“Heads up!” said Max. The boots flipped by my ears and hung off my shoulders. She giggled behind me.“Oh, OK.” Sam left her fuzzy winter boots ...n the third step above my soaked sneakers and Max’s steel-toed giants. “Look, I’m not really sure this is the right place for me to be.”“The fuck it isn’t.” Max stuck her head out around my elbow as Sam took the turn off the landing and climbed the last three steps. Max pulled the boots off of me. “Now put these on.”“I’ll take your coat.”“I’m not staying. “I have deadlines too, and I don’t appreciate you hounding me when I have a million other things to think about besides your fucking budget.” I countered. For as long as we had been lovers we’d never fought. This new budgeting project had put us both to the test. “Well I don’t appreciate you barging in here and throwing shit at me.” He said rising from his chair as if to intimidate me. He was tall, it was one of the things I found most attractive about him. Fortunately, I was wearing my red. It excited her when she thought about James being fulfilled by another girl. As long as she was aware of what was going on, she had decided she’d be happy for James to fuck someone else - especially someone like Alanah, who they worked with and saw every day. That way, she thought, they could both be happy.Despite her desires, she wasn’t sure how James would react. She’d never done this before.“C’mon, tell me. What does Alanah have that I don’t?” she repeated flirtatiously, with more than a. ?Well,' she said, sipping her wine, ?this has been very educational. You don'tlook so powerful without your knickers on, do you?' ?I suppose not,' I muttered. ?You look vulnerable. Do you feel that way?' ?Yes,' I answered softly, wondering how she saw so easily into my thoughts. ?You can get dressed.' Quickly, I scrambled for my clothes and dressed while she watched. ?I thinkyou understand everything Claudia,' Rajani said calmly as I stepped into myshoes. ?Yes,' I murmured bitterly, tucking my.