Part 8 (1/2)

”But look at the context. That's what matters.” She swiveled out to the side and put her arms on her thighs, gazing at Callie with new determination.

”Nonsense. There's no context for lying.”

”Sure there is. This was just about business. If you hadn't found out this would never have come up.” Confidence radiated from her face. ”Was I less interested in you because of her? No! Did you ever want to have s.e.x and I turned you down? Of course not. I was always there for you when I was home. How does what I did away from home affect you?”

Continuing to slap tape onto the next box, Callie scoffed, ”Stupid question. Really stupid.”

”It's not!”

She stopped and stared at her. ”It is, Marina. Lying is bad for relations.h.i.+ps. Especially when the lies started before I'd unpacked. How could you do that?” Don't cry. Don't you dare cry. She doesn't deserve your tears.

”Here's the context.” Her voice had taken on the slow, calm manner she had when she'd practiced a client presentation. Clear, concise and full of s.h.i.+t. ”We were at some offsite conference, and we'd both had too much to drink. We were in...” She appeared to think for a few seconds. ”Las Vegas. Of course, it was Las Vegas. We'd been out with some vendors, and they took us to see a show. They were mortified when the show had a dozen mostly naked women in it and kept apologizing. On the way back to our rooms, Angela let something slip about how hot the women were. I took a chance and said none of them were my type.” She smiled in memory, the simple act making Callie want to bean her. ”I said I preferred a woman in a great fitting suit.”

”Which Angela was wearing.”

”Yeah, of course.”

Of course. Like you'd ever give a compliment that didn't buy you something.

”So she admitted she was gay and we...you know.” Marina almost looked contrite.

”That's all it took,” Callie said flatly. ”Just a willing lesbian.”

”No, not at all. I'd been interested in her for over a year. I just didn't think it was smart to start something up with someone who was farther up the chain. She made it feel safe.”

It was a guess, but it was probably right. It could be sold with conviction. ”You and I were already together. Didn't that enter into your thought process?”

”Sure. Of course it did.”

What a sc.u.mmy excuse for a girlfriend. What had I been smoking to put up with this? Am I blind in every area of my life? ”Tell me how. I dare you.”

”Look.” Marina stood up and started pacing, hand on hip. ”I figured she was kinda... grandfathered in. I'd been interested in her long before I even met you. And, frankly, I thought it could help my career. When I get promoted to vice president, it will be great for us, Callie. I'll be making serious money.”

”Money?” Her cheeks felt scalding hot. ”How does your money affect me?”

”Well, once I start making serious money, I can pay for more things. I asked you to come to Acapulco. I was gonna pay for the whole thing.”

”Right.” She went back to her box-building.

”I would have been more generous. I really would have.”

”Doesn't matter.”

”Yes, it does.” She plunked down on the floor right beside the new box. ”We've been together long enough that I feel more secure with you. More like this is permanent.”

”I don't feel that way.” She whipped the box away and moved it to her other side. ”I'm packing my things and taking off.”

”Come on.” Marina got to her knees and scrambled around Callie. ”Don't shut me out. Listen to me.”

”You're free to talk. No one's stopping you.”

”After we slept together I realized it was a mistake.”

”Nice timing. So you kept at it for eighteen months to make it right?”

”No. Once we did it, I had to let her decide when to end it.” She made a face. ”She sucked in bed. She said her girlfriend was the one who wasn't any good, but I think it was her.”

She could be killed, dismembered and packed in the new boxes. No one would miss her. The thought made a spark of pleasure roll down Callie's back. She took a long breath, trying to keep her voice calm. ”I don't want to hear how she justified it. That's irrelevant.”

”No, it's not. She was starved for s.e.x. She said her girlfriend was a complete dud and that she didn't get off on her at all. But she wanted to stay because she loved her in every other way.” She sat back on her heels, blinking. ”Why you'd want to stay with someone who wasn't good in bed is beyond me, but that's what she said. So she wanted to keep me around to blow off some steam. That's why I had to keep doing it. I swear, I didn't like it!”

Callie sat down so they were eye to eye. ”The fact that you don't understand why that makes you a user is part of the problem.” With the flat of her hand she smacked Marina's temple. ”Your head is empty of morals!”

”It is not.” She scooted back, just out of Callie's reach. She was almost sulking. ”You're the one who tried to get me to agree to things that made no sense.”

”Like honesty and being true to your word?”

”No. I tried to be honest. I told you how hard it would be for me to get permission before I had s.e.x with someone. You were warned.”

”And you told me you'd do it.”

”I tried. It just wasn't possible. What was I supposed to do? Meet a woman at O'Hare and tell her I had to call home before I could go to her hotel? That's ridiculous.”

”How many others?” There had clearly been others. But acting upset about it would make her clam up.

”Not that many.” Marina had that look on her face. The I'm-lying look. It was always the same. Too earnest. Too sincere.

”So you lied since the first day and haven't stopped.”

”It's not a lie if it doesn't hurt anyone. Being honest was the problem. Hiding it let me have what I wanted and you have what you wanted-some control over my libido.”

”Yeah, that was some control.”

”You wanted security. Lying gave that to you.” She gazed up at Callie with what looked like complete confidence in her claim.

”You're a pathological liar, and I regret the day we met.”

Marina started crawling across the floor on her knees again. ”Please don't say that.”

Callie got up and stuck her foot into Marina's chest, stopping her in her tracks. ”Keep your distance. We're done. Finished. Forever. You can bank on my promises, and that's one I'll never renege on.”

Chapter Eight.

Temporarily ensconced at her friend Pam's house, Callie waited a couple of days to call Regan. Telling her the whole truth wasn't an option. If it was true that Angela had learned her lesson, Regan's finding out about the duration of the affair would screw things up. Regan was taking things slowly, being very careful not to forgive too easily. She'd find out soon enough if Angela was as full of it as Marina was.

Regan was just getting home when Callie reached her. ”Hi, it's Callie.”