I avoided coming in for the next couple days. It wasn't extremely conscious, but whenever I thought about going in, I just decided not today.

It had been a week when I came back to my apartment to see someone sitting in the shadows of my living room. I acted like I hadn't seen them and went to the kitchen, grabbing a knife before slowly edging up to the doorway of the living room.

I walked in and turned on the light, discovering that the shadowy figure had gotten up and moved much closer to the doorway, and in a second I was pinned against the wall with a hand over my mouth to cover my scream, the other hand wrenching away my knife.

"It's just me!" Billy insisted, staring into my eyes. "Calm down, it's just me."

Once I started breathing a little more normally he took his hand off of my mouth, and I sighed.

"Jesus. What the hell were you doing just sitting in the dark waiting for me like that? I was about to stab you!"

"You didn't come back to the warehouse. I was worried about you."

"I needed a break. You seemed like you needed space, I didn't want to push it. I picked up a few more nights working anyway. How did you find me?"

"I talked to your boss."

I sighed. "I'm gonna have to talk to him about giving my address away to random strangers."

"Don't be too hard on him. I had a gun and a grand in cash."

I facepalmed and went into the living room to sit down.

"When were you going to come back?" Billy sat on the arm of the couch next to me.

"Soon probably. I didn't have any hard plans." I shrugged.

He tenderly reached out and stroked my shoulder. "I miss watching you."

I sighed and closed my eyes, relaxing into his touch. "I miss it too."

"You make me feel alive. Connected. Emotional."

"You say that like you don't feel it normally. The amnesia?"

"Maybe. I don't remember caring about people much. The closest thing I have to you is… was Frank, but it's not quite the same."

"Well you've paid me to seduce and torture information out of people and strip for you and your friends, it's a weird relationship."

"You don't understand it either, huh?"

I shook my head. "If I listen to my brain, it's professional. You've hired me for things, that's all it should be. Then my gut is saying you're dangerous, if anything went bad you could just… kill me. My heart though… my heart is a bitch."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. All I'm hearing there is "he's the one" and "dance away into the sunset" like I'm living a goddamn movie."

He smiled a bit. "That all sounds about right. There's something at my core that just… draws me to you. It has ever since I first saw you dance."

"You are not the first person to tell me that. You are the first person to tell me that without that first time involving me being naked though, so that's something."

"You do look great naked."

"Trust me, I know." I smiled a little.

"The things I want to do with you." He murmured.

"Name a few." I relaxed a little more into him, and he started rubbing my shoulders a little more properly.

"Bring you home, carry you inside. Pressing you up against every wall of this place. Kissing every inch of your body -" My phone started ringing and I jumped a mile, taking a breath to calm myself before picking it up.

"Hello?"

"Just wanted to give you a heads up, one of those guys who hired you guys for that party that one time came in and wanted your address."

"Yeah, I know, he's here already."

"Everything okay? Need me to call the cops?"

"No I should be fine. Don't do it again though?"

"You gotta understand, the man was very persuasive."

"So he told me. Listen, while I've got you on the line, I ran into Candy today, she said she'd been looking for someone to cover her tomorrow night. I can do it, I've got a routine that would fit her style."

"Alright, I'll pen you in for it."

"Thanks. See you then boss." I hung up and set my phone aside, collapsing back on Billy's lap.

"Work?" He guessed, and I nodded. "A bit late on the timing there."

"No kidding." I sighed.

"He interrupted a perfectly good fantasy." He ran his fingers through my hair, and I hummed a little. "You like that?"

"It's relaxing." I closed my eyes. "It helps with getting over the nerves. You know, from thinking my apartment had been broken into."

He chuckled softly. "Sorry about that. I was worried about you. I was going through some of your things when you came in."

"What'd you find?"

"Not much. You're not one for keeping personal documents around, are you?" I shook my head. "I did find your shoes though. How many do you have?"

"11 pairs last count. 10, I had to throw out a pair of work heels. I've got winter boots, rain boots, ankle boots, sneakers, two pairs of flats, my summer wedges, and then three work heels."

"You know that right off the top of your head."

I shrugged. "It's a gift."

He laughed a little and continued playing with my hair.

We talked a little more, he asked about work and my life besides that, but he was putting me to sleep playing with my hair.

I remembered him picking me up and bringing me to my room, and mumbling to him quietly.

"Are you gonna have your way with me?"

'Nah. I like them conscious. I'll get you next time." He kissed my hand.

I was asleep before it even dropped to the bed.