Not-So-Secret

Chapter forty-three

It hardly mattered. He'd done his best to keep his distance from her and he'd never touched her since that day at the Forum Shops.

If only he hadn't kissed her, all of this would have been easier. He'd proved to her that her memories weren't faulty, that his touch electrified her in every possible way and then to have to see him everyday, without any kind of intimacy

He'd knocked twice, then let himself in. It was nearly noon and she'd had her time with Shaun for the day. Four hours stretched ahead of her like a blank page. Jones had told her to go buy something new to wear tonight, but she didn't want to go shopping. She hated shopping.

She left her bedroom and found James standing in the middle of the living room, staring at the new painting that Jones had installed. It was a not-so-subtle reinforcement of who she was and who Jones was. The lithograph depicted a slave girl being dragged behind a Mongol warrior on a huge horse. Jones had bragged about how many thousands of dollars the piece had cost, but that's not why he'd bought it.

She paused, looking at the man looking at the painting. He wore dark chinos and a retro-looking short sleeved shirt. The collar was open, the shirt not tucked in. His dark hair was slicked  back and the total picture was utterly striking. He was too good looking. A man like James should be a movie star or a crooner. At the very least a salesman. He shouldn't be here, with Jones. He didn't make sense with Jones.

He turned to her, raised his eyebrows in an unstated question. The microphones, of course. No words. Big Brother watched.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

He didn't move a muscle. Knowing James, he'd figured out where the cameras were and he wouldn't give himself away. Not over a painting. But she could tell he hated it. Hated what it meant. "We're going shopping, yes?"

She nodded. "I need to find something wonderful for tonight's party. Something that will dazzle him."

"Dazzling dresses. I know just the place."

She smiled as if her heart was in it. "I'm ready."

He led her to the door, locked up behind them.

Walked her down the hallway, keeping a respectable distance. Not a word, not a glance between them. Yet she felt him as if they were connected by something outside of gravity, outside of science. She practically felt his heartbeat in his chest.