the front door, she posed at the opening to the kitchen.
"Yes?" she said in her sultriest tone.
His eyebrows shot up. "Wow, what a greeting." A lascivious grin curved his lips as he gave her the once-over. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"I thought you might want to make another movie." He enjoyed pretending he was a porn star. She suspected he shared the videos they made with some old friends of his, which bothered her, but she rarely permitted herself to think about it. If she questioned him or complained, she'd only start an argument. And what did it really matter? He was doing it to show off. She supposed she could allow him that. At the end of each session, he had her point to the tattoos that branded her his.
Anyway, tonight she'd do whatever Colin wanted. She needed to keep 27
him happy, to soften his heart before telling him about Rover.
"Do I get to eat dessert first?" he asked.
She ran her hands over her breasts, then lifted them out of her bra.
"Before and after if you want."
"It must be my birthday." As eager as he sounded, he took time to put his briefcase in the office off the main entrance.
She went back to stirring the pasta sauce so it wouldn't scorch.
"Hungry?" she called.
"For you." She hadn't realized he was so close. Coming up from behind, he hefted her breasts with his palms. "You smell so--"
When he fell silent, Tiffany's stomach muscles tensed. Had she missed some detail? Forgotten and used that hairspray he'd told her he hated? What?
"You didn't shave?" he said.
"Sh-shave?" She'd been in too much of a hurry. "I did this morning.
You were in the shower with me, remember?"
"How many times have we gone over this? You have to do it morning and night."
"I usually do, but it takes so long. And I couldn't feel any regrowth.
None." She rubbed her arms and still didn't feel the stubble that must've set him off. How had he noticed when she couldn't? He was so much more sensitive to appearances, smells, tastes, every nuance.
"I wouldn't ask you to do it if it wasn't important."
"Of course not. I know that. I just...I was worried about getting dinner ready before you got home." She wouldn't have had time to run to the grocery store and cook if she'd shaved. He made her remove all her body hair.
"Don't give me excuses. Completely bald. We've talked about this."
"I am bald where it really counts." She tried to compensate by rubbing her hand over the zipper of his pants, but he stepped out of reach.
"You don't want me very badly if you didn't shave. Do you think I have any desire for a woman who feels like a porcupine?"
Did that mean he was going to make her sleep on the floor again?
"I--" She searched for a way to distract him. She was sure the news that Samantha Duncan was upstairs would make him happy, but she had to save that surprise for later. She'd need something good, something better than good, to make up for letting Rover escape. "I made your favorite dinner."
She offered him her prettiest pout. "You're glad about that, aren't you?"
"I would've been if you'd shaved." With that, he walked out of the kitchen and turned on the television.
28
Tiffany peeked out at him. "Can I--can I get you a glass of wine?"
"Sure," he said, but when she brought it to him, he grimaced. "Put your damn tits away. I'm not interested in touching you if you can't take care of yourself."
This was their first night alone, and she'd ruined it. Why did she always have to screw up? He tried to teach her what he expected, but she never seemed to learn. "I'm sorry. If--if you want, you can spank me later."
"And have you sulk for two days? No thanks."
"I won't sulk. I promise."
He held up his glass, swirled the wine and took a sip. "Okay. But only if you let me film it."
"Fine."
"And show it to the guys with you present when they come over tomorrow night."
Her eyes flew to his face. He'd never asked her to watch with them before. He'd hinted at it, let her know Tommy Tuttle from high school would
Nancy Isenberg, Andrew Burstein
Alex McCord, Simon van Kempen