Water runs, a cabinet door opens, and a few minutes later, she re-emerges. She's naked and ruffled. I had planned for round two, but it has been a long day. She also looks ready to collapse.
With a hesitant glance at me, she starts gathering her clothes.
My heart sinks a little. The truth is, I did something horrible today. I didn't want to, but I still did it. If she leaves, I'm going to think about it.
I hate the silence.
And she's so damn adorable.
“Hey, Syd?”
She looks up, shirt in one hand.
I smile and tilt my head. “Wanna nap before you hit the road?”
She pauses, then shrugs and lays her shirt over the foot board. She comes around to the other side of the bed and crawls up next to me.
We exchange uncertain, but amused, looks. Then I grab one of the water bottles from the night stand and offer it to her.
She wraps her hand around it, but doesn't take it. I don't let go either. We just study each other's faces, grinning. I'm not sure why, but I don't care.
I lean in and kiss her before I realize what I'm doing. She buries her face in my neck. I think, for a moment, that she's ready for another go. But her head lays heavy on my shoulder. She takes a deep breath.
With a small shrug, I move her off from me and bring her face back to mine.
I kiss her lips, her nipples in turn, and then her forehead. “You're beautiful. Thank you. Now get some rest.”
She smiles, then cuddles down under the covers and turns away to sleep.
***
I wake in the morning to a buzzing noise punctuated with thumping.
Then there's silence.
To my right, Syd says in a hoarse voice, “Hello?”
I'm lying flat on my back, naked, with one leg stuck out from under the blankets. The ceiling fan is blowing a small breeze over me. I couldn't be more relaxed even if I'd shot up some of those benzos myself.
“Oh, God,” Syd says, in an entirely different tone than she had used last night.
I turn my head to look at her. She scrambles out from under the covers, ass naked, and begins hopping into her pants. Her phone is wedged between her head and shoulder.
“I'll be right there. I just—I, uh, I stayed over at a friend's house, but I'm heading out right now. Don't do anything. Just stay right there.” She drops the phone, zips up her pants, then grabs her shirt and pulls it over her head. “I'm sorry, Dimitri, it was great knowing you, but I got to go.”
She grabs her purse and phone and shoes, then runs, barefoot, out of the room. A moment later, the front door slams.
At least I don't have to get up to throw her out.
***
When I wake again, the afternoon sun is shining through my window. My bladder is screaming to get my lazy ass out of bed, or else.
With a groan, I pull to my feet and stagger to the bathroom. Might as well get on with the day. That usually includes a long hot shower, food at a random restaurant, and then either frivolous hours gaming online or more serious time at the private shooting range.
After eight years, I'm a little bored of both forms of first-person shooters. Bored enough I would get a job if I could. Being summoned in the middle of the afternoon might be difficult to explain to the office manager, though. Not sure PTO covers my situation.
On the other hand, I'm not exactly a puzzles and model planes type of guy. Sometimes I request tutors, usually in combat skills or language, but I haven't had any private instructions in over two years. Not entirely sure I ever want to again, either. Those one-on-one studies get pretty intense.
My days are squandered waiting for Karl to need me. That is my full time occupation. No weekends, no vacations, and no conflicting interests. I live in this world, but I'm not a part of it. Never have been, never will be. That's just how my life is. I don't spend much time contemplating it.
Except when I'm hungover in the shower.
After I'm certain I have caused a water crisis, I towel off and dress, thinking about Syd's deliciously tight body. Too bad I have a rule against keeping in touch. She would definitely be on speed dial.
I whistle a little tune as I unlock the safe bolted to the wall in my walk-in closet. Inside the safe are dozens of wallets, each labeled with the name of the setup.
I return Leo Hartz, since no one busted him during the last assignment. Alan O'Neill is going out to eat today. I cram the wallet into my pants pocket with my phone, pluck my keys off the nightstand, and head out.
The neighborhood is quiet, and that's how I like it to be. No one around here knows I work for Karl. No one around here knows me at all.
I unlock my Corolla and slide in as the house cleaners turn in. I pull down the sun visor and then remember I need to have someone pick up the Accord and swap out the license plate. Safety measure. That and maybe a new coat of paint. I like to keep things mixed up. Throws the proverbial dogs off the scent. I'm not worried about authorities, but if they do sniff me out, I will have to uproot. I'm kind of partial to this house, since my father raised me here and all.