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No one could tell her that he had not transertips, that his mouth hadn’t conveyed desire, real and deep The way he had touched her, the sighs, the groans, the little sounds of pleasure that bounced between the two, on and off cae that only they could speak You don’t create a reality like that and push it aside like a role in a play or a sitcom Matt Jones had wanted her as much as she’d wanted him, and Michael Bournham, she suspected, wanted her evenpotato chips and salt licorice, watching Who’s the Boss? in reruns on Icelandic television at three in theShe was coffeed out, cried out, and in desperate need of a hug

In four hours she would need to rouse, shower, and walk to work, where she’d made no inroads in weeks No one would tell her what her job was The others at the office had work, duties, responsibilities, issued reports, and all gave her a pal when she asked about her role The senior vice-president for communications still wouldn’t answer her phone calls or emails

If Michael Bournham’s intent had been to reward her for a job well done, he had failed miserably, just as he had failed in his effort to raise profits by using the reality TV show If his goal had been to make her a kept woman, then he’d succeeded wildly

Minus the sex

And then there was Jere her squeak with surprise as she fuh her pants pocket to find it Krysta What was she doing calling this late?

"Why are you callingyet?" Krysta asked, her voice infused with a smile "Is he in bed with you? And it’s only eleven here Tirateful for the call She needed it With no one here to talk to other than the occasional hello to Siggi or Elsa’s polite two-sentenceher throat constantly, the lack of conversation killing her "No, no hot Vikings, and no hot job either"

"They still aren’t telling you what you’re supposed to do, or how you’re supposed to act, or what?" Krysta asked

Lydia could feel the incredulity in her voice, and it wasn't anything that she herself hadn't wondered "I know, right? I keep e the senior vice-president for co me I’ve called If I knew the woman’sMatt--er, Michael Bournha" Her voice cracked at the end She wasn't sure if it was from disuse or emotion When tears filled her eyes, she knew

"Oh, Lydia, I don't think he’s going to answer"

"Oh," she said, wiping the corner of her left eye, "I know He’s too ih-powered CEO job where he reeted her made her pull back and frown "Krysta?"

"Yeah"

"Spill it What do you know about him?"

"They fired him, Lydia"

"Yeah…"

"He’s disappeared Nobody can find hie, fast and furious "What do you ? Some sort of crime?"

"No, no, no," Krysta assured her "More like he just went away, and when people try to talk to his people--"

"He has people?"

"I guess he has people," Krysta responded "They just won’t cohts crashed through Lydia’sproble problem? People don't just disappear like that, Krysta! Not people like Michael Bournha about it here at work and no one has any answers"

Lydia could iht cheek lifted up when she didn't know the answer to so She missed her best friend, she missed her old life, she etting out of hand Michael Bournham had set her up in a job that no one cared out, that had no responsibilities, and that she suspected wasn’t going to be around for er, especially if he wasn’t

"Lyd It’s only a few days before the big talent show you were telling me about…"

"You remember that?"

"It’s kind of hard not to You made it sound like it was the freakin’ Oscars of Maine!"

They both laughed