One Night with Hemsworth (One Night Series Book 1) (3 page)

“Stop teasing me,” I muttered against his lips. I couldn’t believe I managed to form a coherent sentence—even if it was only three words.

“Tell me what you want,” he asked, moving his head to whisper in my ear.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to form the words sitting on the tip of my tongue. All I had to do was say them.
It’s just one night, it doesn’t matter what you say or do, you’ll never see him again.

I wrapped my legs around his waist as I got the courage to say, “I want you to fuck me, hard.”

“Marry me.”

I laughed against his lips as he kissed me and picked up his pace, making me completely breathless. He made sure to continue to kiss me and caress me, driving me crazy under his touch.

When he started to lose his rhythm, I knew he was close. As if sensing what I wanted—what I needed—he reached in between us, his thumb rubbing over my clit.

“Come with me, Paige.”

The sound of my name on his tongue pushed me over the edge, and another spasm rippled through me. It wasn’t as powerful as the first, but that was a damn hard act to follow.

I clenched around him and he grunted, as his thrusts slowed until he collapsed on top of me. He was still throbbing inside of me as we tried to catch our breaths.

After a few moments, he brought his lips to mine again, kissing me slowly. He withdrew from me, climbed off the bed, and made his way into his en suite.

I pulled the sheet over me, unsure of what to do next.
Do I get up, get dressed, and make my exit? Is he expecting me to leave right away?
It was always so awkward after a hook-up.

I stood, wrapping the sheet around me before trying to gather my clothes together. I’d found most of them, along with my purse, when Hemsworth came out of the bathroom and cocked his head to the side.

“You don’t have to leave right away. I’m not that heartless.” He smiled, and I felt my cheeks heat. He grabbed his boxers from the floor, putting them back on. “You want a shirt or something to sleep in?”

“You want me to sleep here?”

“I’ll even drop you home in the morning. I’m a gentleman like that.” He took a step towards me. “Besides, I don’t think I’m done with you yet.” He wrapped his arms around my back, bringing his face within inches of mine. “Just how much of a girl scout are you?”

I smiled, reaching for my bag and taking out another two condoms. “I was hopeful.”

“Hopeful? I’d say that’s fucking ambitious. I’m up for the challenge if you are. Just need to make a snack first. You know, fuelling food.” He smiled, and then he kissed me. Again.

****

Waking with a start, I took a moment to remember where I was.
Right, some random guy’s apartment.

Not wanting to wake Hemsworth, I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could and started getting dressed. I found my jeans right near my discarded heels and smiled at the memory of last night. It was exactly what I needed. I felt relaxed, if somewhat a little sleep deprived, but it was nothing a little coffee wouldn’t fix.

I dressed quickly, leaving his shirt I slept in on my side of the bed, and got ready to leave. But I couldn’t resist one last look at the guy I’d just spent six hot hours with.

His caramel hair glinted in the early morning sunlight streaming through his window, and I had a flash of memory of running my hands through that same hair while his head was between my legs.

A warmth rushed through me, sending wetness right to my core, and I was half-tempted to shed my clothes and wake him up for more, but I needed to get going. This was a one-night thing. We both knew that.

Opening the door quietly, I tiptoed down the hall, trying not to wake the roommate or Hemsworth.

I walked past a bathroom at the end of the hall, and a closed door on my right, which I assumed was his roommate’s room. There was a third bedroom halfway along the short corridor with an empty single bed and a bedspread that was covered in small spaceships. I didn’t think much of it, just that it was weird for grown-ass men to have a kid’s comforter in their spare room. I almost made it to the front door when I heard a throat clear behind me.

Wincing, I turned to find the hottest guy I’d ever seen in my entire life standing in the kitchen, wearing nothing but a pair of grey sweats. His chest and abs were completely chiselled—like over the top chiselled. The tips of his dark brown hair were sun kissed—although, I got the feeling a professional hairdresser, not the sun, put them there. And his strong square jaw was covered in man-scaped scruff that was meant to look wild, but had obviously taken work to look that messy.
He has to be the underwear model.

“Coffee before you run off?” he asked, his lips turning up at the edges.

“Uh, thanks, but I … uh, really should be going.”

He nodded, still smirking at my walk of shame.

“I’m not sneaking out or anything. I just didn’t want to wake …”
Shit, what’s his name again? I know he told me, but I was calling him Hemsworth all night in my head.

“Cole?” Hunter said.

“Uh … yeah, I knew that. Nice to meet you, Hunter.”

“Oh, so you know my name but not his?” He laughed.

“I knew Cole’s name,” I said defensively, making him laugh more. “I just … had a mental blank—you know, being hungover and whatnot.”

“It’s okay, I’m just giving you shit. It was nice to meet you, too …” He raised his eyebrows expectantly.

“Uh … Paige. My name is Paige.”

“I hope to see you again soon, Paige. Although next time, I’d appreciate a little less …
noise
at one in the morning. A model needs his beauty sleep.” His words were playful, and his face was pleasant and smiling, but I wondered if he wasn’t just teasing.

I stared at him blankly before going wide-eyed when his words actually sank in, embarrassed by the realisation he heard
everything
. “Sorry … It won’t happen again. I mean … it’s not going to happen again. This was a one-time …” I shook my head, unable to finish my sentence. My stammering only seemed to please him more.

“Shame. It’s been fun watching you squirm. So I guess I
won’t
be seeing you again soon.” He smiled, showing off his bright, straight, sexy teeth.
Can teeth be sexy?
He turned and walked back into the kitchen, returning to making his coffee as I let myself out of the apartment.

I grabbed my phone and hit Sara’s number as I walked down to the street.

“What?” she answered the phone with a grunt.

“You get home okay last night?”

“No. I was kidnapped but they were nice and let me keep my phone. Really, Paige? Did your brains get screwed loose while you were being screwed?”

“We on for studying this morning or what? I need a ride.”

She hesitated.

“I’ll buy you coffee on the way?”

“Fine. But chivalry is so dead. Back in the day, the guys who fucked you would at least give cab fare or something.”

I laughed. “He offered to give me a lift, but …”

“But you ran away. Why am I not surprised? Text me the address, I’m leaving now.”

“Thanks, I owe you.”

When she pulled up not long later, I jumped in the car and slumped my head back on the car seat.

“So …” she dragged out the word, “how was it?”

“Just your generic one-night stand,” I lied. If I’d told her the truth—that it was the best sex of my life—she’d hound me for details.

“That seems like a lie.”

Damn her.

I loved Sara, there was no bullshit with her—not in the “I’m so abrasive, I don’t care who I offend” kind of way—just all business. If she were pissed off at you, she’d tell you. If you were hurting, she’d be there first one there with vodka for the pain and a pen and paper to plot any necessary revenge.

We met our first year of uni and had been inseparable ever since. She was a great study partner because where one of us was lacking, the other was thriving and vice versa. We were able to help each other without being a hindrance to one another’s progress.

But spending all that time together meant she could see right through me.

“Fine, don’t give me details, but at least answer me one thing ...”

“Ugh,” I groaned, “go ahead.”

“Did his hammer resemble Thor’s?”

Instantly, I regretted nicknaming him Hemsworth.

I closed my eyes and tried not to laugh—that would only encourage her behaviour—but I knew I was going to be hearing stuff like that for the rest of the day.

3

- COLE -

I had every intention of taking her again. The plan was to wake up early and go a third round before I had to drop her home and go to work. But when I woke, she was gone and my shirt she slept in was next to me.

I’d never been that way with a one-night stand before. Yeah, we had sex, but it was more than that. She was practically begging me to go hard, but all I wanted to do was kiss her and hold her close.

I wanted more of her.

I had to keep telling myself I was actually glad she was gone. What I did last night was wrong, I knew that, and I was just thankful things didn’t get out of hand. What would’ve happened if I was so drunk I lost control? It worked out fine, but what if she’d changed her mind or something and I got angry and didn’t stop, or I lost my temper and … I could’ve done something I’d regret forever.

I liked to think deep down, there’s no way in hell I could do something like that, but a long time ago, I also thought I’d never mark a woman with bruises either. That was why I had rules. No drinking and no relationships.

As much as I told myself that I wasn’t that drunk last night, and she was completely safe, my perfect night with a complete stranger left me feeling sick and remorseful the morning after.

That didn’t stop me from playing the night over and over on a loop in my head, though.

Great, now I need a cold shower.

The distraction Paige gave me last night was exactly what I needed, but that still didn’t put off the inevitable that was today.

What kind of person asks their ex over for dinner to meet their new fiancé? Ugh.

After getting ready, I packed a spare change of clothes to go straight to Reece’s new house when I finished work.

I understood she wanted us all to get to know each other and get along because we were always going to be a part of each other’s lives—that’s how broken families worked—but did I really have to meet the guy?

I let out a loud sigh. Meeting him was the right thing to do, I knew that, but I just didn’t
want
to do it. He was going to be involved in Cody’s life, which meant he was going to be in my life. We needed to at least make an effort to get along.
Look at me being all grown-up-like.
I hated it.

I only had a hint of a hangover—nothing some ibuprofen and coffee wouldn’t fix—and I used that to justify taking Paige home last night. I wasn’t
that
drunk. I’d certainly been a lot worse in the past.

Hunter was in the living room when I made my appearance. “About time you got laid,” he yelled out from the couch.

I rolled my eyes. “Well, it’s lucky it even happened at all. Stop stealing my shit.”

“Please tell me you didn’t go bare with some random girl. I don’t think Cody’s ready to be a big brother. I’m certainly too young and good-looking to be an uncle again.”

Hunter wasn’t my actual brother, but he was the closest thing I had to one. He’d always be “Uncle Hunter” to Cody.

“Then maybe you should buy your own damn condoms.” I slumped down on the couch and closed my eyes, my dull headache making me realise I never ended up getting that ibuprofen.

“Whoa, seriously, dude? Did you? Do I have to give you the safe sex talk again? You don’t know where she’s been. She was smoking hot, she could’ve had—”

I shook my head. “It’s all good, she had some. And trust me, Cody is all I need to remember the importance of safe sex. I don’t need another lecture from you,
Mum
.”

Getting your girlfriend pregnant at nineteen and having to drop out of uni so you could support them both by getting a shitty paid apprenticeship that led to a dead-end job … it was definitely all the reminder I needed.

Hunter smiled. “Now, be a good boy and run along to work.”

I hadn’t realised the time until he’d said that, and I was running late. I stood to leave, but it was as if Hunter’s words only just hit me. “What do you mean, she’s hot? When did you see her?”

Hunter laughed. “When she was trying to sneak out this morning. It was so hilarious. She got all tongue-tied and embarrassed. She even forgot your name. Where did you meet her?”

I pursed my lips and ignored his question. I couldn’t tell him I was at a bar. I’d never hear the end of it.

It pissed me off a little that she didn’t even remember my name, but I guess that goes with the territory of a one-night stand sometimes. “You didn’t say anything Hunter-like, did you?”

“Just to keep the noise down next time.”

I groaned. Thank God, I wouldn’t be seeing Paige again. Although, I do have her number …

No! One night only. That’s the rules.

****

Work was painful but surprisingly short. I guess when the place I didn’t want to be was where I had to go as soon as I knocked off, the day seemed to go faster.

Replaying my night with Paige certainly helped make time go quicker too.

I’d had plenty of one-nighters before, and maybe one or two of them had a lingering effect on me, but none of them had gotten to me like Paige did.

Throughout my shift, when I wasn’t stressing about this stupid dinner I had to attend, I was remembering what it felt like to be buried deep inside her while she moaned beneath me. None of my previous conquests had me hard and begging for more the very next day.

My cock twitched again at the mere thought of her, and I was glad to have my own workstation where none of my co-workers could see my embarrassing situation.

I kept telling myself it was because I hadn’t had sex in over six months and she was extremely good at it. That’s why she was haunting me all day.

Looking at the clock, I only had five minutes left before knock-off time. I never thought I’d be so depressed to leave work.

Apparently, Reece and Cody had been spending most of their time at Dickhead’s … I knew I should’ve started calling him by his actual name so Dickhead wouldn’t slip out at the dinner table, but it was a hard habit to break. They were supposedly at
Paul’s
a lot, but only officially moved in this week—something I’d only been informed about yesterday. Over the phone, no less.

“Oh, by the way, you should probably know that Paul asked me to marry him. We moved in with him earlier this week. I meant to call, but everything’s been so crazy busy.”

I didn’t see how that was fair.
Shouldn’t Cody’s father know where his kid is living?

I wasn’t dumb. I knew it wasn’t a last-minute thing to pack up all their shit and move in with Paul. She didn’t tell me until she absolutely had to. Then she had the nerve to ask me over for dinner, but she also didn’t make it seem like I had a choice. To take Cody for the weekend, I’d need to play nice.

I kept telling myself to swallow my anger. Reece had the power to make it impossible to see Cody at all.

When she gave me the address to their new place, I knew the house was going to be big and expensive as soon as I realised which suburb it was in. Apparently, Paul was some hotshot lawyer and worked eighty hours a week.

“It’s so nice to date someone who’s focused for a change.”

I wasn’t supposed to overhear that a few months ago, but I did.

Our small group of friends, who’ve been friends since high school, still got together every Friday night at our local pub. Of course, back in the day, it was the same nightclub every week, until we got to about twenty-three years old and realised we were getting too old for that scene. Something I’d completely forgotten about last night when I walked into that dive bar.

Anyway, this one particular night, I wasn’t meant to be there because it was my weekend with Cody. Since Reece and I split, we went fifty-fifty in the friends department too. She had her weekend with them when I had Cody, and I had mine when he was with her.

My mum hadn’t seen Cody in a few months, and she begged me to take him for the night. She used to do that when Reece and I were together so we could go out with our friends on a Friday night and be a regular couple who didn’t have the responsibility of looking after a young child. I barely got time to see him as it was, so I said he couldn’t stay the night, but we did go around to her place so she could spend time with him. We had dinner, she played with Cody for a while, but then he fell asleep watching TV. She argued that it would be easier for him to sleep over than having to wake him up to drive home.

I ended up agreeing with her and told her I’d be back in the morning to pick him up. On the way home, I decided to stop by the pub and say hi to the guys. I walked in at the end of Reece saying how great it was to be dating someone focused.

Yeah, I got angry. I sat down next to her in the booth, trying to hold my scowl. I should’ve tried to hold my tongue instead.

“Now if only I could find someone who wasn’t such a prude.”

I knew I was in trouble the minute I said it. Instead of calling me on my bullshit line, she did way worse.

“Where the fuck is Cody? You get a babysitter so you could come and drink? Really? You need a drink so bad, you’d leave your son on one of the few weekends you actually get to see him?”

“Calm down, he’s at my mother’s.”

“If you don’t want the responsibility of being a parent, I can make sure you don’t have to see him at all.”

All of our friends were sitting around the table, their jaws practically in their laps. She rarely played that card, but when she did, it fucking stung.

“Can I talk to you? Outside?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“You don’t have to go outside with him,” Philippa said. Yeah, they all knew what I’d done to Reece the night she left me. Most of the guys’ attitudes towards me stayed the same. They all said it was an accident and could’ve happened to either one of them. But Reece and Philippa knew better. Ever since then, Pip had been wary of me.

“No, it’s fine,” Reece said, pushing me out of the booth to go outside.

I knew I had to keep my anger in check—something that was a lot easier by the fact I hadn’t been drinking.

“Did you really have to say that in front of all of them? You know I’m a good dad, you know I wouldn’t leave Cody for a night just to have a drink. I don’t drink anymore. You know this.”

“Then why are you here and he’s with your mum?”

“Because we went to hers for dinner and he fell asleep. I stopped by to catch up with the guys. It’s Friday night, I knew everyone would be here. Is that really so horrible?”

“Well, what am I meant to think?” she yelled, her breath smelling like a brewery. Clearly
she
hadn’t laid off the alcohol. Just one of the many double standards she’d handed to me since the breakup. “Don’t think I don’t hear about all those skanks you take home week after week when you’re out with our friends while I’m at home looking after our kid full-time.”

I scoffed. “You don’t want to be a single parent full-time? Give me more days with him. I’d gladly take him, you know I would.”

She shook her head. “How could I trust you to do that if every chance you get, you’re at a fucking bar?”

“I’ve been sober for two years, Reece. You know that.”

“You’re also a liar. You don’t think I don’t hear about what happens on the nights I’m not here?”

I let out a loud sigh. “Yes, I have the occasional beer, but I always limit myself to just the one. And we both know my problem isn’t with drinking alcohol. The problem is when I have too much.”

“If you truly wanted Cody in your life, you wouldn’t drink
at all
.”

“Fine. Done.”

“Everything okay out here?” Philippa asked from the doorway. Her best friend, Gage—the guy we all thought she was sleeping with but apparently wasn’t—was standing behind her defensively. And he was certainly not the guy you’d want to piss off. He was built like a brick shithouse.

“You should go home. Tonight’s my night with our friends,” Reece said with a defeated tone, walking off to go back inside the pub.

I managed to keep in line until they disappeared through the door.

“Fuck!” I yelled, turning to punch the brick wall behind me. Pain shot through my hand, and a string of curses left me.

Hunter came barrelling out of the bar, his arm draped around some girl. “Oh, hey! I didn’t know you were here.” He was drunk but seemed to sober up pretty fast when he looked at my hand and saw my knuckles were covered in blood. He turned to his hook-up for the night, “Hey, sweetness, can you give us a minute? I’ll come back inside and get you in a few.”

The random girl nodded and went back inside.

I’d let my anger get to me, and I wasn’t even drunk this time. I knew I was in for a lecture and tried to stop him from talking. “It’s nothing. Just Reece being a bitch.”

“She threaten to take Cody again?”

I nodded.

“She can’t cut him out of your life with no cause. But if you give her a reason to”—he pointed to my bloody hand—“she will.”

“I know, I know.”

Since that happened, I hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol. I also hadn’t slept with anyone. That was, until last night. I didn’t know what would happen if Reece found out about Paige or the fact I was drinking. For all I knew, she’d threaten to take Cody away from me again.