“Not if that’s what you want.” He cupped the back of her head, stirring the warm roots of her hair. Her breath exploded against his prickling skin in a harsh burst as he resumed his gentle caresses. “Do you need something, little bird? Or do you just want this?”
“This.” The word was effortful, like it had to be dragged from her.
“All right.” He rested his chin on her head, rubbing the silky skin of her back. “I’ll just hold you.” She shuddered and he felt her nipples pebble against his chest. “Just relax,” he said, letting his fingers drift up to the back of her neck. “I’ll be right here.”
He wasn’t sure which of them had fallen asleep first. But when he was spurred awake in the middle of the night by the urge to take a leak, she had already slipped away and she would barely look at him at all in the car ride to work, and he did not know what he had done to cause it.
But he knew one thing he could do to fix it.
Nicholas removed his sunglasses as he strolled up to Accia, tucking them into his open shirt collar. The bougainvillea flowering along the sides of the building were in full bloom, perfuming the air with a heavy, familiar fragrance. Unlike when he’d come here for dinner with Jay, many of the outdoor tables were empty, and those who were here appeared to be having business brunch.
He was running ten minutes late: late enough to make someone wonder if he wouldn’t show up at all, while still leaving himself enough deniability to blame the whole thing on parking.
Tilting his head, he peered through the glass windows shrouded in their natural curtains of ivy and thought he could just make out the silhouette of his intended victim. It looked like he’d already ordered a drink, which probably meant he wasnervous and wanted something to do with his hands.
This is going to be fun, thought Nicholas.
“Two for Beaucroft,” he told the host. It was the same girl from the other night and she eagerly showed him to his table. The relief on Michael’s face was palpable as he sat down.
“Hey, man. The parking on this street is terrible, isn’t it? Thanks for setting up this meeting. I thought maybe you wouldn’t remember me. You were just a kid the last time I saw you.”
Flipping through the menu, Nicholas said, “Oh, I remember you.”
He lifted his eyes to study the other man and was pleased when he saw a brief flicker of unease on Michael’s face. “Oh,” he said. “Well, good.”
Not for you.
Nicholas flagged down a waiter and ordered himself a glass of wine. Michael demurred, sticking with what appeared to be iced tea.Either he’s cheap or he’s watching his health.
“What are you having?” he asked, not really caring.
“Iced tea. The wife thinks I drink too much.”
“You’re married?”
“Yeah. Do you remember Angie?”
“No,” he lied, taking a sip of wine.
“I’m surprised to hear that. She was really popular in our grade.” Michael picked up his glass of tea, pulling a slight grimace. “Angie was friends with Jay. We started dating after college.”
Nicholas repressed a sneer.Friends, my ass. “After Jay.”
“Uh, yeah. After Jay. I guess you’d call it a whirlwindcourtship.”
He wondered how many blowjobs Jay’s old ‘friend’ had had to give out before enough blood left Michael’s brain for proposing to sound like a good idea.
Michael had been slim and athletic in high school, with a whole head of hair that was now slowly receding. A small paunch strained the buttons of his Hugo Boss dress shirt. Only someone petty-minded and shallow would call him unattractive and Jay, unfortunately, was neither of those things.
“Are you married?” Michael asked.
“No. I haven’t had time to tie the knot.”
“Enjoy bachelorhood while you can, then.”
“I’ve been too busy to enjoy it.” Nicholas stared into the depths of his wine, displeased, and not quite sure why. “Running my company consumes most of my time.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard your business has been doing very well.” Michael took another compulsive sip of tea. “Quentin mentioned that you kept his hotel from going under during the housing crisis.”
