My new boss stares at me, eyebrow raised in a question."I mean it," I repeat. "Tell me what I'm doing wrong, Mr. Everet.""Roman.""What?""Call me Roman."Using his first name makes this worse. It makes it... intimate. At least when he was "Mr. Everet" I could sort of pretend he wasn't a real person. The formality made it safer. Easier. But that's not exactly something I can explain to the man in front of me."Okay," I say. "Roman. I'd like to hear what you think I'm doing wrong."He doesn't respond immediately. Instead, he takes a long, slow drink, and I can't decide if he's giving me one last chance to walk away or if he just likes to watch me squirm. Finally, he puts his glass down."It's too much," he repeats."What is?""Everything. The way you're dressed. The way you try to get the attention of these men. It's coming off as desperate.""Desperate?" Oh, God. I mean, I know I feel desperate, but I didn't realize everyone else could see it.But Roman isn't finished."
Roman's hazel eyes flash with amusement. "Let's get started, then." He glances around the room once more. "Who is it going to be?""I have to pick?""Would you prefer I choose your target?"Okay, maybe not. I bite my lip and take another look at the men around me. Who should I approach? Someone alone, preferably. I don't think I have the skills to get a guy away from his friends. Maybe that guy over by the dart board who looks barely old enough to drink - he's got a frat-boy look, and if I know anything about frat boys, they'll respond to anything with breasts. But Roman might think he's too easy a target - seducing him won't prove anything. Besides, Frat Guy seems to be checking out that table of young women by the door. If I go over there and get rejected by him, I'm not sure I'll ever live it down. Next!My eyes fall next on an older man - probably in his mid- to late-fifties. He's nursing a beer by himself at a table in the corner. But as I watch, he straightens and lets out a
Chuck's not much of a conversationalist. Or maybe he's figured out that I couldn't name a single professional baseball player if my life depended on it. Either way, he doesn't say a word to me. And I, panicked and confused as I am, don't say a word to him. I feel like I should comment on the game, to at least try to make this work, but I know that I'll reveal my lie as soon as I open my mouth. And all I can think about is how Roman is watching me, waiting for me to make my move. The pressure is building with every passing second. I need to say something. Anything."What else do you like?" I ask him.He's still looking at the TV. "Hm?""What else do you like? Besides baseball, I mean. And chili fries."He shrugs, still watching the game. "Football. Basketball. Not really into hockey.""Ah." Is he making this hard on purpose? Is he not interested in me after all? If not, then why did he invite me to sit down?I have the urge to look back at Roman again, as if somehow his expression
If I felt like an idiot at the bar, I feel even worse the following morning. My head is killing me. Yeah, that's definitely the last time I trust the promises of a Long Island Iced Tea. That bitch.It's Saturday, which is when I'd normally sleep in, but for some reason I told Roman I'd meet him for lunch so we can discuss my strategy. I still have no idea why I agreed. Oh, right - I was drunk and stupid last night.As I pull on my jeans, I consider calling and canceling. The thought of facing him after last night makes me want to throw up - but on the other hand, that might just be the hangover. With my luck, I'll take one look at him and get sick all over his shiny designer shoes.The more I think about it, though, the more I realize that for some weird reason, I want to go. It doesn't matter if Roman actually believes I can pull this off, or if he's only doing this for his own pleasure. This is my chance to show him how far I'm willing to go for this job - and to learn a couple of
The way Roman says that I should think of this as an 'opportunity' makes me all tingly.I give a nervous laugh. "An opportunity to humiliate myself?""I was thinking more along the lines of an opportunity to... expand your horizons a little."There's a suggestiveness in his tone, and it makes panic rise in me anew."Tell me," he says, "do you think you're attractive?"That question doesn't make this any easier. "I - I mean, I don't think I'm hideous.""That's not what I asked.""I... I'm pretty enough," I say. "I mean, I'm not going to be winning any beauty contests anytime soon, but I'm not afraid I'm going to die alone or anything." Not yet, anyway. "One day I'll meet a nice guy who thinks I'm beautiful no matter what and we'll settle down and have perfectly average little babies."Roman looks thoughtful. "Is that really what you believe? That you're just 'average'?""Don't say it like that." I fiddle with the edge of the tablecloth. "Objectively speaking, it's the truth. An
I want to lie, but I know there's no point."You grabbed my arm when I tried to stand up," I say finally."Grabbed it?""No - not grabbed. I mean you took my arm. You just... just set your hand there."He nods. "And then?"And then what? I don't know where he's going with this, but I'd be squirming if his eyes weren't pinning me to my seat."And then you left it there," I say. "You didn't move it.""I didn't move it at all?" His voice is even, objective, like he's quizzing me on my homework or something. Somehow, that makes this interrogation worse."You moved your fingers a couple of times," I say after a moment."Which fingers?""I don't know.""I think you do."He's right, I do. But I'll be damned if I admit it to him. Cheeks flaming, I jerk my arm away from him, and he sits back, seemingly unperturbed."Touch is a very powerful tool," he says. "And very intimate. Humans are biologically designed to respond to it. It usually signals attraction or affection - or aggressi
Roman's breath is warm against my ear.I have no idea what he's going to ask me, but I nod. "Okay."His phone buzzes on the table, but he seems to ignore it."What color is my shirt?" he asks.I'm not sure what I was expecting, but certainly something that was a little more relevant to our situation at hand."Blue," I say after thinking for a moment. "Grayish-blue.""Very good. And my pants?""Dark gray.""And my watch?"That one stumps me. I rack my brain, trying to remember what his watch looked like, but I can't. I don't remember a watch at all."I don't know," I tell him finally."What about my eyes?"My face goes hot. "Uh... hazel, mostly.""Mostly?"My fingers find the edge of the tablecloth again. "They're greener today.""Mm. And what did I order to eat?"That question seems a little out of left field, and anyway, I never heard him order. Heck, even though we've been eating for a full ten minutes now, I've been so focused on figuring out how to touch him I never
I knew this question was coming, but that doesn't make me any more prepared for it. How the hell do I answer that? I couldn't even seduce some random dude in a bar, and my boss is way, way more intimidating."I-I would be subtle," I tell him after a moment, though I know that's too obvious. "Pretend I wasn't interested in you at all. Not in that way, I mean. Obviously I'd have to show some interest or have some excuse to interact with you..."When I don't go on, he raises an eyebrow. "Is that all?""I guess... I guess I'd need an excuse to get close to you," I say. "Maybe something work related. Or... or something else non-sexual. I don't know. Isn't this what you're supposed be teaching me?""Understand, I'm not doing this to put you on the spot," he says, straightening. "I'm doing this because no matter which of the Fontaines you approach, you're going to be facing a similar challenge. These are men who have their pick of women. It's not going to be as simple as seducing an avera