"No," I said, trying to smile. "No, we should head home now."

"If you want to stay," she said. "You should. I can go home and have wine on my own for one night."

"Actually," I said, walking over to her. "Thorne has to go. Right Thorne?"

"Right," Thorne said.

"I'll see you," I said to Thorne.

He looked a little lost. "I'll talk to Cyndi and then go back to work."

"Okay," I nodded and then Penny and I walked towards Travis' car and Penny called Travis. While we were waiting for them to arrive, Penny started with her questioning. "So?" she said. "What was that all about?"

"She's a friend," I explained. "He was here to help her out."

"How can you be sure?"

"I just am."

"Do you want to find out more about him?" Penny asked. "I'm sure Travis can help."

"No," I said. "I'd rather find out on my own. Besides, I know he's not hiding anything. He's not Nick, I know that now. I think I just saw the two of them, and a.s.sumed the worst."

"Anyone would have," she said. "To be honest, I still don't believe it."

"But we have to."

"If you say so."

"We're fine," I said, more to myself than to her.

My phone rang.

It was Thorne so I picked it up.

"Hi," he said.

"Hey."

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

"I don't know, Thorne."

"If you don't then I'll feel like you haven't gotten over this," he said.

"That's not true."

"Then prove it," Thorne said. "I'll come pick you up and we'll do the breakfast ritual Lane has been avoiding for the past couple of weeks."

"That's because of us," I said. "I think he's trying not to waste our time or something."

"So can I pick you up from Penny's place?"

"Sure."

"Great."

"Yeah."

"Elena?"

"Yes?"

"You looked hot," he said. "So hot I wanted to rip those clothes right off you."

I couldn't help grinning despite myself. "I'll try to take that as a compliment."

"The next time I see you," he said. "Those clothes won't be there."

"We'll see about that," I said and pushed the end b.u.t.ton.

"What are you grinning about?" Penny asked.

"Nothing," I said. "Just nothing."

THORNE.

It wasn't hard finding Cyndi's room once I was inside the club again. I had just gotten done with talking to Elena on my phone and it seemed like she was feeling better. After a good night's rest she would feel even better and the whole thing wouldn't look so bad to her.

I knocked.

Cyndi's voice from inside said "It's open."

So I entered and closed the door behind me. She was sitting on one side of the bed, still wearing that silly blonde wig. "Everything okay?" she asked.

I loosened my tie and sat on the bed, facing her. "She's going home," I said.

"I didn't know she would be here," Cyndi said. "Was she here looking for you?"

"Some friends brought her here. I think it was just a coincidence."

"Well it was a terrible coincidence," she said. "I thought for sure she was going to recognize me."

"She didn't," I said. "I doubt she even got a proper look at your face."

"That's good. For now."

"Cyndi," I said. "I might bring her here next weekend."

"Why're you telling me this?"

"Well," I said. "I don't want her to see you."

"Thorne," she said. "Don't worry about it. If you bring her just send me a text. I'll get scarce."

"Thanks."

"So, you're bringing her here?"

"I think so," I said. "I mean, if she agrees to it."

Cyndi nodded. "You're really serious about this one."

"I guess."

"I'm happy for you."

I looked at her. There was no resentment on her face, no mixed feelings. She was being genuine. I know how hard that must have been for her but she was still trying to be strong. I reached into my jacket pocket for an envelope that I handed to her. "Here," I said. "It's all in here."

She took it from me. "I'll pay you back."

I stood. "Don't insult me or this friendship by saying something like that," I said. "I just wish I had met you sooner. You never told me how bad it was. I thought you wanted to see me for some other reason."

"What? To f.u.c.k you one last time?" She said this with a seductive lilt in her voice.

I smiled. "Something like that."

"Well it's still early," she said, getting on her knees. "We can f.u.c.k and no one has to know."

I stood there for a second, looking at that face that I used to feel comfortable with once. I leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Then broke away. "Goodnight, Cyn."

She had tears in her eyes.

But there was nothing I could do about that.

So I did the next best thing and started to leave. "I'm sorry about your dad," I said when I was holding the door open. She smiled, and I knew that it was fake.

There was nothing I could do about that either.

ELENA.

Thorne got on top of me and took off his shirt.

"I thought we were taking Lane out to breakfast," I reminded him. Lane was staying over at a friend's place again so the loft was empty.

"We're still going to do that," Thorne said, hurriedly taking off his pants and helping me take off my clothes until we were both lying naked on his bed. "After," he winked.

He stood on his knees on the bed, watching me. "Do you want to please me?" he said.

I ran a hand down his chest, over his navel.

He bent to lick my nipples one by one, until they were erect, taking his time going from one to the other. I instinctively pulled him closer to myself. He broke off only to kiss me on the mouth and then went back to his ministrations, doing everything it seemed, to drive me out of my mind.

"G.o.d, Thorne!"

I felt his tongue on my navel and he touched one hand to my c.l.i.t, rubbing it and his mouth was still pleasuring my areolas and their pink nubs which had become so erect they were almost hurting. His fingers were working their magic in my special place, causing sensations that were beyond words. It was almost as though my body was solely under his spell, and the only pleasure they desired was the one a.s.sociated with him. Soon, his fingers had me moaning so loud, I was worried someone might hear us. But Thorne didn't care. He kept his pace, his fingers and the tongue going over my nipples and the pleasure reached a point where he made me come as easily as he always did.

I lifted myself up. It was his time to get the same kind of pleasure that I had just experienced. He lay on the bed and I took his c.o.c.k in my mouth, grabbing the shaft and tugging at it, putting the tip inside my mouth and using my tongue on it, until he was breathing hard. His c.o.c.k was wet with my saliva, and some prec.u.m of his own that I could taste in my mouth. I lowered my head onto his c.o.c.k, took as much of it as possible into my mouth and he guided my head into a steady motion. Soon, I knew he was at the same height of pleasure as me and his c.o.c.k was erect, ready and I helped put a condom on him.

Thorne switched places with me and then positioned me on my knees on the bed, lowered my head down onto the mattress and kissed my a.s.s. At first his tongue went around my cheeks, biting just a little, his teeth grazing the skin and then suddenly, his tongue was darting in and out of my p.u.s.s.y. The effect was beyond pleasure, beyond anything I've ever experienced before.

Then, on all fours, still on the bed, Thorne thrust into me from behind, my already slick p.u.s.s.y welcomed him without any resistance. He grabbed the back of my waist with his hands, and kept thrusting, once again making me come.

He flipped me over again, pulled me towards himself and entered me again, his c.o.c.k filling me up, while his fingers strayed over my b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and squeezed them. The pleasure mounted again inside me, seemingly quicker than the last time, when his teeth grazed my nipples. After a while he got into the same thrusting rhythm, and leaned in to kiss me on the mouth while he f.u.c.ked me harder and faster, and this time, when I got close to the brink he announced his pleasure as well, and we crossed the barrier of l.u.s.t, together, Thorne's arm propped on the bed next to my face and his hand grabbing a lock of my hair.

When he finally pulled out of me, he kissed my lips.

He dropped on the bed next to me, spent and out of breath.

"f.u.c.k," Thorne said.

"Does that answer your question?" I asked.

Thorne lifted his head and looked at me, clueless. "What question?"

"The one you asked when we started," I said. "You asked me if I wanted to please you."

Thorne dropped his head back onto the pillows.

"h.e.l.l yeah," he said, with a content smile on his face.