‘Oh yes.’
‘Such a shame. I want you at one of our orgies. Both of you. Couldn’t you be persuaded?’
‘Oh, I don’t think so.’
‘At least ask him. Ask Dimitri for us. We’ll plan it around when you’re both free. It doesn’t have to be at the dead of night. Just come and watch if you don’t feel comfortable with joining in.’
‘My friend’s coming back now.’ I flap my hands at them, shooing them off.
‘Ask him,’ O says again before heading back to the bar.
‘So you do know them.’ Anton’s tone is accusatory.
‘Oh, just leave it. Just forget it, OK? I’m going back to work.’
* * *
‘Dimitri,’ I say, nervous, blowing on the foam of my cappuccino.
‘Yes?’
‘This secret life thing. I’m not sure it’s for me. People keep asking me what I’m doing on Saturday afternoon. I’m in danger of losing friends.’
‘Why? What you tell them? You are having kinky sex with a bad Russian man?’
‘No.’ I burst out laughing despite myself, disturbing the froth so it blows over onto the table.
‘Well, is easy enough. You say you are with a boyfriend. What is wrong with that?’
‘I’m not comfortable with lying.’
I look him up and down, his tall lean figure arranged in a relaxed posture, legs out in front, one elbow crooked with a hand behind his head. My mouth waters.
‘What is the lie? I am not your boyfriend?’ He sounds put out. My heart zings.
‘Are you? Are you my boyfriend?’
‘I think so. You don’t?’
‘Yes, yes, I do. I want to. I didn’t know.’
‘You have sex with me, I don’t pay you, you like it. This to me is girlfriend.’
‘That’s good. I just wondered if you saw it as some kind of business arrangement or something.’
He stretches the crooked arm, rests it behind my neck, hand on my shoulder. His fingertips ruffle my hair at the side of my head.
‘If all business arrangements was like this, the world is a better place,’ he opines, grinning. Then he puts his head to one side, his eyes suddenly cast down and serious. ‘I’m sorry I only see you once a week. You understand I am so busy working in this kitchen. And then I must look for acting job. And then I must see my housemates who are my cousins. Soon we will make more time, I promise.’
I almost burst with love for him. I reach out and stroke his cheek. ‘I’d like that. I really would.’
He takes my hand and kisses the fingers. All meaning detaches
from time and space.
‘Oh,’ he says, ‘I forget. I promise O we will go watch her friends have sex after we finish in boudoir.’
‘What?’