Free The Pajama Affair by Vanessa Gray Bartal

on his shoulders and clasped her hands behind his head.
    “Work you over,” he repeated. “I’m not sure you know the correct meaning of that term.” He looked down at her with an indulgent smile.
    “Do you?” she asked, more abruptly than she intended. He frowned and she arched up to distract him with a kiss.
    His phone rang and he paused mid-kiss.
    “Is that your mom?” She couldn’t imagine anyone else who could drain the passion from such a heated exchange.
    He straightened and stepped away from her. “No, it’s Sal.” He put his hands on her waist and lifted her off the counter and then checked his watch. “I forgot he was coming tonight. You know how punctual he is.”
    The awe Liza felt for Dirk paled in comparison to the awe Dirk felt for his cousin Sal. They were both only children and they had been raised together like brothers. Sal was five years older and, according to Dirk, perfect in every way. There was no competition or jealousy between them, at least on Dirk’s behalf. Cult leaders would be lucky to earn the sort of love and devotion Dirk gave Sal. Liza had only met him once, five years ago when she and Dirk first started to date. Sal was what she pictured from Dirk’s description: perfect. Somehow he was even more handsome than Dirk, but he held no temptation for Liza. Probably because his eyes had raked over her dismissively as if she were the healthy section of a fast food menu. In a way she was surprised Dirk hadn’t broken up with her after that meeting. Sal seemed to hold complete control over Dirk’s decisions. Despite his callow attitude toward Liza he must have given his approval of her or she would never have made the cut. It was too much to hope that Dirk would defy his beloved cousin for her.
    “You’re quiet,” Dirk said as they made the drive to his parents’ house. It was a McMansion on the north side of town. At first Liza had been petrified and intimidated to go there, but meeting his parents put her at ease. There was no snobbery in Donna and Milton Xavier. If anything, they were slightly backwards socially, like two people from the wrong side of town who suddenly find themselves wealthy.
    “Just thinking,” she said.
    He took her hand and kissed it. “About how much you missed me? You never said.”
    “I always miss you,” she replied. Even when we’re together I miss you. She was watching him warily. He was acting odd. The change to outright affection was pleasant, but suspicious.
    “What did you do all week?” she asked. Was it her imagination or did he tense? He faced forward but kept her hand.
    “Oh, you know. The usual.”
    “No I don’t know. What’s the usual for you?”
    “You’re curious lately,” he commented. They reached his parents’ house. When he put his hand on the door she understood the conversation was over, but she wasn’t willing to let him get away without answering. She remained seated. He closed the door and leaned his back against it to face her.
    “Sal wanted me to check out a new parts supplier. He spent the week attempting to woo me when what I really wanted was some bottom line facts and figures. These didn’t appear until the end of the week when I realized he was more expensive than our current supplier. The whole thing could have been handled by fax in an hour, and instead I wasted a week in Cleveland . Do you have any idea how boring Cleveland is?”
    “No. I’ve never been.”
    “Count yourself lucky. There are only so many times you can visit the Rock n’ Roll hall of fame.” He put his hand on the door again.
    “Is that what you did with your free time?”
    “Among other things.” It wasn’t her imagination that he suddenly looked cornered.
    “Were there girls?”
    His mouth fell and his hand released the door. “Liza,” he exclaimed.
    She had the feeling he was waiting for her to apologize. Should she tell him it was going to be a long wait?
    “I have a girlfriend,” he reminded her. He put out his