“Holy fuck…” Staci gasped from behind me.
I spun around, my eyes wide and shocked at what had just happened. “We have to go,” I said rushed. I grabbed the shades from my shirt and put them over my eyes as we walked to the elevator.
My hand was still clutching with whatever he had handed me. Once we were secure in the elevator, I opened up my hand and found a small ripped piece of paper.
In case you change your mind… 555-1026.
Written underneath was
I’m really hoping you do, Mac. Give me a chance to remind you…
Fuck.
“Looks like lover boy wants another night.” I could hear the amusement in her voice. Shit. This was so bad. So, so bad.
“Okay…” I pressed the emergency stop on the panel and turned toward her. “You have ten seconds. Let it all out.” I stood with my arms crossed, urging her to get it out of her system.
“Mac…I love you. I’m just messing with you.”
“No, c’mon. I deserve it. Yell at me. Tease me. Make fun of me.
Something
!” I released my arms and threw them up. “Someone needs to yell at me.”
“Mac, you aren’t a child. You’re fully capable of making your own decisions and mistakes. Why would I yell at you?” she asked sincerely. I was falling apart. Tears surfaced and fell down my cheeks like a sudden rainstorm.
“Because I’m a bad person, Staci! I had a one-night stand! And I feel guilty as hell…for more than one reason.” My voice trembled, my body shaking as I fully allowed myself to come to terms with what I had done. “I can’t believe I did that…” My voice went flat.
“You aren’t a bad person. You made a drunken mistake. Trust me…you aren’t the first to do so. We all do shit we regret.”
“Yes…I know that, Stace,” I retorted sharply. “But my mistake could really hurt people. If the press finds out…”
“They won’t…he doesn’t know who you are, right?”
“No, I don’t think so. He didn’t seem to.”
“Well, there ya go. No one is going to find out,” she reassured me.
I inhaled and exhaled deeply, needing to calm my nerves. “All right…” I nodded, motioning for her to release the emergency button as I put the hat on. “I’m ready.”
We exited the elevator without a second glance. I bowed my head down, concealing my face as much as I could and grabbed her hand as she led me out into the back of her car. Once we took off, I took the sunglasses and hat off, relieved I was finally out of there.
“You’re going to be okay.” She flashed a comforting smile at me. “Do you want me to go inside with you?”
“No, I’ll be fine. I’m just going to take a shower and pretend this whole weekend never happened.”
She nodded.
I looked down at my hands as they nervously fidgeted in my lap. Almost home. Once inside, I knew I’d be safe.
I had shoved Alex’s note in my back pocket, but I didn’t even realize it until just now. “Oh my god!” I squealed at Staci. My eyes narrowed in on my left hand…my thumb rubbing over the empty ring finger indentation.
“What is it?”
“My ring! It’s gone!” I shrieked. I became frantic as I realized my engagement ring was missing. It could only be in one place…
Shit, shit, shit.
William was going to be home in a couple of days, and I couldn’t risk him seeing me without it. He’d ask me about it, and I’d have to make up some stupid lie, which would just add to the stack of lies I would already be carrying around.
I swallowed. I was going to have to call Alex.
After taking a shower and scrubbing my entire sinful body off, I dressed and grabbed the slip of paper with Alex’s number on it.
I tapped my foot anxiously as I sat on the edge of my bed, taking deep, shallow breaths. I just needed to do it. Get it over with. Call him.
My fingers nervously hovered over the digits of my phone. I felt oddly eager to hear his voice again, but also scared as hell. His voice did things to my body my mind couldn’t control.
Before I dialed his number, a glimpse of our night together surfaced…
“What is it you want from me?” I asked bluntly. I needed to know because I was not about to lead this guy on. He seemed almost too good to be true, and the last thing I wanted to do was send out the wrong message.
“Well, if I were honest, which I almost always am…I want you. I want your sweaty body underneath me, against me. I want your eyes to look up into mine as I lay above you, fucking you hard and fast.” My body quivered, jerking at his blunt response. “I want to feel how tight your pussy is, how wet you are for me. I want to suck on your tits as I hear you scream my name because, holy hell, it’s so damn sexy.” I swallowed hard as I wrapped my brain around his words—words I hadn’t heard in so long. “I told you I was honest,” he whispered into my ear again.
I wasn’t sure how to respond, but as soon as I cleared my mind, the alcohol took over for me.
I spun around and locked my arms around his neck. He looked at me, took me in. His mouth was firm, tense. I analyzed his facial features and how delicious he looked. My body felt on fire, burning and aching between my legs as I repeated his words in my mind.
Why did his words have an effect on me? I wasn’t supposed to let someone else say those things to me, touch me, and beg me. I craved it—his words, the look he was giving me—my body was craving it all, and it didn’t make any sense to me.
“Stop,” he said firmly, gaining my attention back. “Stop overthinking, Mac. What’s your body telling you?”
I sucked in a breath, too embarrassed to tell him. “I don’t know.”
His lips curved up into a devilish smirk. “You’re a horrible liar, Mac.” He pulled me in closer, our chests colliding. The top of my head reached just under his chin, making our eyes disconnect.
“How do you know?” I asked. I was only vaguely aware that we were in fact not alone. The music and dancing bodies surrounded us, but it didn’t feel that way. I was on high alert for every word he said and every movement his body made.
He grabbed my chin and tilted it so we were eye-level again. He brushed the pad of his thumb over my jaw as he said, “Because I’m good at reading body language. Your body’s hot. You haven’t stopped blushing since you’ve met me, and I can smell your arousal from way up here. Your nipples are hard and pressing through this thin material you call a dress. Your eyes are tense, as is your mouth. Your body can’t stop trembling, and every time you speak, small moans escape your throat. Your body is fucking begging for it, Mac.”
I swallowed again, shocked and embarrassed. He read me like a damn book, feeling everything I was trying to hide.
I needed to find out for myself.
“Kiss me,” I said. “Kiss me right now.”
Both of his hands cupped my face, nearly covering it completely with the size of them. My breath hitched as he covered my mouth with his, pressing his lips to mine. They were soft, warm like honey. I grabbed a hold of his wrists, clenching to him as his kiss sparked my entire body. I felt high as if this feeling wasn’t natural, yet it was overtaking my entire body.
His tongue met mine, dancing in rhythm as we stood in the middle of the dance floor. His kiss consumed me, his mouth taking charge of me. He increased his pace, deepening his desire as I held on for everything he was giving me.
I felt a jolt of energy strike through me as our mouths collided, both panting with heavy breaths and heated air.
He tasted like bourbon, oaky and sweet. His cologne wasn’t overbearing, but being this close, I could smell the musky scent mixed with the alcohol and the clean smell of his soap. Our bodies were meshed into one big body of hands and mouths.
And now I couldn’t stop. One taste and I wanted it. Wanted him.
I felt humiliated and a little hot at the memory. I hadn’t pushed him away, in fact, I insisted.
It didn’t matter though. It could never turn into anything and now I just needed to get this over with.
I finally dialed his number and tried to stay calm as I heard it ring.
“Hello?” His voice was deep, causing a slight thrill to run down my body.
I froze. I couldn’t make the words come out, and my throat was suddenly dry and incapable of forming words.
“Hellooooo?” he asked again, a slight annoyance in his tone.
“H-hi…” I squeaked, tightly closing my eyes as a rush of embarrassment shot through me. “Hi,” I said again, more clearly and stable. “It’s Mac.”
“Mac?” he asked surprised, his voice laced with happy amusement. “What a surprise.”
“Yeah, I know. I’m sorry to bother you, I—”
“Oh, sweetheart, you’d never bother me.” I could hear the smirk in his tone. “What can I do for you?”
“I, um…is there any chance I left anything in your suite? I’m missing something and it’s the only place I can think of I would’ve have lost it.” I bit my lip, nervously, hoping he’d already found it, and I wouldn’t have to be specific.
“What exactly did you lose, babe? Panties? Bra? I was hoping that was a parting gift.”
“Oh my god…” I blushed although he couldn’t see me. “No, it was a ring actually.”
“A ring? Could you…describe this ring?” His voice was thick with amusement. He was torturing me and he knew it.
“It was a white gold band. Diamond. A rather…
large
diamond,” I said, cringing as he probably knew exactly what type of ring it was.
“An
engagement
ring?”
I exhaled, hating that I had to even have this conversation. “Yes.”
He responded quickly with no emotion in his voice. “Sorry, babe. I’ve not seen your engagement ring. However, I’ll look around and call you if I find it.”
“Great, thank you,” I replied, feeling self-conscious. I felt the need to explain, but what do you say to your one-night stand that never should’ve happened in the first place. “Alex…I’m sorry,” was the only thing I could think of.
“Mac, you have nothing to be sorry for.” He sounded genuine, but I still felt bad.
“I do. I shouldn’t have drunk that much and lead you to believe…”
“Mac…stop. You don’t have to apologize. Trust me. Last night…” He paused. I could hear his heavy breaths as if it pained him to hear the words. “I don’t want you to apologize.”
“You’re a really great guy, Alex. And I’m not just saying that. I wish things were different. But since they aren’t, this has to end here. I mean, of course, unless you find my ring,” I rambled, hoping he’d hear my lame humor.
He laughed lightly, making my body relax at the sound of his laughter. It was deep, gravely, and so sexy. “Goodbye, Mac.”
I sighed. Even his goodbye sounded sweet. “Bye, Alex.”
WILLIAM CALLED TO
let me know he’d be arriving home soon. It’d only been a couple of days since waking up in a stranger’s hotel room, but I was ready to forget it and move on. It was a mistake.
One fucking hot mistake.
I looked in the mirror again, making sure I didn’t have the word ‘guilty’ written all over my forehead or anything—because it’s all I’ve been feeling since arriving back home.
I stood anxiously in the foyer, repositioning the antique glass vase that’s centered on the five-thousand-dollar cherry table—for the tenth time. I was growing accustomed to all of William’s high-priced furniture, but it still made me uneasy. I was always afraid I’d trip and break something that’d cost more than my entire life savings.
William’s penthouse apartment was on the Upper East Side and was a drastic change from where I lived before. An even bigger change from my childhood lifestyle.
I heard his footsteps through the hall, announcing his arrival. The door opened and my stomach somersaulted at the first glance of him. He was wearing his usual business attire, but he was wearing my favorite one—a
Dolce & Gabbana ‘Martini’ Grey Wolf & Silk three-piece suit
. I smiled as I recalled the memory of picking it out for him just a few months ago.
“Welcome home!” I walked toward him and wrapped my arms around him. I sunk my face into his chest that smelled of his Dolce & Gabbana cologne—cedar and spice. It was comforting. Just like he was.
“Thank you, darling.” He kissed the top of my head. “I missed you.”
I tilted my head to look up at him. He was a good ten inches taller than my five-foot-three size, which always made me feel small and precious around him. “I missed you, too.” It was true. He’d only been gone for four days, but William worked
a lot
. He was gone more than he was home, so I made sure to soak up all the time we could spend together.
“Everything go smoothly?” he asked, backing away slightly. I let go of my grip as he began to walk through the apartment.
I followed behind and answered, “Yes, great.” I tried to hide the anxiety in my voice. I’d never tell him what happened. It was a mistake, and I’d never put myself in that position again. And no matter how many times I replayed Alex’s last kiss in my head, my heart raced with betrayal and desire. It was wrong, but my body disagreed.
Staci tried comforting me, making sure I covered all my bases so I wouldn’t out myself. If asked, we partied at Club Le Bain all night and then took a cab to Brittainy’s apartment where we stayed for breakfast the next day, and I arrived home mid-afternoon.
William and I ate dinner in casual conversation. I told him about work and he told me about his business trip. It was easy. Everything with William was easy, except society. They didn’t approve of us being together, but we were in love. I meant it when I said those three words to him a year ago. I was young, but I knew I never felt safer when I was with him.
We lay on the couch together in front of the fireplace until ten o’clock. It was a rare occasion he gave me his time after dinner, so I was more than content to sit in silence and do nothing. William ran several businesses. He bought and sold them in parts, dividing the assets for more money to the highest bidder.
I rested my head on his shoulder as his arm wrapped around my waist. I looked over at him, admiring his strong, dark features. His hair was a dark shade of brown, trimmed, and styled well. For being in his late forties, he didn’t look his age with his very calculated and precise appearance.
Once the news had gone public we were dating, I found out the press tagged him as Manhattan’s most eligible bachelor. By the streaming number of women who had no reservations of commenting about his relationship status, I had no doubt it was true. When the press first heard he was dating someone half his age, they reported how I was a slutty, younger woman who was only with him for his money and popularity. They used their assumptions and ignorance in finding out who I really was in order to blast headlines. However, I hadn’t even heard of William Lancaster until my boss mentioned he was coming in for a meeting at
Boxy
magazine where I was interning. I had no idea a simple meeting would lead to the fate I was now living in.