wound it up. How long would it play? She became even more confused when she remembered closing the lid. Had memories of that night distracted her that much? She looked over at the box and found that the lid was in fact closed. She sat down and opened it. Nothing changed. She closed it again, and the music kept playing. She turned it over and saw that the crank on the bottom was not turning. Was it only for show? How did the box work? She opened it again and watched the little cylinder turning under the glass. She closed the box and set it down. Had it been broken in transit? Was she going to be listening to that tune all day?
Her cell phone rang, and she looked at the Caller ID. It was a private number. She started to put the phone down, but she didn’t want to miss the chance to talk to Heath or Adam if it was one of them calling.
“Hello?”
“Hello, Rose,” a man said.
“And which one are you?”
“I’m Adam, the one with blond hair. Do you like your present?”
She thought about lying, but the gift was so lovely she knew he wouldn’t believe her. “Yes, it’s beautiful, but I can’t keep it. I’m flattered, but I’m not interested in whatever you two have in mind. Now that I’ve gotten out of a bad relationship, I don’t want to get into another one.” She paused. “No offense meant, of course, but I don’t want to waste the best years of my life on sex that will never lead anywhere.”
“Who says that is what we want?”
“Well, you aren’t exactly proposing marriage. And before you get me completely sidetracked, I want to make it clear that I didn’t promise either of you anything.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Then tell me what I promised you.”
“I asked you to run away with us if we gave you what you wanted. Your exact answer was ‘Of course I will. What girl wouldn’t?’”
She thought for a minute, and then she remembered the moment. Something deep inside her stirred as she recalled being fucked by the man on the other end of the line. “I would have said anything at that moment. I wanted you to make me come. And for the record, you were paid for your services. I owe you nothing for helping me get rid of my boyfriend.”
“You only gave your word so I would be quiet and finish fucking you?”
“Yes, and I have to say I don’t understand the two of you at all.” He sounded incredulous, which confused her. People made promises and declarations they didn’t mean during sex all the time. She was sure they said things they didn’t mean every single time they met with clients.
“We spent an entire night making love, and you can’t understand why we still want you?”
She wanted to scream. Why was he questioning her as if she was the one who wasn’t making any sense? “I don’t mean to be rude, but you two are sex workers. The sex was great, but that’s all it was. As I recall, sex wasn’t even what I wanted.”
“Yet you gave in the moment we touched you.”
“Look, Adam, I spent a year with a guy who wouldn’t fuck me. Vibrators can only do so much. I needed to be fucked, and since I had already paid so much money just to get the two of you here, I gave in. Now I wish I hadn’t.”
“Please don’t wish that, Rose.”
“You’re both gorgeous and sexy, but this is starting to give me the creeps.”
“You think we would hurt you?”
She considered this for several seconds. “I’m not afraid of that exactly. I’m suspicious though. I saw the way you two touched and looked at each other. You’re a couple. I mean in real life and not just work.”
“We are. We’re in love.”
She half-wished Adam was sitting beside her to she could shake him. “Then why do you want to see me again?”
“Didn’t you feel anything besides pleasure that night?”
“Feel anything? Emotionally?” Was he kidding? Did he think the three of them had made a love connection?
“Yes.”
“No, I didn’t. I was having sex with two guys I would never see again. I felt