Days go by feeling broke and tired.

Days go by feeling broke and tired. by pinklipstiiick featuring leather shoes

"All I'm saying is that models stand there and look pretty," Brigitte started the debate for the umpteenth time. Something about winning the genetic lottery and while I agreed, I was tired of hearing it. "But acting? Now acting takes skill."

I glanced down at the redhead who had a come hither look on her face. She was like walking sex and always in the mood. I was lucky, I knew it, but sometimes she came on a little too strong and in public places. I wasn't one for PDA, especially not when I was around my coworkers and bosses. "You're right," I said simply. 

She leaned her body into mine, I could feel eyes on us, mostly men. "I want to fuck you so bad," She said in not a whisper, but loud enough for anyone standing next to us to hear.

I groaned, causing her to bite her lip, "Brigitte. Not now."

"Then when?" She asked and pressed her hips against mine. "Guess what I'm wearing under my dress."

"Brigitte," I said back flatly, glancing down her dress and knowing the answer.

"Nothing."

Ugh.

"How about we find the bar?" I suggested and pulled away from her, noticing the pissed off look on her pretty face as I moved my hand to the small of her back.

"Whatever," Came her response. Just like that, like I flicked a switch, she went from on to off in a second. "How long is this thing?"

I parted my lips to answer, seeing a flash of blonde instead, the one who I expected to be wrapped up in something tight and showing off a lot of cleavage. Instead, she looked classy. “Chloe," I said, nodding towards the blonde and then looking over at a familiar guy who was grinning at me. 

“Hey I'm Noah, I'm Cami and Mila’s brother, we met at that dinner party Ben brought you to.” 

I tried not to snort at how much that sounded like a date, nodding instead, “Right. Um, this is Brigitte Moreau.” 

Chloe blinked at my date, “That sounds really familiar.”

“I'm an actress,” She said simply. “Is there a bar here?” 

Chloe looked back at me as I moved hand from the small of Brig's back to my side, “I'm Chloe Lindsell, it’s nice to meet you.” 

Brigitte, who had looked borderline bored until then blinked. “You’re Chloe Lindsell?” She looked her up and down, “I thought you’d look more like a hot mess.”

“Excuse me?”

Brigitte sighed and flashed one of her best smiles, "Oh nothing. No need to jump at me."

She crossed her arms over her chest and her date who looked about 15 had his eyes deep into her cleavage. "I didn't jump at you, I was simply wondering what your problem with me was," She said in a serious tone, narrowing her eyes a little when Brig leaned into me. I half expected her to grab my cock, state her claim since the tension between the two women was palpable. This was exactly why I did what I did, why I never got past the whole dating thing. Relationships came with too many emotions, and girls got too damn needy. 

"Did I say I had a problem with you?" Brig pursed her lips together and shook her head, "Right. I didn't. Well, it looks like that's settle, can we go get that drink now?"

I sighed, not liking her unneeded attitude. 

"How about I get you a drink?" The boy asked and smiled at Brigitte's breasts. Unlike Chloe who was showing off no skin tonight, Brig's tits were practically spilling out of her dress... and I wasn't the only man in the room who had noticed. 

She batted her lashes at him, loving attention in any form she could get it, "I'd love that. Thanks sweetie."

"Chloe? Do you want anything?" He moved his eyes back to her as she shook her head.

"No thanks," She added a smile.

He flashed me a look while I shook my own head, "Alright. Well excuse me."

I watched him leave then brought my eyes to meet Chloe's bright blues, "Cami's brother? How old is he then, 19?"
She furrowed a brow as she thought about it, looking cute and lost in her head. “I think he’s 21," She replied seriously before realizing what I meant by it. “I’m not with him.” 

“So you’re here alone then?” Brigitte asked, smirking at her and making me embarrassed by how catty she was acting. 

Chloe gave her a look, taking in her outfit which looked like something a woman might wear to a down town club, not an upscale party. “I came with Karl," She joked and my lips tilt upward slightly while she looked back at her with a blank expression. 

“Who?” 

She shook her head and sighed, “Never mind.”

“Why are we still standing here?”

“I was waiting for your drink to get here," I said simply while I felt Chloe's eyes on me. 

“I like Evie much better.” 

The red-head perked up at that one, turning her head in my direction and raising a brow, “Is she another one?!” 

Chloe laughed, “No.” 

"You say it like the thought hasn't passed your mind," Brigitte shot back.

"Sharing a man with two other women?" Chloe tightened her arms over her chest as she gave her head a small shake, "When I'm with a man? Usually that's enough for him."

Ouch. 

I shifted uncomfortably, wishing I were anywhere but here. "Is your brother here tonight?" I asked, nearly feeling the steam coming out of Brig's ears. Her hands were back on me, holding my arm with her nails sinking into my skin. 

"Some of us have a real career and spend most of our time traveling," She said and let her breasts rest against me. 

"Yes, I know, I've met Evie... and I hear the other ones, what did you say? A doctor?" Chloe looked back at me, belittling Brigitte, but I couldn't blame her. The women were a lot a like, both knowing how to play this twisted game. 

 "You're a cunt," She responded loudly, THAT drawing enough attention to have me turning red. Bitch, slut, whore, you could call a woman many names... but cunt? God, I hated that word.

"Brigitte," I turned my head in her direction, knowing that I was wincing.

Her mouth fell open as my eyes narrowed on her, "What? It's true, no?"

"Apologize," I said flatly.

Chloe laughed at the scenes, getting over the shock of the nasty name that was just hurtled at her, "Do you potty train them too? Choose their outfits? Because for a Chanel party, she looked like a two cent whore."

"One cent more than you'd cost," Brigitte moved away from me to face the blonde, my blood curdling since the only thing more unattractive than one catty woman was two. "No wonder you are dateless. Any one who could buy a magazine has already seen your vagina."

"That's enough," I grabbed her arm and her eyes widened as she looked up at me. "We're going."

Her eyes narrowed in a flash of anger and she shook her head, "No. I'm leaving."

"Nice meeting you," Chloe smiled a fake yet charming smile at my date who had pulled her arm from my grasp, already walking away from us and grabbing the drink out of Cami's little brothers hand as she passed. 

I sighed as his eyes widened, it taking him a minute to regain his composure as he returned to us. "What the hell did I just miss?" He asked, eyes bouncing back and forth between us.

Chloe looked up at me, "Aren't you going to go chase after your date?"

"No," I answered, her long gone out of my line of sight now. I had a feeling that was the last of her, knowing how proud she was and she'd never forgive me for not having her back... not that I had Chloe's either. 
"Why not?” She asked, looking back at me as I ran my hand through my hair, not sure of the answer myself. But a girl willing to pull a move like that? She wasn't worth running after.

“I don’t think she wants me to.”

“I’ll chase after her if you won’t," Young Schon grinned and then looked at Chloe with a grin. “I have to stop hanging out with the only woman in here out of my league anyways,” He replied, winking before walking off. 

I let a grin cross my face, Chloe noticing it as she stared at me, “What?” 

“That boy has a thing for you," I pointed out, leaving the part that he was a goofy mother fucker out.  

“It’s just a harmless crush," She shrugged as I licked my lips and took a seat next to her. “You don’t need to stay here.” 

“I'm sorry about Bridgitte," I said next, feeling the need to apologize since she was afterall my date... 'was' being the keyword.

She nodded, “Well it’s no wonder you don’t want me. You’re already sleeping with me," She added and laughed. “Though I’d never use that word.”

“It was uncalled for," I agreed, comparing the two women in my head, both let their strong personalities take over. “You two are kind of alike," I admitted, just realizing it. 

She groaned, “Then I really do need a therapist.” 

“I feel like there’s a story behind that but I'm not sure I want to know it.” 

She stared at me, “You’re the one who said I needed to be in rehab.” 

I nodded, “I did say that.”

She let out a sigh and crossed one leg over the other as she leaned against the back of her chair, “She didn’t really look like a two cent whore.” I remained quiet, not sure what to say. “That was an awful thing to say. She was actually quite beautiful.”

"She is," I agreed, remembering when I first met Brigitte and how taken by her beauty I was. She was exotic and had a feisty personality that lit up any room she walked into... tonight though? Maybe bringing her had been a bad idea. "Honestly though? I can't blame you."

She lifted a brow and stared at me skeptically, "Are you taking my side over your girlfriends?" I tensed up at the word and didn't say anything until she let out another sigh, "Your girl. Sorry."

"She was out of line and causing a scene," I said seriously. "She didn't want to come and it showed."

"This party is exclusive... who wouldn't want to come?" She asked while I tilted my head in her direction and raised an eyebrow. "Besides you of course... but that's different since you're boring."

I laughed and shook my head, "I deserved that."

"And mean," She added with a smile playing on her lips.

"Now you're just testing me," I said but smiled back. Shaking my head again, I scratched the back of my head, "Brigitte used to model and she didn't make it very far. She's a great actress, but my guess is that she's jealous of you."

Chloe's eyes widened, "Of me?? Why?"

"Because you have the career she wanted... the career every girl in the industry would kill for," I admitted. 
“I thought you didn’t sleep with models," She replied seriously, narrowing her gaze on me with intense eyes. 

My mouth twitched upwards and I felt caught in a lie, a feeling I didn't like. “She wasn’t a model when I met her," I lied, still keeping my gaze on her.

“Hmm," She said back, leaning back in her chair and leaving it at that.

“Hmm?” I raised a brow while she carelessly shrugged. 

“Every time I decide you’re an unsavable asshole and not worth my time? You do or say something that changes my mind.” 

I stared at her for a second and then licked my lips, wondering what she meant by that. I wasn't a charity case, I didn't have any hidden agenda. I was who I was. “I'm not savable Chloe. And I am an asshole," I said honestly, wishing she'd stop with that whole 'change who you are' bullshit.

She tilted her head to the side as she looked up at me, her blonde hair cascading over her shoulder and causing me to catch a whiff of her sweet perfume. “Do you say that to all the girls? Some kind of reverse pick up line?” She teased and the corners of my lips twitched again. 

“Most women aren’t as persistent," I retorted. 

She shrugged, “Most guys aren’t so immune to me.” 

I raised a brow and just stared, wondering what went through that pretty head of hers since she seemed to think so highly of herself half the time and then sad the rest. “And you call me cocky," I noted.

“I'm not saying I'm god’s gift to men or anything, but I know I'm good looking, though I'm not sure that’s why guys like me.” 

“And why do you think they do?” I asked as she turned her body towards mine. 

“You tell me," She replied softly. “Why do you like me?”

"I'm still trying to figure that one out," I replied sincerely.

Her eyes widened before she caught herself and gave me a more seductive look despite the fact that I appreciated the genuine expression a hell of a lot more. When she didn't try, when she was herself instead of trying to imitate the blonde bombshell her reputation called for? That's when I was able to tolerate her. "Are you admitting that you like me?" She asked in a soft and low tone that oozed sex appeal. I had to admit, she could turn on the charm easily, play the whole vixen role to a T.

"I'm still trying to figure that one out also," I grinned back at her. 

She let out a sigh and turned in her seat, squeezing her thighs together as my eyes watched. That small gesture, god it was sexy... especially with the look on her face. "You're probably the most frustrating man I've ever met," She said pulled her hair over to one side and ran her fingers through it. 

"Is that a compliment?" I asked, still grinning. 

"Depends," She tossed a grin back in my direction and licked her lips slowly. "I'm thirsty. Do you want to get a drink with me?"

"Are you trying to get me drunk, Chloe Lindsell?" I faked a shocked expression before smirking at her.

"Honestly? It doesn't sound like a bad idea..." She trailed off with her eyes caressing my body. I swear, I felt naked from the way she was looking at me, bedroom eyes and her lips parted. I hated to admit it, but she had to be feisty as hell in bed.

I let out a laugh since I felt like I might say something regrettable if we stayed on the subject. "I'm afraid I'll still be an asshole after a drink or two," I said but stood up, offering my hand to help her onto her feet. “What?” I asked when she shot me a skeptic look. 

“Nothing I just think that’s the first time you’ve touched me on purpose," She replied, shaking her head. 

“That can’t be true,” I said, knowing it was. 

She reached out and poked my nose, making me blink and stare back at her. “You shouldn’t do that. You’ll get wrinkles," She replied with a smile that made me smile back at her. 

“I think I’ll survive," I grinned, leading her to the bar though I wasn’t touching her anymore.

She sat down on one of the bar stools and ordered a martini while I ordered a scotch. “That’s my dad’s drink," She commented idly, making me turn to look at her. 

“Well then I can’t be all bad huh?” 

She swallowed, “Did you treat Brigitte the same way you treat me? Since we’re alike and all.”

"No," I shook my head, remembering Brig when we first met and how she'd changed so much. Even then she had confidence, but now it was much more than that. She was cocky, the kind of woman who hated other women. She couldn't stand being in the same room as Evie or Erin and thankfully, never was. "She wasn't like that when we met."

"You mean awful?" Chloe asked with a roll to her eyes. 

I let out a small laugh, knowing she was referring to what Ben called her. "She's cocky," I shrugged. "A borderline diva."

"Well at least she has her looks."

"Looks only get you so far," I admitted. "That's why she left modeling. She knew her career would have a lifespan of ten years maybe." Sad but true, no one wanted to see anyone past thirty walking the runway unless it was a face like Kate Moss. Hell, even Adriana Lima and Alessandra Ambrosio were rumored to be losing their angel contracts within the next few years. And those two? Now they were women. The Karlie Kloss's of the world didn't stand a chance next to them in the lingerie business. 
“Well if that’s true I should look for a new career since it seems mine will be over in three years.” 

I shot a look in her direction, “Not all girls start at 15.” 

She took a sip of her drink before continuing, “You mean not all people have parents who get them the job right?” 

I noticed how her smile faltered, wondering if it bothered her what people said about her. I mean, of course it had to, she was only human. But there was something about Chloe that had me feeling like she knew how to handle herself pretty well. “Well…you said it not me," I replied and she nodded. 

“I guess I could have done something else with my life, became a lawyer like Ames or a doctor like Noah.” She shrugged, “But despite what everyone thinks I 
don’t model because it’s easy and I have an easy in and my parents want me to. My parents couldn’t care less what I did for a living, and it’s not fucking easy at all.” 

“So then why do you do it?” I asked, genuinely interested since I assumed she started only to please her parents. 

“Because I love it," She said plain and simple. “And maybe because of my parents. Not in the way people think, but because I feel close to them doing what they did. Which is ridiculous since I'm pretty sure both my parents would rather have me do something else," She shrugged. “What about you?” 

I looked at her for a few silent moments before I spoke, “What about me what?” 

“Why are you a casting director? It’s not exactly something a little boy dresses up as for Halloween," She smirked. 

"I fell into it and was surprisingly good at it," I answered honestly. "Plus I found out that I couldn't be a Ninja Turtle for a living and was pretty disappointed about that."

She laughed at that, her whole body shaking and leaning closer to me, "Cute."

"Cute?" I lifted a brow at her, sparing a quick glance down at her breasts since she was so close again.

"I'm picturing you as a Ninja Turtle," She admitted and grinned wide. "Which one?"

"All of them," I grinned back at her. "Four years in a row. I was obsessed."

She kept laughing and leaned her body against the counter, her breasts now looking as though they were on display. It made me wonder if she could feel the bartenders eyes on her, the way he was practically drooling. She had to know her effect on men... and maybe thats why she kept flirting with me. Like I was some sort of fucking game to her. "I was usually a princess, I'm not even going to lie," She said and turned a little pink, biting her lip. In that moment, I saw her in a different light and she actually looked adorable and innocent... not like the sex bomb who had hundreds of billboards of her around the world wearing nothing more than skimpy lingerie. 

"I'm not surprised," I smiled.

"What did you want to be when you were younger?"

I shrugged, always assuming I'd become a lawyer since it was what my dad did and his before that. The only thing I knew, was that I didn't actually want to become one. My father was an asshole, treated my mom bad and was hardly ever home stating he had a business trip, business meeting, dinner with clients, etc. The job always came first and because of that? I never wanted to work or become my dad. "I wasn't a creative kid. I wanted to be rich without having to do any work," I told her, trying to gauge her reaction since I hadn't once ever admitted those words out loud. 
“That’s very American of you. I could have sworn that sexy accent was Australian," She smirked as I grinned, then made a face of mock epiphany. “Maybe you should model!” 

I laughed, thinking back to the Vogue shoot and the photographer who told me I was hopeless, “I'm no good at modeling remember?”

She bit down on her lip, “Oh I dunno, you might be a natural.” She swirled her finger around the outside of her glass slowly before a new one appeared and she blinked in curiosity before the bartender winked at her.

“Does that usually work for bartenders?” I asked, my voice lowered and leaning close to her so he wouldn’t hear. 

She laughed, “Haven’t you heard? I put out for every guy who buys me a drink," She winked at me and I smirked, usually she was overly defensive around me instead.

“The drinks are free," I pointed out. 

She widened her eyes in fake surprise, “Well then I really am easy aren’t I?” 

“Are you?” 

“Easy?" She asked and looked lost in a though. “Not anymore.” 

“No? What changed?” 

She took a long sip of her drink and shrugged, “I guess I don’t hate myself as much anymore.” She gave a half smile and then downed the rest of her drink, “For the most part anyways.” 

I stared at her again, wondering what could possibly be so bad in her life for her to be that sad. “Did you always want to be a model?” I asked finally and she smiled, looking relieved over the change of subject. 

“Well I realized I couldn’t be a princess pretty fast," She joked. “I think a part of me has always wanted to model. But if I wasn’t? I’d want to be an elementary school teacher.” 

I lifted a brow and tried not to grin, "The two professions are very different."

"Thank you for that Captain Obvious," She retorted, still grinning as she rolled her eyes. I kept staring at her skeptically, wondering if she even liked kids. "What? You don't believe me?!"

"Don't be offended, trust is earned," I said with a straight face, using a line she had told me only days earlier.

She grinned wider before biting her lip and shaking her head, "Touche."

"Someone told me that once," I cracked a smirk, taking a sip and finishing the rest of my drink. Unfortunately for me, I didn't have breasts so I wasn't planning on another one appearing out of thin air like it had for Chloe. 

"They must be smart," She leaned her chin against her palm. 

"Surprisingly," I agreed with a nod.

"And beautiful."

"Very," I admitted. I mean, she modeled for a living, she had to know she was gorgeous. 

Her lips parted and made a small O with her eyes widening, a distracting look that my dick wanted to react to. "Was that a compliment?" She asked, letting her eyes drop down my body.

"Take it how you want," I shrugged and grinned. 
“Surprisingly smart though? That was backhanded," She added, emphasizing the first word with a small smirk. 

My grin widened, “Shockingly the tabloids never pick up on your sharp wit.” 

She bit down on her bottom lip, “Do you get all of your information from tabloids? Don’t you have anything better to read?” 

 

“I'm a busy man," I replied. “The big headlines are enough for me. Well that and the unflattering pictures.” 

She winced, “Yes a full time job and 3 girls plus a long term relationship with my brother.” She smirked, not able to resist the little tease, “How exactly do you find time to do anything else?” 

“I'm good at multitasking?” I offered, realizing how much more thrilling my life sounded when coming from her lips. Really though, I was home a lot. Alone. 

She swallowed and shook her head, “Most men aren’t. You’re lucky.” 

I watched in silence as she fished an olive out of her glass and sucked out the center before popping it into her mouth. “Why do you do that?” I asked, nodding towards her. 

She blinked at me. “Do what?” 

“You sucked the center of the olive out and then just ate the olive. Why not just save a step and eat the whole thing together?” 

She stared back at me with a blank expression before laughing, “I really don’t know. I just always have.” 

“And here I was worrying you were going to make some kind of innuendo about sucking," I replied with a smile playing on my lips. 

“I still could if you’re interested. Or point out that you shouldn't be so interested in my mouth….” 

I laughed and shook my head, trying to stop the grin making its way onto my mouth. "You know, your brother warned me about you..." I trailed off after cutting my laughter short, noticing Chloe's eyes widen.

"I'm not surprised," She tried shrugging it away, but it made me wonder if she was curious about what Ben had said. I didn't have any siblings, I didn't know what it was like to have someone constantly looking out for you and being curious about your love life. It sounded nice, but annoying at the same time. I guess it was a good thing I was the only child. "He warned me about you too."

"And I'm sure that whatever he said was right," I responded. The fact that I was currently seeing three different girls? It was no secret. The thing was, I admired them all... Maybe Brigitte was having a bad night earlier, but she was talented and motivated. They were all smart girls. I didn't treat them bad, I didn't womanize them or abuse them physically or mentally. I genuinely liked them. 

“Probably not," She replied and blinked. 

“Oh?” 

She shrugged, “What did he say about me?” 

“Oh no, I'm not telling you that," I smirked, not wanting to get into trouble with my best friend. 

“Let me guess….I’m awful and I don’t give up easy so don’t let yourself get seduced by me?” She questioned, guessing pretty spot on. 

This time, I shrugged to play it off, “Something like that…..”

She ran her fingers though her long hair and sighed. “He thinks you’ll break my heart," She said slowly, grinning a little as she looked back at me. 

“I'm not cocky enough to think I could get your heart to begin with," I replied and she bit her lip. 

“That would be flattering if you wanted it in the first place.” 

I looked at my drink before up at her again, “I don’t want anyone’s heart.” 

She tilted her head to the side, making me wonder where her thoughts were. “Ever?” She asked softly. “Don’t get me wrong now, if you’re ever interested I'm not looking to date you….but do you never want a wife, or even a girlfriend?” 

I thought about it for not more than a second, “Nope.” 

“Are you a good guy or a bad guy Tristan? I can’t seem to figure it out.”

I smirked slowly before letting out a quiet laugh, keeping an eye on her as she lifted a brow. I thought that it was a joke, but no, she was serious. "Do I need to be one or the other?" I asked eventually, watching as she ran her tongue across her lips seductively. Maybe she didn't want to date me, but she either wanted to fuck me or she was sending seriously mixed signals. 

"Yes," She said simply.

"Are you a good girl or a bad girl?" I retorted, lifting my own brow and trying to keep a straight face. 

She uncrossed her legs and leaned closer to me, "I think you know the answer to that question already..."

I wanted to groan, but grinned instead. "True. And to answer your question? Neither," I said seriously.

"Neither?" 

I shrugged, "Define the two and I don't fit either descriptions."  

“So then you’re both. You can’t be neither.” 

“Why’s that?” 

 

“Because then you’re neutral and you’re not," She said seriously. 

I laughed, “Maybe I am!” 

“ Okay you can be neutral," She said, shaking her head. “Super boring.” 

I leaned into her slightly. “Neutral maybe. Boring though? I don’t think so.” 

“You’re being cute right now," Chloe pointed out. Cute wasn't a word I heard often when people described me. 

 

“Cute?” 

She nodded, “Yup. But maybe I'm just used to the one word response, thinks I'm awful professional Tristan so my bar for cute has been lowered.”