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He lifted his head, and he looked better "I’" He smiled and waved me off I smiled back, and we left

James held rip on the back of my arm, just above my elbow He seeth He knoould never take advantage of you when you’re impaired" James seemed to feel the need to explain this to me "If I didn’t know otherwise, I would think he was your older brother," he continued "How long have you two been close?" he asked

I sent hi for infora about hiuely That’s the best he would get I had already sobered up considerably, so he’d missed the boat on any carelessly thrown inforain I was already ht, and I wasn’t even coet on the pill" He abruptly changed the subject, his voice authoritative

I sent hilare "My body, my business," I told hi sex, it will be et started It can take weeks to lance becalare "For your information, I’m already on the pill I have bad periods, and it helps make theer… for personal reasons" Reasons I would never tell him Like the fact that Stephan and I had lived in an abandoned building with a bunch of other hoetting pregnant I hadn’t been able to sleep for the fear A trip to the free clinic had given nancy aspect, at least "But you are outrageous, you know that? I’ve never agreed to have sex with you"

"What personal reasons?" he asked Of course he would zero in on the thing I was the least willing to talk about

"I prefer to keep those reasons personal" I stuck ue out at hi "You are exasperating"

"Let me bombard you with a bunch of personal questions and see how you like it," I shot back

"Give it a try I think the tradeoff ht just be hile for me"

I fell silent at that

We irl working the front desk as alked by Her naone out with her a few tiht Stephan and I were a couple, as so many people did

"Hey, Sarah," I called out, without stopping

"Hey, Bianca," she called back

"The security here is deplorable," Ja his head in disled "What did you expect? It’s a crew hotel in don manhattan The security isn’t deplorable It’s non-existant" I giggled harder Rich people could be funny

He gaveAnyone could co "That’s what locks and police are for If you think this is bad, you should see some of the places Stephan and I have stayed" Oh shit I hadn’t meant to say that out loud

His intent eyes searched my face "Where? What do you ed, trying to blow past the whole thing "Uuess this is our least secure crew hotel at the ain

He held a hand out for ave it to him without a word

"I would prefer if you stay at a e it," he said, shocking me

I shook my head "No No No," I told hi on here, but you are not going to take control of ht now"

His mouth set in a hard line "We’ll talk about it when you’re sober"

He was crazy, I decided "You can talk all you want That is not happening"

He noticed the open connecting door as we entered h the door, as though he had the right to search the place

"Stephan’s room?" he asked from Stephan’s room

"Yes," I answered

He ca I just went to the bed and lay down, closing my eyes

"I need to setI had dropped it on the floor soot it," Ja around

I heard the little sound that er

"Thank you," I o now I’ll wake up on tionna start the habit to, I’ll be falling asleep"

He didn’t respond, and I heard hi out just a moment later The bed dipped as he sat besidewipe on ? He gently wipedmy eyelashes carefully to remove my mascara

"You hardly wear any makeup," he said absently "You have a lovely co to say that I had to snort

"Look who’s talking, Mr Beautiful," I said