Page 47 of Lust

Resisting the urge to pop a nipple in my mouth, I give her my most mysterious look. “I guess you’ll find out,” I say, and slip away along the back hedge toward my car, heart hammering in my chest.Time to finalize the plan.

Chapter 19

December 29th

Aaron

Myexcitingagendaforthe following day involved booking an entire ski slope for the morning, abducting Ruby from work again, and engaging in some very gymnastic antics on a ski lift. Instead, I find myself waiting with Linda and Delilah on the tarmac at the municipal airport at six in the morning, waiting to board a flight to Arrow’s ultra-secure compound in Ensenada.

“Are you going to introduce me to your new girlfriend?” My sister’s gray-blue eyes look anything but placid as she scrutinizes Delilah warily.

Delilah laughs.

“Linda, this is Delilah.” I gesture from one to the other. “Delilah, this is my sister Linda. She’s the one who wrote up your contract. She’s my accountant, slash public relations manager, slash overall right hand at Arrow, and I know you two are going to be the best of friends.”

Linda pulls the hood of her winter coat up over her steely gray ponytail and huffs out a breath.

“It’s great to meet you.” Delilah offers her hand.

“You don’t look like a software developer.” Linda shakes Delilah’s hand firmly. “No offense.”

“None taken.” Delilah shrugs. “I’m not.”

“Then why do you have her working with Eros?” This question is directed at me.

“Because I didn’t need a software developer. I needed a relationship builder.”

“So she is your girlfriend.” Linda rolls her eyes.

Delilah looks from me to my sister, then back to me. Apparently deciding not to get involved in the family squabble, she pulls out her phone and scrolls, a small smile playing across her lips.

“You should probably contact your morning appointment and tell them about the change of plans,” she says, not looking up.

“Oh, now you’ve got her doing your scheduling?” Linda steps closer to Delilah. Despite her aggressive tone, her face looks kind. Concerned, even. “Listen, honey. It’s not like him to hire one of his dates to work at Arrow, but you should know that it never lasts with my brother. So enjoy the plane rides and the fancy dinners and everything else while you can.”

“Geez, Lin.” I wrap a hand around her shoulder and tug her away from Delilah. “It’s a good thing she’s not my girlfriend, or I’d be demoting you to the mailroom.”

“We don’t have a mailroom.” My sister’s eyes narrow.

“Exactly.” I wrap my arm around her shoulders. “Just because Delilah’s pretty doesn’t mean I’m dating her. In fact, she’s got her plate full already.” I wink at Delilah. “But I promise you, she’s quickly becoming an integral part of the team.”

“Okay.” Linda shrugs. “I just wanted to make sure everything was kosher.” She stretches her hand out to Delilah. “I apologize for my assumption.”

“No worries.” Delilah grins. “I took it as a compliment.”

Reassured that these two important women will get along, I step away to break the news to the number one woman in my life that I have to go out of town for a couple of days. Kicking myself for not providing Ruby with a burner phone, I realize that the only way I can call her is to contact the store, since I refuse to leave any trace of our contacts on her cell phone.

The line at Henchley’s rings repeatedly, then disconnects.

“Fuck.” I kick the tarmac.

Linda glances over at me, then shakes her head.

The flight attendant opens the door to the plane and gestures for us to board.

I call Henchley’s again. Finally, after ten rings, a male voice answers. I recognize Manuel.

“Tell Ruby, I mean Carol, that I had to leave town for a couple of days. Tell her I’m sorry and that I’ll make it up to her.”

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