Page 10 of Nothing to Deny

No man in the past had aroused her enough to be brazen. Turned out all she needed was a man on the clock.

The pendulum of emotion had gotten a workout that afternoon. This wasn’t going to get any less extreme the deeper she waded in.

FIVE

THE CAR WAS supposed to arrive at ten o’clock. Every other car Squires sent that week had been on time. She didn’t wait around for the call from her doorman that night. Instead she went down in the elevator a minute before.

This was the third of her five dates; time was running short. Choosing to be picked up late meant they could drink fast and duck out quickly. Might be a nightmare to be stuck entertaining one man for too long. What if he was a sleazy creep? No, she needed an exit strategy, just in case.

Just as Narmer, her doorman, opened the grand glass door, a limo pulled up to the curb.

“Been a busy week, Miss Dere,” Narmer said. “Third night in a row. Whoever he is, he’s eager.”

A positive of the same black limo showing up every day was no one knew who was inside. So, like Narmer, they assumed it belonged to one person. Good, the last thing she needed was her grandfather to learn she’d been slutting it up. Not that she had but, you know, people talked.

The Squires driver would only declare which tenant they were there to pick up. As far as Narmer was concerned, she was just dating a new man. That wasn’t inaccurate, nor was it entirely true.

“And why shouldn’t he be, Narmer?” she asked, sharing a smile with the man which became a laugh on his lips.

“No reason at all, Miss Dere… We would like to meet this eager gentleman though, Angel.”

Leaning closer, she straightened the pearls over her cleavage, keeping her eyes on his. “Simply saving you the trouble of lying to Truman.”

“God bless you, Angel.”

“How’s Justine doing?”

“Just fine,” he said, taking her hand when she offered it. “Thanks to you.”

“Not to me at all,” she said. “That kid’s made of steel… Can I come by?”

“Any time,” he said. “Any time at all.”

They shared another smile. “Let me know when you’re off next week and I’ll come cook for you.”

Shaking his head, he laughed again. “You are heaven-sent,” he said. “Whoever this guy is, he doesn’t deserve you.”

Taking a backward step, she curtseyed. “I will be sure to tell him that.”

“Do, Angel. You deserve to be worshiped.”

Compliments always made her a little uncomfortable, but she smiled through it. “You are too kind, sir… Don’t wait up.”

She didn’t expect to be out late, but if she truly was seeing a man with this regularity, the relationship would be progressing.

The driver got out the front and met her at the back just as she got there.

“Good evening, Kessler.”

Since the first night, when she’d asked his name, he got a weird sort of smirk on his face whenever she addressed him.

“Good evening, Miss Dere.”

He opened the rear door and she stepped forward without getting inside. From the other side of the door, she laid her focus on him.

“Can I ask you something, Kessler?” With a single nod, he granted her permission. “Do you drink scotch?”

“Do I…? Yes, ma’am… though not when I’m driving.”

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