Gabriella placed her book bag down by the door as came into what she would call a mansion."You rich or something?" she asked as she began to remove her coat and put her other bag down.

"No, I'm a lawyer," Troy let out a sigh. "You'll be staying in the room right up the stairs to your left. It's a guest bedroom attached to a bathroom."

"I have my own bathroom?" Gabriella let out a small laugh. "Dude what made you go looking for me, you could have any chick off the streets if you dangle this in front of them?"

"I did not go looking for you." Troy walked away from her and disappeared into the next room. Gabriella frowned and began fidgeting with her fingers as she followed him into the room.

"So are we going to…" she let the sentence wonder off and watched as Troy poured himself a brandy.

"Georgia is it?"

"Yes." Gabriella never let anyone know her real name, not even Victoria. It was the one string of hope she had to getting out of this life and going back to being someone who wasn't Georgia.

"As I said, I'm sure you're a nice girl but I did not pay for your services, Mr. Danforth did, he left you here with me and I prefer to be alone so go upstairs and we'll both pretend you're not here."

Gabriella crossed her arms as she watched him sit down in a big red chair and stare off into space, brandy glass in hand. "Troy,"

"Mr. Bolton."

"Troy," Gabriella walked over to where he was seated. "You can put me in closet, and we both know that there is no way you're going to forget that I'm here." She took his glass and placed it on a nearby table. Hitching up her skirt she got on top of him to straddle him. "However, no one ever has to know I was here, it could be our little secret?" Gabriella leaned forward to place a kiss on his lips. Troy turned his face giving her his cheek and she stopped.

"It's been a long day."

"Are you not into girls Mr. Bolton?" Gabriella leaned back and unhooked her top.

"I'm very much into women."

Gabriella slid her top off and sat there exposed to him. "You can touch me if you want."

"Why do you do this?"

"I don't do why's," she said grabbing his hands and bringing them up to her chest.

"Then what's in it for you?"

"The money." Gabriella pulled the hair barrette from her hair and he watched as all her hair came tumbling down. His breath was caught and his eyes glued it was her. It was like a magic screen was lifted and she instantly became the girl from the subway, not a call girl, not a stage performer, just a girl. Her hair shaded her face from the light hiding the makeup.

Gabriella bit her lip as she looked down at him, something changed. His eyes were on her his hands were on her but suddenly and unspoken change happened between them and she didn't like it. This felt real, not at all like fantasy, it felt as though he was looking inside her not at her. Gabriella pulled back and stood on her own two feet, crossing her arms over her chest. "Your right, it's been a long day."

"Wait."

Gabriella didn't wait she grabbed her top and she hurried from the room. She picked up her coat from the hallway floor and pulled it on to shield herself. Picking up her things she paused as Troy entered the hall. She shouldn't have teased him, why couldn't she have just left it be.

"What happened back there?"

"You're freaking me out." Gabriella stood up and she grabbed her book bag. "I'm going to my room," she said in a soft voice.

"Are you hungry?" he asked pulling a strand from her face and tucking it behind her ear.

As if on cue her stomach rumbled and she remembers all she'd eaten today was an apple between finals. "I'll be fine."

"Go upstairs, put some clothes on and take off the makeup; I'll make us something to eat. I promise I'll try not to freak you out." Troy held up his hands in surrender.

Gabriella held her book bag a little tighter. "Then what, what happens after we eat?"

Troy shrugged his shoulders. "We say goodnight,"

He watched her nod and turn to go up the stairs, she had her bags in hand and Troy remained still at the bottom of the stairs until she was out of sight. He looked down at the floor and felt a guilty pinch, he didn't know what he did to make her run but he felt bad. It was as if she'd shifted personalities, became afraid of him, that maybe he might hurt her. Troy walked to the kitchen, and pulled out some pans from the cabinet.

This entire day was something out of a dream, this morning he fantasized about the very girl upstairs and now she was here in his home. Not because she wanted to be or because she liked him, she was here because Chad paid her to be here. The purity he'd seen this morning was gone, the innocence of her dancing in the street and ignoring the world. A smile came to his lips, she was beautiful that he couldn't deny.

Troy began to cook the noodles deciding that pasta was always a good Idea and everyone loved pasta. It had been a while since he cooked for more than one. It had been a while since someone else was in his home with him. As he set the table he became more and more excited about the idea of just having company. Someone to talk too and not just spend his night alone in that chair, Troy looked out the kitchen window to see the snow falling outside. It was a peaceful feeling that over took him and suddenly he heard the footsteps of someone behind him.

"Smells good."

Troy turned around and smiled as she stood there in jeans and a t-shirt her hair braided to the side. "Now it appears that I'm over dressed." He said with a small chuckle as he looked down at his business clothes.

"No one has ever cooked for me before." Gabriella crossed her arms again. "I just get left over's."

"Well this is fresh." Troy stirred the sauce and meat around. "Once I add the noodles we should be ready to eat."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Are you a wine type?"

"I wouldn't know." Gabriella shrugged her shoulders. "I don't drink,"

Troy smiled, "Is there a reason?"

"School, work, just never could afford it and it never seems like the right time."

Troy walked over to his cabinet, "A small glass won't hurt."

Gabriella smiled at him and then leaned on the door way. "You're a nice a guy."

"And if you talk to any prosecutors they'll tell you different." He chuckled as he poured them both a small amount of wine. "This should go well with the pasta."

"So you defend people?" she said pushing herself off the door frame and walking over to the glass.

"It's a living,"

"Same here," she said nodding in thanks for the wine.

"What are you going to school for?" Troy turned to mix the noodles into the sauce.

Gabriella watched as his back turned to her. Was she really about to sip wine and eat pasta with a man who just moments ago didn't want anything to do with her? and why was she telling him all this stuff? "Music and theater,"

"My ex was into music and theater," Troy felt his smile dim a bit and then he place the empty bowl in the sink.

"Isn't that why we all come to Chicago?" Gabriella smiled nervously and looked over at the table in the kitchen set for two. "It sure as hell isn't to find love," she said as she walked over to the table and sat down wine glass in hand.

Troy took out two plates and began to serve. "I don't believe anyone goes anywhere for love."

Gabriella nodded and looked around the kitchen. "So you must be good at your job. How else can you live a life like this?"

"Yeah, it's the one thing I am good at," he said bringing over her plate and his. "Here you go." He placed both plates down and turned around for his glass of wine and then came to sit down across from her. "It's been a while since I cooked for anyone, or had company for that matter."

Gabriella let a small smiled play on her lips and then reached for her fork to taste it. the food in her mouth made her eyes flutter. "Oh my god this is good?" if she sounded surprised she was because didn't expect for a man to cook her something let alone it taste this good.

Troy chuckled, "Make that two things I'm good at then." Troy continued to watch her as she ate, she was different from anyone he ever met in his mothers circle or fathers collages. Troy smiled and Gabriella paused looking up from her plate.

"Something wrong."

"Not at all." Troy was silent for a moment and then went back to eating.

"So is your entire family living like this?"

"My dad owns the firm and he has two partners already it's a family run business,"

"So you're a partner." Gabriella leaned back in her chair and smiled with annoyance. "Just prove my point you're only as successful as the people you're related to."

Troy shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not partner." His voice was low and he continued to eat.

"How come?" Gabriella brows rose, "You're his son aren't you?"

"Yes, but I'm not a family man." Troy lifted his glass. "Not my thing."

"I hear that." Gabriella lifted her glass as well. "I was a foster kid."

Troy tilted his head, "Were you adopted?"

"I was six when I went into foster care, by that age your pushing it, no one wants baggage." Gabriella shrugged. "A few families tried, but there was always something, either they weren't ready, I wasn't what they expected, they decided to break up because a child couldn't save their marriage." Gabriella shrugged. "By the time I was 14 I was already too old and not good enough for most."

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be, the way I see it, just means I have a story, something that makes me work harder to accomplish the things people like you take for granted." Gabriella continued to eat.

Troy looked down at his own plate, "So do you have any family?"

"Nope."

"You're all alone?"

Gabriella was quite for moment as she stared at her food. Why on earth was she telling him all this information he didn't need to know? Why was she sitting here eating dinner with this stranger who not more than an hour ago had his hands on her naked breast. "I'm never alone,"

Troy didn't push it any further he could already see the uncertainty in her eyes; he could sense she was beginning to pull away. Anymore questions and she might leave, a surprising thought he hadn't expect to disappoint him.

"Thanks for dinner," Gabriella picked up her plate. "I'll wash the dishes."

"No need." Troy wiped his mouth with a tissue "I'll do them."

Gabriella took his plate. "You cooked I wash, I promise not to cut myself and try to sue you."

Troy looked up at her and opened his mouth to protest and she smiled.

"Joking, god it's fine I washed dishes through High school, it's not rocket science." Gabriella placed the dishes in the sink.

Troy sat there for a moment unsure if he should stay in the kitchen or go. He wasn't sure if she wanted to talk more or not. After a long silence he let out a sigh. "Good night Georgia."

"Night Mr. Bolton." Gabriella watched him leave, her heart beat a little faster once he was gone and she went back to her task at hand. "Shame, I won't be here when you wake up." she mumbled to herself.