Chapter 22
The summer night was clear, warm, and without a care in the whole damn world.
Or at least that’s what Zack assumed as he and his company of three sped down the interstate at speeds that would make Interpol on the Autobahn blush.
“Fun, isn’t it?” Judith screamed over the roaring engine as Miguel made the central and northern parts of the city his bitch. When the couple suggested they hop in Miguel’s car and go for a ride toward his place on the outskirts of town, Rachel had been the first to agree. It had helped that she had another drink between finding out she was wearing a dress Judith had left at Zack’s place one crazy night and being invited to leave the club with one of the most infamous couples there. Long story. She and Seth were over, half a bottle of wine was spilled on her poor lap, I paid for the dry cleaning, and she never came and picked it up.
Zack had been content with taking Rachel home for the night. Maybe they’d settle in with a movie. Maybe they’d take one of those nice showers together, because God knew he was accustomed to the finer things in life when he was around her.
Hopping in the cramped back seats of an Aston Martin Vanquish Volante with the top down and going at least a hundred miles an hour up the interstate was not on his list of quiet, romantic things to do. But he wouldn’t say no.
“This is awesome!” Rachel screamed, her sweet voice lost to the wind and the roar of the engine. She had squealed to see the valet drive the volcano red sports car up to the curb. Note to self: she goes nuts for red sports cars. The women had discussed how stylish and colorful Miguel’s most recent Aston Martin acquisition had been, while the man himself slyly told Zack about the powerful engine and the smooth handling. “Are you a car man, Zack?” “I’m more into the classics, myself.” “Ah! Back home I have a classic DB4GT Zagato. There were only 19 ever made, you know.” Zack had known that, but he was more into the classic American vehicles.
Zack held onto his seatbelt as he looked over at Rachel, whose arms were held high in the air and who flung her head back in still-drunk revelry. Her hair was free, and Zack had never seen a woman’s locks fly in the breeze so beautifully.
It made him wish that they had some quality alone time even more. We should’ve skipped the club and stayed at my place. The only thing he could think about was crawling into bed with her, sex or no sex.
Maybe that was the sobriety talking.
Music blared through the stereo. Blondie’s “Call Me” was the anthem of this escape out of the city and into one of the most recent developments on the north waterfront, where Miguel had a condo overlooking the river and the countryside beyond. He claimed it gave him a shadowed view of the house his beloved Judith called home, but Zack knew that it was really because it was near the site of the casino the Bolivar family was building.
The track changed to the Spanish version. I didn’t even know there was a Spanish version of this song. The chorus exploded the moment Miguel turned onto an exit and slowed down. He was still a few miles above the speed limit going through a residential area.
Rachel looked like she was fine with dying in a terrible and tragic car accident that night. She let out an audible Awww when they officially slowed down and turned into a gated community that eventually opened to a fifteen-story condominium. Fifteen was the most floors allowed in a building this far away from the center of downtown, and most of the building was hidden by the freeways and forestry between suburbs and downtown core.
Which meant the views from Miguel’s townhouse were to die for.
Even Zack had to admit it was probably a more breathtaking view than the one from his apartment. (And definitely better than Rachel’s.) The river was purer up here, glistening with crystal shards that twinkled beneath the full moonlight. On the other riverbank was a private dock strung with Christmas lights. Evergreen trees reached toward the sky and threatened to block the view of the mountains behind them.
And that was what he saw before the lights came on.
Europeans have no chill. A water display turned on with the lights. Trickles of filtered water came down the far wall silhouetting the fireplace, inviting Miguel’s guests to sit on a fleet of white leather couches. A touch of a button opened the glass coffee table and revealed heated snacks ready for midnight consumption.
Judith flopped down on one of the couches. She would only move for Miguel, who propped her shoulders up and sat beneath her. Her hand touched her forehead as she dramatically expressed how tired she was. “But at least that quick drive here helped slow down my aging process a bit. You too, right, Rachel?”
Rachel stood in front of the wide windows overlooking the natural view. Only now was it more noticeable that she wore a borrowed dress, since some of the pins holding the back closed popped out. The curve of her spine poked through the black fabric.
Judith caught Zack’s gaze lingering on it before he looked away.
“This is so amazing.” Rachel clasped her hands together. She didn’t even have to speak up for the others to hear her several yards away in the spacious condo, since the acoustics were so grand that her meek voice bounced between the walls and into the lofted ceiling. “This place is even bigger than Zack’s!”
“I’ve got a hot tub too,” Miguel said. “We could easily fire it up if we’re feeling frisky.”
Judith laughed. “Get some of that red wine we had last time. What was it? French?”
“Italian.”
“You, drinking Italian wine?”
“I have my moments.”
Zack was about to say that sounded great – even though he had a feeling this would be a skinny-dipping excursion – until he saw the look on Rachel’s paling face. “Think the only water we’re getting near tonight is the shower,” Zack said.
“Too bad Seth is out of town this weekend. He’d liven this party up.”
Both men burst with laughter. Rachel was the only one who didn’t get the joke.
“You guys laugh,” Judith said, “but you both know what I’m talking about! Who knows him better than you two?”
“English may be my third language, love,” Miguel cut in, “but even I know that sentence was messed up.”
“I’m serrioooouuss.” She almost rolled off the couch. “But I guess two on two will have to do.”
“I know you guys and Seth get freaky with the group party times,” Zack said, “but Rachel and I aren’t quite there yet.” He glanced over at her, still marveling over the view. Another note to self: next apartment must have an even better view.
“That’s the difference between me and you, amigo.” Miguel usually slipped into French when he was sleepy, but apparently Zack brought the Spanish out of him. “You find other interesting things about him.”
Judith slapped her hand over his mouth. “Hush! I’m thinking?”
“About what?”
Rachel bounded over, her blue eyes so big that Zack resisted the urge to grab her and pull her down into his lap. I’ve spent half this night watching other men feel up and caress their women. When is it my turn? “I realized that there’s water coming down that wall!”
“Ah, yes, that’s the Terrence Kobold feature he personally installed at my request. I have a similar feature he did for me back in my Monegasque apartment. Comforts of home, I suppose. You know Kobold?”
“No, I just know that having water falling down your wall can’t be good for moll.”
Zack chuckled. “It’s encased in glass and regularly cleaned, I assume.” To Miguel, he said, “Rachel’s not hip with the biggest names in art around the world.”
“She knows you, doesn’t she?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m one of the biggest.”
“Rumor is the Prague Gallery of Paris has shortlisted a number of American artists to showcase this Christmas season,” Miguel said. “I went to university with the Head of Western Acquisitions. Your name may have been on that list, Zachary.”
“Doubt it.”
“Don’t be so humble!” Judith chastised him. “Besides, what else are you going to do to impress Rachel?”
“Is she your most recent model?” Miguel grinned. “You should show us some pictures of the works you’ve done of her, if you have any on you.”
Zack ignored the sudden look of panic on Rachel’s sobering face. “I can’t say she’s modeled for me yet. I’m working on it.”
“You’d make a gorgeous model. Just saying.”
“Thanks,” Rachel squeaked. “Um, where’s the bathroom?”
While she was gone, Miguel got up and asked his remaining guest if there were any refreshments he or Rachel needed. A round of flavored waters later, the three of them continued to realize how tired they were to keep partying.
Rachel stumbled out, half awake. God, how much has she had to drink tonight? Every time her buzz wore off, she had another drink, pendulum swinging between buzzing like a bee and coming down from her high. So while she was never drunk, she was definitely feeling some aftereffects now.
“Excuse me.” She bypassed her drink and curled up on the couch next to the bed. She was out within five seconds.
“Er… don’t suppose you guys get a lot of Lyft action around here?”
“Nonsense. I have a guest room already turned down. Please, stay the night. My personal chef is coming by in the morning and will be much obliged to make us all breakfast and toenails of the dogs.”
“Hairs, honey.”
“Right. Les cheveux.”
If Zack’s mother wanted to meet someone with a perfect French accent, that guy was over here. “We don’t mean to intrude.”
Judith’s yawn almost broke her jaw. Miguel gestured to the ridiculous act and said, “I don’t think anything exciting is happening tonight, if you know what I mean.”
“I’ll be sure to text Seth and let him know.” More like goad him into infinity. The man was in New York for an oils on canvas workshop at NYU. It would burn him to know that his best friend and the man he shared his girlfriend with were hanging out together. Zack wondered if he could take a silly selfie with Miguel to up the experience.
He gently wrapped his arm around Rachel as she dozed, cheek propped up on his thigh. A lock of her hair wound around his finger.
“Tell you what,” Judith said, suddenly awake. “Get that dress off her so I can take it back and I’ll make sure a new outfit is delivered for her to wear home. In the meantime, I’ve got a baggy shirt she can wear.” She cocked her head. “Unless you’re not allowed to dress her.”
“Why wouldn’t I be allowed?”
Judith continued to study him before smiling. “No particular reason.”
Miguel offered to help Zack move Rachel into the guest room not too far away, but she was delightfully light in his arms. Zack tucked his arms beneath the small of her back and her bent knees, careful to not awaken her as he slowly stepped toward the open doorway. He closed it to give them privacy while he gingerly undressed her.
“What’s going on?” she mumbled, eyes fluttering between awake and asleep.
“We’re staying the night. I’m taking off the dress you’re wearing. You’ll have something else to wear later. Is that okay?”
“Mmm whatever.”
“Thought so.”
Getting the dress off Rachel’s supine body was the easy part. The hard part was taking his eyes – and hands – off her once her naked skin was unveiled.
She hadn’t been wearing a bra, and her light blue panties were so soft to the touch that Zack found himself counting the amount of stray pieces of elastic poking out from the waistband. Would it be uncouth of me to buy her new underwear? That was something a boyfriend did. A rich boyfriend went a step beyond and took his darling out for a day of personal shopping at the most exclusive lingerie boutiques in America and Europe. I did that for Sadie once.
He briefly recalled the tense look on Kathryn’s face back in the club. Isn’t it remarkable how much she looks like Sadie?
Zack needed to stop torturing himself with those facts. And he needed to stop torturing himself with Rachel, because God only knew if she would ever be okay with a real relationship.
And God only knew if Zack would ever be ready for a “real” relationship again.
Truly, he envied the men he knew in these stable – if sometimes unconventional – relationships with women who enriched their lives in ways they didn’t know they needed. Seth had Judith, sometimes at the same time as Miguel. I give him so much shit for that, but I know he’s happy. His brother had his New York heiress girlfriend who was more like a partner now. And that rat bastard Ian Mathers had Kathryn, and now they were prime to become the next power couple if they ever got around to legitimizing all that fucking they did on the other side of Zack’s bedroom wall.
Every month it felt like some previously staunch bachelor of means was giving up singledom to declare that he had found the love of his life. The latest scandal was a Danish businessman getting caught with Damon Monroe’s executive assistant. That in itself wasn’t a scandal. It was how much he fiercely vouched for her after shady tabloids released video of her in some crazy orgy.
Zack had never thought he would find someone again. Not in the next few years, anyway. He was either going to become like his uncle Roy, a bachelor until death, or he would settle agreeable around the age of forty-five or fifty with a woman he found. Hopefully she would be around the same age and either have already grown children or be well beyond those desires. The Feldman clan would survive without him propagating.
Until then, would it be too much to ask to make love to Rachel a few more times?
He bent down and kissed her cheek before pulling the comforter up her half-naked body. Rachel snuggled into the plush pillow and mumbled something about the light bothering her. Zack left the bedside lamp on and promised to turn off the overhead light on his way out.
He also promised to join her within the hour. Taking off his clothes and curling up around her was the only way he wanted to sleep that night. Plus, homemade breakfast from a private chef in the morning would be pretty sweet…
Zack left his suit jacket on the end of the bed and undid half the buttons on his shirt before returning to the living room. Judith had dimmed the lights and immediately offered Zack a small glass of wine. “Miguel hopped in the shower.” She sat at a small table by the windows and gestured for Zack to sit across from her. “Told me to join him, but I wanted to have a chat with you first.”
He took the glass and sat down. “What did my stupid friend do this time?”
“I’m not talking about Seth. I’m talking about you.”
“Me?”
“Come on.” Judith stared at the guest bedroom door. “Who is she? Where did you meet her? I want all the details.”
“Because you’re the queen of gossip. The queen under fifty, anyway.”
“I make it my business to know who is dating whom in this city. Let alone when one of those people is someone I see on a regular basis. Besides.” Judith slammed her finger into the table. “You owe me after spilling wine on that nice dress. I had missed it. Nice to bring it back.”
“A happy accident.”
“Is that how you met her?”
Zack laughed. “We met a café down by the marina. I saw her through the window and decided I needed to know her.”
“Oh, you spoiled boys never cease to amaze me with your lack of tact and manners. Let me guess. You marched up to her and asked her out, refusing to take no for an answer?”
“Something like that. Except she did say no.”
“So…”
“We started off as just friends. We have since graduated to friends with benefits.”
“Oooh, sexy benefits? She’s got a great little body, that’s for sure. She must, if she fits into my dress like that.”
“You two have some similar assets, yes.”
“She’s a lot more modest about filling out that bust than I am.”
“Anyway,” Zack said, “she still has her boundaries. That’s all I’ll say.”
“She’s not letting you inside?”
Judith was taken aback by that news; Zack was taken aback by how quickly she figured that out. Nothing gets by her, does it? “No. I’m fine with that, though.”
“Hmm.” Judith had the uncanny ability to go from looking at a man like he was a human being to looking at him like he was a piece of meat. “But you’re so handsome! How could a woman control herself around you?”
“You seem to do fine.”
“I’m not dating you.”
“Is that the difference?”
She leveled her gaze on him as if she were his big sister bent on chastising him to hell and back. “She tell you why?”
“Something about her swearing a vow of penis in vagina celibacy until the end of the summer. I can be patient.” Right? Maybe. Every time they fooled around, Zack came this close to begging her for the kind of intimacy that could get a girl pregnant, as Rachel put it. He could barely believe it had now been several weeks since he last Biblically knew a woman.
Even though Rachel said they were not in an exclusive relationship, he couldn’t bring himself to imagine sleeping with someone else.
“Something must have happened before you.”
“She said something about it. I don’t think it’s my place to explain, though.”
“Got it.” Judith tapped her nail against the rim of her empty wineglass. “Are you serious about her?”
“Why are you asking me this? We haven’t known each other that long. We only went to the club tonight because it came up in conversation and sounded fun. As you can see, it didn’t make us so horny that we couldn’t keep our hands off each other.”
“I’m asking because the way you look at her is unmistakable.”
“Is it?”
“Yes. I know that infatuated look anywhere. I’ve made my modest fortune recognizing that look in a man’s eye.” You are the greatest courtesan in all the land, yes. She must have been if she seduced tens of thousands of dollars out of miserly Seth. “You’re in love with her.”
Zack fought to keep his demeanor in check. “I wouldn’t say…”
“It’s a look I’ve never seen you give any other woman before. How many double-dates have Seth and I gone on with you and some random girl? Every time you tell us all about your favorite parts of her body. You play up how much sex you’re having.”
“To be fair, you start those conversations.”
“Tonight, even though that wasn’t what we meant, you told us that you and Rachel weren’t into group stuff. Zack with another woman would have at least tried to make it happen.”
“I don’t know about that…”
“It’s what Seth always complains about when he goes on a tear about you. You scuttle from one woman to the next, spreading your damned steel family seed from horny heiress to naïve country girl coming to the city for the first time. God! Remember that Lizzie gal? She needed me to explain to her what anal was!”
Zack did not comment on that.
“There are lots of guys like you out there, Zack, but you are truly one of the first men I’ve met who seems to actually have no desire to do anything but fuck as much pussy as possible. I’m not even saying that to be mean. You do you, whatever, wrap it up and don’t be a huge dick to the women you bang. That’s why it seriously piques my curiosity to see you gazing at Rachel like she’s your soulmate. Until tonight, I wasn’t sure you were capable of that.”
“And how do you know I’m gazing at her like she’s my soulmate?”
“Zack,” Judith said with a sigh that lowered her voice, “like I said, I make a fucking living off reading male body language and reading between your guys’ lines. Rachel probably doesn’t see it, but I do. If you don’t make that woman your wife by the end of the year, you’re going to be a wreck.”
He pretended to not have an answer. Although the inside of his mind was one variance of I can’t even make her my real lover or another.
***
Rachel was only awake long enough to hear the key parts. Zack was a philanderer. He slept with everyone, from city sluts to country hos. He discarded them like they were nothing. He barely remembered their names.
No wonder her gut instinct had always told her to not give him too much of her heart, body, or soul.
She checked out after the reference to some naïve girl not knowing what anal was. Gross. Rachel pulled her phone off the end table and checked her notifications. Surprisingly, she had a message waiting for her on the dating app.
Not from a man (let alone Jeff the supposed skirt flipper.) From the first woman she agreed to see.
“Hey, babe.” The flirty text said. “Here’s what I’m imagining: you and me and a bottle of wine at my place. Let’s see where it goes. But first, dinner?”
Rachel stared at the message until her eyes crossed. She finally put her phone down.
Zack came into the room fifteen minutes later. He undressed at the foot of the bed. Rachel remained motionless, facing away from him as he slipped into bed behind her. He was naked, and interested in a nude cuddle before going to sleep.
Neither one of them said anything. Within a few minutes, Zack lightly snored against the back of Rachel’s neck.
She turned on her phone again. The message was still there, taunting her.
He’s probably got three dates already lined up for next weekend. Here some gorgeous woman was, hardcore flirting with her and already inviting her over.
The last thing Rachel did before going to sleep was reply.