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He hesitates; his hands find their way into his suit pockets. I watch his Adam’s apple as he swallows, and I admire the way the cords in his neck tighten. Every inch of him could be cut from marble. “Lead the way.”
I take him to the living room and tuck myself into a loveseat. Mr. Maxwell takes the armchair across from me. His scent fills the room—the same hint of expensive cologne as before. I remember it.
“The emergency,” he prompts.
I square my shoulders. “Right. Yes. First, I wanted to apologize for the inconvenience. I know you’re very busy.”
“It’s nothing. Tell me what’s wrong.”
My face gets even hotter. “I’d like to speak to you about the rent.”
“The rent for this apartment?”
“I’m sure, in a place like this…” Why didn’t I plan this speech out before I called him? “I know you’re probably not the one people come to about problems like this, but it’s the weekend. I was up all night.” Anxiousness sweeps a heat over my entire body. I can barely breathe knowing the weight of this conversation.
He studies me. “What’s the problem with the rent?”
“I can’t pay it.” I’m quick to correct myself. “I can’t pay all of it.”Deep breaths, Maddie.“This is my home, it’s the only thing I have right now, and I can’t quite cover the rent for this month.”
“Your husband can’t cover it?” he asks, and it’s like a knife to the chest.
I twist my hands together out of habit, and his eyes drop to my fingers then snap back to my face.
“He wasn’t my husband, actually,” I tell him. “He was my fiancé, but he’s not anymore. We’re over. He left.”
“Without leaving enough money to cover the rent?” He lets out a disbelieving laugh. “The kind of people who live in this building have second homes in Europe.”
“He was that kind of person. He was going to be, anyway, but I’m not.” Okay. Here it comes. “I hope you know that this isn’t a long-term problem. I have a plan to fix it, I just need more time because I wasn’t prepared for this. If I go to him, I’m sure he’ll simply end the lease, and there’s nothing around here that I can afford and that’s available. I’ve been off the market for a couple of years, so it’s taking me longer than I thought to find a job that can pay enough. I’ve gone through my savings, and I’ve sold most everything I could.”
“Off the market?”
“Out of the job market. My ex thought it would be better for his career if I focused on philanthropy instead of building my own career, so that’s what I did. And I don’t regret it. I helped a lot of people, but I’m at a loss at the moment. I paid everything but the five hundred and everyone said that I needed to talk to you.”
His blue eyes are absolutely captivating. “What’s the exact situation with the rent, Maddie? You can’t afford any of it?”
“No, I can afford most of it. I’m five hundred dollars short. And I’ll give you anything you want to cover it.”
I’m shocked at the words that have just come out of my mouth, but I mean it. I’m solving this problem. I don’t care what it takes. I’ve sold almost all my jewelry in the past months to make it work. I can’t even afford to break this lease now. I don’t know what else to do.
“Anything,” I insist. My heart races.
Graham Maxwell looks at me across my living room, his eyes going dark. “We can come to an arrangement.”
Relief hits me like a gust of fresh air. “Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. What kind of arrangement?”
“I have an idea,” he says as his eyes drop to my breasts, and I have to admit, I want it. If that’s what he wants, I wanted it anyway. Before I can stop myself, I agree to what he’s suggesting.
“If you want me, you can have me however you’d like.”
He pauses, almost as if he’s stopped breathing and embarrassment lights my cheeks aflame. But that look in his eyes lights a different part of me ablaze.
“What exactly is it that you have in mind?”
“I think…I’m not sure. I haven’t…”
A moment passesand then he asks, “A quick fuck then?”
I gasp in spite of myself. I’ve been nervous about what he might say, but I never expected him to say it likethis.
