Love, Sex and Money

'Should have sent a thank you note, you little ho....'

Damn, he hated this crap; how could Heidi stomach it? He stopped the CD and went to get a drink of water. A couple of minutes later, as he was examining the calendar on the kitchen wall, Heidi appeared.

"You can go shower now." She said with a smile, avoiding looking at his naked body.

Jim smiled, "OK."

He came back to the sitting room 10 minutes later to see Heidi back in front of the laptop. "Still looking for a gift?"

She nodded, "And I do not want to get her a figurine of Robert Pattinson, no matter how cheap they're going."

Jim smiled, "Why do girls get obsessed with movie stars anyway?"

Heidi shrugged, "I don't know. Boys do too. Didn't you ever get obsessed with that girl from Transformers?"

"I don't really watch films." Jim said, "Unless I feel like a break from reality."

Heidi frowned, "When would you feel like that?"

Jim laughed, "I'm talking crap. I don't even know what I meant. Forget it. Do you want to go out?"

Heidi looked at the clock. "Quarter to nine? I think it's a bit late."

"You're not a kid. You don't have a bedtime. Come on. You haven't even eaten since you got home. Look at you; you're wasting away as we speak."

Heidi wrinkled her nose. "I don't want to go out. People look at you funny in those posh places. And I can't be bothered changing into a dress."

"We'll go to a bar. Come on, we'll be out for an hour at the most. You can go as you are. Don't tell me you're not hungry."

Heidi shrugged, "OK, but only if you help me find something on this stupid thing for my sister."

Jim sat down next to her, peering at the screen, "Well, what is she into?"

"Twilight, apparently." Heidi leaned back as Jim took the laptop off her and sighed, "There's nothing special. Nothing she'll love."

"It's the thought that counts."

"Yeah, as if anyone believes that. You should have heard the bitching at work last Christmas."

Jim laughed, "If all those girls were real friends, there wouldn't be doing any of that. Anyway, why don't you go out this weekend, buy something from a real shop?"

"I don't have time. OK, I do, but I won't find anything."

"Make her something?"

Heidi laughed, "Nothing's worse than a homemade birthday present. What would I make anyway?"

"A cake?"

"Nana always makes the cake."

"Well call her and tell her you'll do it."

Heidi hesitated for a minute, debating the idea.

"OK, that's actually not a bad thought."

Jim smiled. "Sort it out on the weekend. Now come on, let's go."

He closed the laptop and put it down on the coffee table. "You know any good bars around here?"

"I do actually." Heidi said with a grin, "There's one just around the corner, we can walk."

"Fair enough." Jim followed her out of the apartment and watched as she locked the door. "You should get a better lock than that you know. Anyone could break in."

"You're the only one who feels the need to break in." Heidi said, "You should be locked up, you criminal, you."

Jim laughed, "I'm serious. This area's dodgy enough as it is."

"Hey." Heidi said as she led him down the stairs, "This is a luxury apartment you know. Waterfront Residence. The clue's in the name."

Jim snorted. "I've never seen any water around here. Apart from rain."

"Neither have I." Heidi laughed, "It's not bad though. The neighbours are alright. And it's not lonely."

Jim took her hand as they walked out onto the main road.

"Well if you're happy here, it's OK isn't it?"

Heidi smiled and they walked the rest of the distance in silence until they reached the destination. She pushed open the door and went over to the bar, Jim behind her. The bartender came up to them but Jim turned away, looking funnily across the room at a table before turning hurriedly back around.

Heidi looked up at him. "Jim, what's up?"

He shook his head, "Nothing. I, uh, just remembered." He looked at her "I don't really like this place. Can we go somewhere else?"

Heidi frowned, "You could have said before. There's not another bar for like half a mile. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing. I just....I don't like it. Please."

"Seriously Jim, what the hell? We're not going to be here long; you said yourself. Just chill out, have a drink."

She turned back to the bartender, "I'm sorry. Can we get a beer and a plain orange juice?"

"Sure love. On the rocks, right?"

She nodded, "And do you have some sort of a menu?"

"Coming right up love."

She grabbed Jim's hand, "What if that guy heard you? I don't like this place. He would have been well offended."

She dropped into a stool at the bar and looked up at him, "Will you sit down? What's wrong with you?"

Jim sighed, "Please Heidi, can we just go?"

"No! Just park your butt on the stool. You're the one who wanted to go out in the first place. Besides," She lowered her voice as the bartender brought their drinks over and handed her a menu, "I know you like your beer. Just chill out and drink it."

Jim looked around nervously, "Fine. Please just hurry up though."

Heidi smiled, picked up the laminated menu and scanned through the items. She was pretty hungry. Soup sounded good, or maybe something equally warming.

"What are you having?" Jim didn't reply, he was too busy staring pointedly in the other direction. She nudged his leg, "For God's sake Jim. You have turned from amazing to annoying in less than ten seconds. Have I done something wrong? Turn around, for-"

She was cut off by the sound of a voice, "Jim, is that you?" She turned to see a tall blonde woman standing next to her.

Jim turned, his face a picture of resignation, "Katie."

The blonde laughed, "I knew it! You haven't called me back for like a week." She sat down on the stool on his other side and looked past him to Heidi, "He's impossible isn't he?"

Heidi smiled warily. The woman was gorgeous. Toned in all the right places and curvy in all the right places too. She looked oddly familiar. "Sorry, do I know you?"

The blonde laughed again, "I doubt it. I'm Katie Wormald. I used to work with Jim. Who are you?"

Heidi smiled, "I'm Heidi Jenkins, Jim's....girlfriend."

Katie frowned, "I'm sorry, what?"

"It's a bit loud in here isn't it?" Heidi leaned forward and repeated herself, "I'm Jim's girlfriend."

Katie shook her head and looked at Jim, "You've already moved on? I knew that hooker wasn't going to last."

Jim groaned, "For God's Sake Katie! Can you ever keep your mouth shut?!"

He turned, looked guiltily at Heidi.

She frowned, "You dated a prostitute?"

Love, Sex and Money -- Chapter Eight

Jim sighed, "Look, I know it sounds really bad."

"Yeah, it does." Heidi was glaring at him.

"But she wasn't a proper hooker."

"What, so she worked part-time?" Heidi was clearly not happy.

Katie laughed. Jim glared at her and she held her hands up in surrender.

"Hey, don't give me that look. She has a right to know."

"Yeah well I could have told her myself."

Katie shook her head, "You never would have and you know it."

Heidi was staring at Jim in disbelief, "She's right. You wouldn't have."

Jim shrugged, "Well, it's all in the past; there's no need for you to know."

Heidi's mouth dropped open. "What sort of person are you? God knows what diseases you could have passed on to me." She dragged her stool back slightly as if she was afraid of catching something from him.

Jim shook his head, "I never slept with her. I'm not that dumb."

"Well why did you go out with her then?"

He shrugged, "She gave pretty good head."

Heidi scoffed, "What the hell?! Jim, I don't even know who you are!"

"No, listen to me Heidi. It meant nothing. Nothing."

"What, so you just went out with her for no reason at all? You must have felt something!"

"I felt sorry for her. She was in a bad situation so I just spent money on her."

"And got a couple of blowjobs in return?!"

"No, that was just....I don't know. Look, I've been with more women than you can imagine Heidi. Just because she's a hooker, doesn't mean she's not actually a person. You can't just judge people."

"I'm not judging her. I'm judging you. If you felt sorry for her, you could have just helped her out anyway. You didn't have to...do stuff with her."

"I know, but what can I say? I was tempted. When I first met her, I never knew what she did for a living. And then, when I found out, I didn't want to just end it because of who she was."

Heidi sighed, ran a hand through her hair, "How long did it last?"

"A couple of weeks. We were just friends really. We still are. She's got a proper job now, she's a nice girl. Really Heidi, it's nothing to worry about."

"Why were you acting weird when you saw Katie then?"

"I was just being dumb. I didn't want you to think I was some creep. Come on Katie, tell her I'm a nice guy." He looked hopefully at Katie

She shrugged, smiled at Heidi, "He is. Most of the time."

Heidi took a sip of her orange juice, "Fine. Now can you chill out and just drink your beer. Do you want a drink Katie?"

"No, I'm fine. I'd better be getting back to my boyfriend anyway." She winked, "See you guys."

Jim turned, "What, so you're just OK with it?"

"Well, I can't do anything about it. There's no point in just yelling about it. Besides I'm starving."

Jim smiled, "You have nothing to worry about Heidi. Really. You know, it was a pretty stupid thing to do but I...I've changed."

Heidi wasn't even listening, she was trying to catch the attention of the bartender who came over and took her order.

"Heidi, listen. It wasn't even a proper relationship. I was just hanging out...."

"Jim just shut up. You don't need to justify yourself, you don't need to make excuses. I'm fine with it. It was just a bit of a shock. You should have said yourself."

"So you're OK with me dating a prostitute?!"

"Yeah. You were helping her out. You got her back on her feet didn't you? What, do you want me to get annoyed?"

"No, but you're amazing. Any other girl would have run a mile."

"Yeah, well, if I tell you to get lost, who else is going to pay for the drinks? And who's going to walk me home?" She laughed at his bewildered expression, "I'm just messing. When I think about it, it's no big deal really. A lot of women only go out with guys to get something. Not necessarily money, but a job or something."

"So why are you going out with me?"

"I've nothing better to do."

"So you're not here for the money?"

"If I wanted money, I'd ask Leon. Money's not everything you know. I didn't even know how rich you were at the casino. You know, before I figured you were the guy Leon wanted, I kind of liked you. You were hot."

Jim smiled, "I can't believe you're so cool about everything. It's amazing."

Heidi grinned, "You're daft. You shouldn't get so worried. Everyone has a couple of skeletons in their closet."

"Do you?" His eyes met hers and she looked away.

"Nothing major and nothing I really need to tell you. Besides, you don't get to ask the questions; you should be happy I haven't walked off." She turned back round as the bartender put a bowl of soup in front of her, "Anyway, why aren't you eating anything?"

Jim shrugged, "I'm not hungry."

They didn't talk for a while, Jim sipping his beer, Heidi spooning up the tomato soup and then Jim turned, looked at her.

"Does it annoy you that I've like...been...with other women? Because I'm your first boyfriend, so don't you feel, like, you could have been with someone...like..."

"What, I would have wanted to be someone's first girlfriend?"

"Yeah."

She shrugged, "Not really. When I thought about having sex for the first time, I didn't want it to be with a virgin. That probably sounds odd but I just like wanted someone like you, because you're more experienced, you've probably been with virgins before, you wouldn't laugh at me if I made a fool of myself."

"You were scared, weren't you? That first time?"

"Scared? I was terrified."

"So why did you do it?"

"I don't know. It just felt....right. You seemed so kind, so thoughtful, I knew I was safe."

Jim smiled, "It must have been love."

Heidi dropped her spoon into her empty bowl and finished her orange juice, "Call it what you want. Did you think you were in love on your first time?"

"No. It was a drunken encounter at a birthday party when I was eighteen. I didn't even know what I was doing. Hell, I didn't even know her name."

Heidi's mouth dropped open, "Oh my god! That's awful."

Jim smiled sheepishly. "You ready to go?"

She shook her head, "If you weren't so damn gorgeous, I don't know what I'd be doing with you."

She got up as Jim paid the bartender and then they walked back to her apartment in comfortable silence.

Jim paused at the main entrance. "I guess I should leave you here." He said, "My cars in the parking lot, I'd better get going."

Heidi paused, "Are you going home?"

"No. I'm going back to the office. I've got a lot of catching up to do." He smiled wryly, "So, uh, when do you want to meet up again?"

Heidi didn't say anything and then, "I'm going to sound really stupid and obsessed but I get lonely when you're gone."

Jim smiled, pulled her in for a kiss, "We'll see each other soon." And then, "You're the one who doesn't like the idea of living together."

"I don't want to move out of here." Heidi said, "You can come and live with me if you like."

He laughed, "What? In this tiny place?"

"Just a thought." She pulled away from his warm embrace, "Anyway, I'd better go to bed."

"Yeah. I'll call you." He watched as she let herself in and then walked slowly over to his car. They'd met just six days ago, but he'd never felt so much affection towards any other girl in his entire life. The longest time he'd dated one girl was about six months and that had just been a bore. He couldn't imagine ever being bored with Heidi around. She understood him so well, she was so sweet, so innocent. Oh God, was he in love? That was a crazy thought but he couldn't imagine life without her. Maybe he should move in with her? She'd probably said it as a joke but maybe it'd make her realise how serious he was, how much he wanted to be with her. He ran a hand through his hair as he thought of the paperwork awaiting him in the office. Driving to and fro from AC was so much hard work, such a waste of gas...

-

Heidi was humming along to Jason DeRulo's 'It Girl' on the radio when her office door swung open. She looked up and grinned. It was Tina and Emily. They made themselves comfortable in her chairs and watched as she continued sifting through paperwork.

Tina cleared her throat and Heidi glanced at them, "What do you two want?"

"I saw you." Emily said, "Last night. At the Booker's. With a guy."

Heidi blushed, "He's just a friend."

Tina and Emily giggled, "So why are you so happy? You hate Jason DeRulo and here you are smiling your head off."

Heidi shrugged. "OK, fine. He's my...boyfriend."

Emily leaned forward, "OMG, Heidi! He's so hot! You looked so good together! What's his name?"

"Jim. We met on Friday."

"And?"

"And what?"

"What's he like?"

Heidi looked at her excited face, "Emily, give me a break! I barely know the guy."

"Yeah, the way he was looking at you? I think you know each other a whole lot better than you're letting on. Heidi girl, we are so happy for you!"

Heidi smiled in spite of herself, "Thanks. You two are so sweet. Look, I've got to finish this crap but we're still on for lunch, yeah?"

"Obviously!" They chorused. Tina smiled, "We want to know everything."

"Yeah, whatever."

Heidi smiled to herself as they left and then sat down in her chair. Oh God, life was so good right now. She had a great job, great friends and now a great boyfriend. This was just awesome.

-

Nine hours later she was in her apartment, Snoop Dogg blaring out of the radio as she surfed the internet. The buzzer sounded and she frowned, went over to the speaker.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Jim."

"Oh. OK."

She switched the radio off and opened the door to him a moment later. He smiled distractedly as he walked past.

"What's up?" she asked as she slid the chain back into place and followed him into the sitting room.

He paced up and down, taking his jacket off and putting it on the couch. "I had the crappest day in the history of the world. Seriously, this totally random company is trying to poach all our clients. I mean, I've never even heard of them. And their prices are so bloody low. They must be making a loss or something. I don't know what their game is but their FO is like the shittiest guy, ..."

Heidi walked over to him, "Jim, just chill out. It's OK. You'll sort it. You know you will. Just relax; you're getting worked up for no reason. Did you get any sleep today?"

He sighed, "Yeah, I got a couple of hours. I just feel so...I don't know."

Heidi went into the kitchen, made him a cup of tea. "Just leave it. Forget it. Sort it tomorrow. Look, sit on the floor."

He frowned, "Why?"

"Just do it. Over here."

Jim sat in front of the armchair and she sat down behind him. Slowly, she ran her hands down across his shoulders, "Just relax." She moved her hands in firm circles down from his neck, around his shoulders and he sighed,

"Oh baby, that feels good."

She felt him become slightly less tense and applied more pressure, as he emitted a long drawn out groan. "Heidi, that feels so good. Where did you learn to do this?"

She paused and then, "I used to do it for my dad all the time. He was a hard-worker too. He'd come home after a long day and I'd do his shoulders. He liked it because I had little hands." She smiled to herself at the memory.

"Just like this?" Jim's question interrupted her thoughts.

"Yeah. Just like this."

He sighed, "You have no idea how good this feels baby. I can see why your dad enjoyed it." He hesitated as her hands continued working his muscles, "Do you still...talk to him?"

Heidi sighed. "Jim, I was thinking today. I just hate having this thing weighing over me so I'm going to tell you something but you can't say anything until I've done, OK? And don't start saying you're sorry because you can't be sorry for something that wasn't your fault, because that's just stupid isn't it, being sorry when you haven't even done anything and then saying sorry and-"

"Hey, hey, Heidi, chill out." Her fingers had dug into him hard and he took hold of her hands, "Just calm down baby. Take all the time you want, I'm not going to say anything."

He released her hands and she resumed the massage, "OK." She gritted her teeth and stared at the back of his head, "I don't even know where to start."

"Start at the beginning."

"OK."

Jim leaned back against her legs and waited.

I can do this, Heidi told herself.

She took a deep breath. "I grew up here. In AC. About fifty miles from this apartment actually. I had great parents, great school, great life. My dad was amazing. He came from nothing and he made this whole life for our family and, he was a good person, you know. I had a little sister, a cat, a couple of goldfish; it was just a great life really. And then I got older and things changed but I still had that family, the same support. I was a teenager but things were as good as you could expect." She paused, "It was just a normal Saturday evening. I was 13. Me, Mary and Dad went to see a movie. It was some stupid animated one. We watched it, came out of the cinema and it was dark. We went over to the car and this man came over. My dad told us to get in the car so we did. And this man started arguing with my dad and people were just walking along, minding their own business. They didn't care. And then the guy pulled out this knife and he just...he just shoved it in. Then he grabbed my dad's jacket and ran off." She paused, took a breath, and then continued, "We got out of the car and Dad was lying on the floor. He was already dead. And Mary didn't even know what had happened. She thought it was a joke. She was like 'Dad, get up! You can't sleep outside.' All I could see was the blood. There was so much. It was on the floor, everywhere, his shirt was soaked. And then the police came and later they arrested the guy but what's the point? It was too late. What did he want? $500 to buy a gram or two of cocaine?" She hesitated, her hands still soothing Jim's shoulders, "It's not fair. Why couldn't he have killed some other guy? Someone who wasn't important. Someone with no family, no responsibilities. Dad didn't deserve to die. It's not fair." She could hear the childish whine in her voice and she hated it. She blinked away the ever present tears. "Why couldn't he kill a drug dealer or a rapist or someone?"