His Reluctant Temptress

s she jumped off the bed and walked

f doing something stupid again, are you? Think about your mom back home. If you

"You're right. I need to stay alive-for my mom. I've t

nto an all-white tracksuit, pulled on a black bas

ne arm, she said, "I'm heading

w-who knows what kind of creeps are lurking around. Let me go with you!"

out of the dorm, Jasmi

she called Jasmine's phone-on

three. For the past month, she had obediently stayed in her dorm. Partly, it was to

e first. So if Jasmine tried to keep gaining sympathy through public drama and fake su

int wasting mor

y achieved the desired effec

n life and in strategy. That space could one day be the turning point. And Jasmine had

versity gates, hopped on a bus

shed open the d

otal mess-clothes and p

x was making love

w the door swing open, screami

ssion on her face. She headed straight to the table, picked up the printed pregna

d by her sudden appearance at all. He picked up a phone from the tab

bedroom, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against the window and careful

om, the couple went a

stamina Felix had. No wonder he was Rainbow Night

wn phone and stepped onto the balcony. Without a trace of emoti

a long time withou

knew h

had

re than enough time for him to handle the mess with D

ow, he wouldn't be t

calculated, and this o

the call was about to ti

e came through the line,

le, almost as if she were crying. "Bruc

a brief pa

ven harder. "Did

ea

she

ea

e couldn't get another word out. Her restrained sobs made her sound like the

, his voice low and steady. "What happened that night was my fault. I'm sorry. If

ob. "Bruce... can you come o

ht n

ht n

tretch of

t hang up, Bruce finally said, "M

The woman Felix had brought home let out a dramatic, moaning cry th

ard it. He sudde

at the OB-GYN clinic. Someone just gave birth-it's noisy as hell. Fo

aring at the living room with annoyance

er shoulder bag, yanked open the door, and walked out without e

d after her

d the door hard behind her, pouri

lene loved the style of the place because she liked the Nostalgia R

mantic as Nostalgia Cafe. One wrong move and things could ea

l cap and black sneakers. She looked fresh and clean, her 5'9" frame lean and athletic. Her

d at Buzz Plaza, it wa

pulled low over his eyes. He was tall-about 6'2" by her estimate-and undeniabl

ine had ever seen. He had that aristocratic face, the kind th

public appearances, he'd show up in a tailored suit, always calm and distant. But in private, whenever he went out, he

e wore hats too, though hers were for a di

d started working as an escort, she of

. His frame was long and lean, especially his legs-so straight and long they almost l

hat was the exact sam

emotions, let the tears rise, a

her, but he didn't move, as if

e she reached him, she was already crying, tears streaming down her

she said softly, voice choked. "I was scared som

at won't happen ag

back of her hand. "I'm not mad at you anym

, trying to hold back the tears, but they o

s, then shakily held out the test results

brim of his cap was pulled so low that on

king it impossible for her to read his expressio

hat report into his hands