The Girlfriend Experience

by celticmusebooks

When Mr Waverly requires Illya to attend a formal fundraising event-he choses an unconventional route to secure a plus one for the event. This is set in the series timeline and takes place four years after the Seven Wonders of the World Affair

6. Chapter 6

"I'll get you a taxi," he said as they walked out onto 88th Street. "I believe our agreement included providing you with 'carfare'."

"Thanks, but I'm just a few blocks up 5th Avenue, it's a pleasant evening for a walk."

"You live on 5th Avenue?"

"One of the trustees at the University is letting me live in his co-op while he's assigned to a diplomatic post in Rome."

"Can I at least walk you home, then?"

"That would be grand of you."

They walked the seven blocks to her building in silence.

"Here we are," she said. "I meant what I said about enjoying the day with you. If you're ever in need of the 'girlfriend experience' again I'd be happy to give you a hand. But…"

"But?"

"Your workmates seem like good people, Illya, maybe you should just tell them?"

"Tell them what?"

"That you, you know, prefer men."

"Prefer men to what…wait…you think I'm homosexual?"

"Why else would you hire a prostitute for a dinner date when you work with so many beautiful women?"

He leaned back against the wrought iron entrance gate and sighed deeply.

"My work life is… extraordinarily complicated and relationships bring yet another level of complication. The work suffers, the relationship suffers—and after a while, to be honest, I simply grew weary of all the suffering. If I date someone outside of the agency there is the problem of maintaining the necessary secrecy which isn't conducive to a successful relationship and if I date someone internal there is the problem of having to face the woman on a daily basis when the relationship inevitably goes south."

"Inevitably?"

"Inevitably. I've been told that I'm not 'relationship material'."

"Who told you that?"

He laughed. "Every woman I've ever dated. Napoleon and my work are the only long-term relationships I seem able to maintain."

"So, you're really not…"

"No, I prefer women."

"Uncomplicated women."

He sighed again. "There are no uncomplicated women. So, are you going to invite me upstairs?"

"I don't know. Is there a Mrs. Kuryakin lurking about somewhere?"

"Mrs. Kuryakin?"

"The ring."

"It's my father's wedding ring. Russian men wear their wedding ring on the right hand."

"Okay, you can come upstairs, but just to be clear, your three-hundred dollars ran out eight minutes ago."

"Duly noted."