The Contract Read Online Free PDF Page B

“Understated sexy.  And don’t make me sorry I let you have this latitude.”
    “Hon, I’ll show you the dress before we buy it, and you’ve already seen the body, so we’ve got it all covered.”
    So I did my shopping magic.
    I found what I wanted but the hem needed tweeking, so I was going to pick it up tomorrow.  It was deep blue in a one-shoulder design that clung to my body without seeming to do so.  Cray was so quiet about it I wasn’t at all sure he liked it.  It hadn’t been the most expensive dress, but I was worried he’d take it out of the little allowance he was giving me.
    We walked back pretty much in silence, and once we reached the apartment I demanded, “Well?  Did you like it or not?”  I snapped my fingers.  “Ack!  I used the w-word again.  This is complete verbal hell; I hope you appreciate that.  The dress, Cray.  What did you think?”
    He looked a little moody.  “It’s appropriate.”
    “And uh—I let out a frustrated screech at my accidental use of the banned word ‘uh’—“I mean and am I going to be paying for it?”
    “That’s five slip-ups on the language.  I’ll have to think what to do about that.  And no, you aren’t going to be paying for it.  Is that why you actually looked at the price tag?”
    I ran my fingers through my hair, detangling it a little.  “No, it’s just…”  The answer came to me and I felt suddenly stupid.  “Nothing.”
    Cray came forward, his eyes alight.  “Here we have something that the overwhelmingly verbose Alyssa doesn’t want to talk about?  Tell me, Alyssa.”
    I’d backed away from him until I reached the bedroom wall.  “It’s nothing.  Hell, a gal gets a few secrets, doesn’t she?”
    He leaned against me and brushed my lips with his.  “Tell me.”
    I shook my head and he deepened the kiss, making my entire body feel as if it was turning into a liquid.  He kissed me until I was ready to drag him into the bedroom when he just…stopped.  “I suppose if you won’t tell me you won’t tell me.”  He backed away from me showing no signs that he was affected by the kiss.  “I’m going to show you the gym today.  You were up late, though, and might want to rest first.”
    I just stared at him like a landed trout.  He was just fucking with me, like he’d fucked with me ever since I’d come here.  Cray’s fucking plaything.  Before I realized it, tears were streaking down my cheeks.  What was it with this guy that I teared up more than I ever had in my entire life?
    Cray came back over and looked at me.  “Tears or other emotional storms will never sway what I have decided to do.  Do you understand that?”
    I pushed him away from me.  “I understand it, but maybe you could open up your frozen mind to consider that the tears were not wanted by me but were a result of becoming an uncaring man’s plaything.”
    Cray was quiet, studying me intensely.
    “Fuck—you want to know?  Because it never mattered to anyone before how much the dress cost.  You’re the first person who ever actually looked at the price tag, so I figured I’d better too.”  I glared at him, truly angry.  “Now I’m going to take that rest you suggested.”  I went into the bedroom and slammed the door.
    He immediately followed me in.  “Explain that.”
    I turned and gave him a diamond hard stare.  “And if I do?  What’s my reward?  Can’t give away anything for nothing.  You taught me that.”
    “Alyssa, I’ve already paid for it all.  Now tell me what you meant.”
    “Go to hell.”
    “That’s new and original, Alyssa.  Have you already used up all the good come-backs?”
    I closed my eyes for a minute.  “It never mattered what I bought or what I did.  Okay?  One of those painfully clear life moments that you’ll undoubtedly use to hurt me.”  I heard him move about and when I opened my eyes, the bedroom door was closing.  I lay on the bed and tried to pretend everything was