Empire of Lies - Whitney G. Page 0,26
three hours early?
I slowly moved into her parlor room once she hit the lights and walked into her bedroom. I stepped behind a bookshelf in her oversized library, quickly thinking about the layout of her condo.
She pressed play on her voicemail and immediately called Gillian once it ended, putting the call on speaker.
“Well, that was a quick call back,” Gillian said. “How the hell are you off work so early?”
Good fucking question…
“My boss sent me home since she’s about to um, how can I put this? Start a firing spree for everyone who’s left in the building today.”
“Lucky you.”
“I know.” Meredith moved into the kitchen, and I caught sight of her. “I’m sorry about the text message thing. I just got so excited. I swear this man eats pussy better than any man on the planet, Gillian. Like, I have never orgasmed so much in my life. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to let him go.”
“This sounds so very romantic. I should put this in my next book.”
“You should!” Meredith laughed as she grabbed one of the yogurt jars from the refrigerator.
For some strange reason, my chest hurt with each and every scoop she spooned into her mouth.
“So, outside of the sex, do you like him?” Gillian asked. “Like, do you feel like you’re getting to know him as a person?”
“Yes and no,” she said. “I feel like he knows a lot more about me than I know about him. I mean, it could be because I talk a lot more than he does, and he’s always asking me more questions, but…” She paused. “This is going to sound bat-shit crazy, but I think I liked him from the first night we met, and I think he felt the same.”
Okay, time to go. The fire escape route is next to the guest bathroom.
I pulled a cap off a pen and tossed it into the living room. Meredith immediately walked in that direction, and then she plopped onto the couch—giving me plenty of time to make my move.
“I’ve never felt so comfortable with any guy before.” She was still talking. “Like, just being around him feels right, you know?”
“Yeah, but be careful. You literally just met him a few weeks ago.”
“I know, but I can’t shake the feeling that he might be the one.”
I gently pushed the emergency exit door open, quickly snapped the strings that would’ve signaled an alarm.
“I need to tell you something, Gil,” she said. “I need to tell someone, since I can’t stop thinking about this.”
She walked over to the windows that overlooked Central Park, giving me the perfect moment to leave, but I couldn’t help but linger and listen.
“Promise not to think I’m crazy?” she asked.
“Of course.”
“I feel like I’m falling in love with him already. Like, I know it’s really soon, but we have a lot in common and I promise that it’s not just sex.”
“It’s definitely just sex.” Gillian laughed. “It’s been that long since you’ve had some, and you’ve never ever had ten-star cock before.”
“You think so?”
“I know so.” She was still laughing. “But hey, I’m willing to start looking at wedding dresses, if you want. At the rate this is going, I’m sure you’ll be gushing about a proposal soon.”
“I don’t think he’s the marrying type,” Meredith said. “Neither one of us is.”
“So, if he asked, you’d say no?”
“I’d say hell yes in a heartbeat.” She laughed and changed the subject, giving Gillian an entire play by play of the last time we fucked. Every kiss, every move, every goddamn position.
Holding back a laugh, I pushed the fire exit door open and stepped into the hallway. Then I walked down two flights.
I leaned against a wall and felt an uncomfortable, warm feeling in my chest. I wasn’t sure what the hell it was, and although it definitely had something to do with Meredith, I needed it to go away.
It’s not going away unless she does…
Several minutes later, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Meredith.
“Yes?” I answered.
“Hey, there.” The sound of running bathwater was in her background. “What are you doing right now?”
“I’m contemplating some things.”
“You sound really upset. Is something wrong?”
“Yes.” I paused. “I’m struggling to finish something that I’m normally very good at doing.”
“Maybe you should take a break from it for a while.”
“I’m nearing an extended deadline,” I said. “I was supposed to have this done quite a while ago.”
“Oh…Well, is there any way that I can help you?”
I said nothing.
“Michael?” she asked. “Michael, are you still there?”
“I’m