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Ander stiffenedin the chair. “You never used me or objectified me. It was never like that withus.”

Lori felt arush of tenderness at the bristling defensiveness in his tone and expression.She knew it was all in defense of her. But she shook her head and objected,“Obviously feelings developed. But, Ander, I paid you to have sex with me.”

“Yes, but itwas never like it was with other clients,” Ander repeated, sounding annoyed andstrangely stiff. “We weren’t like that.”

“I know whatyou mean. But, still, Ander. You took my money. I used your body. And I can’thelp wishing it was...it was ...” She trailed off. She had no way of puttinginto words how she felt.

She couldn’twish she’d made different choices because her choices had led her to suchhappiness with Ander, but she’d always be conflicted about how they’d gottenhere.

Taking a deepbreath, she used the damp towel to rub her eyes and her nose, trying to clearaway the last of her tears.

She jumped whenshe felt a swish of air and heard an impact just next to her hip.

Then sheblinked down at an envelope on the floor beside her, filled with what wasobviously cash.

Gasping, sheturned to stare at Ander. “Wha—”

Ander, his faceunreadable, reached down into a drawer in the desk, one he always kept locked.He pulled out another envelope and sent it sailing over toward Lori.

A fewhundred-dollar bills slipped out of this one as it flew, fluttering down onto Lori’slegs as the envelope landed near the first.

“Ander?” shegasped.

He threwanother envelope at her. Then another. Then another. Some landed still fullwhile others fell open. Envelope after envelope plopped down around her. Untilthe floor was littered and she was showered with stray bills.

Lori sat likean idiot, dazed and bewildered and delighted in the middle of a small fortunein cash.

Finally, Anderaimed the final envelope. When it landed, bursting open and spilling out money,he arched his eyebrows at Lori with obvious significance.

“But,” Loricroaked, her eyes blurring and her heart exploding with feeling. “But...howmany?”

“All of them.From the very beginning.”

“But...You didn’t...” Her hands were shaking and she couldn’t catch her breath.

“I didn’t fallin love with you that first time, no. But something about the money made meuncomfortable. So I didn’t spend it. Just stuck it in the drawer. And then Istuck the others there too. I can’t tell you how much I hated them. Sometimes Iwould sit and glare at them. When you decided to date Rothe, I came so close toburning the envelopes in my fireplace. But you emailed me for a new engagementjust in time. And I started to hope. I never wanted this money, Lori. The sexwas never about the money. Not with you.”

“Oh.”

Ander had beenspeaking with admirable composure, but now his mouth twisted in discomfort. “Ibare my heart and all you say is ‘oh’?”

Lori swallowedhard. “I’m glad.”

His mouthtwitched.

And, for themoment, everything was all right.

She stretchedout her arms to him. “Can you please kiss me now?”

With a gutturalexclamation, Ander moved quickly over to the floor beside her. He gathered herin his arms, and their lips found each other’s with passion, tenderness, andneed.

At first, thekiss was more about an overflow of feeling than anything else. But eventuallyit became deeper, Ander stroking his tongue into her mouth and Lori rubbing herbreasts against his chest eagerly.

And before sheknew it she was lying on her back on the floor, the hardwood thankfullysoftened by the Asian rug and scattered envelopes and piles of cash all aroundher.

Ander was ontop of her, pushing against her groin with the bulge of his growing erection.His mouth played along her neck while his hands fondled her body with shamelessentitlement.

Lori moaned asan arousal built inside her, quicker than she would have expected after herflood of emotions earlier. But it had been two weeks since she’d made love to Anderand her body craved his touch.

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