“What did you do?”
“I told her to deliver some papers and told her not to fuck it up.”
“That’s not that bad.”
“Well, I literally said it like that.”
“Oh…” He nodded slowly. “Well, it seems like you’ve made up for it.”
“I apologized.”
“Wow, that’s a first.”
“I apologize.”
“No, you don’t,” he said with a laugh.
“I do when I’m wrong. But I’m almost never wrong.”
He laughed again. “There we go…”
I finished my beer but didn’t order another. Booze was the only poison I allowed myself, but I couldn’t have too much of it.
“Why don’t you take one of your other girls? Taking them to a hospital named after you is definitely going to get you a blow job.”
“Because I don’t want to take them.”
“Well, Cleo isn’t going to give you a blow job.”
I shifted my gaze back to him and gave him a cold look. “Don’t talk about her like that—”
“Jesus Christ, I’m making a joke, Deacon. I don’t mean that literally. Seriously, how do you talk to people in the real world?”
I didn’t. “That’s why I like to bring Cleo. She helps me.”
“She does all the talking for you?”
I shrugged. “She directs the conversation, deflects questions I don’t want to answer. And she just…understands me. She speaks in unequivocal terms, so her meaning is clear. And when I say things, no matter how badly I put them, she seems to understand what I’m trying to say. It’s just easy with her. Everyone else is difficult.”
He nodded. “Yeah, she’s pretty cool. I like her a lot.”
I looked at my empty bottle.
“Well, send me a picture. I want to see how she looks in her dress.”
I shifted my gaze back to him.
“Oh, come on,” he said. “That’s pretty fucking tame.”
I sat on the couch in my suit, my tie like a noose around my neck. The watch I wore for special events was on my wrist, and my phone was in my pocket. I knew Cleo would be here right on the dot, so her knuckles would tap against my door any minute.
She knocked.
“It’s open.” I rose to my feet and buttoned the front of my jacket, feeling suffocated as if I was in a hazmat suit. I preferred jeans and t-shirts over layers of clothing, stiff trousers, and ties. My lab coat was more comfortable than this.
Cleo came inside, wearing a short black dress, black pumps, and carrying a glittery black clutch. Her dress had a single strap, revealing the bare skin of the other shoulder. Her long brown hair was in curls, reaching past her breasts toward her stomach.
She looked good in black.
The tight dress fit her hourglass frame perfectly. It would have been a simple dress on anyone else, but her curves made it look as stunning as any gown. I flattened my tie against my chest and approached her.
She smiled at me, her eyes blue like the sky on a clear day in spring. “Deacon, you look great.” She looked me up and down, making sure there wasn’t a single wrinkle or anything out of place. She looked at my tie next, and she seemed to approve of the knot because she didn’t fidget with me.
I slid my hands into my pockets and stared at her, wishing I could say something to return the compliment, but the words weren’t apparent to me.
“You ready to go?”
“Yes.”
“Great.” She turned to the door.
“That dress looks nice on you.” I blurted it out, as if it was my only opportunity to give her a compliment.
She turned back around, still wearing a smile. “Thank you, Deacon.”
We left my residence and took the elevator to the bottom floor.
Anna was there, speaking to the doorman.
I pulled out my phone and walked up to her. “Would you mind taking a picture of us?”
Cleo nearly did a double take at my request.
Anna took the phone, glanced at Cleo, and then nodded. “Uh, sure. Right here?”
I turned to Cleo. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” She stepped back so she could pose.
I came to her side and didn’t know what to do. Should I put my arm around her? Should I just stand there with my hands in my pockets?
Anna kept moving around with the phone held up. “Trying to find the best light.”
Cleo held her clutch at her waistline, her shoulders back and her posture perfect.
“Alright, this good.” Anna steadied the phone. “Say cheese.”
I moved my arm around her waist, my fingers cupping her rib cage just below her breasts. I could feel how tight her body was, how there was nothing but abs under her skin. She was more petite than I realized.
Cleo didn’t flinch. “Cheese.”
I never smiled, so I didn’t smile now.
“Got it.” Anna lowered the phone and stared at the screen. “Wow, that came out great.” She handed it to me.
I slipped it back into my pocket without checking it.