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“What kind of question is that?” She turned back to me. “What are your plans for the future, Damien?”
I took a drink before I answered. “The same shit I always do. Work.” I didn’t have much of a life, but that had never bothered me until recently. I used to work, fuck, and then do it all over again. It was satisfying…until Hades left. Now, I was alone all the time, tortured by my guilt and regret. “To be honest, I don’t have a lot in my life. I don’t have a lot of friends or family. I’m a slave to my job.”
Instead of judging me, her eyes softened. “I don’t have anyone either.”
My other hand rested on my thigh, and there were times when I wanted to reach out and rest my fingers against her knee. I wanted to touch her like she was mine, but she was different from other women, so I couldn’t do those things. “I find that hard to believe. You’re a lovely person.”
“Even if that’s true, it doesn’t matter. After my divorce, people took sides. And of course, they sided with him.”
Why would they do that if he was in the wrong? Maybe she was the one at fault after all. “Why did they choose him?”
“He’s the one with the money.” She rolled her eyes and took a drink.
Since she didn’t elaborate, I didn’t pry.
“The bank closes at five, so I’m surprised you have to work so much. Don’t you own it?”
“True. But I have a second job.” If her husband used our services at the bank, he wasn’t a clean-cut guy. He must break the law in many ways. She was either aware of that or completely in the dark. The fact that she didn’t want his money made me wonder if his criminal activities were the reason she was opposed to it. If she knew I was a drug dealer, would she walk out right now? I didn’t want to lie, but I didn’t want to ruin this before we even had a chance.
Thankfully, she didn’t ask. “I might have to get a second job too, but I’m sure my reasons are different from yours.”
“What did you have in mind?” I could get her a good job somewhere with a nice salary, but I suspected she would reject my offer. Maybe after we got to know each other a little better, she’d be more receptive to it. I could tell this woman was too proud to take a handout. I admired her for it even though I didn’t like it. But the thing that surprised me the most was myself. Why did I want to help her at all? Why did I care?
“Maybe bartending.” She turned on her stool, and her knee gently grazed mine. She had beautiful tanned skin that didn’t possess a single flaw. Her body was toned like she did weights or some other form of exercise. “Maybe stripping.”
Both of my eyebrows rose up my face. “You’d be a damn good stripper.”
She chuckled slightly at my reaction.
“I’d be in the front row every night.”
She chuckled again. “I’m kidding. My ex-husband would march in there and drag me out by the hair.”
I wasn’t sure how long they’d been divorced, but I was surprised he still felt involved in her life. “You don’t seem like the kind of woman that would let that stop you.”
Her smile faded away, but her eyes had a new look. They softened like warm butter. She took me in with an expression she hadn’t given me before. “I could use the money…but not the headache.”
“You could strip for me…privately.” I smiled so she knew I was kidding…even though I wasn’t kidding.
That pretty smile was back, and her shoulders relaxed now that she was growing more comfortable around me. She ran her fingers through her hair and pulled it from her face. I noticed the way her fingertips glided through the curls so easily.
I wanted to do the same thing.
“Truth is, I don’t have a lot of work experience. I got married too young and didn’t work for years. I’m basically starting over.”
“You’re still young and have plenty of time to do anything you want. Question is, what do you want to do?”
She considered the question in silence, swirling her drink as she tried to find an answer. “I really don’t know. Right now, I’m just looking for a stable job that pays the bills.”
“I always have positions at the bank…if you’d be interested in that.”
Thankfully, she wasn’t offended by the offer. “That’s sweet, but no thank you.”
“You could be my secretary…or sex-retary.”
“You already have a secretary.”
“But you’re way sexier.” I winked at her.
Even when she laughed, she was beautiful. Her lips parted, and all her beautiful teeth were visible. Her eyes crinkled in the cutest way. “I don’t think that’s a very good qualification.”
