Billion Dollar Mistake by K.C. Crowne
Chapter 24
SAWYER
Iwas blindsided. What was going on? How the hell did we go from making passionate love, from having the best sex I’d had in God only knew how long, to getting shut down while I was still in bed naked with her?
“What?” I asked. “Why?”
“Because this,” she swept her hand up and down our bodies, “this wasn’t part of the deal.”
“Does it have to be part of the deal?” I asked. “I mean, are we not allowed to do something unless it’s explicitly outlined in the contract?”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“Then explain what you mean.”
She sat up, pulling the covers over her body as she did. Jolene stared forward, a blank expression on her face as if she had no idea where to begin.
“We’re two weeks into this thing and we’re already sleeping together. If we’re going to make it work, we need to set aside anything like this.”
I sat up, taking position next to her but not bothering to cover my body with the sheets. I glanced down at my hand. The glue had long since hardened, and I rubbed it gently with the thumb of my other hand.
“Because this is unprofessional,” she said, her voice cold and flat. “We had an arrangement, remember? That’s what this is all about. We’re not doing this for sex, we’re not even doing it so the two of us have some friend to hang out with. We’re doing this so you can take over your father’s company, and so I can clear my debts.”
“And that’s all this is to you?”
“Why would it be anything else?”
I let out a snort of a laugh, as if the answer couldn’t have been more obvious.
“Because we have a connection!” I said in frustration. “Because we have fun together; because the sex between us is amazing.” I was confused, not sure what else to say. How the hell had she gone from the throes of passion to treating me like a clerk at a bank?
“Truth be told, knowing I’m getting paid for this makes me feel a little like a prostitute.”
“That’s what this is about? You’re worried about feeling like a whore? Jo, I ‒”
“Jolene.” She said her name with a sharp edge.
“Jolene. I didn’t make a move because I felt like I was entitled to sex because I’m paying you or something. I made a move because I couldn’t help but make a move. I can’t resist you; I can’t take my eyes off you. I can’t…”
I trailed off, seeing that my words weren’t having any effect on her. She was cold and calm, as if I were speaking and she were putting together a to-do list for tomorrow.
I sighed. I didn’t know what else to do. I was beginning to feel like a fool for doing what I’d done with her, for saying what I’d said. It was strange – I was so used to being the one who was in her spot, telling the woman who’d fallen for me that, hey, it was fun, but it was over.
Now the shoe was on the other foot and it fucking sucked.
“Well, speaking of money,” I said. “I guess I can start paying you for the time you’ve already put in. You probably weren’t wanting it all at once at the end.”
“That’d be nice,” she said, finally turning to me. “
“I’ll do it tonight.”
She nodded, then rolled over and began collecting her clothes. I’d just seen her naked a few minutes ago, been inside of her, but for some reason I found myself turning my head as she dressed, as if it would be impolite for me to look.
“I’ll, uh, get the blood cleaned up,” I said. “And thanks again for helping me out with that.”
She nodded; her lips pursed. “Of course. And, speaking as a doctor here, you need to get on top of that. I’m not always going to be here to help you.”
With that, she finished dressing and headed out of the room.
I was alone, still trying to figure out what to make of it all.
I needed to get out, to let her have some peace and quiet to reflect on whatever was going through her mind.
I hurried out of the room and into the kitchen. Jolene was already there, wiping the blood from the countertop.
“You don’t need to do that,” I said. “It’s my mess; I can take care of it.”
She shook her head. “You need to rest and recover. Keep an eye on your hand and make sure the glue doesn’t open back up. And when you get the chance, talk to Zander and make sure he’s got your prescription ready to go in the morning.”
There was care behind her words, but also the same cold professionalism that she’d been expressing since after we’d finished making love.
She stopped what she was doing and turned to me.
Jolene must’ve sensed that I was unsure of what to do with myself. Flabbergasted, I opened a bottle of wine, poured a third of a glass, and went out onto the balcony. The night was chilly, but otherwise nice. I sipped my wine and gazed out onto the city, letting my mind unspool.
Fifteen or so minutes after I stepped out on the balcony, I spotted something out of the corner of my eye – movement in the apartment. I turned just in time to watch as Jolene ran out of the kitchen, a panicked expression on her face.
Something was wrong.
I set down my glass and hurried into the apartment, a door shutting somewhere upstairs as soon as I stepped inside.
I approached the door and listened, hearing something that sounded like vomiting. The longer I listened, the more certain I was that was indeed what I was hearing.
“You OK in there?”
Silence. Then, “fine!”
She sure didn’t sound fine, but I wasn’t about to pry into her personal business if she’d already made it clear that she’d wanted some distance. Not sure what else to do, I went back to the kitchen and finished the last bit of cleaning up, followed by mopping the hall where I’d spilled blood. I heard movement from upstairs, letting me know that whatever had happened, Jolene was feeling better.
What else could I do?
When I’d cleaned up everything but the mess in my bathroom, I went into the bedroom and laid down on my back. My eyelids soon grew heavy, Jolene’s face the last thing on my mind before sleep overtook me.
