Page 49 of Falling in Between
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We’ve aimlessly strolled around the city for the last half hour. Talking.Laughing.
A beat-up Honda sputters by, honking at a pedestrian. “Ah, fuck you!” the manshouts.
“You know, nowhere else sounds quite like New York,” Elijah says with a chuckle. He takes my hand in his and comes to a halt. “Close your eyes.Listen.”
Giggling a little, I do as he asked. I pay attention to the click-clack of heels over the pavement. The constant lull of conversation and traffic. Engines purr, horns beep. The intermittent rumble of the subway drifts through the ventilation grates on thesidewalk.
“What do you hear?” heasks.
“It sounds like a city tome.”
“They all have their own accent if you listen hardenough.”
I open my eyes. His fingers lace through mine as we carry on down the street. “You’re always thinking, aren’tyou?”
“I am. And right now, I’m thinking about how fond I’m growing of you, DemiWilliams.”
There’s that little twinge of guilt. I should just tell him my name is Charlie. Right now. He uses an alias in his fantasy crap, surely he’ll understand me using one with him. But then, for some ridiculous reason, I can’t bring myself to admit it. Maybe because as long as I’m Demi, this isn’t real. I have my secrets. He hashis.
A woman hurries down the pavement with her phone pressed to her ear. She happens to glance up, and I catch her eyes locking on Elijah. Her stride slows just a touch. “James?” she says, shooting him a sexysmile.
“Alexa.” He nods and keepswalking.
James.I wonder how many women know him as James, and how many of them have had their fantasies fulfilled byhim.
I recall the other night on the rooftop, the look in her eyes that said she’d give up everything for him. I can’t help but question what it was he did for her. Admittedly, I wonder if she still dreams about him. The heat of jealousy rears its ugly head. Elijah is the type of man women fantasize about—on every level. It wasn’t possible for someone to have him one time and not crave more. Playing with sex is dangerous territory; fulfilling fantasies maybe even more so. Elijah himself said he likes to be something the person never thought they’d have, and if that’s true, it would make it almost impossible to convince the heart he’s not something it really needs. It’s all too confusing. I turn my head, watching her hips swing seductively as she walks away. Curiosity gets the better ofme.
“You’ve fucked her, haven’t you?” I blurt, my brain to mouth filter evidently short-circuiting.
“That word sounds utterly filthy coming out of your mouth. I like it,” he says, and I’m tempted to roll my eyes. “And yes. I fucked her. At the request of herhusband.”
I clear my throat. “Why would her husbandwantyou to fuckher?”
“So he couldwatch.”
So he was fulfilling theman’sfantasy. That shouldn’t turn me on, but itdoes.
He leans close to my ear. “I bet plenty of men would love to watch me fuckyou.”
And now I’m wet. I open my mouth to speak, but the words fall silent when I notice a group of nuns standing at thecrosswalk.
“Are you thinking about how that would feel?” he says right when we stop behind them. “Fucking me in front of othermen?”
One of the nuns turns, giving us a sharp stare. I bet she’s praying rightnow.
“No!” I almosthiss.
A sly grin works over his face. “Then why are youblushing?”
WALK blinks in green on the pedestrian traffic sign. The nuns shuffle across. Elijah steps off the curb, but I tug on his hand, holding him back. “Because those nuns just heard you mention fucking me while other men watched!” I whisper-shout.
“You were blushing well beforethat.”
I stare at him, slack-jawed, as we cross the street. “Asshole.” I’m still glaring at him when we come to an abrupt stop in front of the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge. “Why are westopping?”
“Because we have to cross it”—he points past the river— “to get to myapartment.”
