The Assistant Ch. 03

I really shouldn’t have. But I wasn’t aware of what I was doing. I couldn’t help myself; my face was in his delicious neck. I am indignant with myself for having been so aggressive. And the way I started touching and kissing him! My God! Does the word finesse mean anything to you, Karla? You practically raped the man for heaven’s sake! How could you be so desperate and weak? He will never look at you the same way again. He’s probably lost all respect for you. Serves you right for having done what you did.

I deserve the reproaches I’m inflicting on myself. I wish I could slap myself several times. I wish I could disappear. I wish I could ignore my loins, which are burning for him.

Matt is still looking at me persistently.

“Go home, Matt,” I say. “And again, I’m sorry.”

But he doesn’t move. He just keeps staring at me.

“Do you want me to hail a cab for you?” I ask.

He doesn’t answer.

“Say something!”

“Is it okay if I spend the night with you?”

He looks like a little boy—a spoiled, rich and famous little boy. I’m annoyed by his stubbornness. “Look,” I say, “I’m cold and tired and all I want to do right now is take a nice deep bath. I’m not going to ask you in. So give it up.”

“I want you, Karla, and I know that you want me. Now stop playing games and invite me in.”

Un-fucking-believable! He thinks I’m playing hard to get. I’m not playing games. I’m dead serious. But I’ll show him. I’ll show him that he can’t mess with me.

“I am not going to sleep with you, Matt.”

“Can’t I at least persuade you?”

“No. Don’t waste your time. It’ll never happen. Ever.”

He sighs. “Okay, I’ll leave,” he says, crestfallen. “Goodnight, Karla.”

“ ’Night.”

After a sullen gaze, he starts walking away. If he thinks that I’m falling into that old trick—pretending to leave so I’d change my mind—he is sadly mistaken.

Only he doesn’t seem to be wavering. He really is leaving. He’s even hailed a cab!

Well, well, well! He wasn’t interested in sleeping with me after all. I should have known it was all bullshit. I mean, shouldn’t he have tried some more—even if I had no intention of taking him up on his offer? Disappointed, I open the door and look back at him.

A taxicab stops in the curb. He’s about to step in it . . .

“Matt?”

He turns to me. “Yes?”

I suck in my breath before answering. “Get over here before I change my mind.”