." I put my hands over my face, trying to stop the tears that threatened to overwhelm me. "It's all too much. "
• I started crying loudly under the cover of the rain.
• I slapped my cheeks lightly, trying to get a hold of myself. Of course, you feel depressed and wronged, because you were.
• I wished I could give myself a pep talk. My stomach growled. Being this hungry didn't help.
• "This is how it goes sometimes," I said quietly. "Life is pressure. You'll endure."
• My shoulders slumped as tears continued to roll down my face.
• I knew I had to pretend like the bad things hadn’t happened and pull myself together enough to get home.
• When I thought back on Arthur’s words, the vain point really rankled. It wasn't true. I was not vain. Just the opposite!
• But because I liked him so much, his words, even said in jest hurt. They also pierced through my facade like a needle.
• You might not be vain exactly, but you did want to show off. You’re just lucky Arthur is so knowledgeable or you’d really be in trouble.
• All my pretense popped like an inflated balloon.
• "Maybe my bad luck is because I am vain. Maybe I’m a victim because I don’t have a strong sense of self like I should.”
• That made me cry harder. For a second, everything felt insurmountable.
• “I’m broke. It’s not fair. I just wanted to get away from it all for a night.”
• I cried so hard my chest heaved.
• ARTHUR
• I let Doris run away around the corner and stomped to my limo. I was almost there when I turned around.
• I couldn't let her leave like that. I dashed after her, and I was surprised she hadn't gone far. I looked at Doris' back and frowned. She was as thin and fragile as a leaf washed by rain.
• I knew I should have left and stopped minding Doris’ business, but I couldn’t help striding to Doris and thrusting the umbrella forcefully into her hands.
• Doris hurriedly reached out to wipe the tears off her face.
• “You were crying?”
• She shook her head. “No. I wasn’t.” Doris sniffed, and wiped her face vigorously. “It’s just that the rain is too heavy...too much.”
• Then we both laughed because it was clearly not the rain that made her eyes so red and swollen.
• I stared down at Doris’ reddish nose and wet lips. My throat got rough and dry, a stark contrast to the rain.
• My heart beat loudly. The rain started up again, a dramatically loud tat-tat-tat, but my heart beat even louder.
• What is up with me?
• I had to get away from here.
• Yet I still had to give Doris a soft, reassuring caress on her cheek. “Until next time, my lying little dove.”
• “Wait. You never told me how a simple stripper knows so much about finance?”
• For some reason, I didn't want to tell her the truth, not yet. “You make a lot of assumptions.” I made my expression hard and my body language commanding so she wouldn’t ask more questions.
• But then I saw how dominating stance and voice turned her on. That was something to file away in my brain for later.
• I leaned in and whispered in Doris’ ear. "I have many talents you don’t know about. Maybe next time, I’ll pay you."
• I turned away again.
• “Thank you,” Doris said. “For pretending to be my boyfriend. You did me a huge favor. Thanks so much.”
• “I would do a lot for you.”
• My phone buzzed. I ignored it.
• “Sorry, Doris. I shouldn’t have joked. Maybe you’re not vain. I don’t really know you at all—please don’t care about what I said, or feel bad about it.”
• “Uhhh…” Doris was stunned.
• “Good luck. Until next time, little dove.”
• I turned and strode away in the rain.
• I was sure Doris was watching me so I walked a little bit more before hailing my driver. My black suit blended in with a group of darkly-dressed New Yorkers, melting me into anonymity.
• My phone buzzed again.
• The water soaked me. My driver picked me up a block later.
• I checked my phone. There was a text from my mother.
• ‘We’ve been waiting 20 minutes. Get to the restaurant NOW!’
• There was no avoiding it.
• I sat across from my mom and Bob at the restaurant, but my mind was elsewhere. From the moment I laid eyes on Bob, I knew he was bad news. My mom was blind to his flaws, but I could see right through him.
• He was obviously after my mother’s money and mine.
• My mom told me to come to their wedding, which surprisingly was in a week. Then they told me Mom was pregnant, which explained the rush.
• The whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth.
• I made up some excuse, but the truth was I couldn't stomach the thought of Bob marring Andrea.
• My mother was mean to me, cruel to my daughter, and pushed me into a career that wasn’t my first choice.
• Still, no one should have to be with Bob.
• The night wore on. I got more agitated. Andrea was making a huge mistake.
• Finally, my mom got my disapproval. Her cheeks flooded with red anger. “You’ll come to my wedding.”
• “I don’t think so.”
• Andrea growled. “Why don’t you respect me?”
• “Isn’t it what you made me? An emotionless working machine?”
• My mother banged the table so hard it flipped over. Bob pretended to comfort her, but he was actually making it worse.
• “Don’t upset our unborn baby,” Bob said.
• Andrea gave us a death glare, and stormed out of the restaurant.
• Classy, I thought sarcastically.
• At least dinner was over.
• DORIS
• I couldn't believe Bob's audacity in sending wedding invitations to everyone in the office, including me. Then, he overheard Anna talking about my new boyfriend, and things got even worse.
• I could see the jealousy burning in his eyes. I knew he wouldn't let this go.
• “You’ll bring you’re new…boyfriend,” Bob said, his voice laced with sarcasm and doubt.
• I just walked away. I didn’t owe Bob a response.
• All day Bob kept pressuring me to bring my new boyfriend to the wedding. He wouldn't take no for an answer.
• Then Anna chimed in, saying she was bringing her boyfriend, who also worked at AmeriCapital.
• I had to come up with a plan, fast. I didn't want to subject Arthur to Bob. Also, I didn't know how to find Arthur or even his last name!