“How old do you want me to be?” She bit her lip.
“Will you excuse us, please?” I turned around and hoisted myself out of the pool. “Shay,” I snapped, breaking him out of his trance.
From his look of defeat I could tell he’d realized his appointment wasn’t going to happen. I glared at him, hoping he would catch on that we needed to hurry. I grabbed a towel and threw another his way.
He waded out and followed me into the men’s locker room. “Is my membership threatened?”
“That’s the least of our problems.”
“I need to take a shower.”
“Please skip it.”
“But I’ll smell of chlorine.”
I pulled on my pants and gave him a forced smile. “Tell me you never utilized any of their other services?”
“This isn’t happening.”
I lowered my voice. “This is how you’ll make it up to me. You’ll find out that girl’s name and you’ll get her the fuck out of here.”
“She looked eighteen.”
“Let’s review this through a lens of honesty.”
He rubbed his brow as though the obvious answer had to be somewhere in his brain.
I mouthed, “Not here.”
Despite being damp, he pulled on his shirt in a hurry. “So…I fucked up?”
I grabbed his silk tie and helped him weave it neatly around his neck. “I know of someone who’d be a good fit for you. He’ll kick you into submission. Curb that craving.”
Shay reached into his locker and grabbed his pinstriped jacket. “I’ll make it up to you.”
I tapped his arm. “Dinner’s on you.”
We ambled along the hallway and I threw a tentative glance toward the reception desk where another young woman was stationed. At least this one looked a little older.
When the elevator doors opened we strolled in casually.
I punched the button. “Until now you’ve thought with your very impressionable brain.” Leaning against the elevator wall, I smirked. “Once we get your penchant satisfied you’ll no longer be thinking with your balls.”
“And you?” He folded his arms across his chest.
“Me?”
“When are you going to return to what you do best? What you need?”
Again, I punched the button. He was right, of course. I needed my exhibition fix where no one knew me and I could slip away unseen.
Before I imploded.
I buried that sentiment. “Shay, find out who that girl is and get her out.”
He was texting. “On it.”
The elevator jolted to a stop before we hit the ground floor, and then began ascending once more.