usenjoying each other sexually without having to get all possessive about it. I shook off my own doubts and negativity and took the keys he dangled in front of me.
I drove into the French Quarter while he slapped on what looked like some kind of security guard costume.
“Well, I guess I know what your role is going to be,” I said.
“Ha,” he said, adjusting the belt. “Even if I were the main fantasy man, I doubt she’d accept the Step. I look like a fucking dork.”
After I parked near Jackson Square, we walked over to a loud line of food trucks and each ordered a couple of creole-style rotis. We found seats in front of Stanley’s. I told myself we would be okay. We had just had an off night.
“The fantasy’s going to happen here? It’s pretty crowded,” I said, prompting him.
“That’s part of it. Being in public. Crowds,” he said, thoughtfully looking around and chomping his food.
He wasn’t giving me much. “Huh. I had one of those. A public sex fantasy.”
“How did it go?”
“It happened at Halo. At the bar. While the band was playing.”
“Oooh. Details please.”
I felt a surge of pride. I would have spilled the story then and there, but
shit-fuck
I spotted none other than Solange Faraday making her hurried way through the crowds towards the old military museum at the end of the square.
“Jesse,” I hissed, using my body to block Solange’s view of him. “We have to go.
Now
.”
I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him low, his face in front of mine.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s her.
Solange
.” I pointed over my shoulder. “She shouldn’t see you.”
He lowered his chin, shrinking lower. My back to her, I lifted Jesse to his feet and we sidestepped from St. Ann to Chartres, where we opened our gait and walked briskly to where the truck was parked on Royal.
“That was close,” he said, leaning against his door to catch his breath.
“Far too close.”
“So
that’s
her? That’s Solange? Well, well …” he said.
“You’ve never seen her on the news?”
He gave me a look that reminded me he wasn’t much for current events.
I had to admit my heart hurt at his enthusiasm. Even in just a coat and boots, she looked spectacular. Women like her were always more beautiful because of their lack of awareness of their looks. Add to that the knowledge that the man sitting next to me would have mind-blowing sex with her, if not tonight, then soon, and I felt woozy. What had I gotten myself into? If it was just sex with Jesse, why was I feeling so unsettled? And if that’s all that Jesse and I had, what was the big deal?
“Okay, baby. I gotta go. It’s showtime.”
“What’s the scenario?” I asked.
“You know the rules, Cass. There’s no fuck-and-tell in S.E.C.R.E.T.
If it’s not your fantasy, it’s none of your business
. At least the guys honor that. You could probably wait, if you want. I could meet you at Coop’s. This won’t take long.”
“Oh really? Poor Solange,” I said, with no small amount of snark. “I’ll just walk home. I’m not in the mood for waiting.”
“Hey,” he said, pressing me back against his truck. “You know what S.E.C.R.E.T. is, right?” He bracketed me with his arms. “You might have stuff coming up, too, that I don’t get to know about or have a say in.”
This was true—if I were actually training recruits. Right now I was just helping facilitate fantasies, but Jesse didn’t need to know that. Part of me wanted him to think my involvement was more sexual than it actually was.
I smiled, pulling myself together. “I can’t stay. I’ll call you later,” I said, handing him his keys.
He gave me one last probing look and walked away in an exaggerated Charlie Chan wobble because he knew I’d have my eyes on him until he rounded the corner and was out of sight.
If sharing him with S.E.C.R.E.T. was the price of dating him, I had to seriously consider whether I could afford to pay it.
SOLANGE
I followed the
I drove into the French Quarter while he slapped on what looked like some kind of security guard costume.
“Well, I guess I know what your role is going to be,” I said.
“Ha,” he said, adjusting the belt. “Even if I were the main fantasy man, I doubt she’d accept the Step. I look like a fucking dork.”
After I parked near Jackson Square, we walked over to a loud line of food trucks and each ordered a couple of creole-style rotis. We found seats in front of Stanley’s. I told myself we would be okay. We had just had an off night.
“The fantasy’s going to happen here? It’s pretty crowded,” I said, prompting him.
“That’s part of it. Being in public. Crowds,” he said, thoughtfully looking around and chomping his food.
He wasn’t giving me much. “Huh. I had one of those. A public sex fantasy.”
“How did it go?”
“It happened at Halo. At the bar. While the band was playing.”
“Oooh. Details please.”
I felt a surge of pride. I would have spilled the story then and there, but
shit-fuck
I spotted none other than Solange Faraday making her hurried way through the crowds towards the old military museum at the end of the square.
“Jesse,” I hissed, using my body to block Solange’s view of him. “We have to go.
Now
.”
I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him low, his face in front of mine.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s her.
Solange
.” I pointed over my shoulder. “She shouldn’t see you.”
He lowered his chin, shrinking lower. My back to her, I lifted Jesse to his feet and we sidestepped from St. Ann to Chartres, where we opened our gait and walked briskly to where the truck was parked on Royal.
“That was close,” he said, leaning against his door to catch his breath.
“Far too close.”
“So
that’s
her? That’s Solange? Well, well …” he said.
“You’ve never seen her on the news?”
He gave me a look that reminded me he wasn’t much for current events.
I had to admit my heart hurt at his enthusiasm. Even in just a coat and boots, she looked spectacular. Women like her were always more beautiful because of their lack of awareness of their looks. Add to that the knowledge that the man sitting next to me would have mind-blowing sex with her, if not tonight, then soon, and I felt woozy. What had I gotten myself into? If it was just sex with Jesse, why was I feeling so unsettled? And if that’s all that Jesse and I had, what was the big deal?
“Okay, baby. I gotta go. It’s showtime.”
“What’s the scenario?” I asked.
“You know the rules, Cass. There’s no fuck-and-tell in S.E.C.R.E.T.
If it’s not your fantasy, it’s none of your business
. At least the guys honor that. You could probably wait, if you want. I could meet you at Coop’s. This won’t take long.”
“Oh really? Poor Solange,” I said, with no small amount of snark. “I’ll just walk home. I’m not in the mood for waiting.”
“Hey,” he said, pressing me back against his truck. “You know what S.E.C.R.E.T. is, right?” He bracketed me with his arms. “You might have stuff coming up, too, that I don’t get to know about or have a say in.”
This was true—if I were actually training recruits. Right now I was just helping facilitate fantasies, but Jesse didn’t need to know that. Part of me wanted him to think my involvement was more sexual than it actually was.
I smiled, pulling myself together. “I can’t stay. I’ll call you later,” I said, handing him his keys.
He gave me one last probing look and walked away in an exaggerated Charlie Chan wobble because he knew I’d have my eyes on him until he rounded the corner and was out of sight.
If sharing him with S.E.C.R.E.T. was the price of dating him, I had to seriously consider whether I could afford to pay it.
SOLANGE
I followed the
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