“There are a few things you need to understand.”

“Okay.”

“I’m devoted to my daughter. I’ll be with her most weekends, so I won’t be able to see you.”

“Right.” Nat respected his dedication to his only child, and the schedule aligned nicely with her desire for freedom.

“This weekend is an exception. She’s spending it with her mother at their house on Long Island. I keep a small weekend place there. Sometimes, my daughter joins me in the city.”

“Okay.”

“She can’t ever know about you,” Gabe continued, his voice firm, adamant. For the first time, she could see him as a cutthroat attorney. “I keep my family life and my dating life separate. My daughter and my job will always be my top priorities.”

“Sure.” Before this moment, Gabe had made her feel special and adored. Now, she knew exactly where she stood.

“If you can respect that, I think we can have something great together.”

“I can. Of course I can.”

“Good.” He smiled as he reached into his pocket, extracting a plain white envelope. He held it under the table, away from prying eyes. “This is for you.”

Her hand reached out and took it, depositing it swiftly into her purse.

“Thank you.”

And with that, Natalie had a sugar daddy.

* * *

It was surreal and fucked-up and amazing, all at the same time. Nat needed to talk to Ava. Her friend had knowledge and experience, would talk Nat through her jitters and qualms. Ava was not in this class, but Nat would see her later, in Western civilization. Nat shifted her focus to the task in front of her, using 3-D lighting techniques to give an animation depth and dimension, but she was too late. The professor announced that class was over. She’d squandered the hour, her thoughts trapped in the past.

Nat logged off the computer, gathered her bag, and left the studio. Traversing the hallways on autopilot, her fellow students were faceless blurs, her mind, again, on the night before. On Gabe. He had summoned his driver, had kissed her goodbye, his mouth warm and hungry and tasting like whiskey. His hand found its way into her hair, the other to her waist, pulling her closer into him.

“I’m so happy you’re in my life,” he’d whispered.

“Me, too.” And she’d felt that way then. But not now.

Now, she felt anxious, worried, afraid she was in over her head. Initially, she’d thought she would be repulsed by an older man, disgusted at the thought of his body, of his hands touching her. But that was not the case with Gabe Turnmill. When she was with him, she felt giddy, happy, sparkly. When he kissed her, she melted, when he touched her, she wanted more. She had never felt this way before, not with Cole, not with Miguel. But this was not a real relationship. Gabe was paying her.

Now, Nat was afraid of falling for a man she could never really have.