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“Where are you staying?” I asked.
“Some place over by NYU.”
“There are a lot of places by NYU.”
She stopped in the middle of a stream of people and pulled out her phone, giving me a look. I wanted to spank her so badly that my palms ached. Naughty, sassy archgenius. As soon as she unlocked her phone, I took it and put in my number, and handed it back to her. “Text me the address, so I’ll have your contact information.”
“Okay, but I’m not going to have a lot of time to hang out.”
“The Gallery’s only open one night a week, so that’s fine. Text me your address and I’ll drop you off on my way home.”
“You don’t have to.”
I took her elbow and squeezed it as people flowed around us. “I know, but I want to, in case the sedative hasn’t worn off.”
“It’s worn off,” she said.
“Stop acting like I’m trying to stalk you.” I pulled her closer. “I’m a pilot, Ella. I don’t have time for this relationship you fear so much. All I want from you are your three luscious holes and your hunger for pain.”
She pulled away, glancing around to see if anyone had overheard. “Fine,” she said.
“Fine,” I echoed. “Let’s go.”
Her rent-free lodgings turned out to be an older two-bedroom apartment on Mercer Street that probably went for five or six grand a month. Not much of a view, but it was decently furnished, and there was a full-time doorman and a garden on the building’s roof. “Nice digs,” I said. “How long are you staying for this ACE Consortium?”
She shrugged, staring at the Scandinavian-style furniture and white walls. “It depends on how long the project’s funded.”
I could work with that. I’d only need to play with her at The Gallery a few times to get her out of my system. A handful of hard scenes, and the fascination would start to wear off. She turned to me while I was still thinking abouthard scenes, and she could see it in my eyes.
“I can’t, not now.” She stepped over toward the sofa, putting distance between us. “I’m really tired. Not that I didn’t enjoy…” She stopped, trying again. “Not that I’m not grateful for everything…” She made a face. “It’s weird to say goodbye to you after everything that went on.”
“It’s not goodbye.” I got out my phone, checked my calendar. “Want to have dinner sometime next week?”
“Maybe. I don’t know yet what my schedule will be.”
Evasive. So evasive. Even my smallest overtures were met with resistance. I wasn’t used to this. I was used to women throwing themselves at me, not shying away.
“Are you seeing someone already?” I asked. “Someone who lives here?”
She looked insulted, then shocked. Hmm. The lady doth protest too much. “God, you’re not married, are you?” I asked.
“No!”
“But there’s someone. You’re thinking about them right now.”
“If there was, it wouldn’t be any of your business.” She shook her head, tossing back her hair. I was seized by jealousy for this other person, who might or might not exist, who might have rights to the body I’d come to think of asmybody. I remembered every hidden bruise beneath her clothing. I’d traced my tongue along every welt. None of my business? She’d been all of my business ever since I’d seen her across the room at Via Sofferenza.
But I’d never tell her anything like that, because she didn’t want a relationship, and I had rights to tons of other sexy bodies, not just hers.
“I’ll call you,” I said. “And I’ll be around until Monday, if you need any help settling in.”
*
Ten minutes afterI got home, Milo knocked on my door. I yanked it open with a frown.
“Do you have a camera on me or something?” I asked, looking around the hallway. “How do you always know the minute I get back?”
“Instinct and talent, my friend.”
