"Cut the slut!" Brain and Heart chant at the same time. Building faster and louder until I shake my head to cut them off.
Right at that moment, Aria slides up beside me and mimics Zooey's stance by wrapping herself around my arm.
"Hi, I'm Morgana's partner, Aria Dixon!" Aria leans into me and starts to nibble on my earlobe. Then I feel her tongue in my ear.
I snake out of her grasp and shake my head at her while wiping at my ear. "No! Aria what are you doing?"
She pulls me aside and whispers in my ear, "Trying to make Henrik jealous. Look at him! He is staring at us heartbroken. If he can have a partner, than you can have a partner."
Aria did this once at my parents’ holiday party. One of the neighbor guys was hitting on me and I really didn't like him, so Aria pretended to be my girlfriend. This is why my grandma thinks we’re a couple.
"It doesn't work like that Aria. I don't think he is jealous."
I turn back to face Henrik and Zooey, just as Aria drapes herself on me. Her head is on my shoulder as her hand snakes up my yellow tee shirt to cup my breasts. Then she takes it a little too far and brings both her hands up to squeeze the ladies. I swat her hands away. Aria turns to Henrik and says with a sly smile, “God, I love to snuggle up to Morgana’s boobs at night. Like two big, soft pill—“
I immediately cut her off. "Okay Aria, ha ha. Very funny. The joke is over now."
Looking over at Henrik, he appears shocked and aroused all at the same time, especially his penis, which is pointing directly at me. Glancing over at Zooey, she’s looking at Aria as if both of us now have the plague.
"I...uh...I didn't mean that type of partner. I meant business partner," a very shocked Zooey states as her eyes dart between us.
A tremendous sense of relief washes over me, as does mortification because of what just happened over the last five minutes. Zooey brings her wrist up and looks at it as if there is a watch there.
"Oh jeez, will you look at the time. It's late and I have to get back to the office. Thanks Henrik for a great lunch and we will talk more about your aerial ideas. It was...um...interesting meeting you both." Zooey starts to lean in to shake our hands but thinks better of it and just waves bye as she turns to leave.
"I think that was the most awkward end to a business meeting I have ever had." Henrik glances at me.
"Oh I don't know. I think the one where my boss came in and saw the empty condom wrapper on the table after you left was pretty awkward." I smirk at him as he winces.
"Now that my work here is done, it is time for me to leave. See you later Morgana." Aria pats me on the back and turns in the direction of the lake while walking away.
"So, does she really snuggle up to your breasts at night, or was it just a joke?" Henrik is staring at my chest as he asks me.
"Really? That's what you have to say to me after disappearing from my life for three weeks after dropping a bomb on me in a bathroom?" I cross my arms and realize this is actually accentuating my breasts so I decide to lower them to my sides.
"I know but there is a reason, I swear. Let's go to my place and I can explain it there. There are some things I have at my condo that might help you understand."
I nod my head and follow him. We walk about a block and I become confused when he leads me into a beautiful old brownstone building.
Chapter 6
Morgana's Problem: Letting Go
"Henrik, what is this place?" I ask as he pushes the elevator button to the building we just entered.
The lobby is beautiful with a 1920's hotel feel to it and a touch of industrial with black metalwork. Even the elevator is one of those old timey wrought iron elevator doors that have a spiral staircase curling around it.
"My condo building."
The elevator arrives and he pushes open the gate so we can step inside the small lift. Closing the gate, he pushes the six button and we head up.
"Oh, do you mean you own the building?"
That must be it. After the Mimir brothers fired him, he probably invested in some property to help supplement his income. He shakes his head. “No, I don’t own this building, I have an apartment here.”
We arrive on his floor, and step out into a narrow hallway with wrought iron fixtures, block glass flooring, and painted black wood banisters.