Addison idly flipped through the channels on the television, her mind not on anything she was seeing. She could not shut her mind off and she knew exactly why; she was severely under stimulated.

The past three weeks had been a combination of fascination and boredom.

On the one hand, Addison wanted for nothing. She lived in a stunning apartment in the heart of the city, received a generous paycheck, and enjoyed a life of luxury while working minimally. Marcus came to her at least once a week, their relationship stronger than ever, their lovemaking reaching heights she had not even read about in books.

Some mornings, she woke up as the south sunlight streamed through the pristine glass of her bedroom, and she pinched herself because she couldn’t believe she was the same person she had been two months earlier. At the same time, she could see that her job was nothing more than a cover for being a kept woman.

The stigma that was associated with those words bothered Addison more than she wanted to admit, as if her mother was in her head, wagging her finger in reproval. In fact, Addison had not even told her family that she had moved yet, and she had done well in avoiding both her mother and sister’s phone calls with texts and emails.

One day, she thought miserably, they’re going to learn that I’m living in a swanky address in the city, and I will have to explain how I got here.

But that was only one of the problems. Mostly, Addison was plagued by a mounting dissatisfaction that her life was stagnating, and that dissatisfaction was accompanied by guilt she could not shake.

You were a waitress in a diner, she reminded herself. You dealt with idiot drunks and obnoxious high school kids every day. What are you pining for?

Yet Addison knew perfectly well what she missed: the feeling of purpose she’d had running around after eight hours and leaving the restaurant spotless. She longed for the banter of her co-workers and the friendliness they had shared.

Addison hit the power button on her remote control, silencing the television before reaching for her cell.

What are you doing? she texted Olivia.

She watched to see if her friend was going to respond, but the message remained unread for a few seconds. Sighing, Addison flopped back on the sofa and stared at the ceiling, half-admiring the intricate wainscoting along the ceiling.

Suddenly, the phone rang, causing her to jump, and she snatched it up, pressing the device to her ear. “Olivia?”

“Your ears must have been ringing!” Olivia gushed. “Ramon and I were just talking about you!”

“Yeah?” Addison replied, a warm flush of happiness settling through her at her words. “What is that jackass saying?”

“He says he’s glad you’re gone,” Olivia joked, laughing. “But I told him that we could use your smiling face around this hellhole.”

Addison smiled.

“I miss you guys too,” she sighed. “How’s everything going over there?”

“Well, Vera and Jenn just quit to go back to school, so I’m working doubles.”

“John hasn’t hired anyone to replace them? He does this every year!” Addison said.

Olivia chuckled. “Then you know he hasn’t.”

The wheels in Addison’s mind began to turn. “Is he in tomorrow?” she asked. “At opening time?”

“I think so,” Olivia answered. “Why? You coming back?” Her tone was jesting, but Addison was nodding, even though Olivia couldn’t possibly see her.

“Yes,” she said without hesitating. “I am.”

Olivia laughed again. “Did you get fired from your job as the billionaire’s plaything already?”

Addison bristled, her jaw clenching. “I am not a plaything, Olivia. Marcus offered me a great opportunity, and I couldn’t say no.”

“I was just kidding, Addy,” her friend replied, and Addison could hear the surprise in her tone. “Of course, you should have taken the job. You deserve much more than toting beers to the scrag that walks in here. I’m surprised you want to come back. Is everything okay?”

Addison was silent for a moment, wondering why she had been so defensive.

It’s true, she realized. I feel like I’m being paid to sleep with Marcus. But it’s not like that. We’ve been together a year, and he cares about me. Even Tavia says he likes me better than any of the others, or else I wouldn’t be in this apartment.

It was such a strange situation, and while Marcus had assured her that she would grow accustomed to things, it seemed that the more time passed, the more confused she became—the less she felt accustomed to the changes in her life. The other women were not her friends, expect perhaps Tavia, who went out of her way to say hello and chit chat.

For the most part, though, Addison was alone. She only had Marcus to confide in, but it wasn’t enough—especially knowing that he could cast her aside at any minute. He was a great listener, and when they were together, his attention was completely on her. However, Addison could not let go of the feeling that something was missing.

“Addy? Are you still there?”

“I’m here,” she replied. “Sorry, I was just thinking.”

“I really didn’t mean to upset you,” Olivia continued. “And if you’re thinking about coming back, I’m sure John would be thrilled.”

“I will call him in the morning,” Addison agreed. Her mind was made up. “Warn Ramon.”

“No one will be happier than him,” her friend told her, giggling. “But I won’t say anything until I know it’s happening. I wouldn’t want to get his hopes up.”

“Addy?”

Addison’s head whipped up as she heard Marcus in the foyer. “I’ll talk to you later, Olivia. Marcus just got in.”

“Lucky bitch,” Olivia groaned. “Think of me when his filthy rich body is ravaging yours.”

“Not a chance,” Addison replied, laughing. “Bye.”

She disconnected the call as Marcus entered the sunken living room, holding a briefcase in his hand.

“Hey!” she called, rising to her knees to greet him with a kiss. “I wasn’t expecting you tonight.”

“Who were you talking to?” Marcus asked, dropping his briefcase on the coffee table.

“Olivia. You remember her? She worked at the diner with me?”

His blue eyes lit up with recognition. “Ah, yes. The loud one who took no sass from the customers.”

Addison laughed, falling onto the sofa as he sat beside her. “That’s the one.”

Marcus studied her face pensively.

“You are still in contact with your friends?” he asked, and Addison felt her brow furrow.

“Of course,” she replied sharply. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Marcus’ eyes widened at her tone, which made her bite her lip. He hadn’t implied she shouldn’t be in touch with her friends, why had she snapped at him like that?

“You should be,” Marcus said in agreement, his voice soft. “I just can’t help but feel that you are slightly melancholy lately. Perhaps you should have a party and invite your friends here to show off your new place.”

Addison stared at him, slightly surprised by the proposition.

“Will you come, too?” she asked tentatively, and he laughed.

“Of course,” he replied. “Provided I’m in the country when you plan it.”

Addison felt renewed excitement forming in her, and she nodded at him.

He does want me to be happy, she thought, and she was ashamed that she had ever thought otherwise. After all, he had never shown her anything but support. Everything Marcus had done was to make her life better and more comfortable for her.

“Do you want a drink?” she asked, rising from the sofa. Before she could get up, Marcus’ hand snaked out and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her down onto the sofa with him.

“I have a better idea,” he said, leaning forward to kiss her lips.

Addison shivered with anticipation, a familiar rush of excitement surging through her as their lips locked. Marcus lay back as she immediately went to pull his suit jacket from around his broad shoulders, her legs straddling his lap.

Marcus was already hard, but Addison expected nothing less from the machine of a man she called her lover. Their mouths still entangled, he allowed his body to fall horizontally across the sofa while Addison ripped at the buttons of his shirt, her fingers wrestling with his tie. Her flimsy robe fell open, revealing her naked chest for him to embrace with eager hands, his fingers manipulating her rigid nipples.

Addison’s dark red mane trailed along his cheek, her lips grazing the skin of his face as she slid herself across his chiseled abs, her tongue darting out to taste every inch of his flesh. She fought to remove his navy pants from around his fully erect unit, pulling the garment away and tossing it onto the floor. As she glided back up his naked legs, Marcus reached forward and flipped her around, her knees landing on either side of his broad shoulders.

Marcus’ large palms grabbed onto her buttocks, drawing her crotch down to his parted mouth, and Addison gasped, her breath escaping over his engorged member. He twitched at the feel of her mouth so near his, and as he began to circle his tongue around her core, Addison took him fully into her throat.

Together, they fell into a similar rhythm, Addison’s head bobbing in time to the hard, long strokes Marcus doled on her center. She quivered as goose bumps exploded along her skin, her palm cupping his tight sack with one hand.

They moaned in unison, the noises muffled by their preoccupied mouths. The simple vibration of Marcus’ tongue caused Addison to jump and gasp, but he held fast to her, his nose rubbing against her throbbing button. He grew larger in her mouth, and the reverberations his muffled groans made were driving her to the precipice of the orgasm simmering just beneath the surface. She did not want to release like that; she needed to feel him inside her.

Abruptly, she pulled her head back, her hips rising from his face. Before Marcus could reclaim her trembling cleft, she glided forward, her back still to him as he grunted in frustration. He was about to mutter something when she pressed her center against his raging erection, falling onto him with a cry.

Marcus bucked upward, his torso rising to meet her sweating skin as his hands cupped her bosom. Addison ground against him, swirling her hips in slow circles as he jerked upward, his thick rod occupying every inch of her insides. She fell forward, her palms on his knees as she began to ride him, deep and hard.

Choking gasps escaped her lips, her arousal spilling against his ever-enlarging shaft until they both could hold out no longer, peals of sighs and mewls accompanying their joint climax.

Marcus plunged higher, wanting to fill her, and Addison pressed her hips to his, needing to collapse onto him. He tweaked her nipples, a spark of electricity following the tingling orgasmic jolt emanating from her loins.

“You are very naughty,” Marcus told her, nuzzling his face into her neck. “You hide it very well beneath that sweet exterior of yours.”

She laughed, turning her head slightly to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

“Do I have a sweet exterior?” she purred demurely. “I have never been told that before.”

Their eyes locked, and Marcus’ smile took on an undertone that made her heart flutter softly.

“You are the sweetest woman I have ever met in my life,” he told her earnestly. “And that is a lot of women.”

Unexpectedly, Addison felt a smidgen of envy touch her heart. If she was so sweet, so apparently special to him, what did he want with other women? Why did he need other women when he had her? She almost voiced these questions aloud, but she bit down on her tongue, gracefully falling off him so he would not read the expression on her face.

You know full well there is no room for jealousy in this relationship, she warned herself. If you want more, you won’t get it from Marcus. And really, what more could you possibly want?

She shoved the unbidden sense of unrest from her body and spun to grin at him. “How about that drink?” she asked. “I could use one.”

Marcus rose to his feet, shaking his head. “I can’t stay tonight. I have to get to Missy’s.”

There was no denying the bolt of animosity that sparked through Addison at his words, and she gaped at Marcus almost uncomprehendingly as he kissed her on the cheek. For the first time since she had moved downtown, she was consumed with doubt about the future of her relationship with Marcus.

It was then that she remembered what Melissa and Tavia had told her about being with Marcus, and Addison was stunned by a sudden revelation.

I don’t know if I can do this, she realized in horrified awe. I don’t how much longer I can share him. Or if I want to anymore.