"Not exactly. She found it out herself somehow. It was just last week, maybe the week before. And she's been needling me ever since. So I just needled her back, that's all."

"And that's all you do about it, just needle each other? No fights? Doesn't she get mad? Oh shit, I'll bet she'd like to tear my hair out by the [missing text]."

"Could be. But we're civilized, honey, we'll settle it without violence. In fact, it's already settled. Our marriage has to be preserved for the sake of the business, but aside from that, well, no strings attached. Julia has her friends, I have mine. And as long as we're discreet about it…"

"Oh. So now I'm not a secret any more. And neither is this place, my apartment, it's not so private now. I don't like that, Simon, it makes me uncomfortable."

"Hush now, take it easy. There's a silver lining. The way it's working out, maybe I can pick up your tab for the rent from now on. That ought to cheer you up. A steady deal?"

"You darling man! Just for that… mmm…"

"Hey!"

"Let me, let me."

"So who's stopping you? It's all yours. See? Come on, hot lips, earn your keep."

"Nnngg."

"Little cocksucker…"

It seemed almost ludicrous. Me, little Rory Mitchell, a kept woman? A rich man's mistress! Shouldn't a new image go with the job? I'm a kept woman! I wanted to dye ray hair, change my makeup, let my nails grow, maybe even enroll in some charm school. But no, I didn't do any of those. Simon decided that I ought to go on working at Consolidated – and without even a raise in pay – "so it shouldn't look too suspicious." (Businessman's talk, real pompous!) Which ruled out even minor alterations, much less a drastic overhaul. So I played my discreet role and remained unchanged, unglamorous, my natural sweet self. Sandy hair, a mop, all close-clipped curls.