“Your place. I take it you live nearby?”
I hadn’t expected it to be that easy. I thought she’d take a little more time, require a little more attention. But I wasn’t about to argue. “But you’re just in SoHo.”
She raised her eyebrows. “But you don’t have an invitation to mine.”
Most women preferred to go back to their place. If they lived out of the city, I took them to a hotel. Usually the Regent, which was two blocks from my apartment, so I didn’t have far to go when we were done.
“You changed your mind?” she asked, lightly, like it wouldn’t bother her at all.
“Sorry, I was thinking.”
“About where you live? Did you forget?”
I chuckled. This girl might have banter. I didn’t encounter that much in the women of New York. I took out my wallet and flipped it open. “You think you’re funny?” I asked as I pulled out a fistful of twenty dollar bills.
“Sometimes,” she said with a laugh.
“Well, I’m going to fuck the funny right out of you.”
Without checking her reaction, I slid the money onto the table and led her out of the bar.
Stepping out into the crisp Manhattan air, I took a deep breath as I placed my hand in the small of Scarlett’s back, guiding her toward my building. So what if I took her home? She didn’t seem like the stalker type and it meant I could just roll over and go to sleep without having to scramble for my boxers afterward.
“It’s not far,” I said. “Just on the next block.” She hadn’t looked at me or said a word since we’d left the bar. She’d shoved her hands in her pockets and studied the sidewalk.
“Would you prefer to get a cab?” I asked. I never normally tried to fill silences, but it seemed like Scarlett was a little nervous. She didn’t need to be, but I was pretty certain that reassuring her I wouldn’t cut her into tiny pieces wasn’t going to help the situation. She’d soon relax under my tongue.
“No, I like to walk. It’s my thing. Except normally in flats.”
“Yes, those don’t look like they’re made for walking.” I glanced down at the red, fuck-me shoes she was wearing.
She laughed. “They don’t feel like they are either.” But she took off ahead of me as the sign flashed walk and she began to cross the road. I caught up in two long strides.
“That’s disappointing. I’d hoped you wouldn’t want to kick those off as soon as we got inside.” I smoothed my hand up her back.
She glanced sideways at me and just nodded. I was hoping for a little more . . . encouragement. I dipped my head to whisper into her ear. “I’ll see if you can be convinced.”
She took a breath as if she were about to speak but didn’t say anything.
“We’re here,” I said, grateful my apartment was so close.
She pulled out her mobile. “Okay. Stand there,” she said, pushing on my shoulder so I stood with my back against the wall to my building. I thought maybe she was going to kiss me but her touch wasn’t one of desire.
Before I had a chance to ask her what she was doing, she’d taken my picture. “What’s your apartment number?” she asked.
“It’s the penthouse. Why?”
She glanced up from her phone and narrowed her eyes as if she were assessing whether I was telling the truth or not. “I’m sending it to Violet.”
“Violet?”
She nodded as she tapped on her mobile. “My sister. You met her earlier.”
“Well, had I known you were sending it to a family member, I would have worked harder on my pose,” I said.
She laughed. “Oh you would? Well, knock yourself out,” she said, holding up the phone again.
I scrunched up my face and poked out my tongue.
“I thought you were going to go all Zoolander on me,” she said, laughing. “I might have changed my mind about coming up to your apartment now, if you’ve given me a glimpse into what you look like in the morning.”
I shook my head and slung my arm around her shoulders. “Well I better get you inside quickly, then.”
Scarlett continued to concentrate on her phone as we rode the elevator up. “There. She got the message.”
“We’re talking about Violet?” I asked.
“Yep. So we’re all good. If I die tonight, this is the first place they’ll look for you.”
I chuckled as I glanced at her. She was clearly practical.
“I’m just a little nervous.” Her voice was muted. “This isn’t really my thing. Not sex. Sex is my thing. Totally. Love it. Just. You know. With you. I’m not sure how this goes.” She winced and took a breath. “I’m going to put myself on mute now. I’m ridiculous.”
“Okay,” I replied, not quite sure how to react. New York was full of uber-sophisticated women. Scarlett looked like one of them but she was fresh and unsullied somehow. She just said exactly what she was thinking, without second guesses. I liked it. “You’re fine. Don’t mute on my account.”
She looked up at me and smiled and made a motion to zip or unzip her lips, I wasn’t sure.
“We’re going to enjoy our evening together,” I said, trying to be reassuring.
“I hope so.”
I knew so.
“After you,” I said as the elevator doors opened.
“The elevator opens right into your apartment?”
“Sure.” I shrugged off my coat and left it on the chair by the console table where my housekeeper had left my mail.
I shuffled through the envelopes as I made my way into the living space.
“Wow,” Scarlett said from behind me.
“Scarlett, I want you to take off your clothes,” I said, walking down the two marble steps toward the sofa as I began to open an envelope.
“Excuse me?”
I glanced up at her and held her gaze. “You heard me. You want this to be good. So you have to trust me to tell you what we both need.”
Her eyebrows pulled together but she didn’t ask again.
This was the moment I knew whether or not the sex would be good.
Would she do as she was told?
Would she mind undressing in the lit room?
Would she want to please me?
It felt like hours passed as we stared at each other. Eventually she reached behind her to unzip her dress.
Nice. I didn’t have to ask her twice.
She peeled the red fabric off her shoulders, pulling it forward to reveal a black lace bra. Her breasts weren’t huge but they were generous and suited her frame. Wiggling her hips one way and then the other, she slid the dress over her ass and it fell onto the floor.
“Keep the heels on.” Blood rushed to my cock as I said it. I’d enjoy fucking her in those things.
She didn’t smile, didn’t break eye contact. She just reached behind her and unsnapped the clasp of her bra.
I nodded in encouragement as she hooked her thumbs through the straps and took it off.
I looked away first. I couldn’t help it. The sharp points of her nipples were a perfect pink, and begging to be sucked.
But not yet.