while I was out earlier. After we put the munchkin to bed later—”
I pushed him away. “Molly! Where is she? Did James fix her?”
“No, James didn’t fix her. Yet. She’s napping in front of the TV set. Wore herself out with the Wii Fit. I was just waiting for you to come back so we can take her to my place for the night.”
I hesitated. “About that. Maybe I’d better stay with James tonight. I need to talk to him about … things.”
“That can wait. He won’t have time for any heart-to-hearts until he figures out what to do about Molly. Besides, from what you just told me, it sounds like he might have company of his own to consider.”
I pushed up a sleeve and let the number show through. “Yeah. That reminds me—don’t let me forget to give him this.”
Billy grinned. “Guy’s not taking any chances, huh?”
“Nope. He’s serious. Stunning, too. Totally drool-worthy.”
“Did you catch any of his energy? If you want to pass it along to me, I’ll see what I can do for you.” He was teasing. Maybe.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I couldn’t think of him like that, not now. Not that I would consider … even if he weren’t— Stop laughing! And why aren’t you jealous, anyway? Don’t you even care that I totally ogled him before I found out he was gay?”
“I probably would be jealous if I thought there was a snowball’s chance in hell of you throwing yourself at the guy. But you’re not that kind of person.”
“Huh. Maybe I should find out what I’ve been missing.”
He shrugged. “You’re human. It’s normal to find a little variety intriguing.” He paused, a thoughtful look on his face. “Listen, Ciel, I can give you all the variety you ever want.”
What? Was he offering what I thought he was offering?
Duh. This was Billy. “Is that why you want me ? Because I can change into your whim of the day without you having to bother with seduction? Huh. Efficient.” I should’ve been mad, and I was, but mostly I was insecure. I looked away from him, feeling stupid.
“Ciel, look at me. No, not at my shoulder. At me.” He lifted my chin and waited until I met his eyes before he continued. “I’ve had enough variety to know it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I want you. Only you. As you. You, on the other hand, haven’t been sampling. I’m not naïve enough to think you wouldn’t eventually wonder what else is available out there. I’m just saying there’s a safe way for you to experiment, if you ever want to.”
God, what an offer. “You are unbelievable, you know that? You think just because you’ve gorged at the great big hookup smorgasbord everybody must want to? Geez.”
He cocked his head, pondering. “I wouldn’t say ‘gorged.’ Supped until replete, maybe. But there’s definitely room for dessert,” he said, finishing with a wink.
I heard a noise from across the lab. Molly must have woken up and started back in on the games. “Maybe I better get a hotel room.”
* * *
Back at Billy’s (he having talked me out of staying at a hotel—okay, maybe not talked, exactly, but his tongue was involved, so close enough) I looked around surreptitiously for signs of a female presence. Near as I could tell, the only women’s paraphernalia around belonged to Billy, for use with his female auras, so whoever his guest had been had done a good job covering her tracks when clearing out.
Not that I cared.
The condo was a large, open space, heavy on the black and modern. The kitchen took up one corner, separated from the rest of the room by a gray granite-topped breakfast bar. A comfortably spacious bathroom and a huge walk-in closet fit into the area under his sleeping loft. The leather and steel décor wasn’t what I would’ve chosen, but it suited Billy.
I wasn’t sure how Billy was going to handle the sleeping arrangements, so I dumped my suitcase on the couch.
“I’m taking a bath,” I said as soon as I pulled out some clean clothes. I
I pushed him away. “Molly! Where is she? Did James fix her?”
“No, James didn’t fix her. Yet. She’s napping in front of the TV set. Wore herself out with the Wii Fit. I was just waiting for you to come back so we can take her to my place for the night.”
I hesitated. “About that. Maybe I’d better stay with James tonight. I need to talk to him about … things.”
“That can wait. He won’t have time for any heart-to-hearts until he figures out what to do about Molly. Besides, from what you just told me, it sounds like he might have company of his own to consider.”
I pushed up a sleeve and let the number show through. “Yeah. That reminds me—don’t let me forget to give him this.”
Billy grinned. “Guy’s not taking any chances, huh?”
“Nope. He’s serious. Stunning, too. Totally drool-worthy.”
“Did you catch any of his energy? If you want to pass it along to me, I’ll see what I can do for you.” He was teasing. Maybe.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I couldn’t think of him like that, not now. Not that I would consider … even if he weren’t— Stop laughing! And why aren’t you jealous, anyway? Don’t you even care that I totally ogled him before I found out he was gay?”
“I probably would be jealous if I thought there was a snowball’s chance in hell of you throwing yourself at the guy. But you’re not that kind of person.”
“Huh. Maybe I should find out what I’ve been missing.”
He shrugged. “You’re human. It’s normal to find a little variety intriguing.” He paused, a thoughtful look on his face. “Listen, Ciel, I can give you all the variety you ever want.”
What? Was he offering what I thought he was offering?
Duh. This was Billy. “Is that why you want me ? Because I can change into your whim of the day without you having to bother with seduction? Huh. Efficient.” I should’ve been mad, and I was, but mostly I was insecure. I looked away from him, feeling stupid.
“Ciel, look at me. No, not at my shoulder. At me.” He lifted my chin and waited until I met his eyes before he continued. “I’ve had enough variety to know it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I want you. Only you. As you. You, on the other hand, haven’t been sampling. I’m not naïve enough to think you wouldn’t eventually wonder what else is available out there. I’m just saying there’s a safe way for you to experiment, if you ever want to.”
God, what an offer. “You are unbelievable, you know that? You think just because you’ve gorged at the great big hookup smorgasbord everybody must want to? Geez.”
He cocked his head, pondering. “I wouldn’t say ‘gorged.’ Supped until replete, maybe. But there’s definitely room for dessert,” he said, finishing with a wink.
I heard a noise from across the lab. Molly must have woken up and started back in on the games. “Maybe I better get a hotel room.”
* * *
Back at Billy’s (he having talked me out of staying at a hotel—okay, maybe not talked, exactly, but his tongue was involved, so close enough) I looked around surreptitiously for signs of a female presence. Near as I could tell, the only women’s paraphernalia around belonged to Billy, for use with his female auras, so whoever his guest had been had done a good job covering her tracks when clearing out.
Not that I cared.
The condo was a large, open space, heavy on the black and modern. The kitchen took up one corner, separated from the rest of the room by a gray granite-topped breakfast bar. A comfortably spacious bathroom and a huge walk-in closet fit into the area under his sleeping loft. The leather and steel décor wasn’t what I would’ve chosen, but it suited Billy.
I wasn’t sure how Billy was going to handle the sleeping arrangements, so I dumped my suitcase on the couch.
“I’m taking a bath,” I said as soon as I pulled out some clean clothes. I
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