Page 84 of I Am Sin

“Congratulations,” she says.

“For what?”

“You have just released your innermost sexual prowess, Diana. Sex for the sake of sex. Who needs emotion anyway? All that does is lead to heartbreak. Why do you think Bud and Tracy have the understanding they’ve got going on? You get all the fun physical parts of a relationship and none of the dull emotionality.”

I tug on my lip a minute, thinking about how to respond. I’ve never had my heart broken. I’ve never really cared enough about another human being that it was even an issue. I’ve dated. I’ve even been sort of serious on occasion. The relationships always ended, and it was usually a mutual decision. I was sad for a day or two, took the excuse to eat a pint of ice cream even though I knew I’d regret it, and then moved on without too much trouble.

Something tells me I wouldn’t be able to move on that easily from Dragon…

“You still there?”

“Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking. What you said about emotion.”

“Love stinks,” Teddy says.

“I’m not sure I would know,” I say.

She gasps. “You’ve never been in love? How have we never talked about this before?”

“Because we’re usually talking aboutyourexploits,” I tell her. “I’m a good girl, remember?”

“Correction,” she says with a chuckle. “Youwerea good girl. That train has officially left the station.”

She’s not wrong.

“Maybe. But I don’t think it will leave the station again. For either of us.”

“Hey, never say never, babe.” She laughs. “Anyway, I’ve got to run. But call me tomorrow, okay? I want to hear about your first day.”

“Absolutely. Will do.” I end the call.

I’ve already taken my shower, and my damp hair is hanging around my shoulders. I’m sitting around in my bra and undies, so I pull on a pair of leggings and a large sweatshirt.

The time has come to face the music. I breathe in deeply and open my door.

Not that I expect to see Dragon. He’s probably in his room. He was taking a shower when I sneaked out of his room following our tryst.

I pad out to the kitchen to get a drink of water, and I notice a few crumbs on the kitchen island counter.

He must’ve had a sandwich or something. Maybe that means he’s still here.

I should eat too, but I filled up on pizza last night. I’m not even that hungry yet.

“Dragon?” I say, not loudly.

No response, of course. If he’s in his room, he wouldn’t have heard me, and if he were anywhere else in the penthouse, I would’ve seen him.

I walk to his door and knock lightly.

And again, no response.

“Dragon?”

I turn his doorknob. It’s open, which means he’s probably not here.

I crack the door. “Dragon, are you home?”

No response, and the door to his bathroom is open and the light is off.

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