Page 44 of Bonds of Shame, Bonds of Lust

And meant it. Partly. There was another part of the answer in there, the part that had clocked Janice's hand between her own legs at the table, the part that had leaned in and kissed her without thinking when she said nothing about you is boring.

The Jeep rolled to a stop in front of my house. The porch light was on, the same one that used to mean coming home to Brad, to routine, to the exhaustion of being managed.

Janice shifted into park. "Same time next week? Ricardo will clear his whole schedule, I guarantee it."

I looked at her, flushed and glowing.

"Absolutely," I said.

I shut the door, gave her a small wave, and watched her taillights go until the red faded down the street.

Then I stood in my driveway a long moment, arms loose. The street was quiet.

The animal in me had gone quiet, the way a caged predator will when the door opens.

I was barely inside when the phone went.

Hola, Lacey. You were wonderful tonight. Perfect. Please let me take you to dinner, to a nice restaurant. A gentleman should not only see a woman in a sex club, yes? You should be treated like a lady.

I felt a little glow.

I would love that, Ricardo. Send me the details and I'll let you spoil me.

21 - THE TOUR

Lacey

I adjusted my stethoscope around my neck. Jessica's silver charm caught the lobby light: a tiny heart with wings, the one she'd picked out herself from a craft store display and presented to me solemnly at her second-to-last appointment, insisting I wear it always. I always wore it. The clock read 12:58.

Derek Harrington didn't do late. Ever. I was almost certain he had more than a touch of OCD.

At exactly 1:00 the automatic doors hissed open and admitted a cool breeze and the man himself. Jessica skipped through first, perfect ponytail bouncing, backpack swinging, sneakers lighting up with every step. She spotted me across the lobby before the doors had finished closing behind her and broke into a full run, waving something above her head like a victory flag.

"Dr. Lacey! Dr. Lacey! I made this for you!"

I dropped to one knee as she skidded to a stop in front of me, breathless, thrusting a folded piece of paper forward with both hands. I opened it carefully. A crayon drawing: a heart with wings, a stethoscope looping around it in purple crayon, two figures holding hands beneath a rainbow. One tall in a white coat. One small with a ponytail.

"It's us," she announced. "Fixing hearts and flying. It's like your stethoscope!"

My chest tightened in the best possible way. "Jess. This is incredible." I folded it like it was precious and tucked it into my coat pocket. "I'm putting this one right in the middle, above my desk. That's the most important spot."

She threw her arms around my neck, fierce and sudden. She smelled like strawberry shampoo and that warm indefinable scent of children. I closed my eyes for just a second and held on. Pure sweet bliss.

"Daddy said we get the magic tour today," she said against my shoulder. "Can I touch everything?"

I pulled back and looked at her face. Those bright, serious eyes, the flush of excitement in her cheeks. "You can touch almost everything," I said. "Deal?"

"Deal!"

Derek had crossed the lobby while we were hugging. He stood a few feet back, giving us the moment without crowding us. Dark jeans, buttoned-up shirt, no jacket or tie. His slate-gray eyes met mine when I looked up.

"Bonds," he said. "Thanks for making time. You look ready for anything today."

"Always, Mr. Harrington." I stood and smoothed my white coat. "Jessica, ready to see some seriously cool stuff?"

She bounced on her toes, sneakers flashing. "Yes! Can I see the heart machine? The beep-beep one?"

Derek rested a hand on her shoulder, gentle and firm. "Easy, Jess. Let Dr. Bonds lead." He glanced at me, the corner of his mouth lifting just slightly. "She's been talking about this since Monday."