The Offer

“You’re incredibly attractive. I’ll give you $10,000 to sleep with me.”

Did I hear that right?

It is Vegas after all. And 1am.

I usually ignored random pick-up lines….but I’ve never heard that line before.

And as a broke student on holiday in Vegas, my interest was piqued with the mention of money.

Unsure if I should rage at the person asking the question or flirt back, I decide that my response will be dependent on what he looks like…but then again, I’m drunk. I’ll flirt regardless.

I turn around.

A chiseled, tanned face. Mysterious deep brown eyes. Dark hair. A cheeky smile. Looks like he’s in good shape still. Dressed well. Blazer, shirt and pants combo. He looks expensive.  

Handsome. But a lot older than I am.

“I’m not a prostitute.” I reply firmly but making sure to give him friendly eyes.

I try to discreetly adjust the length of my dress. Nope, still short.

“I know.” He smirks. He watches me adjust my dress, then looks me up and down. “I can tell.”

I find myself uncomfortable and intimidated by his gaze.

“You’re not from here are you? Australian?”

“Yeah, and you want to come down under for $10,000.”

He laughs. “Funny’s good. But I don’t fuck funny. I fuck hot.”

I’m taken aback. “That’s…forward.”

“It’s honest.” He shrugs.

“Why $10,000? I’m worth more.”

“I know you are. But that’s my final offer.”

I assess his face again. “Don’t you think we’re a bit age inappropriate?”

“How old are you?”

“Have a guess.”

“At least 21.”

“Ding ding.”

“Do I get a prize?”

“That depends. How old are you?”

“39.”

This time I look him up and down. “Can you even get it up?”

He laughs, scoffs. “Come on now.”

“I don’t know, I’ve never been with a man your age.”

“You won’t go back.”

“Wow.” I drawl. “That’s arrogant.”

He shrugs again, then that same sexy smirk. “You’ll have a good time.” He takes a sip of his drink and looks at me over the rim of the glass.

A wink.

I feel a flutter between my legs.

I ignore it and decide to serve up some sass. “You’re not a bad looking guy. Why do you need to pay for it? Why couldn’t you just approach me, flirt and see where the night takes us? That is, if your game is good enough to get it for free.”

He chuckles and looks me straight in the eyes for a full few seconds before speaking. Then down at my lips. Then back into my eyes.

My stomach does several flips.

He steps closer towards me. He smells good. Really good. A leather/suede/amber mix…but sophisticated…and primal.

It awakens something in me that I did not know was asleep.

“One, I’m on a tight schedule and I’m only in Vegas for tonight. Two, you’re the best looking woman I’ve seen all night and three, I don’t want to waste any time. I want what I want.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere.”

“But will it get me down under?”

“For the right price yes.”

“So you’re interested?”

“I’m considering it.”

We both laugh.

“At least buy me a drink first,” I tell him.

He takes my hand and I lead him to the main bar of the hotel.

While he orders our drinks, I quickly text my friends in our Whatsapp group chat.

Kate: Some old dude just offered me 10k to sleep with him, I’m exploring the option, I’ll come find you guys soon xx

Jamie: You S L U T! 😂­­

Jamie: Buy us some drinks when you get that bag sis!

Sarah: Drinks? We are getting bottle service for the rest of this trip. THANKS KATE

Sarah: Also 10k is his starting offer. Get 20 at least

Tash: What’s his name, get us a photo just in case he murders you

Tash: I knew that dress was going to cause trouble

Jamie: That dress is gonna get you pregnant tonighttttt

Tash: Use protection!!!!!

Jamie: Or not? ALIMONY BABY!

“What’s your name?”

“Jack.”

I look at him doubtfully. “Is it now?”

He chuckles. “Swear to god.”

“Are you married with kids and having a mid life crisis Jack? Is that what this is?”

“Hardly. I just know myself well. I’m a perpetual bachelor, emotionally unavailable and afraid of commitment. So I don’t date women.” He looks at me that same way again. “No matter how beautiful they are.”

I squirm a little bit, shift my feet and hope he doesn’t notice. 

He notices.

“So what’s your name?”

I want to give him a fake name. But I don’t. “Kate.”

“And what do you do Kate?”

I want to lie again but for some reason I don’t. “I’m studying to be a nurse.”

“So Nurse Kate it is.” The way he says ‘nurse’ sounds salacious. “What’s it going to take to go up to my suite for a check-up Nurse Kate?”

Few more drinks and I’ll do it for free buddy.

I try to disregard my nerves and attempt to play it cool and nonchalant. “Why don’t we just hang out here for a bit, get to know each other?”

He looks at his watch. I glance over at it too. It’s a Rolex.

Of course it is.

“I have a flight in 6 hours.”

“Six hours is a lot of time.”

Eye contact again. “Not for what I want to do to you.”

Oh sweet jesus.

The flutter between my legs.

He’s rattled me and he can tell.

I can feel heat spreading across my chest, up my neck and to the base of my head.

Who is this guy?

Jack smiles, almost knowingly. “Would you like to come upstairs now?”

I stall. “I need more details for my friends first.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just in case you murder me, I need a photo of you and me. And a drivers license. And your room number.”

“You’re joking?”

“No. My friends and I care about each other’s safety.”

Jack’s hesitant but I can see the desire building in his eyes. “Ok.” He concedes. “Here’s my business card.”

Jack Alson, CEO. Almanex Resources Limited. Chicago, Illinois.

Of course he’s a CEO.

I wave the card in his face. “How do I know this card is legit?”

“Good god woman, do you want my social security number as well?”

“I don’t know what that is, but maybe?”

“Anything else? A DNA sample?”

I move next to him to take the photo. As I take it, I ask, “Won’t I be getting that soon anyway?”

The photo is great. We’re mid laughter and it’s a surprisingly cute candid shot. Along with the business card, I hit send to the group chat.

Jamie: BITCH

Jamie: DO IT FOR FREE!!

Sarah: I agree!!!!!

Tash: Ew, it looks like a photo between father and daughter.

Tash: At least he doesn’t look like a murderer

Jamie: Let him murder that vagina

Tash: How does this stuff only happen to you 😂­­

“You ready?” He asks, nodding towards the lifts.

I’m nervous. “Maybe we should get a couple more shots in.”

That smirk again. “You’ll want to be sober for this Nurse Kate.”

************************************************************

When I wake in the morning, Jack’s gone. He had woken me briefly at some point to let me know he was leaving and gave me a kiss goodbye.

On the bedside table next to me, I spot an envelope full of cash.

He was true to his word – I had half-joked that I wanted double but sure enough, after a quick count, there was $20k cash in the envelope.

My hangover evaporated and I squealed with delight as I threw the cash up in the air. $100 green bills landed all over me.

The things I could do with this money! I’m rich! This is $40k back home in Aus.

As I scoop the cash back up, I realize that I am sore everywhere.

Oh man, Jack could fuck.

I blush to myself, remembering our bedroom cardio.

How had I given it up for free to lesser men?

Sweaty Simon. Adam, that cheating dipshit. Micro dick Pete. Ugh.

Why had society ever shamed escorts? They’re smart. At least they’re getting paid for it.

Maybe I should become a high end escort?

I laugh at the notion.

Then a realization hits me. I can’t wear this dress at 10am in the morning. Can I?

It is Vegas.

Nope, don't care, not doing it.

I drape myself in a hotel bathrobe and escape back to our hotel, with no one really noticing. Until I see the girls by the pool.

They erupt into laughter when they see me. “What an outfit!”

“Give me your hoodie Tash,” I hiss insistently.

She begrudgingly takes it off and hands it over. “You owe me.”

I hastily take off the bathrobe and begin to put the giant hoodie on.

“We can see your vaginaaaaa!” Sarah sings, much to Jamie’s amusement.

“You are giving us all the motherfucking details bitch.” Jamie declared.

“Jamie, shhh.” Tash begged. “It’s too early for yelling.”

Jamie rolls her eyes, but lowers her voice. “Tell me. How was his penis?”

“Yeah,” Sarah chimed in. “How was that Granddaddy dick?”

“Was it good?”

“Was he big?”

“Could he get it up?”

“Guys. Stop. Relax. It was good. It was fun. He was passionate. He was big.”

“How big we talking?”

I lift my arm up and ball my fist. “Like a … a wall of flesh.”

We burst into giggles. 

“Are you going to see him again?”

“No!” I said incredulously. “He’s nearly 40 and he’s probably married with kids. He’s also in Chicago, I’m in Australia. It is what it is.” I rationalise. “It was a fun time with a great economic benefit. I’m going to use this money to pay off my Uni debt, buy us drinks for the rest of the trip. That’s it.”

“Always looking after us, we love you,” Tash eagerly waved a waiter to come over. “Waiter! Please make our mimosas with Veuve! It’s on her,”

************************************************************

Years passed, but the memory of that night stayed on, crossing my mind from time to time. If and when it did, I found myself either amused or turned on. It had set the bar so high for sex. Nothing had compared.

Tash, now a successful psychologist, gave me her assessment. “It's simple. You're dickmatised.”

Hard to believe she had her own practice.

Even if I was hypnotized by Jack’s wall of flesh, it didn’t matter. I believed I’d never see him again and had resigned myself to having sub-Jack sex for life.

Until one day, aged 32, I attended a wedding in New York on a balmy July afternoon.

Whilst ordering a drink at the Champagne bar in the Wedding Gardens, I felt a presence behind me.

Then, that smell. Primal leather and amber.

10 words in my ear.

“You’re incredibly attractive. I’ll give you $10,000 to sleep with me.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up.

The flips in my stomach return.

The flutter between my legs.

No way.

I turn around.