“What makes you think I have any bills?”
It was a good question, and one Clem had no real response to. “Wait.” A new thought slammed into her. “You said before that you would come back every night if possible.” Her voice faltered but she kept her chin high. “Is that not possible?”
Hazel’s expression twisted as she finished her bite of cookie. When she spoke, her voice was quiet. “I don’t actually know. I mean, there are stories of folks figuring it out and having favorites, of course there are. But I’ve never known anyone who has done it.”
“Would you even want to?” Clem tried to keep her posture casual as she asked. She held her breath, waiting for Hazel’s response, bracing herself for the rejection she feared was coming.
“Without a doubt.” Hazel’s words were clear and strong, and they pulled Clem’s eyes back to her face. Her expression was fierce, and went a long way toward melting Clem’s worries. A shadow crossed her face. “I just don’t know if it’s possible.”
“What if I did everything the same?”
“It’s not necessarily that, although it wouldn’t hurt.” Hazel was thoughtful. She unfolded from her spot on the bed and paced the length of Clem’s bedroom. “You see, when we show up for work, there’s this giant map on the wall. It lights up with requests, which are color coded.”
“Color coded?”
“Yeah, by topic — type of pleasure. You know, like we talked about.
“That’s in the summon? How do they know?”
“It’s not always perfect. But the powder in the sugar, the one that sends the summons, picks up on it and transmits it.”
“There’s a transmitter in the sugar.” Clem wasn’t sure what to think about that. “Is that even safe to eat?”
Hazel sent her a look. “There’s magic in the sugar. And it is completely safe to eat.” Her look heated. “But you know that.”
Clem choked on her cookie even as her belly warmed. Hazel chuckled, which made Clem warm even more. She made herself focus. This was too important to get distracted.
“So once the call goes out, it shows up on our map, and then an agent is assigned to it.”
“‘An agent.’ That is not at all how I was imagining things.” Clem shook her head in amazement.
Hazel stopped pacing and turned toward her. “What were you imagining?’
“I don’t really know, but it wasn’t that.” She shook her head again. “Maybe something closer to quaint winter cottages where you all hang out until you’re pulled away by a request?”
Incredulousness mixed with humor in Hazel’s expression. “But then we wouldn’t have any say in it.”
Clem shifted position. Hazel’s gaze was so clear, so direct, that it highlighted how jarring the words sounded when Clem said them out loud. “Yeah, I know. I heard it as soon as the words were out. Sorry. This wholeother realmthing is really tripping up my brain.”
Hazel’s humor melted into indulgence. “Of course. It is all very odd if you’ve never experienced it before.” She resumed her path back and forth along the carpet.
“Thanks.” Clem wanted to contribute something to this brainstorm session. “What if I call for you specifically?”
Hazel paused. “I’ve never seen it done, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be.” She gnawed on her bottom lip. “I could ask around. As I said, there are stories.” She picked up her pace again. “I mean, the whole thing with pleasure is that you have to be a willing participant. An experience can be the nicest thing in the world to one person, but pure torture to another — especially if that second person had no choice in the matter.” She waved that away before Clem could say anything. “So if that’s true, and since we have a say, I think it should follow that I can request to be your personal companion for a while.” She grinned at Clem. “Your paramour, maybe.”
Clem could not stop the smile as it spread across her mouth. “So then it’s settled. I’ll call for you specifically.”
“And I will do what I can to answer your call.” She furrowed her brow.
Something shifted in the air as the women stared at each other. It was a deepening, as though tentative roots were shifting, extending themselves in search of fertile soil. Clem cleared her throat. “So, that story about someone stealing the Secret Ingredient sounds pretty exciting.” Her words faded on a jaw cracking yawn and Hazel shook her head.
“I’ll tell you that next time I see you.” Her voice was gentle, but her actions were all business as she picked up the now empty plate and took it to the kitchen. Clem waited for her to return. Exhaustion had set in, bringing with it sensitivity to light and a hint of a headache. Hazel looked at her indulgently as she stepped through the bedroom door. “For now, though, I think sleep is needed.”
Clem was suddenly too tired to put up any fight. She slipped under the covers, then folded them back to invite Hazel in with her. The women curled up together in the soft sheets. Clem wrapped her arms around Hazel, who traced lazy lines along them. “Good night, my paramour,” Clem murmured with a smile. She was asleep before Hazel could answer.
Seven
“Clementine.”The voice was urgent and soft. Clem groaned and turned her face into the pillow. There was no way it was time to wake up. And who would be trying to wake her anyway?
