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“It really doesn’t. It’s about two people who are attracted to each other, but one of them is her own worst enemy and likes to make things difficult for herself.” He stopped outside the subway station. “You’re overcomplicating it, Anita. You like him. He likes you. You want to fuck him. So fuck him.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Sometimes that bossy demiurgus nature is really annoying.”

“Only because you know I’m right,” he said airily. “It might not amount to anything beyond sex, but so what? Have a hot fuck-fling with the smoke show, at the very least. Please.” He leaned down to air kiss my cheek. “And call me later if you’re not too busy having phone sex with him.”

I snorted. “I’m not going to have phone sex with him.”

I could have phone sex with him…

“See you in the morning, sweets!” Hustin was giving me a final wave as he descended the staircase into the subway station among the throng of other people doing the same.

I turned and carried on walking so I wasn’t standing in the way of the rush hour crowd. Glancing down at my phone, I felt my stomach dip again. Just a couple of hours until I had to call Nuni. And talk about what I’d done in the sauna this morning.

I was pretty sure this was going to be the most embarrassing phone call of my life.

Chapter Twenty

Anita

A t precisely seven-thirty, I took a deep breath and called him.

I was sitting on the sofa with my legs folded under me to stop my knee from bouncing anxiously. I’d been jittery all

evening, trying to distract myself with some yoga, then by taking a shower, then making dinner, but I’d been too nervous to eat. My barely touched plate was on the coffee table beside a glass of water, which I gulped down nervously as I waited for him to pick up.

Some splashed down my chin as the ringing stopped and Nuni’s low, smooth voice bled into my ear. “Hey.”

Slamming down the glass, I wiped my chin hurriedly with my sleeve. “Hi.”

Already, this felt almost illicit. Like we were sneaking around, speaking in secret. Which I guessed we kind of were.

My hands went clammy, gut bottoming out with a sickening, exhilarating swoop. I stood up from the couch in a rush, unable to sit still.

“So, um, how was—What’ve you been up to?” Nuni sounded as awkward as I felt.

It helped calm my nerves a little. I’d had no idea how he’d act. Whether he’d be all cocky, amused arrogance as he waited for me to explain my actions this morning. Whether he’d relish listening to me squirm. I didn’t think he was a total asshole, but he was still a competitive, smug bastard.

“Nothing. Made some dinner.” I cringed. God, I was crap at making conversation. Maybe I should just jump right into the topic looming over us and get it done with. “So—”

“What did you—”

I paused when Nuni started speaking at the same time. “Sorry, you go,” I started to say, but at the exact same time yet again, he began, “Oh, sorry, what—”

We lapsed into awkward silence, before Nuni cleared his throat. “Go ahead.”

Taking a quiet, deep breath, I said, “I just wanted to apologise for this morning.”

There was another pause, before… “Apologise?” Nuni sounded wary.

My face burned, sweat prickling all over, but I had to just do it. “It was beyond inappropriate, especially after… after our conversation in your office. I shouldn’t have—I just—”

I fell silent, rubbing my hot face. After a few seconds, Nuni broke the uncomfortable silence.

“You don’t have to apologise, Anita.” His voice was a little wooden. “You weren’t the only one… We both…”

He trailed off. God, this was so awkward. Especially because now I was remembering it. I was picturing it—picturing his hand wrapped around his dick, his yellow eyes heavy as he watched me, his sculpted chest heaving as he stroked himself off.

My stomach clenched, tightening with an almost unbearable yearning to be near him. To touch him. I’d barely touched him, I realised, during our first encounter, and obviously not at all in the second.