Page 11 of Extra Thick

“The answer is no.” I heave one of the paintings out. “Tell me where you want me to put these.”

Kristina looks disappointed, but nods. “Right this way.”

I unload the paintings as quickly as possible, with Sasha and Kristina directing me. By the time I’m finished, I’m sweaty and tired and ready to get the hell out of there.

“Let me at least buy you dinner,” says Kristina, her heels clicking in double-time as she scrambles to catch up with me. “It will give us a chance to talk about your show.”

My feet slow. “Is there an issue we need to resolve?”

“No. Not at all. I’d just love to sit down with you and—”

“I don’t mean to be rude, Kristina. But I have other things to take care of.”

“Oh. Right. No, of course.” She lifts a well-manicured eyebrow. “You’ll still be in the city for your show this weekend, though, yes?”

“That’d also be a no, unfortunately.”

The irritation is plain on Kristina’s face, and I don’t blame her. But after all these years, does she really expect me to make an appearance at one of my shows? Okay, so maybe I unfairly got her hopes up by showing up here in person, but still.

I clear my throat. Awkwardly extend a hand. “I appreciate all you’ve done over the years, Kristina.”

The gesture softens her expression a little, but still, she sighs in defeat. “Of course, Alden. Your work deserves the very best.”

When I step outside, I find Sasha leaning into the van, tidying up the back. My cock flexes at the sight of her full, round ass pushed out like that, and I force my gaze away for propriety's sake.

“You need to stick around here for anything else?” I ask.

She peers out from behind the van’s open back door. “Nope. I’m all yours, Alden.”

The smile on her face is so goddamn innocent that I wish I could rewind time so I could take her virginity again.

“Good,” I say. “Come on. I’m parked one block up.”

After we climb into my truck, Sasha immediately starts giving me directions to her place. She points out various spots along the way—her favorite coffee shop, the place where she gets her hair cut, some flower shop she likes. The way she gushes about it all, it almost makes me want to go into all those damn places myself.

Almost.

“My apartment building is right there,” she says, pointing to an old brick building. Fortunately, the streets around here aren’t as crowded. I pull my truck into an open spot, grab my suitcase from the back seat, and follow Sasha. As we’re walking into the battered entry hall, she gives me an amused look.

“You planning on staying for a while?” she teases.

“Nope.”

She starts up a narrow staircase. “What’s with the suitcase then?”

I trod up the stairs behind her. “Jesus. There’s cigarette butts all over the place.”

“Yeah. There are smokers in the building. Alden, what’s with the suitcase?”

She’s standing on the landing now, facing me, blocking my way. I ignore her question. “How many floors up are you?”

She rolls her eyes, turns around, and starts walking again.

“Four,” she calls over her shoulder.

With Sasha a few steps ahead of me, her wide hips are in perfect alignment with my line of sight. It gets me breathless, that intoxicating view of perfection right there in front of me like that. I may have come in her multiple times this morning, but that may as well have been months ago. All I want to do is fill up that sweet cunt of hers again.

But I’ve got another job to do first. It’s the whole reason I came down here.

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