The Girl in Apartment 1203

Excerpt #2:   For the Record

  “I already know how this is going to go. I’m not going to give you an answer you find good enough and you’re going to be annoyed with me. Don’t look at me like that. The last time I said you were mad you took offense and said it made you sound like a rabid animal. Plus, I don’t really like your method of quick resolution. There’s something to be said for long drawn out lectures. I’m up to hearing one tonight, promise. You’ll have my undivided attention.”
  “I’m confident I’m going to get and hold your attention my way too.” 
  He held out his hand to her and was relieved when he didn’t feel nerves flowing from her in the way of a jittery hand or sweaty palm. Jack was less certain about this whole spanking thing than Michael was with Brianna. Not because he didn’t believe it could break an issue down and get it resolved real nice, but he and Keila didn’t have the luxury of a passionate reconnection. More regrets of taking sex off the table rattled his brain.
  Michael had been right about one thing though this experience was changing him in ways he couldn’t have imagined. After his wife it had been impossible to conceive of the notion of caring for someone in the way he’d cared for Julia. Of course, that also meant a frustration like no other with their particular brand of stubborn. He’d suspected it would be an uphill battle though and this time he was more prepared. There was something to be said for an additional twenty years of life experience.
  “Kid, we talked about this very thing and explicitly, before I left, and what were you supposed to do? What did you promise me you would do?”
  Jack took her chin in his hand and brought her head up so that they were back to making that intense level of eye contact. She gave a test wiggle and twist, but he wasn’t letting up at all. It took longer than he would have liked, but she finally answered him.
  “I was supposed to call you if anything came up. But, Jack--”
  “No. The minute you say ‘but’ you negate everything else. You were supposed to call me, period. So, when we talked and you were saying that everything was fine that was a--”
  “No, no. If I answer that it’s, it’s entrapment! I’m pleading the fifth. I refuse to incriminate myself.”
It was really hard keeping it together. Jack wanted to laugh at her Law & Order level of legal knowledge being used to persuade him into saying what she wanted. 
  “Nice try, Kid. When I ask if things are good, I have to be able to trust that you’re telling me the truth. I’m on the road too much for us not to have impeccable trust between us. On the big and small things. And, for the record, this is on the big side of things.”