JENNIE

This Monday morning couldn't have been more different from last week. I'm still on edge, but for other reasons entirely. It's not Ella's absence that's gotten me jittery, but rather the anticipation of seeing Lisa this morning. I'm dressed in leggings and a crop top as I'm going to yoga later and feeling a little self-conscious at the amount of skin on display, but I'm sure most of Lisa's clients walk around in skimpy bikinis while she's working. I doubt any of them look at her the way I do, though. Or do they? What if Mrs. Roberts from next-door is into female escorts? What if someone from my yoga class has slept with her?

It's only been a week since I first saw Lisa, but it feels so much longer. When something consumes your mind twenty-four seven, time seems to slow down and I can't stop thinking about Friday, and about our encounter on Saturday. I think she's worked out that I know she works for Hamptons' Escorts, I'm sure of that. Not that she gave anything away when we saw her in Sag Harbor; she was nothing but friendly and relaxed. I've replayed our conversation in front of the photography store—which was highly awkward from my side—over and over in my mind, wishing I'd said something different. Wishing I had come across as a grounded, carefree woman with a flirty edge—but not flirty enough for her to know how much I desire her—when in reality all I did was come across as a clumsy idiot.

The wind and the ocean block out the noise from the front of the house, and I can't hear the gates open, so when she appears again, it's like a welcome surprise and I feel my face light up at the sight of her. I'm such a looser. I try to wipe the smirk off my face as I stand there, looking like a one-woman welcome committee. Almost forty and obsessed with the pool girl. It's pathetic. Utterly pathetic. "Hi, Lisa."

"Good morning, Jennie." Lisa gives me a wave and takes a moment to admire the view before she turns back to me. "Not a cloud on the horizon."

"Yes," I say, cursing myself for being once again, lost for words. Like an addict, I'm waiting for my next hit of her and she doesn't disappoint. My body fills with heat and adrenaline floods my veins. It's delicious and worrying at the same time. "I was just admiring the blue sky. Coffee?"

Lisa looks at the machine room, then lingers for a moment before she shrugs and walks around the pool toward the terrace. "Sure. I'd love one."

Her coffee is already waiting, and it's still warm when I lift the cup from underneath the machine.

"Have you tried out your new camera yet?" she asks, taking a sip.

"Yes. I went for a walk this morning; figured out all the settings. It's amazing. So much better than my previous one."

"Good." She smiles. "Can I see some of your shots?"

"Oh…" Biting my lip, I glance inside at the camera on the living room table. "I'm not sure how good they are. I'm not a professional, but you're welcome to have a look…" I fetch it and switch it to 'view' mode, then hand it to her.

"I know nothing about photography, but these are beautiful," she says, flicking through the photographs I took during sunrise this morning. Inching closer, she points out a close-up of a seagull with a fish in its bill. The upcoming sun is framing its head like a halo, and in the right-hand corner, an incoming wave is splashing against a rock. "And this one's incredible."

"Thank you. I was happy with that one too." I can feel Lisa's breath misting over my neck when she speaks, and her body is almost touching mine as we scroll through the pictures together.

"You're very talented, Jennie." When she turns to me to hand the camera back, our eyes lock, and I find myself unable to move, and unable to look away. There's no way she'll miss the longing in my gaze, but I can't help myself. "Are you okay?" she whispers after a long silence. There's something different about our interaction today. It's more intimate, like we're sharing an unspoken secret.

"Uh-huh," I say, swallowing hard as I put the camera on the terrace table.

Lisa nods, never taking her eyes off mine, and with that look, she's crossed the line of professionalism. This is not a conversation between employer and employee. "You seem nervous around me." Her long lashes flutter as she lowers her gaze to my lips. "Are you?"

"I am."

"And is that a bad thing?" she asks when I don't elaborate.

"Depends."

"You're not making this easy for me, with your one syllable answers." She chuckles and brings her hand to my hair, brushing a dark lock behind my ear.

"Sorry…" I can barely hold myself up. My legs feel like jelly and my heart is beating so fast that I'm sure she can hear it. This can only go one of two ways; either she walks away, or she kisses me right now, because the way she's looking at me, she might as well. "It's difficult for me to explain. It makes no sense, but…" I shake my head, because I just can't say it. "Never mind."

Lisa's expression changes in the most magical way. Her eyes darken, and a flirty smile plays around her mouth, causing her dimples to deepen. It makes me weak and wet and all mushy inside. "You know I work for Hamptons' Escorts, right?"

There's a long silence between us. Whether it's real attraction, or whether she's just fishing for a new client, I have no idea, but right now, I don't care. "Yes, I saw you on the website."

"And you were browsing the female escorts?" Her tone is strangely soft and reassuring.

"Yes. I didn't expect to see you on there."

Lisa chuckles. "I can imagine that came as a surprise; I don't make a habit of telling people." She continues to stare at my mouth, and I feel wetness pool between my thighs. I wish she would grab my face and kiss me senseless, but she doesn't. "If you're interested, Jennie, if there's some part of you that I can help you explore, then my schedule's free tomorrow night."

I take in a quick breath and inch back a little, because this feels more real than I ever intended it to be. Now that my secret is out, it scares me more than anything, yet I'm unable to tear my eyes away from her lips. "Oh…" Leaning against the patio table, my hand is grasping the tabletop so hard my knuckle turns white, and she covers it with her own.

"I'm sorry. I've overstepped." She doesn't look one bit sorry as she says it.

"No, it's fine." Panic takes over and again, I have no idea what to say or how to behave, so I take a step toward the door and stare up at her, hoping I don't look terrified. "I have to go," I hear myself say, and turn to grab my bag. "Yoga."