A Body Double For His Obsession

cold where his

f sharp lines and muscle. He moved with a detached grace, a

mine, the weight of him, the rough scrape of his stubble on my ne

ooking at the view. His gaze was distant, lost somewhere I couldn't follow. It happened every

waist. The movement drew his attention. His eyes, the color of sla

but an anchor. He pressed me back into the mattress, his weight a fa

o feel something, anything, to bridge the chasm between us. I wrapped my arms aro

ng against mine with practic

ed away instantly. The sp

h, a dark, expensive piece that matched the coldness in his eyes. There was no after

own clothes from the floor. My actions felt rob

f leather-bound classics before stopping at a small, almost invisible

lens for a long moment,

t of shame and confusion. He said it was for his "peace of mind," a way to remember. I was desperate. I was

in this glass tower. My job was simple: draw him out. Be his companion, his muse, whatever he ne

was desperate to solve. I painted him, sketched him, learned the contours of h

o bed one night, a collision of my hope an

ionship came

ask about

ecords ev

ver to him. I ejected the tiny m

y voice flat. I h

hen back at me. "Le

watched them with me. He took them an

w why

o. I'd brought him coffee, entering his study without knocking for the firs

ements, the curve of my ba

face was

y, moaning his name. The video was one of dozens, a catalog of our time toge

tute because I looked enough like her from a distance. The same dark hair

ent I thought was a breakthrough, was for her.

or him, felt like a dead weight in my chest

ulling me back to the cold penthouse. He was b

n't a

stiff. I filled a glass from the tap a

a word of thanks, d

I'll be gone for a week," he announ

e was calm, but there wa

arrowing slightly. "Y

mile touching my lips. "Have a g

r of confusion in his eyes. He couldn't see the

d and walked out the door

shut, sealing m

ard still in my hand. A small

sion w

me to bring her son

Just no

ly broken. And in that breakin