sugar baby [h.s]

eight

I don't hear from Harry that night, it's only the next afternoon after I finish my shift at the cafe that I receive a call from him. I'm sitting on the bus on the way back to my apartment when his number flashes on my cracked phone screen. I take a deep breath and answer the call.

"Hello," I say, hearing slightly muffled voices in the other end before Harry's voice comes through the phone.

"Elena, hi, how are you?" He sounds slightly distracted, I don't know why he's calling me if he is too busy to actually talk to me. I'm still fuming about the conversation that I had with Heather, knowing that this man is probably just trying to take my virginity. But he's not going to win.

"Hi, I'm alright how are you?" Not that I really care, asshole.

"I'm fine, how quickly would you be able to meet me at the hotel?" His question throws me a little, I thought he didn't want to babysit me? I'm curious as to what he is wanting from me on such short notice but I choose not to prove any further.

"I don't know, I'm on the bus at the moment, so maybe around 20 minutes?" I reply.

"Great, John will meet you in the lobby when you arrive" he hangs up the call after that. The bastard didn't even say goodbye, I honestly can't believe it. I'm absolutely fuming, but I am debating whether or not I should bring it up with him. Heather reckons I should wait until something is a big deal so I don't sound like a clingy girlfriend only this far in, but I don't like the way that he is treating me.

Maybe I have to start thinking of him as my boss; hopefully, that will make me a little bit less eager to air all my tiny grievances and will stop some of the thoughts that go through my head when I'm with him. I also can't let him get in my head in that way anymore, because none of it is actually real. If Harry actually wanted to be in a relationship with someone I doubt he would go through all this nonsense. He just wants to use me and throw me away, I wonder if Grace has a special file of virgins and he just gets to pick and choose his fancy.

But then that leads me to another question entirely. If he only wants to take my virginity, then why sign up for a six-month-long contract. Surely a man like Harry; powerful, domineering and egotistical, he won't want to wait six months until he can have a new girl in the mix. Or what if I'm not the only one?

Would that really bother me if he was seeing someone else at the same time as me? Is this even considered dating? I have ten thousand questions to ask him, and I don't know if I would get a straight answer for absolutely any of them. I know so little about this man. The things that he says and the things that he does don't match up. He kisses me one minute then calls me a child the next, he wants me to go and hang out at his work with him and then he makes John take me home early. I'm seriously getting whiplash from all the ups and downs.

I get no more time to think about it as I realise the next stop is the closest I can get to the hotel. I push the button to signal to the driver I would like to get off and exit the bus along with a couple of other passengers.

I'm just thankful I have dressed quite nicely today. I've left my hair down hanging down my back, with a soft yellow sundress and white sneakers. The sun is still out in London, it's kind of a miracle for September, and I am taking full advantage of it. Besides, if the weather turns like it normally does, I have a sweater stashed away in my backpack.

The staff greet me by name as they hold open the door for me when I approach. John is waiting for me, hands clasped, in the lobby. He nods to me and walks me over to the bank of elevators and presses the button. I step inside and he does, but not before punching in the code to Harry's room and then exiting the elevator.

"Miss Graham" he nods politely to me as the elevator doors close, leaving me alone as it ascends straight up to the top floor. I'm surprised it doesn't stop on any other floors along the way, especially when considering just how many floors this place has. I smooth down my dress as the doors slide open. I step out slowly, looking around to see any signs of Harry in his apartment, not so eager to have to go searching for him, I would definitely require a GPS so as not to get lost.