Tell Me True (Call Me Cat Trilogy #3)(9)

"Okay, I'll give you an easy one to start off with. Someone who's looking for an intimate connection."

"Okay." I took a sip of water and curled my legs under me, wondering what it would be like to do this after so long with Ash.

A man came onto the line and I introduced myself then let him talk.

"We're outside by the fire, just you and me," he said. "I'm… I'm married."

Why bring that up? Was he regretting this call?

I asked him how he was doing, and he told me he wasn't doing too well. "Been with the same woman since high school. I stuck with her when she was sick and couldn't work. Stuck with her when we lost our house. When we couldn't have kids. I never gave up on her, even when I felt alone and empty. But now she's cheating on me with another man and maybe it looks like we'll get divorced."

I felt empathy for him, felt his pain and loss. "I'm sorry," I said, not knowing what to say that could make it better. "Sometimes the people who come into our lives aren't meant to be there forever."

"Yeah, I guess. But tonight, I don't want to talk about her or think about her. I want to pretend this isn't happening and just have fun and feel less alone. I want… "

He cleared his throat. "I want to be with you." He sounded sad. Lonely. Embarrassed by his need for another human connection. "Can you take off your clothes and tell me what you'd do with me?"

My hand trembled as I realized my answer. "I can't," I said, twisting my engagement ring. "I have to go."

"What? Why?"

"I have someone who stuck by me, and now I need to stick by him."

I hung up after making sure he got a refund for our call, and I went back upstairs to find Ash.

That night we made love. Sweet and slow and long and gentle. I melted in his arms as he filled me and held me and brought me to greater pleasures than I'd ever known.

The next day I'd called Donna back and quit The Pleasure Palace for good.

Ash tapped me on the shoulder, pulling me back to the present as we arrived at our restaurant and were escorted to the best table with a view of an outdoor garden and angel fountains reflecting colored water of blue and red and purple. Candles lit our table, casting a romantic glow as we ordered and sipped overpriced wine.

"So, Catelyn, where are you two going on your honeymoon?" Bridgette asked.

"We haven't decided on it yet," I said. "I'm vying for Paris."

"But I think somewhere more exotic would be fun," Ash said, smiling. "Paris is something we can do any time."

I laughed. "Only someone born and bred rich would think that. Paris sounds pretty exotic to me."

He kissed my hand. "I'll take you to France whenever you want, baby."

Bridgette made a gagging sound, but then Jon kissed her cheek, and she grinned. "I like the idea of a honeymoon in France," she said.

Jon shook his head and fixed his eyes on me. "Croatia would be my first choice. It's got mild winters and to-die-for springs and summers. The food, the culture, the beauty of the place is a definite must-see. I can imagine someday living there and growing old with the love of my life, bathing nude at the beaches, sailing on a nice afternoon and then having dinner by the sea."

Bridgette squeezed his arm. "You're such a romantic."

I shifted uncomfortably under the heat of Jon's gaze as he waxed romantic about his future travel plans, hoping Ash and Bridgette didn't notice.

"Speaking of growing old somewhere," Ash said, turning to me, "where would you like to live after we're married? We don't have to stay where we are. We can go anywhere you want."

I imagined Jon's scene, a place by the beach, sailing whenever we wanted, the turquoise waters. It all sounded so beautiful. I leaned in to my fiancé. "Anywhere you are is my paradise." I couldn't imagine leaving Massachusetts, but after everything we'd been through, maybe a change in scenery would do us good. It was something worth thinking about, at least, but I'd hate to leave Bridgette.

I excused myself to use the restroom, which smelled like flowers and had an attendant present to hand out delicate towels after patrons washed their hands. I almost didn't know what do with myself, but I managed and scurried out, feeling outclassed by all this class.

And ran straight into Jon, who backed away and smiled.

"You quit your job," he said.

"Ash told you?"

"He didn't have to. Look, I need to tell you something. Remember how I'm the reason Ash got your number in the first place?"

I did remember, barely. It seemed like so long ago, that first call Ash made to my alter ego, Cat. "I thought you'd just given him an extension you used to call."

"It was a little more than that."

My heart skipped, and I clutched my purse tighter. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know what one does with obscene amounts of money?"

"I'm starting to learn." I gestured to the fancy tables around us.

"One gets hobbies. The more obscene the money, the more extravagant the hobbies. Unfortunately, one of mine is… was… to support a certain business that deals in pleasures." He shuffled back and forth, a sad puppy look on his face.