Page 33 of Dancing With Lies

“You want one? I’ll get you all one if you want.” Emily offered immediately but they all shook their heads.

Emily could be overly generous, but her friends were nice enough not to take advantage. Plus, Roxie had other reasons. “It plugs in. You know me and things that plug in.”

“Ah yeah, I forgot. Sorry.” Emily cringed this time but followed it with a grin. “You can come over and have a ride on mine.”

“I might take you up on that.” Roxie laughed and sat back. “It’s so nice to be with you all like this. I’ve missed it.”

“You’ve been catering to that man since I introduced him to you,” Emily said. “But I guess you need to work.”

“I do.” Roxie patted Emily’s hand. “I know you offered to help, but I can’t do that. I need to work. I just couldn’t take money from you.”

“I know. I forget sometimes how obnoxious I can be.” Emily made a face, but Roxie leaned over to kiss her cheek to take the sting away.

“You aren’t obnoxious, Emily. You never are. You’re just not used to how we live. There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re lucky and we love you, so don’t let it get to you.” Roxie said with kindness. Emily could be forgetful, and sometimes a little too eager, but she didn’t want her friends to suffer. That was noble if anything.

“Fine,” Emily drawled out but smiled. “At least you aren’t mad at me for introducing him to you.”

“No, it’s working out, slowly,” Roxie reassured her. She wanted to tell them all so much more, about her past life, about why it was hard to work for Lincoln, but she couldn’t. She’d lied about who she was for so long, she’d almost forgotten who she used to be. Telling them now would serve no purpose. So long as she could keep Lincoln quiet and avoid any of his family, she’d be fine.

“Right, anybody want dessert?” Roxie asked as she spied the waiter coming back.

They were all done with eating and River had to get back to her couple. Emily kept glancing at her phone and was soon texting like a madwoman with a dirty grin on her face. “Getting back to Dylan?”

“Yes.” Emily breathed, her eyes still on her phone. “He’s delivered what he could to Lincoln and he’s ready for me to come home now. He’s outside waiting for me.”

“Shoo, then honey,” Kitty said and stood up to kiss them both. “I’ve got to get ready for work tonight. But I’ll call that number you gave me. Split a taxi with me, River?”

“Do that. You deserve to get out of that place.” Roxie waved at both as they left the terrace where they’d had lunch before she waved at the waiter. She added a generous tip to the bill, Lincoln had approved lunch, so she went for it.

She went back to Lincoln’s to drop everything off, but he wasn’t home. She had her own key, so she took everything in and started to unpack it. She put the dishes in the dishwasher and laundered the towels and bedding she’d bought for him. She’d put the dishes away and made up all but one of the bedrooms. She looked down at his bed, with a memory foam mattress, and decided she’d try it out.

It was like heaven, she decided as she sank into the bed with a sigh. It had been a long day and she’d only meant to stay there for a few minutes while she waited for the bathroom towels to dry. The sun was setting and she watched it through one of the windows.

It felt as though she’d only blinked when she opened her eyes to find it dark outside with the bedroom light on.

“Ah, you’re awake. Good.” Lincoln smiled down at her and Roxie frowned in confusion.

“What happened?”

“I guess you needed a nap. Want some dinner? I have two steaks if you’re hungry.”

“Yeah.” She pushed herself off the bed and straightened the comforter. “Sorry about that. I’m not sure what happened. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“Don’t worry about it, Roxie. Join me downstairs. You’ve done a good job, by the way. The place looks great.”

They went downstairs and Roxie saw he’d gone out to buy televisions. There were three boxes in the living room, with rather large televisions. The fridge was full too, she saw when he opened it to take out a bottle of water for her.

What really grabbed her attention, though, was the piano, sitting over by the picture window. Would he play for her again, she wondered? She almost hoped he would.

13

Roxie

Roxie walked around the special room she’d shopped for personally, alone, for Lincoln. She’d dressed carefully, with purpose, in a black silk kimono with bell sleeves and burgundy lace cutouts along the sleeves and around the hem. She looked sexy, inviting, but also like a woman who was in control of her own fate.

She saw her reflection in a full-length mirror along one of the walls, her hair up in a French twist with wispy tendrils curled around her face. Yes, pretty, as always, but pretty didn’t buy happiness. Sex, on the other hand, could give pleasure that lasted a lifetime, even in the form of a memory.

As she walked around the room, her eyes roaming over whips, vibrators, and bindings, she remembered her first time. That boy on the verge of being a man had made her pant his name for hours, not with overt skill, but with his determination to erase her trauma. He’d wanted to make her forget what she’d left behind her and replace it. He had, for those waking moments, but the moments after were almost unbearable.