Elara's instincts were right on target; nothing ever escaped her.
I smiled awkwardly, lowering my heels and wrapping my arms around her waist. I leaned in, pressing my cheek against the small of her back until the silk of her shirt wrinkled beneath me.
"Elara," I murmured into her spine. "Can I go out today? Just for a few hours? And... without a bodyguard this time?"
"No."
The rejection was sharp and final. My heart sank, and my shoulders slump against her. But I wasn't ready to spend another day staring at the high-end appliances. I gathered my courage and tried again.
"I really need to go. It's a prior engagement. I promised."
"Only if you have a bodyguard," she countered, her voice dropping into that low tone that usually signaled the end of a negotiation.
"Ah, come on. It's not right to show up with a suited lady trailing me just to meet a friend. I'm not some rich heiress. How would I even explain that to my friend?"
