Free Live Love Rewind: The Three Lives of Leah Preston by Anne Glynn Page B

he told her. “I’m a hard worker and I’m ambitious. I make a good salary and I’ll make better, possibly much better, before I retire.”
    “Jon?”
    “I have plans for my future.”
    “That’s nice.” Leah didn’t know what else to say. Was this his idea of pillow talk?
    “Even though I haven’t known you for long, there’s some things about you I really like. You’re cute, I love your ass, and you’re not stupid.”
    “…okay.”
    “There’s a lot of stupid out there. But you’re not too smart, either. I wouldn’t like a woman who thinks she’s smarter than me.”
    Even in this darkness, Leah knew he wasn’t looking in her direction. He almost sounded as if he was thinking out loud.
    Jon said, “I’ve heard about the money you’ll be getting. That can only help me in what I want to do. I’m going to be somebody and a big bank account is better than an Ivy League degree.”
    “Who told you about my contract?” But Leah already knew: Clarissa.
    “My career, my looks, and all those dollar signs, those are the kinds of things that resonate with voters. They like marriage and stability, too. A year or so, maybe eighteen months at most, yeah, we’ll be taking our vows.”
    Jon’s odd pose and strange manner forced Leah to consider another idea: The Visitors. They’re doing something to him. I don’t think he knows what he’s saying.
    I doubt he’s even awake.
    “You’ll say ‘yes’ when I propose,” he told her. “You’re not getting any younger, are you? Besides, I’ve seen how you watch me. You and a thousand like you, you want the truth. Women always tell me yes, no matter what I want.”
    “Do they?”
    “That’s why I fuck so many of them. You’re kind of special, though. I love the way you moan so loud, the way you’re so responsive. I’ll bet you’ll do anything I want. You’re not as good as Clarissa but she’s a freak.”
    Leah slapped him.
    Jon jerked. Rolling to face her, he said, “Hey now. What was that about?”
    Too angry to speak, Leah reached out for the lamp on the side table. She turned it on.
    Rubbing a hand over his reddening cheek, Jon allowed a cocky smile to return to his face. “Kinky. Not that I’m totally against such things. But you might give a guy some warning.”
    “Get out of my bed.”
    “Did I – I mean, I thought we were enjoying each other.”
    “God, I wish I’d made you wear a condom. Get out. Wasn’t I clear?”
    Jon stumbled from the bed. Collecting his clothing, he dressed hastily. Letting the door slam shut behind him, Leah heard him as he stomped out onto the landing. A moment later, a car engine roared to life and tires squealed as a vehicle raced from the parking lot.
    Leah dangled her legs over the side of the bed. So much for my miracle .
    Tears welled in the corners of her eyes. Knowing that the Jon Wexlers of the world weren’t worth such a depth of emotion, she fought her own feelings of depression.
    I hate my life.
    Why don’t you start over? a voice asked inside her head. She twisted sharply, seeking some sign of the Visitors.
    Her apartment remained reassuringly in her own dimension. The beige walls were unchanged, the tan carpet still needed cleaning, and her walk-in closet still contained too many shoes for any one woman to wear in a lifetime.
    I thought you needed a portal to communicate with my kind, she thought.
    Not any longer. Not with you.
    Before Leah could ponder over this new and startling piece of information, the voice asked, Are you happy?
    No. Not that it’s any of your business. Still trying to piece things together, she added, Was that the point of this, to make me happy?
    Leah remembered when she’d been asked about her happiness before. How much of what had happened since was through the aliens’ manipulation?
    She sensed that the Visitor was still with her, not speaking but waiting for her to continue. She told the presence, If that was your goal, it didn’t work out, did it? You made a bad