Read Marie Sexton - Coda 04 - Strawberries for Dessert for Free Online Page A

“I hate to be rude,” I told him apologetically, “but I have to work today. I really need to get going.”
    “I didn’t think you put that suit on for my benefit, darling. I can go now and leave the mess in the kitchen for you to clean up, or I can wait for Rosa and have her lock up when she leaves. It’s your call.”
“I didn’t mean for you to rush out. I just didn’t want you to be offended when I did.”
    “I understand.”
“You leave for Paris today?”
“My flight is at two.”
“How long will you be gone?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know yet, darling. Until I feel like coming home, I suppose.”
    “Do you go there often?”
“Several times a year.”
“For vacation?”
“I own a condo there.”
“Really?” I asked, unable to keep the awe and envy out my voice.
    He cocked his head at me, obviously amused. “Yes. And one in Vail, as well as a house in the Hamptons—well, just a cottage, really, by Hampton standards—and another house in Kapoho.”
    “Wow.”
He smiled. “Indeed. So darling, shall I call Rosa or not?” “I feel ridiculous having you pay somebody to clean my house.” 33
    “And why is that, exactly?”
“It seems childish.”
    He shrugged. “Suit yourself.” He looked down at his plate for a minute, and when he looked back up, his expression was guarded. “Tell me: would you prefer this be a one-time thing? Or would you like to discuss other options?”
“What are the other options?”
    “My lifestyle isn’t conducive to committed relationships. On the other hand, I’ve never been all that intrigued by the idea of sex with random strangers. I prefer something in between.”
“Is that what you had with Jared?”
     
He was obviously amused by the question, but said, “Exactly. It was fun and casual and completely uncomplicated.”
     
“And that’s what you’re proposing?”
    “If you’re interested,” he said, smiling flirtatiously at me. My type or not, he really was incredibly cute. And our time in the bedroom had been a lot of fun. Not that sex was ever not fun. But things between us had been easy and natural. Why in the world would I not be interested in what he was suggesting?
“That sounds perfect,” I said.
     
“Good. Then I’ll call you when I’m back in Phoenix.” 34
    Date: May 3
From: Cole
To: Jared
    Have you heard, darling, that global warming is actually nothing more than a myth? That’s the only explanation I have for the fact that there apparently was an unusually cold day in hell last week. And let just me say, thank goodness! Dry spell over, and none too soon. I’m back in Paris now, but at least I have something to look forward to when I get home. It’s all thanks to you, Sweets. I would kiss you for it, if that big bad boyfriend of yours would let me.

I
WASN ’ T surprised when Julia showed up at my house that afternoon.
“So,” she asked teasingly as I let her in the door, “how was dinner?”
    “Really good. He’s an amazing cook. You should have stayed.” “Yeah right,” she said as she sat down on my couch.
    “How’s Tony?” I asked. The thing was, I didn’t actually care how her brother Tony was, and Julia knew that. It was a weak attempt to change the subject, and she didn’t bite.
“Cole seems like a keeper!” she said.
     
“Julia, it’s nothing like that. Dinner and sex, yes, but it’s not like we’re dating.”
    “Let’s see,” she said, ignoring me. “He cooks. He’s thoughtful.” She was ticking the points off on her fingers as she talked. “He’s super cute.”
“He’s really not my type.”
     
35
    “And he’s rich.”
“How did you know that?”
“Only a guess,” she said, and I rolled my eyes at her. “That’s like the trifecta. Plus one .”
     
“So what?”
     
“ So , you’d be an idiot to let him get away.”
    I
T TURNED out not to matter that Cole was out of town. The next few weeks were so busy I wouldn’t have had time to see him anyway. I only managed to spend a