Page 24 of Untether

But, after we finished our drinks and exchanged numbers and he’d presumably talked his boner down, he called for the cheque and walked me outside before flagging down a black cab.

‘Where do you live?’ I asked him, thinking I could drop him off if we were close by each other.

‘Knightsbridge,’ he said, stroking a warm palm down my bare arm. ‘But, uh, I’m heading back to work.’

And that was it.

That was the moment the penny belatedly dropped for me.

‘He put me in a cab and went back to Alchemy,’ I tell Simone, and her eyes widen in understanding.

‘Ah.’

‘Yeah. Ah.’ I press my lips together.

‘Were you okay with that?Areyou okay?’

I cock my head. ‘I don’t have any right not to be. I mean, we both know what this is. He owns a literal sex club. That’s why we’re hooking up—not because I met him somewhere and he asked me out. It’s a commercial partnership, right?’

Simone merely waits for me to answer my own rhetorical question. Around us, servers in immaculate white polo shirts and navy shorts tend to the glamorous guests and the sunlight puts on a blinding, fizzling dance on the surface of the turquoise water.

‘Anyway, I got off and he didn’t, so he was totally justified in going back and getting laid the way he needed to. I guess I should take it as a compliment that he was so turned on he needed to go fuck someone else.’

‘That’s fair,’ she says in a tone that suggests she’s holding back.

‘What.’

‘There’s a difference between an act being justified and it being upsetting. You’re correct in that he hasn’t done anything wrong. I mean, you’ll hopefully be getting the full benefit of this guy’s skills over the next couple of months. But you’re allowed to feel upset about it, too. This is a massive step for you, darling. You’re getting back out there in what will be a very public way. It’s fucking terrifying.’

‘I guess.’ I allow my gaze to drift once again to the dancing sunlight on the water as I attempt to articulate my thoughts, to sift and weigh the confusing tangle of emotions. ‘I don’t think I’m upset, exactly. Nor is my ego bruised—if anything, last night was absolutely the confidence boost I needed.

‘I think it’s more that it made me feel a little… grubby, maybe? I’d just had this very sexy moment with a hot guy, and it felt pretty intimate by my standards, so it was a stark reminder that I’m one of god knows how many women for him. It probably wasn’t even memorable for him.’

‘And you’re absolutely allowed to feel like that,’ Simone tells me. ‘Have you heard from him today?’

‘Yeah.’ I pick up my phone and unlock it, sliding it over to her. ‘I had a message from him as I was dropping the boys at school.’

How are you doing today? If last night was anything to go by, I’m going to enjoy our little project VERY much x

‘Well, that’s sweet of him,’ she says, handing my phone back to me. ‘He’s got good manners, at least.’

‘That, or aftercare is part of the service,’ I say. ‘But yeah, it was sweet.’

The knowledge that he’d slunk away from me last night and into the warm, eager pussy of some woman who wasn’t afraid of putting out had me typing out a reply that was an exercise in restraint.

Thank you for such a fun night. I’m doing good, thanks. Look forward to catching up soon. X

‘For what it’s worth,’ Simone says, picking up the lunchmenu and removing her oversized sunglasses, ‘I think it’s brave and fabulous what you’re doing. Last night was a major first step for you, and it sounds like it was a huge success. So when we do the kick-off interview next week, you’ll have to pretend to be all nervous and apprehensive about letting a big, bad man get anywhere near you. Got it, you dirty little slut?’

I laugh, momentarily comforted. ‘Got it.’

‘Excellent.’ She holds up her Pellegrino, menu still in her other hand. ‘Here’s to you getting schooled.’

15

AIDA

‘Okay, yeah, I’m ready.’

---