Zoe looked stunning with her short bob haircut and a sharp menâs suit that accentuated her figure and commanding presence.
After Ethan finished signing the documents, Zoeâs gaze lingered between his legs. âIs that all natural, or did you have some work done?â
âWith so many people in the world, youâre bound to find someone exceptionally gifted,â Ethan replied, handing back a copy of the contract. âI look forward to learning from you.â
âOh?â Zoe stepped closer, her body almost touching his. âWant me to teach you some tricks for handling women?â
Her hand reached towards Ethanâs thigh as she looked up into his eyes. âBeing a male escort isnât just about good looks or being well-endowed. Have you ever experienced what itâs like to be with a woman?â
As she spoke, her hand caressed his thigh, her fingertips tracing the inside of his leg.
She leaned in closer, her chest pressing against him through the thick fabric of her suit.
Ethan could distinctly feel the pressure from her chest.
Zoeâs eyes sparkled with a mischievous interest, clearly curious about the new employee.
Ethan grabbed her arm with a smile. âZoe, would this count as workplace harassment?â
Zoe chuckled, her hand caught but making no further move. âJust a simple check of your professional capabilities.â
She was tempted to take things further with Ethan right there in the office.
âMaybe next time,â Ethan said, releasing her arm. âItâs my first day,I need to prove my worth.â
Zoe casually sat on the desk, crossing her legs and resting her chin on her hand. âIâll be waiting for good news.â
Ethan saluted her and then left the office.
As he passed through the backstage area, he walked by the resting male escorts, ignoring their curious stares.
Back in the main hall, the lighting was dim. In the booths, clients and male escorts were loudly enjoying themselves.
It seemed like all pretense of decorum was thrown out the window, leaving only pure indulgence and desire soaked in alcohol.
Ethan walked past Victoria, who was still chatting and drinking with the male escort from earlier, without any further inappropriate behavior.
He didnât stop, heading straight for Blair.
She was being flirted with by two female clients, managing the situation with a cocky smile and a drink in hand.
The two male escorts nearby, seeing their clients stolen away, looked awkward and tried to join the conversation.
But the clients were clearly more interested in the charming Blair.
âHey,â Ethan approached, picking up a glass from the table. âHey, gorgeous, Iâve got something special. Wanna see?â
The group looked puzzled by his odd pickup line.
âOh?â Blair looked intrigued. âWhatâs the special thing?â
âI promise youâll like it, but itâs too crowded here,â Ethan whispered, lowering his voice. âLetâs find a more private spot.â
After winking at her, Ethan grabbed a bottle from the table and walked away.
Blair smiled, stood up, and followed him, picking up her glass.
The two female clients looked confused, wondering if this was some new, quirky way to flirt.
The other two male escorts sent grateful looks towards Ethan for drawing away the charismatic troublemaker.
They quickly took the opportunity to sit down with the women and started a conversation.
Ethan led Blair to a booth not far from Victoria, setting down the bottle he had brought. âGot any leads?â
The gentlemenâs clubâs booths were designed with soundproofing and privacy in mind.
Now a contracted male escort, Ethan wasnât worried about suspicions as he sat with Blair.
âThe competition among male escorts here is fierce,â Blair said, setting up her glass and pouring them both a drink. âSome keep in touch with clients privately. Just last week, there was a police call over a jealousy fight.â
âIs that allowed?â Ethan frowned. The world of male escorts had evolved, and more reputable places usually prohibited personal interactions with clients.
Allowing personal contact could mean sleeping with clients, a tacit rule in the gentlemenâs club scene.
Ethan snatched the glass from Blairâs hand. âYouâre not of age, no drinking for you.â
He took a sip himself, glancing over at Victoria, confirming once again what Michael had said about this kind of club where sleeping with clients was an option.
Blair just laughed and grabbed the glass back from him.
Ethan and Blair made small talk, with Ethan stealing glances at Victoria from the corner of his eye. She had ordered three more bottles of what looked like expensive liquor and was now playing games and drinking with a new male escort and another one.
Victoria seemed to be having a great time, occasionally getting touchy-feely with the male escorts.
The night wore on until the early hours.
Finally, Victoria was escorted to the door by the two male escorts, while Ethan was left supporting Blair.
âI donât need help, Iâm not drunk,â Blair insisted, her handsome face flushed as she leaned on Ethanâs shoulder.
âYouâre just here to cause trouble,â Ethan muttered, realizing it had been ages since theyâd just hung out and chatted like this.
Blair had somehow ended up drinking too much. She wasnât drunk, but her steps were unsteady.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
After saying goodbye to Zoe, Ethan helped Blair out,they still had to follow Victoria.
Luckily, on Fifth Avenue, drunk men and women were a common sight, and the two of them supporting each other didnât attract any attentionâcertainly less than those stripping and going wild with booze on the streets.
Fortunately, Blair could walk with just a bit of support.
Ethan kept an arm around her, discreetly following Victoria until she hailed a cab.
âI thought she might end up having a threesome with those three male escorts,â Ethan mused, resting his chin on his hand. It wasnât a wild guess, considering how Victoria and the escorts had been behaving at the clubâtouching and kissing.
It seemed like those male escorts wouldnât have turned down an invitation to a more private setting.
Ethan watched from the curb until the taxi disappeared in the direction of Victoriaâs home.
He then hailed a cab himself, helping Blair into the back seat and asking the driver to head to the hospital.
Ethan didnât have a driverâs license, and with Blair tipsy, he certainly wasnât going to let her drive.
He supported her back to her hospital room.
âSheâs heavy!â Ethan grunted as he dropped her onto the bed, wiping sweat from his forehead.
His physical strength was still not up to par with a normal person.
Getting her back had taken quite an effort.
Blair lay on the bed, reeking of alcohol and cigarette smoke.
âUgh, you stink,â Ethan frowned, thinking of the trouble it would cause if his aunt saw this. âHey, donât fall asleep yet, go take a shower and change your clothes.â
âOh,â Blair mumbled, covering her forehead, clearly more out of it than she had been at the club.