Page 26 of Breadwinner
“This way,” she said, her voice low, leading Sarah through the vast, open living space decorated in pale woods, coastal colors, and deep, inviting furniture.
Mortimer came running from the dining room at the sound of their footsteps, and Nell bent down to scoop him up.
“Sarah, meet Mortimer Goth.”
A subtle look of confusion flashed across her face before Sarah held her hand out for Mortimer to sniff, which he gladly did. “Hello, Mortimer,” she cooed.
Mortimer wiggled himself free from her grip before sprinting off down the hall. “You’ll have to excuse him. He is a very busy man. Lots of business to attend to.” She looked at Sarah and saw the ghost of a laugh playing on her lips. “What?”
“Nothing. Just surprised,” Sarah said. “You don’t seem like the pet type.”
“Mortimer is my son,” Nell deadpanned. “Can’t you see the resemblance?” She enjoyed the way Sarah looked at her, unsure whether to laugh or not. “Kidding, of course,” she said, with a real, genuine smile as they continued into the living room.
“I’m not convinced you are,” Sarah teased gently.
Nell allowed herself a small laugh, but what came out was her real one—the unguarded one—not the practiced one she used in controlled situations. “He’s the only man who has ever successfully distracted me.”
“And here I thought you didn’t believe in distractions,” Sarah said lightly.
Nell stopped walking and turned toward her. “I don’t,” she said, her voice permissive now. “Except when I find I need one.”
For one long moment, they stood there, Nell feeling the weight of what this weekend meant pressing around them. She wanted so badly to break her own restraint.
Sarah hasn’t earned that yet,she reminded herself.But she will. That thought sent a fire through her. She shifted, pressingher thighs together ever so slightly to stop the spread of her own excitement.
She shifted topics with precision. “I hate to jump right into business, but we should run through the plan for the evening. Tonight, we will be stopping by Andrew Brennan’s.”
“The real estate developer?” Sarah looked at her quizzically as she tried to keep up with Nell’s subject change.
“Yes. He is hosting an unofficial donor party for his upcoming mayoral campaign.” Sarah scrunched her nose in thought, but whatever it was, she didn’t voice it, and Nell understood. “I know, and I agree,” she continued. “He doesn’t have a chance in hell. But it’s fun to watch a man drown in his own delusion. However, it does offer a good opportunity for us to test out our little arrangement. I want to see how you handle yourself in a new environment.”
“You have doubts about my ability to ‘handle’ myself?” Indignation laced Sarah’s response, as though the idea of Nell not believing in her ability to be nothing but perfect was the worst thing in the world.
“Not a single one,” she said, and she meant it. “Do you have any questions about my expectations for tonight?” she asked, her eyes imploring Sarah, telling her,Now is your chance to get all those questions out of your system, before we really begin.
“I have many questions, but none about your expectations. Do as you say, when and how you say it, right?”
Nell smiled, a small, wicked smile. “Correct. And it starts with what you’re wearing tonight. I took it upon myself to pick out what I’d like you in this evening. You can find it upstairs in your room.”
“My room?” Sarah echoed, the slightest trace of disappointment discernible in her question.
“Yes. I had the guest suite set up for you. You’ll have everything you need to be comfortable this weekend,” Nellsupplied, listening closely, reading between the lines of what Sarah wasn’t saying.
“I thought...” Sarah’s voice trailed off as Nell raised an eyebrow.
“You thought what?”
“Nothing,” Sarah said quickly.
“Rule number one, remember. If you have something to say, I expect you to say it,” she repeated, needing to ensure Sarah understood how important following the rules was to their arrangement.
Sarah looked at her intently, her eyes swirling with all the questions Nell knew she wanted to ask. She couldn’t help but wonder which she’d ask first.
“You have been quite cryptic with the details about this weekend, which is fine,” Sarah quickly followed, “I just wasn’t really sure what to expect after our call last week. Me having my own room threw me off, that’s all.”
Nell felt her lips curve as she watched Sarah shift her weight, trying—and failing—to hide her nerves.
“That’s the thing about expectations,” Nell said lightly, stepping closer, enjoying the faintest twitch of Sarah’s fingers against her thigh. “It’s easier when you let me set them for you.”