He didn’t tell Julie any of that. Instead, he typed, “I missed you, too.”

“Oh damn.” She tossed the wet toy aside, frowning at her laptop screen. “I’ve got someone else who wants to go private. I’m sorry, sweetie.” His heart sank, but he typed, “I understand.”

“See you tomorrow night?”

“Of course. G’nite, baby.”

She blew him a kiss, and that was it. The screen was dark. The clock on his computer told him it was eleven-oh-three. Too short. There was never enough time to spend with her. And at $5.99 a minute, he knew Dee would have something to say about how much time he was spending when this month’s credit card statement finally came.

He sighed, slipping his boxers off and using them to wipe himself off before closing his laptop for the night. Some part of him knew there would be consequences to pay in the end, that his time with Julianne was a sort of escape, but another part of him didn’t care.

It was worth it, he told himself. She was worth it. And she thought he was, too.

She told him she missed him. She looked forward to being with him. She made him feel…hell, she just made him feel. That was enough. More than enough.

Who wouldn’t pay $5.99 a minute for that?

Road To Nowhere

“I need the map.” I shook her shoulder as gently as I could. Susie opened one eye and stuck out her tongue, turning toward the passenger door. “Can you get it? It’s in my bag.”

“Do I smell chicken?” Both eyes were open now and she sat up, blinking at the brightness.

“Yeah.” I nodded at the bucket on the floor. “I need to know which exit.”

“Did I really sleep through you stopping for chicken?” She yawned, leaning carefully over the seat and fishing through her bag.

“You slept through half of New Mexico, doll.” I admired the swell of her behind as she stretched over the seat, pulling the map out of my bag and putting it down between us.