Page 99 of The Unraveling

“I can’t believe that was only the first rehearsal. Wow.” Clementine looks me up and down, like someone might if they had just bought a fancy new car and she’s kicking the tires. “He was right. You are special.”

I shift my dance bag to my other shoulder for something to do. It’s weird and hard for me to imagine what it’s like when Clementine and Alistair talk about me. As I live in his clandestine bachelor pad and allow him to give me the most intensely sexual kiss of my life.

“Thank you so much,” I say. “That’s very nice to hear. I’m glad you’re both happy.”

“Definitely,” says Clementine. “Definitely. All right, well, we have a party we need to get to. Congratulations on your role, and I can’t wait to watch it all come together.”

She shakes my hand, and I say, “Thank you, me too.”

“Good to see you again,” says Alistair, reaching out his own hand. I take it, shocked to find that there’s a piece of paper hiding in it.

I try not to let my surprise show, and say, “You as well.”

We break our grasp and he turns to follow Clementine. I look at Isabella, whose eyes are on my hand. She raises her gaze to mine. It’s questioning, not accusatory. She’s not sure what she saw.

“Good to see you,” says Mary.

I’m desperate to look in my palm, read the note, but I wait, of course, until I have disentangled from the situation in the studio, going all the way to one of the bathrooms instead of the dressing room where someone might see me.

I unfold it.

Meet me in Mary Simon’s office in 10 minutes xx

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Itake a deep breath and knock on Mary’s door.

“Come in,” Alistair calls.

It surprises me to hear his voice beckoning me in, though I don’t put it past him to have the most power in any room he’s in.

I step in and shut the door quietly behind me. Something tells me to keep this very private.

Alistair is alone at the desk. I don’t know what I was expecting.

“Where’s Mary?” I ask, and then, “Wait, aren’t you supposed to be on your way to a party with your wife?”

I don’t mean to say wife with a bite, but I do, and I hate myself for it.

“I told them I needed to make a private call. I’ll catch up with Clementine. Mary generously offered her office.”

“Have you already made your call?” I ask, playing dumb.

He gives me that heavy-lidded look that makes me feel weak and he says, “Come here.”

My heart lifts a little and I walk over to him. “I’m sweaty from rehearsal.”

He nods, running his hand down the back of my arm, lifting it toward him, and kissing the back of my hand and then my arm. He licks my skin and the weirdness of it makes my legs feel like jelly. In a good way.

“I know I said the other night I was trying to be a good man, but it’s just too hard to watch you move your body like that. Especially with another man.”

He pulls me closer and kisses me. I lean into him, parting my lips, responding. He smells like expensive things and he tastes like them, too.

When we pull apart, I say, “It’s just dancing.”

He cocks an eyebrow. “I wasn’t talking about the rehearsal.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “What do you…”

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