I hate the idea of all of it. Men throwing dollar bills so she can payher family’sbills. Even if it was years ago, it still pisses meoff. I’m tempted to give her another raise just to see to it that she’s never in an environment like that again.
“Why are you doing this?” she suddenly asks.
“I don’t know what you mean.” I finish off my drink.
“You don’t have to wine and dine me. That’s not part of the contract, the benefits or the show of it. If you wanted to parade me around, we wouldn’t be somewhere this private.”
“It’s just dinner.”
“Are you sure you’re not feeling guilty for keeping me prisoner?” she asks before crossing her arms in satisfaction.
I lean in, my eyes hard, not a hint of amusement in them. “You’re reading into this too much.”
We drive home without speaking another word, thoughUnder Pressureis playing very softly on through the speakers. I like to think I’m not a complete dick. I also like to think the evening went well and served its purpose. She’s no longer a cat with its claws out, and I got to see her in the purple dress. It’s a win/win.
I walk her up to the penthouse and unlock the door. For a moment, she hesitates.
She’s wondering if I am coming inside,I realize.
I could. I could finalize the benefits clause right now. Peel that purple dress right off her body and give us both the dessert we’ve been craving for.
But I don’t. I let the moment hang in the air long enough that she knows I’m leaving.
She walks inside and then turns back to me. “Thank you for dinner.”
I no. She turns to walk further inside.
“Amara.”
She looks back at me.
“You’re not a prisoner. Treat yourself more.”
With that, I close the door and head down the stairs to my car.
As soon as I’m inside, a safe distance from her and that dress and those lips, I pull out a box of cigarettes I keep in the glove box.
I quit smoking years ago.
Tonight, I light one up.
32
AMARA
He left.
He bought me a dress. (Actually, a new wardrobe, but who’s counting?)
He wrote me a note.
He had the secretary bring me coffee.
He asked me out to dinner.
He drove us to a swanky little sushi joint.
He let me drink tequila!
