Page 35 of Wild (Chicago Underground 4)
“Find what you’re looking for?”
I whirled at the sound of Philip’s voice. His hands were slung into the pockets of his dress slacks, his shirtsleeves rolled up. I searched his face for signs of accusation but found only a sort of sheepish tension. His dark eyes were hooded.
Slipping the stones into my pocket, I perused the textbooks on the shelf. “Not yet. Got any recommendations?”
He strolled closer, his distracted gaze flicking over the titles. “I didn’t
think you were interested in architecture.”
I lowered my voice. “I’m interested in what you want me to be.”
Mild amusement lit his face. “Very pretty. Actually, your erstwhile profession is what I came to talk to you about.”
I glanced around the large room, with its wall-to-wall marble flooring and columned door frames. “Here? I think this may be the one room we never christened.”
“Talk wasn’t a euphemism. Come, sit.”
Oh, fine. We had an entire relationship built on empty sex, but now he wanted to talk. I perched on the cool leather recliner while he took the one opposite me.
He stared out the distant window, unseeing, then turned to me. “Last night, I was…hasty. I was stressed out and fell back into our routine, but I didn’t mean to have sex with you, and not that way.”
“I’m shocked. Are you apologizing to me?”
“No. I’m saying I should have taken the time to negotiate. Clear terms make sure everyone is on the same page.”
“Ah.”
“I’d like you to reconsider the situation with Ella.”
I made a noncommittal sound.
“It wouldn’t be as…sleazy as it may have seemed before.”
“Sleazy is not a word I associate with you. Perverted, deranged—”
“All right, your point is made.”
“I’m not selling her to you.”
“And I wasn’t planning on paying you. I find that sex by the hour holds less interest for me now that a certain woman is out of the game.”
“How flattering,” I said flatly.
He shrugged. “Money is a means to an end. You know that. You were perfectly happy with our arrangement at one time.”
“That’s true.”
“Fine, so I’m feeling a little guilty.”
I shook my head in affectionate exasperation. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to make a guy feel better about what I do, but I never expected to do it for you.”
“I had everything perfectly justified in my head.” He scowled. “Until she came here.”
“She has a way of disrupting the status quo,” I agreed.
“With you, it was different. You had been doing this already. You knew what you were getting into. It was a job for you, and you did it well.”
I inclined my head. “Thank you.”
