Call Girl

Part One

Cinnamon's POV:

My job wasn't easy, but it was overrated. Day in and day out I'd answer calls, rejecting and accepting clients. I despised my job, it was degrading and depraving. But, I wasn't good at anything else. I left college to pursue my 'dreams' with Lance, my childhood heartthrob, and then he left me on the streets leaving me with no other choice but to do this. It brought in a lot of money and I was living in a huge condo in Pennsylvania, so I was okay.

The blissful tone of my phone rang, the third time today, and I sighed as I answered.

"Hiya, Cinnamon here, how can I help?" I forced the honeysweet voice out of my mouth.

"Hello" the man on the receiver coughed nervously "I'm Peter, my friend said you were blonde, I like blondes" he laughed.

I laughed too, not because I wanted but because I knew I had no other options.

"Well, he recommended you, my girlfriend left me and..."

Listening to sob stories was not part of my job, and so I interrupted him without any sorrow "cut to the chase, when you want me to book you in?"

"Oh a bit eager?" he chuckled, I pulled a face in disgust "How's next Friday?"

"Yes that's fine"

"How much? For an hour?"

"200 dollars"

"What?" he coughed.

I hung up.

As I rejected Peter's second call in irritation, my doorbell rang, four times.

Standing there, all suited up, was the most handsome man I had ever laid eyes on. His cheeks were chiselled, his nose was perfectly symmetrical and his lips were slightly full: the kind that end in a cute little smirk at the corners. The light from the bulb above him highlighted the alluring dimples in his cheeks and chin. I must have gotten lost in his dark blue daring eyes eyes as I only just noticed two police officers standing beside him.

"Cinnamon Kaplan, I'm Detective Crawford" he flashed an ID card that I quickly glanced at, his voice was deep and husky "I have permission to ask you a few questions regarding the night Mr Simon Orsik was murdered"

My eyes opened wide in alarm. I had seen Simon last week. I had no idea he was murdered.

I let him and the police officers in. As he entered the room the air filled with a sweet and musky scent, as his cologne was as strong as midnight sex. It was intoxicating, and I found myself inhaling deeply every chance I could.

"Detective Crawford" I said.

"Please, it's Dominic" he smiled. Dominic Crawford. That name rang a bell, but I couldn't quite fathom where I had heard it from.

"I had no idea he died, I saw him on Thursday" I said, in a flustered and embarrassing way. I looked away as I felt my cheeks flourish a bright red colour due to anxiety.

"Yes we know, that is why we are here"

He pulled out a notebook and started asking me questions. The questions were just basic, but I didn't see how they'd help. It was pointless really, but I didn't mind, I could sit and listen to him talk all night as his voice had a really nice ring to it. The whole time I was just enthralled by his overwhelming beauty, his dark and wavy hair fell across his olive toned face. But, my day dreaming was stopped to a halt, when I was faced with a suggestive question.

"Where were you at, precisely, 11:30 pm?" he emphasised the word 'precisely', indicating that he thought I had something to do with the murder. I quickly coughed with fear and took a deep breath to begin my reply.

"Um, what?" I don't remember" I squinted my eyes "Oh wait, I was at my friend Olivia's house" I mumbled nervously.

"And can she confirm that?" he looked up from his notepad.

"I have proof" I pulled out my phone and showed a conversation I had on Friday with Olivia about our get together.

"Right okay, thanks, that has cleared your name from this case, so far"

My heart raced, there couldn't have been a case being built up against me. I had no motive and I didn't do it. I merely knew Simon Orsik. All that I was aware of was that he was a business man with three children who had been divorced twice. When he came over to my house, he was pathetic. He admired my beauty and I had 'cute delicate blonde locks' like his daughter as he creepily said. But once the deed was done he left and drove off in the rain. He said he'd be back soon, but little did he realise he wouldn't. He didn't seem like a bad person, but sometimes people can surprise you as there was definitely a lot that I did not know about Simon, maybe he deserved to be murdered. Or maybe he was just an isolated rich old man who was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

The police officers left but Dominic Crawford remained seated on my leather coach. I stared at him, it was obvious to him but I didn't care. Dominic Crawford? I was almost certain that I was familiar with that name, but not with that prepossessing face. I examined him carefully, and reminisced about my, unimpressive, past.

"Now I know where I know you from!" I said a bit too eagerly, making him furrow his brow "You're Dominic Crawford! From Maple Wood High, do you remember me? Cinnamon?"

"Yes I do" he laughed "but I didn't want to say anything you know"

I smiled "You've changed so much". I was astonished. Back in high school Dominic was a lousy jock who, through anger issues, caused the school's biggest fights. He was someone I'd stay away from. I was dumbfounded by how much he had changed. "I'm sorry to be so forward but" I laughed "what happened? How did you change? What?" I bombarded him with questions that I need to know the answer to.

He smiled, revealing his bright white teeth which were like a perfect pearl necklace. "Hmm I don't know, well when I was deciding to drop out of school, I got into a little trouble with the police, it was nothing major just an ex-girlfriend thing" he rolled his eyes ever so gently "and after that, I guess I got motivated to join the police force, best choice I ever made" he looked straight into my eyes "but you haven't changed, still as beautiful as you used to be, in fact even more!" he raised his eyebrow and bit his lip seductively, making me feel tingly.

"Wait, why didn't you want to say anything?"

He lowered his head and lost eye contact "Because you know, I'm one of the top detectives in Pennsylvania, and you, well you're just a" his voice became muffled "prostitute".

I think he could see my soul shatter into a million pieces as soon as he said that, as he looked at me sympathetically, as if I was a stray dog. I had always been insulted about my career from those who knew about it, but it never phased me, not until now. He said it in a way which implied I was inferior, making me feel insecure. I wasn't smart, I had no ambitions, and if it wasn't for this 'job' then I'd be on the streets. I wanted to scream this in his face, to make him realise that it was a job, just like everyone has a job. But instead I sat there in defeat trying to hold back my tears.

He quickly jolted up awkwardly, and I did the same "Erm, well we should talk, have a good catch up over coffee?" he stared at me, waiting for my reply, but I couldn't get myself to say anything "Cinnamon? Coffee? Sound good?" A rush of passion flew through my body as he said my name, my heart pounded against my chest.

"Yeah sure, that sounds great actually" I said as I led him to the door. He handed me his phone which I saved my number into "just text me or whatever" I smiled, looking straight past him.

He was leaving, until he turned around and pressed his broad body against my small and fragile body and his curious eyes stared into mine "I always had a crush on you" he said mysteriously "I'll be back" a wicked curve formed on his mouth "to check back in on the case of your client" he smirked, and then turned his back walking away.

I couldn't quite grasp what had just happened. Dominic Crawford seemed elusive, and it seems as though he didn't value me because of my job, which was understandable. My job had always caused people to distance themselves, but with Dominic, it seemed it could be different.