Ransom

?? Chapter 3 ??

I watch Emmett's totally relaxed posed. He is totally confident I'll smile and go 'woohoo' or something. I crease my brow as I consider my response, but nothing smart-ass wants to come out.

Instead...

"I seem to have misunderstood you completely, let's pretend this never happened and I'll see you at work... tomorrow..." I turn, mumbling at the end while sourly disappointed, "Ransom."

Emmett Ransom wanted a one-night stand. A fucking one-night stand. I shouldn't be surprised.

Shithead. Or maybe I was just an idiot for thinking it could be a date when he didn't even confirm it was one in the first place. 

I walk back down the steps, two down before he manages to react.

But he doesn't speak. However, I do feel Emmett there and I look over my shoulder, letting him see my disappointment. This billionaire genuinely looks confused, with one hand in his pocket, twirling around his keys, the other clasping his violin over his shoulder. He looks... tense.

Emmett did not expect my refusal, I guess... and I mean... he seemed kind of shocked?

I face forward and skip down the stairs. I see that it's raining. I pull out my phone and pull up maps.

For fucks sake... my car is at the work place. I guess I'll just take a bus back to my car and take it from there...

I push open the lobby doors and walk out into the rain, looking for the nearest stop. There's one close by, since it's the major musical hall in town. It's located under the biggest sky scraper in the city and I guess that's where the sub-par secret clubs came in above it. And the rich apartments on top.

With a pout on, I slosh my way through a few puddles and lean against the pole next to the bus stop. It has little cover and the rain is blowing over, wetting my face. 

Yay.

At least I had a somewhat interesting story to tell my college friends. I watched Emmett Ransom play violin and then he... oh, I couldn't explain that last part. They'd probably laugh at me for refusing such a good time.

A few minutes later, I'm positively drenched. However I see a bus stopped around the corner. It's parked at a red light and I hope it's mine.

At that moment of relief, I feel something warm land on my shoulder.

Um... what the heck...? I turn and see Ransom himself using my shoulder to get my attention. Nothing too creepy, but Emmett is looking at me like I'm crazy.

"I have a penthouse right here instead, come inside, out of the rain?" Ransom suggests, forcing on a slightly nicer tone, but it sounds entirely fake. I don't think he's used to compassionate or generous gestures.

"I, um-" I'm already shaking my head, too set on leaving after that proposal at the base of the gentlemen's club.

"I'll get you warm and drive you home," Emmett cuts me off, "Come on."

"My bus is coming..." I pull away from his hand on my shoulder, "Thanks? -"

Emmett watches the bus turn the corner as it begins to to approach the stop.

Emmett doesn't wait any longer.

One second he's just waiting for me to change my mind, and then he's realising I'm not going to.

The reluctancy of this shithead changes quick, to outright impatience.

Basically, Mr. nice-shithead becomes Mr. I'm-not-taking-no-for-an-answer-shithead.