Voyeur Extraordinaire(47)

“Don’t worry about it.”

I rose and winced from the soreness between my legs.

Amy noticed of course. “Maybe you should take some pain killers,” she suggested gently.

I shook my head. “No, I want to be reminded of my stupidity as long as possible, then I won't do something like that again.”

Amy's forehead creased in concern but she didn't argue with me.

She stood as well and gave me a smile. “And really you can keep my pajamas for as long as you want. Gives me a reason to go shopping.”

I shook my head with a little grin and picked Bruno up from the floor. Amy followed me toward the door.

“Thank you, Amy. For everything,” I whispered and hugged her briefly, eliciting a yelp of protest from Bruno who was squeezed between us.

Amy shook her head. “Any time.” Then she huffed. “Well, I hope you won’t meet anymore jerkfaces like that guy.” She pulled back. “But I mean it, Nora. You can come to me with anything.”

“I know,” I said, pushing down the door handle. “Please tell Jared thanks from me. The poor guy has been hiding in the bedroom all morning because of me. Don’t deny it.”

Amy smirked. “He’ll survive. He’s got his iPad and is probably playing Tetris.”

I laughed. “Save him from himself then,” I said, then walked out, waving her good-bye as I crossed the corridor toward my apartment.

When I unlocked the door, I thought I caught the scent of Adrian's aftershave. I shook my head in annoyance and pushed the door open. I set Bruno down, threw my red dress onto the ground and headed for the phone to call the bar. After the twentieth ring, Leon picked up. I flushed, when I remembered Amy’s suggestion, then shook it off. “Hi Leon, it’s me Nora. I need to visit my parents for a few days. Can you tell Jack that I can’t come to work the next three days?”

Leon laughed. “He’s in his office. You could tell him yourself.” His tone was joking and light.

I didn’t say anything.

“You don’t want to talk to him, right?”

“He loves you Leon. He won’t shout at you for being the bearer of bad news, but he’ll definitely shout at me. I just don’t want to deal with that right now.”

All playfulness disappeared from Leon’s tone. “Is everything okay?”

Great, so much for leaving the past behind. I couldn’t even pretend I was fine over the phone. I hoped my mother wouldn’t pick up on my bleak mood. She was like a bloodhound when she thought I was keeping a secret from her. “I’m fine. I just need a break from the bar and New York.”

“Who doesn’t?”

“You. Born and bred in Brooklyn, you’re practically in a symbiotic relationship with New York.”

“True.”

“So will you tell Jack?”

“Of course. But you owe me.” Was he actually flirting with me? Why did he have to decide to do it after Adrian screwed me over?

“Okay. And thank you.”

I could hear Mona shouting something in the background.

“I need to go. Have fun,” Leon said quickly, then hung up.

I stared down at my phone for a moment. Maybe I’d imagined Leon’s flirty tone. I wasn’t used to subtlety when it came to flirting. Customers in the bar were always very plain about what they wanted to do with me, and Adrian hadn’t really beaten about the bush either. Speaking of bush. That was the first thing I was going to reclaim. I didn’t have anyone to impress anymore so bye bye Depiladoras and torturous sugar waxing. Take that, Adrian.

I walked toward my bed and my eyes immediately flew to the window and the binoculars lying discarded on the windowsill. I felt unreasonable anger toward them. If I’d never started spying on Adrian, everything would have been fine. A thought struck me and I took a step back. My curtains weren’t drawn and I was far from the window, but what if Adrian was watching me?





Chapter Sixteen





I immediately felt stupid for thinking Adrian would bother watching my window. Oh please, as if Adrian is even still thinking about you, a nasty voice snarled in my head. He’s probably forgotten your name already. He’s probably already hunting for the next panties to get into.

I hurried into the bathroom and closed the folding door behind me. I couldn’t wait to leave my apartment for a few days. I needed a break. I shed my clothes before I stepped into the small shower cabin. The soreness between my legs was almost completely gone by now. Maybe it should have lasted longer. It would have been the perfect punishment for my stupidity.

I turned the water on and let it pour down my body, hot and calming. Every shower in the previous weeks had included fantasies of Adrian, of how it would be to take a shower with him, to run my hands over his chest…But that would never happen now. I don’t do virgins. The words wouldn’t stop popping into my head and they were always accompanied by Adrian’s face as he said them. I think his disgusted face had burnt itself into my brain. Only thinking about it mortified me to no end. I'd been such a mess last night. Crying and throwing up…I don’t know how I’d have handled things without Amy's help. I shook my head.