“This is,” I remark to no one in particular, “about the strangest conversation I’ve ever had when I’m about to come.”
He laughs at that, long and hard. People turn around and gape discreetly at their boss. Across the room, I spot Cyrus in a far corner, deep in conversation with Juliette. They look up as I notice them, and both of them frown in my direction, though I can’t bring myself to be bothered. So they disapprove of me. Big fucking deal.
When Daniel’s done with his mirth, he flashes me a devious smile. “As much as it would be enjoyable to watch you come right now,” he says, “I much rather keep you keyed up for later.”
“Asshole,” I say without heat. “Yes, I get along very well with my parents. My dad was a freelance photographer and my mother was a painter. They gave me wanderlust.”
“Is your quest for tenure a search for the stability you didn’t have growing up?”
That’s a very perceptive question, but I don’t know why I’m surprised. Daniel pays attention. I laugh uneasily, and his hand comes out and rests on my forearm. “I’ve made you uncomfortable,” he says, apology in his tone. “I didn’t mean to.”
“You know too much about me already,” I admit. “It’s intimidating.”
“It’s not meant to be.” He takes in the room around us, the glitz and the glamour, the expensive gowns and suits, all the trappings of wealth. “Look at this place,” he mutters, stepping closer to me. “There’s hundreds of people here. Yet I can let my guard down around only two of them.”
One of those people is obviously Sebastian. And the other? Is he really talking about me? “Why?” I whisper. There’s a tremble in my voice that I try to disguise. “Why me? I’m not gorgeous and thin. Look at the women here. Any of them would fit better in your world.”
“Why do women always think that gorgeous is the same thing as thin?” he asks exasperatedly. “I don’t see how an extra ten pounds makes you any less interesting or accomplished or fascinating.”
“Ten?” I snort. “Try thirty.”
He shakes his head. The pearls comes to life again and I shiver as lust hums through my body. “I’ve seen you naked,” he says softly. “You are beautiful and perfect. And if you put yourself down again, I will punish you and you won’t like it.”
The intensity increases and I whimper. I can barely stand, I’m so close to the edge. I’m afraid someone’s going to look at me and reach the obvious conclusion. My pussy is damp, my cunt lips slippery with desire. “Turn it off,” I beg. “I’m going to come.”
“Will you behave?”
“Okay,” I whimper. “No comments about how I need to lose weight.”
“And none about how you don’t fit in my world,” he prompts.
“Fine. Please, Daniel…”
The vibrations stop. “What were we talking about?” he asks smoothly, not missing a beat.
“Family,” I reply weakly. I’m struggling to focus my thoughts, which are drifting about my head like tendrils of fog on a cloudy night. “You were saying something about how you and Sebastian were controlled by family expectations.” His words come back to me. “Was it really going to be the biggest mistake of Sebastian’s career? You must be pretty relieved he walked away then.”
He lifts his shoulder in an elegant shrug. “I always trusted him to make the right decision.”
“You did?”
“Of course, Bailey. And I trust you the same way. You were uncomfortable the other day when we talked about expiration dates. Will you tell me why?”
Sebastian walks up to us at that moment. I’m grateful for the distraction. I still haven’t told them that I’m going away in September. No matter how much we’d like to pretend otherwise, that’ll be the end of us.
Then Daniel’s words register.
I trust you.
And I know what I have to do.
“I have something to say.” I take a deep breath and look up at both of them. “I’ve been avoiding telling both of you, but in September, I have a six month research project in Patagonia. That’s why I was so reluctant to talk about long-term stuff the other day.”