Page 57 of Frankie and the Fed

After we shower, and while Ayala is getting dressed and ready for the office, I’m in the kitchen, trying to make her coffee. I open all the cupboards in search of a spoon and sugar and make two cups of hot coffee, ready the minute she arrives in the kitchen. She studies me while drying her hair with a towel. She’s wearing a pencil skirt and a tight button-up shirt. The fabric of the shirt is stretched against her breasts, and I can’t take my eyes off the way they move as she moves her hands with the towel.

I don’t believe it, but I want to fuck her again. I tug at the front of my pants, and her gaze is drawn there.

“I feel like a teenager next to you. Everything you do makes me horny.” I try to lighten the atmosphere that has suddenly grown thick.

She smiles. “You let me come a few times, and you only came once. So it makes sense.”

“Yes, but I’m a man. We can’t come in succession like women. And I’m not that young anymore.”

“Of course, you’re young. You’re only thirty. And you’re capable of more.” She winks. “I’d help you with that little problem, but I have to go to work.”

“Little? Nothing is little here,” I object. “You shouldn’t say such things to a man.”

“Sorry, my giant.” She laughs, then approaches and kisses me, the taste of coffee on her tongue, demanding that I give my all.

Fucking hell, I need a cold shower now.

I sit down across from her. “So, what day do you want me to book our flight to New York?”

“What flight?”

“Now that we’re together, I thought you’d come back to New York with me. I understand if you need some time to get organized, but I’d like us to go back soon.”

She stops and puts the coffee on the table. “I’m not moving to New York.”

I think I didn’t hear her correctly. “What?”

“I’m not moving to New York. My home is here. I have a career that I enjoy. I’ve built a life here. A real life.”

“Your life is not with me? I thought you said you were choosing me again, that you were giving us a chance.” I raise my voice without meaning to.

“Yes. But I’m not going to leave everything I’ve achieved. Maybe you could move here?”

“Ayala, all my businesses are in New York. I can’t stay here. Be reasonable.”

“Am I unreasonable? You think I should give up my career?” She stands, and her posture tells me she’s angry.

“What career? You started only a few months ago. What do you have here that you can’t start over?”

“I can’t believe you just said that.”

I don’t understand what’s happening. How did we go from an amazing morning to this? “You can have the same role in one of my companies. Choose whichever role you want. Hell, you can even take my place.”

“I don’t want to work for you! I thought we had this covered already. I want to build my own life. I don’t want anyone to think I got something the easy way.”

“What do I care what people think? I know what you’re worth.” I stop to think for a moment. “I can buy the magazine you work for and move it to New York.”

“Don’t you dare!” Her cheeks turn red. “Don’t you dare do anything that concerns my job.”

“Wait, wait. I didn’t do anything. I learned from last time. We’re just discussing this.”

The situation is deteriorating rapidly, and I don’t know what to do. “I think I’ll go back to the hotel and let you calm down a bit. We’ll talk this evening.” I get up and collect my things.

“You’re running away again.”

“I’m not running away. I don’t know what to do, and I don’t want to fight. Maybe it’s better if we calm down first and talk later.”

“If you leave me again when I need you here, don’t bother coming back.”