Page 94 of Pretty Little Thing

Melanie snaps her fingers at me. “Stop that.”

“Stop what?” I blink.

“You’re over-thinking,” she says. “You’re flashing back and over-analyzing every little moment together, aren’t you?”

“No, I’m not,” I say quickly.

He works three jobs but doesn’t have a cell phone.

“Nora.”

He wears the same outfit to work every single day.

“Nora.”

“Oh, my god.”I cover my mouth. “I’m fucking a homeless guy.”

Melanie twists in her chair and grabs my hands. “Nora, do you like him?” she asks.

“Yes,” I answer.

“Does he treat you well?”

“Yeah. Very well.”

“Does he smell like a dumpster?”

“No. God, no.”

“Then, who cares?” She squeezes my fingers. “Shit happens. That doesn’t make him a bad person.”

Trix frowns. “Has he been to your condo?” she asks me.

I swallow. “Yes.”

“You should do an inventory when you get back.” She picks up her drink. “Just sayin’...”

Melanie scoffs. “Poor doesn’t equal thief, Trix.”

“Hey, Aladdin lived out of a hole in the wall and was hot as fuck. Dude still stole some bread.”

I fall forward, groaning to myself as I smack my forehead on the table.

Melanie nudges my shoulder. “Nora, this is not a big deal. Okay? And it’s not the type of thing you can just drop into a conversation either — especially not with somebody like Nora Payne, if you know what I mean. Also, you love helping the less fortunate, right?”

I raise my head a few inches. “Yeah, I do. I do like to do that.”

“Just think of this as a charitable cause,” she says. “You’re helping a man find solace in a cruel and horrible world.”

Trix cringes. “With her vagina, though?”

Melanie fires her a glare before turning back to me. “And he’s helping you with your new sexual awakening. You look better right now than you have in weeks.”

“I do?” My voice squeaks.

Trix reluctantly nods. “Yeah, you do.”

Melanie pokes my cheek. “So, there you go. No harm done. World not over. And you look cute as fuck in a choker.”

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