“No, I know.” Talia took her apartment keys from her coat pocket, toying with the loop on her key ring. “So, what’s in store for the rest of your night? Work?”
“I think I’ll take the rest of the night off. I was inspired recently so I’m getting words down at a pretty fast rate.” Faye ran a hand through her hair, gazing out at the river. “And I’m stuffed so I think a relaxing night is the plan.”
Talia threw a thumb over her shoulder. “Did you want to come back to mine for coffee?”
“I…” Faye’s forehead creased. “Yes. I’d love to.”
“Come on. I’m only in the apartments on the dock. I set the heating when I left so it should have warmed up by now.”
“Oh. The dock?” Faye seemed shocked by that, but Talia thought she might. She probably thought she lived in some hovel with black mould climbing the walls. “Impressive.”
“It’s gorgeous. I fell in love with it the moment I walked through the door. Honestly, it was the one thing that convinced me to leave my hometown.”
They crossed the road, strolling through the dock gates side by side. Faye seemed to relax a little more as the night went on, and Talia was thankful for that. It meant she wasn’t still punishing herself for the last few weeks. Talia meant it earlier when she told Faye it didn’t matter that she’d been in her room. And it was true, because if Talia was being painfully honest with herself, Faye being the one sitting in her VIP spot the other week was the sole reason she had taken her into the room. She’d been into her from the day she started at the bistro and saw her across the room.
That was a mistake.Talia always kept her work and personal life separate, but she knew she’d never have any other opportunity to see Faye outside of the bistro, so she’d foolishly taken her hand and guided her away. In many ways, she regretted it. In others…it had been the greatest dance of Talia’s life.
She’d never found herself attracted to a client in all her years working the clubs. But Faye… She’d fired Talia’s body up something wicked that night. If she had the balls to pursue something more with Faye, she would tell her just how much she’d aroused her in that room, but it wasn’t possible. Talia couldn’t put Faye through sleeping alone every weekend. She deserved so much more than a woman who danced for other people, and that wasn’t Talia degrading herself or thinking little of who she was. It was a fact. Because that’sexactlywhat she did, and every woman in the past had claimed that it would work out, until it didn’t.
“You’ve gone quiet,” Faye said, falling into step with Talia. “You don’t have to invite me back. Having dinner with me was more than enough.”
“No, it’s not that.” Talia smiled when the wind whipped around them and she caught a waft of Faye’s perfume. “I’m just in my own head.”
“Something on your mind?”
Talia laughed. “There’s a lot on my mind lately.”
“If you needed to talk…”
Talia stopped at the entrance to her apartment block. “I’ve never regretted anything in my life, I don’t see the point when it won’t change the outcome, but I regret dancing for you…and I regret turning you down for drinks.”
“The offer is still there.” A smile twitched at the corner of Faye’s mouth, those dimples having the potential to melt Talia.
“As much as I’d love to, I really shouldn’t. But that’s not a reflection on you—you’re wonderful.” Talia cast her mind back to a time when Megan had promised her the world. Marriage, kids, a happy ending…and then that familiar heartache hit her. She didn’t love Megan anymore, but she’d never forget that feeling as she watched her walk away. God, Talia had never imagined devastation like it. “I wouldn’t expect you to be okay with what I do. A relationship would never work.”
“So, you’re willing to never find someone because of your job?”
Talia nodded, slipping her key into the lock. “That’s the one.”
“Wow. That’s kinda sad.”
“But you know what’s worse?” Talia’s eyebrow rose as she stopped in front of the stairwell. “Being strung along by the woman you love for four years. Sharing a home with them and sitting up through the week planning out a future…only for her to decide in the end that you are, in fact, a whore. And that she doesn’t want to marry someone who‘sells her body’to dirty old men. I mean, I’d bought my dress. I had the wedding bands. W-we were going to a clinic…”
Faye’s eyes flashed with sympathy, but Talia had said far too much. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s why I said no to drinks with you, Faye. Because as strong as I feel and as confident as I know I am, I don’t think I could go through that again. I wouldn’t survive.”
Faye simply nodded. Talia wasn’t sure she had any idea what to do with any of the information she’d just shared. “I understand.” Faye spoke so low that it sent a shiver down Talia’s spine. She had the softest voice. “I’m sorry she did that to you, and I wish things were different, but I understand.”
“Come on. Let’s get inside before we freeze our tits off.”
Faye gripped Talia’s hand as she turned towards the stairwell. “Thank you for being so honest with me tonight. And thank you for inviting me back. If it means anything, I’d rather have you as a friend than nothing at all.”
Talia reached out and touched Faye’s cheek lightly. “It means everything.”
CHAPTERSIX
Faye tooka seat at her usual table, pulling up her emails while she waited for her order. Wednesday morning had been productive so far, but her hopes of bumping into Talia at work dwindled the moment she stepped into the bistro to find her…well, not here. She’d considered asking the server behind the counter if Talia was working today, but that was taking things a step too far. They may have had dinner together on Sunday evening, but Talia had made it more than clear she wasn’t available, and she never would be.