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Being with him could never be considered a sacrifice And what he was saying--that I had given up wealth by choosing hi with this man I kissed hisfroot pushed aside,off the shelf as he pulled ot dust ininto , ere breathless

"Don’t answer it," I begged

"I won’t" He silenced the phone but saw the tio"

I pouted, and he kissed ently atbefore I had the sense to resu

I finished the box and tucked over the lid, pushing it aside andframed photos off the shelves and wrapped theht before We’d been up late unpacking , a story about every framed photo, my favorite shoes, my stuffed zebra, the set of elephants from my summer in South Africa Some of the stories were Vic stories, but he didn’t care It was another thing I loved about him, his confidence Times when Vic would have slunk off to sulk, Carter pulledI asked him to pack up the Presa Little art Offered to help hie lockers, but he refused, announcing that he was listing them for sale

"You don’t need to do that" I had pulled at his arallery

"Why wouldn’t I?" He’d frowned down at enuinely confused "They bother you And they should They were from when I dated her"

"But … they’re beautiful" And they were Some of her best They took my breath away every time I walked in his apartment

"Not as beautiful as you" He pulled me closer "We can sell them Put the money down and buy a place"

"But what if…" we break up That hat I was going to say He’d never be able to afford to buy theentle when he’d lifted my chin, and I closed my eyes to his kiss Relaxed in his arms and let him work his cell phone out of my hand

I boxed up the books and then h receipts, a cable bill, and then, my first résue that I had brought to Nicole’s interview Thank God she’d never asked for it I carried it toit another to-do ite to es and pay off , but Carter had insisted on it He didn’t want et another dead-end job just because I didn’t have a degree So, with a diploma finally in hand, and an updated résuain It wouldn’t be easy; New York was hell on the unemployed But at least I had a place to stay And a deposit that would be returned to me, if Carter deemed the apartment to be in suitable condition Maybe a bribe was in order, one of the sexual variety It couldn’t hurt, right? I could wait until he orking in the engine room, all sweaty and hot, then tempt him with some ice water Get him up to our apartment and then strip him naked

I lost track ofaround, I stared at Carter "What are you doing?" I glanced at the clock "You should have left by--"

"I canceled"

"What? When?"

"Just now It’s pointless,his jacket onat the knot on his tie I loved when he was dressed up Loved the look of hied to be violated A stiff shirt that hugged histo that fine ass