THE BILLIONAIRE'S LOVER

24 | IN WHICH SHE LIVES LAVISHLY

'Oh come on. You don't feel bad, do you?'

'Sometimes. A little bit. I mean'—awkward gesture—'this place is just. . .and I'm not really. . .then there's the money. . .'

'Not really what?'

'Worth it.' Eep. That sounded bad. 'I mean,' she added hastily, 'in a literal exchange of goods and services way.'

'You're not fungible, Mal.'

'Damn right I'm not. I'm very hygienic.'

Mika laughed. 'Boom tish. I just meant, it's all proportional. He's a multibillionaire who keeps this place around as his spare. . .I don't know what. This is nothing to him. And you're something.'

Malora blinked. She actually had a point. Titan wanted her. Within certain limitations, admittedly, but he wanted her. And it wasn't like she'd be any less interested in being with him if the apartment was no longer on offer. Cards on the table, Malora was secretly hoping he'd still be into her when their contract ended.

'Besides'—Mika was once again gazing at the magnificence—'I think I'd sleep with him if he let me stay here. And I'm a Lesbian.'

'I think that makes you heteroflexible at the very least.'

She grinned. 'No, just mercenary.'

'What about the time—'

Before Malora could remind her about the enthusiastically received hand job delivered by yours truly, she'd bounced off the sofa. 'Can I get the guided tour?'

'Um, sure.'

It didn't take very long because everything was laid out to look as impressive as possible, which meant most of the rooms flowed together. But Mika gasped and cooed and squee-ed over everything, turned on all the devices, opened all the cupboards, poked and prodded and peered, and rolled around on the guest bed like an excited golden retriever. And, for the first time since she'd moved in, Malora felt. . .not at home exactly, but unambiguously happy to be there. It was that naughty holiday feeling you got from staying at a posh hotel, knowing you could flump around in the branded dressing gowns and use the fancy shampoo in the tiny bottles.

'This is the best.' Mika waved her arms and legs in the air. 'I wish I hadn't got onto this tour. I could have stayed here, leeching off you.'

'No, you couldn't. Titan is going to want to, y'know. . .bone down on me at some point.' Friday , she hoped.

'You could put a sock on the door.'

'Go fuck your own billionaire.'

Grinning, Mika sat up and gave Malora what she probably thought was a coy glance. 'Well, at least show me a good time tonight.'

Malora had always been nervy of taking advantage of Titan's generosity. Which, in practice, meant living on Coco Pops and pretending not to exist. Honestly, if there'd been a cupboard under the stairs, she'd probably have moved into it. But he'd given her access to a lot of really cool stuff and Mika didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with what she was doing so. . .maybe. . .just this once?

'Come on, then,' Malora said, holding out her hand. 'Let's live the high life.'

She took Mika down to the pool, which was way less murdery when she wasn't on her own. And afterward they tried out the sauna, where Malora got to enjoy the sight of a largely naked and incredibly glisteny Mika. Unfortunately, Malora thought she probably just looked pink and fainty—so she removed joint sauna taking off the list of sexy things she could daydream about doing with Titan.

She'd never quite been able to wrap her head around the fact that the building had its own spa—but it really did, and they welcomed them lavishly enough that it made Malora self-conscious. Mika seemed pretty happy, though, as she was whisked off to do this special gentleman treatment thing called a power lift facial. Malora had a rose-themed series of massages that left her limp and fragrant from toes to scalp. They did manicure and pedicure, and finally had another French nails done, and toenails painted with steel gray cortex.