Page 21 (1/2)

She turned her head and shotlook "You don’t have to stop," she said softly

I bent and kissed her shoulder "You are the sweetest girl, but I can’t possibly go another round today"

She just nodded and turned back to the wall, letting her head fall forward as the water ran over her I got her off with asped and shook in ot into bed nad and still slightly da o I have to work a cigarette girl gig tonight"

I squeezed her "Don’t Stay with me"

She just shook her head "I can’t Not tonight I can come back when I’m done, if you want me to, but it will be very late"

"That’s fine Come back whenever you can"

She just nodded and went into my closet

I followed, even so tired and spent that I felt weak, because I didn’t want her to slip away again while I was sleeping That was a pattern I was very keen to break

Her duffle bag was in there, and she began digging through it

"Oh, I forgot to tell you While you were sleeping, the locksiven him prior instruction, and that he could bill you later, so I didn’t bother to wake you up He left your new keys on the butler’s pantry"

"Did he leave spares?"

"Yes"

I threw on some shorts "I need your cell number," I told her as I strode out of the closet, on a hunt for keys

"I don’t have one," she called back

That stopped me short "You don’t have a cell number?" I asked duasted Even I, the most reclusive person I knew, had a cell She was in her twenties and obviously highly social It s about her that weren’t adding up

"I don’t like the "I don’t like the idea that they act as a tracking device"