silk shell over the pants, topped with a black leather vest with gold chains clipping the vest over her breasts. She looked exquisite, slender, elegant, perfect as usual.
“I called but you weren’t here, obviously. I wondered, that’s all. You never go out with men and I was concerned. You have so few friends and I knew you were out with Gayle just last Monday, so she was a doubtful candidate. I just wanted to tell you I’m flying to Milan this weekend.”
“You want me to water your plants?”
Sydney laughed. “Oh, no. I just wanted to be able to tell everyone that I’d seen you and that you were in fine form.”
“I’m in fine form.”
“Excellent. You haven’t put on any weight, have you? No? Well, perhaps you should lose just a bit more, a couple of pounds should do it. Who’s the man, Lindsay?”
“No one you know.”
“Well, considering your taste, which I imagine has remained frozen in time since you were sixteen—why then, this charmer is probably slender, handsome, and suave as hell.”
Lindsay forced a smile. “Yes, all of those things.”
“Ah, an aristocratic New Yorker. Is he in the business? Perhaps he’s gay and you’re just too inexperienced to recognize it. Or perhaps he’s gay and you feel safer that way. His voice sounded pretty deep to me.”
“No, he’s not gay. Look, Sydney, I’ve got an early shoot tomorrow. I’m bushed.”
“All right, I’ll go. I’ve canceled the shoots my agent had scheduled. Nothing all that important, I told him. I also keep telling him it’s time to become more hard-assed, more discriminating. After all, it’s my face and my body, and my time. Maybe you’d better let me meet this guy. I could make sure he won’t try anything with you.”
“That’s a beautiful photo of you in
“Yes, it turned out nicely. I’m pleased. Drake Otis did the shoot. Too bad he’s gay. Well, no matter. I’ll see you when I get back from Italy. Oh, yes, just in case you’re interested, Father is doing well. He was embroiled in a very high-profile drug case and the defense attorneys were confident he would throw out the major evidence because supposedly the cops obtained it illegally. Father did throw it out, but he allowed great latitude to the prosecutor, with the result that the three men, Colombians all, got a guilty verdict. Father sentenced them all to twenty years, no chance of parole. He told me he threw out the evidence because if he hadn’t, he knew the defense attorneys would appeal and the case would probably be overturned. He’s laughing his head off, having the time of his life. You know he hates the liberal judges in California. He pulled the rug out from under the defense lawyers. They’re screaming to the media, and of course, since the media are all liberal idiots, they’re all over Father’s back. He’s enjoying it all. As for Holly, the poor thing is now as fat as your mother was just before Father kicked her out. He’s got a new mistress, a woman about my age. Her name is Cynthia—Cyn for short. Isn’t that precious? As for Grandmother, she’s just the same. Father thinks she’ll outlive us all.”
She blew Lindsay a kiss, turning in the open doorway to say, “I will give the prince your fond regards. It will make him grimace, remembering those bullets, which in turn makes Melissa giggle. You see, some good comes out of everything.”
Lindsay wished her half-sister would fly to Italy and stay there the rest of her life. Then, to her own surprise, she laughed. Sydney would never change. But Lindsay was beginning to. It was odd, yet it was true.
Taylor dutifully went to Valerie’s apartment on Thursday. When she opened the door, he realized that each time he saw her he’d forgotten how absolutely beautiful she was. She was wearing pale blue-ice silk lounging pajamas tonight and her hair was long and thick to her shoulders, pulled back on one side, held with a gold clip.
She looked as rich as his ex-wife, Diane.
“Hello,” he said.
“Hello, Taylor. Goodness, you look good enough to eat. Do come in. Our dinner will arrive in an hour or so. Would you like a drink?”
Taylor followed her, wondering what he was going to say and how she would react. He was relieved that she hadn’t immediately started on the attack. It sounded like she wanted his pants off, soon, and that would be even more embarrassing. The thing about it was that there was another woman and he was perfectly capable of feeling like a guilty jerk because she’d been right. But not at first, no, not at first.
Valerie didn’t attack, seduce, nothing but sparkling conversation until after they’d eaten their way through the lobster thermidor, tossed earth salad with a light vinaigrette dressing, potatoes sliced thin and broiled, and a chocolate mousse for desert that was to die for. The Chateau le Duc-Dupress ’89 was exquisite, dry and crisp. It tasted like hemlock to Taylor.
Taylor just wanted to get it over with. He hadn’t eaten all that much because he didn’t want to be here and he didn’t want to feel guilty.
“So,” she said, sitting back, a brandy snifter in her hand, “tell me about this job of yours.”
“The one I no longer have?”
“Yes.”
“I was protecting a woman from a threat made against her employer. It turns out another employee was attacked instead. It’s over now.”
“I see.” She rose slowly, giving him a smile that would have made him hard as a stone just the week before. She untied the silk sash at her waist.
He raised his hand, his eyes on that damned sash. “Wait, Valerie, don’t. Please don’t.”
She paused, her eyebrow going up.
“I want to talk to you.”
“We’ve been talking, Taylor.” She looked down at her Cartier watch. “For nearly an hour and a half now we’ve been talking. So, lover, just relax now and let me—” She broke off, smiled at him, and put her fingers on her lips. “No, Taylor, enough. Actually, I’m the one who wants to do the talking. Your turn will come. I wanted to speak to you about this all through dinner, but you were enjoying it so much, I didn’t want to ruin it for you. I’m so sorry, baby, I don’t want to hurt you, but I’ve found a man who’s divine and he’s got everything you don’t have and he’s aced you right out of the race. I just thought a good-bye fuck would be nice. Assuage my guilt. And you are quite good in bed, nearly as good as he is.”
Taylor felt such relief he nearly fell off his chair.
“Come on, pretty boy, one last time and then you’re gone. My new man is coming later.”
He stared at her. “But why would you want to make love with me when there’s someone else you’re interested in? That’s crazy, Valerie.”
She shrugged. “I’ve always liked comparisons and I do think this one would prove very interesting. Maybe you could go see one of your other girlfriends later and do the same.”
“No, Valerie, not this time. I wish you luck. You’re beautiful and smart and it’s been fun.” Jesus, he sounded like a trite recording.
Her face was set into a smile that left her eyes cold as a glacier. He hadn’t a clue to what she was thinking. Was she angry because he was refusing to go to bed with her, or was that all a game? Possibly.
“Yes, it has been fun, hasn’t it, Taylor? Well, babe, I hope you also have fun with your new little cutie. You know, the one you started out protecting and ended up screwing? And don’t lie to me now. Does the bimbo have a brain? Or is she all tits and ass? Why don’t you call after you’ve taken her to bed and let me know who’s better.”
“I don’t think so. Good-bye, Valerie.”
She watched him go to the front closet, pull his camel coat off a padded hanger. He shrugged it on, then pulled on his brown leather gloves. She watched him, unmoving, as he walked toward the front door without turning back. She watched every move he made. She watched him stride out the door. He closed it quietly behind him. She felt such fury and pain she thought she’d choke on it. She went to the phone and dialed. A man answered.
“Barry? This is Valerie. Yes, lover. Come on over. Who cares what you tell your wife? Tell her you’re constipated and need a constitutional. Yes. Thirty minutes, no longer.”
Lindsay discovered on Thanksgiving that both of Taylor’s parents were dead. He had one older sister, Elaine,
