Page 19 of Lie With Me
Mom launches into some gossip she heard about Emily’s fiancé. Glad the heat is no longer on me, I tune her out but contribute to the conversation once she stops talking about anything Emily-related.
As soon as I get home, I ask the concierge to gather the security footage from Thursday night. Hopefully, there’s a good enough shot of Bianca’s face for whoever Jackson has in mind to scan and find her.
I’m willing to drop a pretty penny if someone can figure out how to get ahold of her by the end of the week.
Christmas Eve
Tailor Industries is dark tonight, the only light illuminating my floor is from my office. Everyone else went home hours ago, but I stayed to finish up contracts that need to be sent out Friday morning.
Though, work is the last thing on my mind.
Staring out my floor-to-ceiling windows at the blanket of snow that covers the city, I sip my coffee and think about how much shit I’m going to be in if Teddy from technical doesn’t find Bianca soon.
She’s all I’ve been able to think about. Consuming every waking thought that isn’t reserved for work.
The way she so boldly got on top of the piano.
Every breathy moan she made when she came on my tongue.
How she cursed and whimpered when she came on my cock.
When I find her, I’m going to enjoy tying her up so she can’t leave me like that again.
She helped me create the mess I’m in. She’s going to help me figure out how to get out of it.
If that means we have to play pretend for a little while, then so be it. We fooled Emily. We can fool my parents.
Whether or not she’s agreeable is yet to be determined, but there wassomethingbetween us that night. She can’t deny the passion we shared.
And if she’s hesitant, I’llpayher if I have to.
Bianca saidPretty Womanis her favorite movie. I’ve watched it no less than three times in the past week.
Minus the prostitute part, she’s about to become the Vivian Ward to my Edward Lewis.
Lenni
CHRISTMAS EVE
Pretty Womanplays on my small flatscreen while I heat up dinner—leftover chicken parmesan from my favorite Italian place down the street.
Outside, the streets are filled with fluffy snow and glittering Christmas decorations. The only festive thing inside my tiny, one-bedroom rental is a small tabletop tree with blinking lights and a glowing star at the top.
It’s the first year since I moved to New York that I’m spending Christmas truly alone.
For the millionth time this week, I think about Ken as I pull my pasta out of the microwave.
When I arrived at work Friday night, something about working the Desires wing had put a bad taste in my mouth. When Ken and I slept together, I’d enjoyed myself. I’d forgotten what it was like to be on the receiving end of pleasure you didn’t have to fake.
Granted, I don’t always fake it at work. But I haven’t had it in me to have sex with anyone outside of a few specific clients who don’t ever actually penetrate me.
Iwantto see Ken again.
The number of times I’ve almost just shown up at his door is more than I can count on my hands and feet.
Speaking of my hands and feet, as I sit on my little red loveseat Ginny and I found at a flea market, I realize I need to get my paws and claws done before her engagement party on Saturday.
Chewing my chicken, I watch as Edward snaps the necklace box on Vivian’s fingers, sighing wistfully at how happy they look. “If life were a movie…”