Chapter 17

• Doris nodded, a little unsteadily, and composed herself. She took his arm and tried to walk beside him the way Jessica showed her; head held high, with balanced and self-assured strides. Instead, she shuffled and stumbled, not so adept at wearing gowns and shoes like she was that night, as well as drinking all that rich and heady wine. She giggled into her palm, making Rood look at her in amusement.
• A quick elevator ride up and she was sitting with the world-renowned writer at a very private table in his private terrace penthouse the hotel reserved for him. The meal was quite exotic and to die for, and the wine couldn’t get any better. Rood seemed fixated on her, as most of the conversation centered on her and the interest she had in books, namely his books.
• “I find this quite amusing to believe.” Rood was laughing, his face quite exuberant from all that wine. “That you, a librarian, moonlighting as an escort, an avid fan of my work, are on a professional date with me… I’ve never had this experience before, from any of the escorts I hired.”