Page 2 of Friction

He held his hand out to take my bag for me. I was more than capable of carrying it to his SUV, but his outward hand was a firm demand for the bag. I wasn’t going to mess with him. He, along with Joel, had just given me $7,000. If he wanted to carry my bag, I wasn’t going to protest. I took the bag off my shoulder and handed it to him as I made my way down the wooden steps.

I fell into step with him as we walked to the back hatch of his SUV. I silently prayed that the redness in my cheeks would go away. After he set my bag in the back, he gestured to my art supplies in the plastic bag, but kept his eyes glued to mine.

“I’ll hang onto these in the car,” I said. He nodded, but kept me frozen in my spot.

“Are you nervous?”

“What? Me? No. I don’t get nervous.”

Tristen put his hands on my shoulders and jostled me while he smiled. His hands were strong, yet protective, and his touch mixed with his playful demeanor was instantly intoxicating and addictive.

“You’ll have a good time this weekend. I’m sure of it,” he promised.

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

“Yeah, you and those red cheeks.” Tristen laughed as he playfully bumped my left arm and said, “Let’s go.”

Tristen closed the back hatch with the press of a button, and we walked around to get into the SUV. Like my ride in Joel’s Porsche, this was my first ride in a Defender. While the Defender was luxurious inside, it looked very different compared to Joel’s Porsche. The Defender boasted its rugged and superior terrain capabilities. From what little I knew of Joel and Tristen at the moment, their cars fit their personalities perfectly. Joel was the dangerously elegant one, with quiet power that shouldn’t be underestimated. Tristen was equally dangerous but with more rugged, commanding features.

Both of the six-foot-fuck-me-three Silver Fox Daddies were powerful and dangerous. I knew they were dangerous because I was already highly addicted to just being in their presence.

“Oh, I got a deposit from Equinox Resorts a little while ago,” I began. I didn’t mention the amount in case Tristen didn’t know about it.

“Yeah, that’s for the weekend.”

“But I haven’t sold any sketches yet. I was just going to sell them for fifty bucks each, and I don’t think there’s enough time over the weekend to make up that amount of money.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Tristen said as he took one hand off the wheel and gestured for me to stop talking. “That is payment for your time. You’ll still keep the money for the sketches you sell.”

$7,000 on top of fifty bucks per sketch. I felt like I was taking advantage of them.

“I’m not sure that’s fair⁠—”

“It’s fair, Cash,” Tristen interrupted.

“But—”

“It’s fair. Leave it at that.”

I did as told and dropped the topic.

“What do you have in your bag?” Tristen asked as he pointed to the plastic bag on my lap.

“It’s stuff for the sketches. I have my new sketchbook and Kraft paper sleeves if the customer wants to take the sketch with them. I’m also going to offer framing for the sketches, and Joel said he’d help me get them shipped.”

“I think you’ll do well this weekend. We’ve had photographers, but never a sketch artist before. It’ll be something fresh and new, and all of the guys will love it.”

“How many people are expected to attend the party this weekend?” I asked.

“There will be thirty guests attending. All guests are ones we’ve had before, and it’s a good mix of ages. Like I said, I think you’ll be very busy.”

As we pulled up to the resort valet, I couldn’t help but notice how empty it was. I could see Joel’s Porsche parked close and there was an empty spot next to it, which I guessed was where Tristen’s Defender was going. We pulled up behind a BMW SUV and a Mercedes SUV. Tristen gestured to the BMW and Mercedes as the valet manager, Luke, headed to Tristen’s door and another attendant opened my door.

“The only people on the property this weekend are the guests of the party, so it’ll be quiet,” Tristen explained.

Do all of the guests at these parties have money?

“Afternoon, Mr. Elliot,” Luke greeted Tristen at the same time the attendant who opened my door greeted me.