Page 1 of Erotic Behavior (Observant Behaviors)
The Proposition
Raven
“Ithinkthisisan absolutely insane idea.”I said, turning to my best friend and fellow crazy person.
“Yet you agreed to it, anyway.”
“I told you I’d think about it and I did.At this point in my life, I just can’t think of a reason not to.I mean, other than the whole meeting a complete stranger, agreeing to marry him, and do god knows what else he asks of me.”
“An insanely rich stranger,” Talia added with a smile so big it looked like her face was going to split in half.“Listen, I know you are nervous, but it’s going to be amazing.Just think, how cool will it be if we get bought by two billionaires who are friends?We will see each other all the time.It will be like nothing changed other than our money problems and shitty dating life.”
“I think that’s a bit too optimistic.One of the conditions in the contract said we needed to be willing to live and/or move wherever his job will take him.Full spousal support in all aspects of business, were the exact words.”
“You still get off on all that legal crap, don’t you?”
I took a deep breath and just shook my head.Another conversation about how I didn’t finish my law degree wasn’t something I was in the mood for.It was that damn degree that put me in this position to begin with.If I wasn’t drowning in debt and facing foreclosure on my little townhouse, then I wouldn’t even be considering something like this.
“Five years isn’t that long.”
“No, it’s not, and who knows, maybe we will fall madly in love with our fancy billionaires and get to stay.”
“You have watched way too many movies… or read too many books.Or maybe both.This is a business transaction, and that’s all.If you go into this with the idea that you are going to have your fairytale wedding with your Prince Charming, then you are going to be thoroughly disappointed.”
“You know you always say I’m the problematic optimist, but someone has to be around you.The glass isn’t always half empty, Raven.Sometimes things work out in our favor.It’s just been a long time since that happened.”
Talia and I had been living together since we graduated from high school.My mom pretty much raised the both of us, since Talia’s mother was an abusive drunk.We lived in a rundown area in New York City and even with three jobs, my mom struggled to feed us.We learned early to be resourceful.I picked up odds and ends work at restaurants since I was sixteen and always asked if I could bring leftovers home.Talia worked in retail and jumped from job to job, but her discounts helped pay for things like school clothes and running shoes.We figured it out, we always did.In fact, it had become our motto of sorts.
When I got into law school, it was a dream come true for all of us.But then my mom got sick and I couldn’t concentrate on studying when she was suffering so much.Talia quit work to take care of her and I took out a mortgage that was way too expensive and moved us into the townhouse.When mom died and her disability payments ended, we fell behind on the same mortgage I got to help us.I dropped out of law school and that was it.Now we were about to endeavor on something I never would have considered in my life.An auction where single billionaires bid on and won a temporary wife.The whole thing felt icky, but we were completely out of options.
“Okay, let me see your application again.I want to make sure we have everything covered.”
I reached for the laptop Talia and I shared and pulled up her registration packet.We weren’t at a total disadvantage.Part of the process was listing out what debts we wanted paid and where we wanted our payments to go throughout the contract.I had listed my student loans and the mortgage since that’s all that was in my name.When mom was sick, Talia took out a bunch of credit cards to help pay for things, so we wanted to get them all paid, too.I looked through the list for the tenth time.
“It’s all there.”
“Yup, Rae, it’s still all there.”She rolled her eyes and hopped up off the couch to head to the kitchen.“Do you want a drink?”
“Do we have anything left?”
She pulled open our pitiful looking liquor cabinet.“Vodka.At least I think that’s what it is.Why doesn’t this one have a label?”
“Let me see.”
I got to the kitchen and reached for the bottle.Yup, it was vodka.I had no idea how long it had been in there or why on earth the label would be missing, but mom got a little crazy at the end.Brain cancer was an evil disease.Not only did it take your life, it made you crazy while it did.I reached for two glasses and poured us both a shot.
The proposition we received from the strange woman in black was only a week ago.That meant only seven days had passed since I opened the first foreclosure letter from my bank.One thing that continued to haunt me was the timing of it all.I was massively depressed over our future, and Talia insisted we go out for one last night.Considering we were facing homelessness, it was the most insane idea ever, but I did it anyway.We went to Ellie’s, a local sports bar that was always full of super hot military looking men.The eye candy far outweighed the atmosphere.We sat giggling our way through drinks and making up stories about everyone there until we officially ran out of money.Talia asked for the bill, but we were told it was taken care of.Someone had paid for an entire night of drinks in New York City.No one did that, at least no one normally did that.
When we stepped out of the bar, she approached us.I was too drunk to realize it then, but now after seven days and a ninety-six page contract, it seemed like her proposition was a bit too timely to be ironic.Now with less than twenty-four hours left before they picked us up, I had to wonder if we were making the biggest mistake of our lives or if this really was a dream come true.
“This is it, bottoms up.”
“Wait, wait!We need a toast,” Talia said, pulling my arm back down.
“To what?”
“To our last night of free will, of course.”
I shook my head and laughed.“If you say so.Cheers to our last night of free will.”