Page 6 of Playboy For Hire

Thatwoke me up for sure.

It’s not against the rules to kiss clients. In fact, I usually offer it as part of the package. It can help sell the charade. But there was no one to sell to right now, and I was off the clock.

Besides, she was kissing me way too enthusiastically for my liking. Her hand slid down my shoulder to my waist, then began tugging my shirt out of my trousers.

“Hey, hey, hey,” I said, pulling back. “I stayed last night to make sure you were okay, but that’s all it was. Concern. You and I are not actually together.”

“Oh, I know, silly,” she said. “But you were nice to me last night, and I know I didn’t deserve it.” Her hand slid inwards towards my groin. “I thought I’d give you something this morning as a little thank you.”

“You really don’t have to do that,” I said, taking her hand and moving it firmly back to one of the pillows I’d strategically arranged the night before. “In fact, you shouldn’t.”

She pouted. “But I want to.”

“But I don’t,” I said, in a tone I hoped would end the conversation.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. Spoilsport. But at least let me buy you breakfast. We’ll go toCall Your Mother. You can get anything you want. My treat.”

With that, she bounced out of bed and into the hall. I glared at her roommate’s empty bed. She’d never come home. I could have stayed there just fine.

A moment later, I heard water running in the bathroom. Shit.

Ashley’s bathroom was between her bedroom and the front door. And if I could hear the water this loudly, that meant the bathroom door was open. Which meant I was trapped. I glanced over at the window. Unless I could find another exit….

Which brings us back to my current position, balanced along a blocky, stone rampart that ran around the building and provided five inches of footing. I had to get out of here.

“I’m calling 911,” yelled the coxswain, pulling out a cell phone.

“No, don’t,” I yelled, but she was already on the phone.

“Ryder?” Ashley’s voice rang out in the apartment behind me.

Fuck. I was out of time. And that was when I noticed the drain pipe running down from the roof, only five feet away. Could I get there without falling? Only one way to find out.

I edged along the ridge as fast as I could, trying to stay pressed flat against the building. My right hand hit the pipe and I gripped like the lifeline it was, then swung myself around so I was grabbing it with both hands, my legs pressed tight around it like a koala. The crowd below me gasped, then heaved a collective sigh of relief as I began shimmying down.

“Ryder?! What are you doing?” Ashley stuck her head out the window and stared at me.

“Just getting in some rock climbing practice,” I shouted back nonsensically. “Have a great rest of your weekend!”

“But I thought we were getting bagels,” she wailed.

I didn’t dignify that with a response. Instead, I concentrated all my energy on getting down the drain pipe without cracking my head open. I had two scares, once almost losing my grip with myhands, the other when the pipe threatened to come loose from the building, but finally, I made it down to the ground.

“Are you alright?” asked earth-guy.

“Hey, man, what were you thinking, going out on that ledge?” asked one of the rowers.

“I meant it about the counseling center,” said the girl with all the books.

“I’m fine, really,” I panted.

I looked back up at Ashley’s window, which she was still leaning out of. Now there was someone who might benefit from some counseling. I was just glad she hadn’t walked down the stairs to meet me on the ground. Though now that I thought about it, it seemed like that idea might occur to her too.

“I, uh, have to go,” I said to the group of well-wishers. “Late for something. Thanks for the concern, but you can go back to your regularly scheduled mornings now.”

With that, I took off running. I must have looked ridiculous, running across campus in a rumpled tuxedo, but it was better than waiting around for Ashley to join me. I was in luck, and the G2 bus pulled away from the curb as soon as I got on it.

I exhaled and headed for a seat. I had my pick at this hour. We were halfway to Dupont Circle when I felt a buzzing in my pocket. My cell phone. I pulled it out and looked at the message Mason had just sent me.

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