Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Chapter 18

*****

Ten minutes later, up to our chests in warm water and foam, I fill the flutes, passing them across.

“’Scuse me a mo,” says Charlotte, then slides under the surface. She rises again a few seconds later, snorting bubbles.

“How do you feel now?” I ask.

James tips his glass to me, smiling, but he doesn’t speak. Then, his lids drooping, he looks away.

*****

 

Klempner - Twenty-Six Years Ago

I step out, feeling bright. Everything is going perfectly.

Bech’s done well…

Nothing like a little competition to get the prices up

Another shipment like that and I can open the east wing at Blessingmoors…

So Yakovlevski wants a mix...

A couple of leggy Russian types ought to fit in well…

Back to Helsinki…

But first I want to see the apartment. Keys jingling in my pocket, I head out.

Will she like it?

But as the lock turns smoothly and the door clicks open, my doubts settle.

What's not to like?

The space is bright and airy, morning sunshine spilling through panes and onto, as I requested, new flooring and walls painted in cool neutral colours.

Much better than what she has…

And she can soon put her own stamp on it…

The carpets are deep and thick. Nonetheless, my footsteps echo in the empty rooms.

To furnish or not to furnish…?

Let her choose from the start?

Or furnish first then she can change it to suit herself?

in the style she already

Not easy…

No.

the larger of the bedrooms. The window overlooks the harbour, the better part with the marina, small shops selling souvenirs and knick-knacks and bars that play host to

She’ll like that…

if she’d like to

Sell her

She’s artistic…

talented… Easily good

Don’t get distracted.

the rest of the apartment, the room is

How to play this…?

Bookshelves…

Definitely.

Double bed...?

occurs to me that I have

take her clients

has a

out for one of the large local furniture

*****

Her phone rings.

“Hello?”

was wondering, are

Meet you at the

today. I want to show you something. I’ll send a cab for

“That’s great. What time?”

“About two?”

“I’ll see you then.”

*****

where my pacing is wearing a track in

Finland, enfolded in a huge woollen shawl and with a scarf covering half her

must be freezing. Come into the warm.

thermometer, but that damp breeze…” She shivers. “Hope you don’t mind…” She looks sheepish as she slips off the boots

her wrap, she offers the

fire. What would you like to drink? Something

“Lovely.”

perches on a stool by the flames, she

have the owner’s stamp on it. On

and even before I unwrap

as the cloth falls

… extraordinary…

yours, isn’t it? I recognise your

moves around to look at it with me. “You like

do, yes.

Harbour at sunset. I painted

does

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