He made a kind of nasal disapproving noise. “Look at your hands, cher.”
Claire looked down at her hands smudged gray with some unknown dirt and splattered with the primer she’d been using to paint the upstairs bedroom.
“Point taken,” she said embarrassed.
“Don’t worry, cher,” he said, holding up another pate covered cracker. “Luke and I have been friends for years now, and I never come to a party I haven’t been invited to. You’re safe with me.”
She nodded, knowing he wouldn’t deliberately do anything to jeopardize his friendship with Luke or her for that matter. Yet she couldn’t help but feel a bit like red riding hood picnicking with le loup.
By the time she finished more than half of the food Eric had brought, she was feeling close to human again. Eric tried to talk her into quitting for the night, but aside from the fact that she still had much more to finish before she could call it a day, she didn’t think it was a good idea to leave with him. The night had been innocent – mostly – and she wasn’t about to tempt fate.
“Be careful you don’t work too hard, cher,” said Eric, standing with his back to the front door. She opened her mouth to protest and he held up a finger silencing her. “I know why you are doing it, and I know what it is to work hard at something. You don’t have to justify yourself to me. I just want you to make sure you take care of yourself, too.”
She nodded her agreement, knowing he could never have gotten to where he was without an unimaginable amount of work. “Okay. Thank you for a picnic I will never forget.”
“The pleasure was mine,” said Eric pressing an almost chaste kiss to her cheek.
“OF COURSE I’LL go with you, darling,” said Gretchen, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of being seen on his arm.
Luke wasn’t sure what moment of madness made him think asking Gretchen to go to the leukemia benefit with him was a good idea, but it was too late now. The damage was done. And really what was the harm? It was one more room filled with the filthy rich trying to appease their souls by eating ten thousand dollar plates of the over-engineered culinary trend of the week.
He had to go. He was an honorary member of the board and the cause was one he actually cared about. He didn’t have to like it, but he had to at least put in an appearance. He thought of what Claire would say about it, thought about what it had been like to haveheron his arm at the 609 West opening just a few weeks ago. But Claire wasn’t here and those thoughts weren’t doing him any good.
“I’m not sure I have anything to wear,” said Gretchen as he handed her into his car.
She had a room sized closet full of things to wear, thought Luke sliding in beside her, but there was no point fighting it. It was all part of the dance they did whenever they were together. She was beautiful. He had money. They both liked their sex rough with no strings. It was the currency they traded in.
“Call Colin in the morning. He can set you up with someone at D&G. I’m sure they’ll have something that will work.” By the time she was done, she’d have gotten Colin to schedule a spa day with the works including hair and makeup, but Luke didn’t have to care about it. It was all part of the game.
He had a flash of Claire, her lips red and eyes smoky from whatever the makeup guy – Andre the gay makeup guy, he thought relaxing his fist – had done. She been looking at herself in the mirror like she couldn’t believe it was her staring back. He’d bent her over the sink and forced her to watch while he fucked her. Claimed her. He could still picture his tanned hand around her pale throat as she came apart in his arms. It was the first time he’d been inside her without a condom, the first time he’d been inside any woman without a condom in years. His cock went iron hard at the memory.
“You’re a generous man, Luke Masters,” said Gretchen. She slid across the seat to him, resting her hand on his thigh. Her fingertips grazed his cock, and he heard her suck in a breath.
“I can be generous too,” she said, stroking him through his slacks, her touch rough and demanding. The car stopped in front of the Star and the driver got out. “Come upstairs with me.” Her teeth scraped over his jaw, her breath hot on his neck, and she tightened her grip on his cock. “And I’ll show you exactly how generous.”
