But that won’t fly here, and I know it. My face is a hundred degrees too hot. “A while ago… I had an unpleasant experience, so I don’t like touching people for real.”
Her voice comes back softer, velvet against my eardrums. “Someone hurt you?”
Red pulses over my vision while my chest combusts into flame. “No, nothing like that.”
I rub my arm, seeing the deep scratch marks on my wrist. A second, two seconds, then they’re gone.
Everything is fine.Everything is fine.
“It’s better when there’s no one there. Not for real.”
“Why go to the trouble of a recording if you can just imagine it?”
The idea makes me smile. “The internet’s not covered wall to wall in porn because guys have fantastic imaginations.”
Rosa relaxes against the wall, her smile becoming more genuine. “Guess not, but we’re left at an impasse.”
“You could—”
She holds up her hand. “You could, too, so let’s park it there.”
I nod, casting my glance towards the door, not really wanting to leave and not because I haven’t got what I came for.
Or notjustthat.
“What is it you actually do?”
She rubs her elbow with her hand, then raises it to play with the hairs at the back of her neck, tugging them gently. “Straight sex. Sometimes a bit of control stuff. Like a dominatrix but a lite version.”
“No whips and chains?”
Her smile broadens. “If you’re a good boy. If not, who knows?”
“Do you get to order them about and make them do your chores for you?”
This time, she wrinkles her nose. “No. What makes you think that?”
“Saw a TikTok or something. A woman who gets men to clean her house while they pay her for the pleasure.”
The idea delights her. “You can probably tell with one glance, that’s a no, but I need to do some research in case I’m doing it all wrong.”
I lean forward to whisper, “Call me if you change your mind and I’ll pay enough you can hire those cleaners directly.”
She shakes her head but that gentle smile stays in place. The one that says she’s enjoying herself, just like I am. Enjoying ourselves even though neither of us will get what we want. “Go home, Trent.”
“Yes, mistress.”
I leave the flat on the sound of her laughter, feeling lighter. A thousand times happier despite being shot down.
CHAPTERSEVEN
ROSA
Finley burststhrough the door just as Trent gets into his car, stopping at the entrance to give a wolf whistle as he pulls away from the curb. “You’re taking clients here now, are you? That should definitely be against the terms of our lease.”
“It was a friend of Zach’s. Not a client.”
“Did I miss, Zachie? Damn. Did he leave any presents lying around? I haven’t snagged anything good for weeks.”
