Page 22 of The Arrangement

Regardless, I opened the door to see Clark looking cold in a black puffer jacket and her own pair of sweatpants. "C'mon in, Clark."

I left the door open while I went to sit once again at my dining room table, where I had spread out the paperwork along with some water bottles. I didn't want Clark to think I was an alcoholic.

"So, did you have a chance to make a decision?" I asked, sitting across from her and wiping my sweaty palms on my thighs. If she saidno, Miss Know-all could take all of the information I had given her and completely ruin my life. Clark nodded, opening up her tote bag that looked like it also was her purse and pulled out the slightly wrinkled papers. All signed.

It felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders, and I took a deep breath for what felt like the first time in 24 hours.

"I do have some questions, though," she said, grabbing a water bottle and picking at the paper label as she looked around at my apartment.

"Yeah, of course, ask away." I picked up her paperwork and set it next to mine in an individually stamped folder with her initials and the date on it.

"I saw on a few videos that you and Natalie use other locations once in a while. How does that work?" Clark looked genuinely interested as she sipped her water, still holding one piece of the paperwork in her hand like a security blanket.

I nodded. "Yeah, sometimes we'd rent spaces depending on what the content was. I use lighting techniques to keep my bedroom unrecognizable, but sometimes we need more space."

Clark nodded and looked down at the paper in her hands for a moment before setting it on the table in front of me. I slide it towards them, my eyes still on her, very nervous ones as I lift it.

"Did I fill it out right?" She asked, sitting up straighter in her chair. The list was complete, with a few notes, which were expected.

"Have you ever done any bondage or restraint play?" I asked, noticing the scribbled "depends" next to the checkmark. Clark blushed crimson and immediately replied, "No, absolutely not." She shut her mouth again as if embarrassed.

I shrugged. "No problem, it's not like it's something we'll start with or anything. We can always circle back to it." Looking over the rest of the paperwork, I was happy to see it completed. "A boundary for me is no kissing. Too intimate." She ducked her head in agreement and then looked me dead in the eyes, something she had been avoiding the entire time, and said, "When do we start?"

I crooked a smile as I put away the completed paperwork andfolded my hands in front of me. "So, I have only worked with one other partner. For privacy's sake, I prefer to keep my circle small. You and two others, one being Natalie, know what I moonlight doing." He took a deep breath. "However, I'll be honest: Natalie and I had slept together before she found out about the sex work. But we still did what Natalie and I called a rehearsal so we could get used to each other on camera. It was still filmed so we could get used to lighting, but it's more like a dress rehearsal, something to get us ready for the real thing."

Clark narrowed her eyes at me and asked, "This isn't just something to get women to sleep with you, and you dump them after your little rehearsal, is it?"

Her suspicions took me by surprise. "Jesus, Clark, if you think I'd do something like that, why did you sign all this paperwork?"

"Because, if you haven't already figured out, I'm desperate at this point," she retorted, arms waving in the air. I huffed a laugh. "Rent isn't even that much here. Why do you need three jobs anyway?"

Her brown eyes narrowed to slits as she regarded me, "Why do you need two jobs, Sebastian Quinn of Quinn Foundation?" My shoulders tensed as we both looked at each other in distrust.

"None of your business," I snapped, my anxiety peeking to another level. Crossing her arms, she leaned back in her chair and countered, "And neither is mine."

A stalemate. I could work with that. I lifted my hands in a sign of surrender, still staring at the woman with unmasked reservations.

"This isn't some ploy into your pants or any woman's." I quirked a brow, flexing my triceps just a bit and looking at her sultrily. "Do you really think I'd need some elaborate ruse to get a woman's attention, Clark?"

Georgia Clark scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Jesus Christ, Quinn, stop flexing. I'm not your bathroom mirror. This is a business deal, right? Fifty-fifty cut?"

I leaned back, my arms coming to rest over my chest, and I softened my face. "Correct, paid bi-weekly. You will also get a detailed expense report; I’ll give you the information to my accountant, whohas been handling Natalie's and my business dealings for years. She's discreet and credible."

"So you didn't answer my question." Clark swallowed hard. "When do we start?"

I shrugged in what I hoped was a nonchalant fashion, the muscles in my back releasing the tension that had built up over the conversation. "It's Monday now, so how about Wednesday? I prefer night time if possible. Nine? Fewer distractions."

Clark nodded in agreement, "Good, I'm not a morning person."

"Do you have an idea for a mask? I assume you'd prefer to be anonymous." I asked, the tightness in my chest slowly releasing. "And a name?"

She winced. "Yes to the mask, and I'm still thinking of a name." Clark stood suddenly, causing me to follow suit. "So, Wednesday, 9 o'clock. I'll be here." Clark moved to open the front door but paused to look at me. "But what do I wear to this type of thing?"

I leaned back in my chair, hands folded behind my head. "Whatever you want, Clark, I'll be taking it off of you one way or another."

She blushed bright red and was out my door before I could say goodnight.

Chapter 13

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